"Loralie! Lori!" Tao shouted for her with a cheer, holding a sign up with her name on it. "Cheer your heart out!"

"Is that your boyfriend?" a girl on the cheer team asked her.

"He's my friend." Loralie gave a tiny smile her way.

"That checks out." she laughed with her two others friends, the two going back to their staring points. Loralie pretended it hadn't bothered her much, taking a breath as she stretched her legs while the boys got warmed up on the field. She gave a dramatic wave to Charlie as he did it back.

Loralie hadn't lingered long before they were needed to start the line up, the other team running out.

"Loralie, you ready for the stunt?" Britney gave her a grin. "You're gonna do amazing."

"Oh." Loralie was taken back by her kindness, smiling at her. "Thank you."

The game began, their team hadn't been doing well. Elle held Taos arm in fear when she watched Loralie. "It's happening."

"Let's hope she doesn't turn into butter again." he braced himself, taking Elle's hand.

Loralie tightened her core when she was lifted by the two girls, the base behind her incase she were to fall. Her arms were tossed into the air with a bright smile. "Go, Truman. Let me h-"

She was cut off by a pain in her leg, wincing as she looked down and saw Britney squeezed her shin rather hard. Loralie tried to ignore her. "Let me h-ow!"

"Somethings wrong." Tao gave a fearful look.

"Stop." Loralie spoke as both the girls on either side of her sunk their nails into her legs. "What's the matter?"

But, neither answered her, they just let her go. Let her go with a push forward in order for base not to catch her, Loralie collided with the track harshly with a huff. No one seemed to care much, the team always ordered to continue their cheer routines regardless of what happened.

Tao and Elle were about to head her way before a shadow covered Loralies entire being. "Are you okay?"

It was hard to tell if he was sincere, like he actually cared, or if he'd just been asking to ask. Loralie didn't know his friends had been talking about her the entire time the game had went on, she didn't know he was only trying to impress them by showing some form of interest into her. But, she couldn't stop to take that into consideration. Not when he was so pretty, not when he was the only one to help her up before her friends go to her.

"No, no, no, no." Charlie fell into a fit of panic at the sight, stopping mid game to watch this new interaction between two people that should have never gone anywhere near each other.

"Oh, I think so." Loralie nodded, looking up from the track. "Happens a lot."

He held his hand down when catching his friends eye, they all gave provocative body rolls his way. Loralie gave a small smile, taking his hand as he helped her up.

"No." Charlie was still in a horrible state of panic, for Loralies sake that was. His first friend, his best friend.

"Who is that?" Elle asked, slightly bitter.

Loralie looked at her bleeding knee. "Thanks."

He smiled, and it warmed her heart. He had the decency to help her up and that was enough for her. It was sad, but it seemed to be the reality of how easy it had been for her to fall at someone's feet. The problem was, he didn't actually care, and all his friends knew of Loralies past with people that showed the smallest interest in her.

"What's the matter?" Nick sensed Charlie's panic, panting. The Spring boy pointed toward the two. "Oh, no, no, no."

"I'm Loralie." she smiled, her face was warm, his hand was still in hers. She started to plan their wedding in her head already, figuring blue and gold with look best with his eyes.

"I'm Ben."

"They did it on purpose. I was watching." Tao ranted as the trio were under the umbrella together, shielding from the rain.

"It's a dangerous sport." Loralie gave the excuse. She always had. Not because she truly believed it, but because the idea of Tao or Elle, or anyone really, knowing she was bullied by the cheer team just felt embarrassing to admit.

"Come on, Charlie!" Tara cheered him on when he was tackled.

"Let's go, Charlie!" Elle called.

"Kick some old man butt!" Loralie cheered as she tossed her fist up.

"Yeah!" Tao agreed with her. They saw Harry with his arm around Charlie, grinning and walking together. "Is Harry Greene picking on Charlie?"

"Think he's got him in a chokehold." Loralie used her hands as binoculars. "Or just an arm around him. Hard to spot the difference."

"Maybe they're friends." Elle pointed out.

"That's even worse." Tao shook his head. "Next, Charlie will be bringing the whole rugby team to our film night and make us watch Avengers or something."

"But, I love Tom Holland and Brie Larson." Loralie frowned.

"Is that your nightmare scenario?" Elle asked Tao in faint shock.

"Maybe he'll bring all Truman boys." Loralie spoke hopefully as she gave Ben a grin when his friend nudged him, making him wave at her. "What size ring do you think he is? I've always wanted to be the one to propose."

"Ugh, gag me." Tao rolled his eyes

"You spoke one word to him." Elle wanted to laugh but didn't.

"He helped me up." Loralie defended her case, holding out her knee. "And his friend gave me one of her bandaids."

"We were gonna help you up." Tao huffed in annoyance.

"And give you one of my bandaids." Elle added in.

"Charlies befriending bullies, Loralie is flirting with them, and our friendship group is falling apart." Tao ranted as he held the umbrella.

"He doesn't seem like a bully." she continued to admire Ben from affair. "He requested to follow me on Insta."

"Falling apart." Tao repeated himself. "Take this seriously."

"Hey. I didn't come to risk seeing all the Truham Boys who used to pick on me just for you to tell me our friendship groups falling apart." Elle threatened him. "Nor did I come to see Loralie flirt with Ben Hope."

"Is he a bad guy?" she had to ask.

"He doesn't really say anything." Elle said honestly as all three of them turned to watch him. "But, he hangs out with terrible people."

"So does Nick." Tao rolled his eyes.

"Meaning he could be a precious golden retriever like Nick Nelson?" Loralie gapped hopefully with a smile.

"Look what you did." Elle smacked Tao in the arm in disbelief.

St. john's had 30, Truman still stuck at zero. Loralie winced when Charlie had taken a bad fall, the coach calling it off entirely. She went to head over before a hand caught her arm. An unfamiliar hold that seemed to be obsessed with her for the evening. "The rains bad, right?"

"Oh, I like the rain." Loralie smiled as she looked up at the sky. "Like a happy cry. Or, Mother Nature is squeezing her bath rag onto us."

Bens face was a mix of grossed out and offended she'd even say that to him. Elle sighed as her and Tao had been close enough to hear what they were saying. "That's our girl."

"Charlie." Nick helped him up. "You okay? Are you hurt?"

"Loralie." he watched in fear for her. He wasn't entirely sure what Ben was when he came to sexuality. He liked him, but did he like girls too? Could that mean he'd do what he did to him to her as well? But, how could he warn her without having to say any of it out loud. "She's talking to Ben. It can't happen."

Nick seemed panicked. "What do you want me to go?"

"I don't know." he feared. But, Nick was good at overpowering all of his fears. He'd been storming over toward the unmatchable pair. Charlie figured he'd be the hero again, maybe shove him away from Loralie, protect her like he had him, save her from whatever sort of sick little man Ben Hope was. He was gonna hit him, he was gonna get him away from her.

So, if that had been the plan, why was Nick Nelson tackling Loralie Flowers instead of Ben Hope?

"What?" Charlie spoke out loud.

"Oh, what is happening?" Tao asked in disbelief.

"What is everyone problem with her?" Elle gapped in shock.

"Um, ow!" Loralie yelled at Nick as he hovered over her.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." he said it twice, standing up quickly as he held eye contact with Ben the entire time he rose to his feet. "Wasn't watching where i'd been going."

Loralie went to stand up before Nick reached down and lifted her up himself. Tao and Elle both gapped, their jaws falling. Ben and Loralie had been in just as much shock as he held her. "Better take her to the infirmary. Get a better bandaid."

The one on her knee had been hanging on by just one side now, the wound from before on display. Nick pulled the remaining bandaid off, remaining gentle despite it only being on her skin by a centimeter. Loralies jaw fell when he reached forward and stuck it on Bens shirt. "Thanks for that, Mate."

Then, he walked off, carrying Loralie with him. "Sorry about this."

"Some people would pay good money for a bandaid that was attached to my bloody knee. You owe me some moolah ." she gave him a knowing look as he pushed the door open with his back. "I can walk."

"But, I tackled you." he gave her a small look. "Very hard, actually. Onto the track. The least I can do is carry you."

And, just like that, Nick Nelson had Loralies full approval.

•

kylie speaks

smh. that's it. but! at
least we got a double
update, am i right?