Why is she looking at me? She should be focused on her moves. I open my mouth to signal her to look away, but before I can, I see her leg lose balance and she…falls.
Oh my God!
I'm on my feet before I can even think, bolting towards the team and ignoring all the other people who have also bolted there. Everyone is blocking my way; I can't see what's happening and my heart is beating out of my chest. Is she hurt? Oh my God, is she hurt?
I pant heavily and my mind is in overdrive. I can't think of anything but the fact that Juliette might be hurt right now.
Who comes up with these routines? I have half a mind to call up the cheerleading association and complain about how absolutely ridiculous these moves are.
I sigh, watching a stretcher get rolled into the gymnasium and I close my eyes, not wanting to see Juliette being placed on it and rolled out of here.
Sorry dad, I can't visit you today.
***
It's been a few hours and I'm waiting outside the nurse's office, so many people have come in and out of that room. I was tempted to ask Kai about Juliette when he left the nurse's office, but I just hid and kept my mouth shut. I want to see for myself if Juliette is okay.
I wait for the nurse to leave the room and I look around before I walk inside.
Someone would think I'm spying or something, but really, I just don't want anyone to think I care about Juliette Kingston. Because I don't care about her.
Colour me shocked when I walk inside the nurse's office and see Juliette perfectly relaxed, her phone in her hand as she idly scrolls. She hears me coming in and looks up, startled.
“What are you doing here?”
I ignore her question. “Why do you look fine? You fell—”
“Seriously? That was a basic fall at best, I've fallen like that at least a hundred times before.” She cuts me off with a laugh.
She then stands up and moves her legs, as if she’s stretching. She’s poking fun at how ridiculous I’m being, but I still can’t help the exhale that leaves my body. She’s not hurt. Thank God. My chest feels ten times lighter.
“So, you're fine, no injuries?” I repeat my question worriedly.
“None.” She smiles smugly, like she's so elated that I'm worried about her and it's angering me.
“Good,” I say before raising my voice. “Are you fucking stupid?”
She's fine with no injury at all, which means I don't have to be gentle or sweet. I can be angry and worried and berate her for being so idiotic that she almost got hurt.
“What?” she questions, bewildered and looking nervous as I walk closer.
Her hair is dishevelled for once, her cheer uniform scuffed and I'm trying to avoid how sexy she looks right now.
“Why the fuck would you lose focus like that—”
“Obviously, I didn't plan to.” She cuts me off again in an annoyed tone.
“What made you lose focus?” I question in a holler, raising my voice as our bodies are only inches away from each other.
I want to know what was so important that Juliette, who never loses focus, got so distracted today that she almost lost a limb.
How could she be so utterly stupid that she forgot her surroundings? I need to know. More importantly, why do I care so much? Why was fear slicing through every inch of my body when I saw her like that?
“None of your business!” she screams back, a vein protruding out of her forehead.
Really? Everything Juliette Kingston does is my business.
“You're so fucking stupid!” I screech out furiously.
