the butterfly effect ; chapter two

Veronica

Mondays were always the worst. First dealing with both my brother and father in the morning, and just having to go to school in general. It was enough to make someone want to commit, I swear.

“Just don’t get pregnant or anything.”

Wow, great advice dad, you win father of the year.

I swear I live with complete idiots. And go to school with a few of them too. Just my luck.

So after being five seconds away from getting hit on by some new stoner kid, I end up late for math. Go figure. The teacher makes a big fucking deal, giving me detention then sending me to the office for breaking dress code too.

If Connor had done it, no one would’ve cared. It would’ve been all, “Oh don’t worry about it, but good luck at the game Friday!” But I’m not Connor, am I? I’m Veronica. And that makes all the difference. Every thinks I’m the delinquent whose obviously going nowhere in life, well Connor is Mr. Perfect.

They couldn’t be more wrong though.

I’m just as good as him, if not better. I actually try to get good grades, while every teacher just passes him by, no questions asked.  We both participate in those ‘all American’ sports, him in football and me in cheerleading. We both have plenty of friends. Everyone knows who we are. But for some reason everyone just loves kissing his ass.

Since when did my life become some dumb teen movie?

Detention though, that’s definitely a problem. I’m going to need a ride home, especially considering there’s practice today too. I consider asking Connor for about five seconds, but that would be a pretty dumb idea. I can’t remember the last time he did me any favors.

Also there’s explaining to mom, considering there’s no way Connor won’t tell her about this. He just loves to rat me out to make him look better. The last thing I feel like dealing with is her rage.

The day drags on, consisting of not paying attention in any of my classes, getting in trouble for basically just breathing, and of course, detention.

I slipped into the room, which was small with about five desks. The place was cramped, and felt like an oven. Considering how much I got in trouble, I had usually been able to avoid this hell of a place.

There are a few kids already in there, but they’re just a bunch of waste of space losers.

I slid into a seat in the back, already counting the minutes until I could get out of there and into the gym for practice. So of course I didn’t even care to notice the kid who slid into the desk next to me, until he leaned over to talk to me as the teacher walked out the door, probably to go make out with the librarian or something.

“Wow, didn’t expect to find you in here.” Dally said, leaning over to so his elbow was on  the edge of my desk. If he didn’t have the whole stoner vibe going on, he might’ve been cute. Maybe. I brushed his elbow off, pulling a notebook out of my bag and turning to a blank page.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t assume you know me after talking to me once.” I said, doodling intently on the margin of the notebook and refusing to look at him. I glance up at the clock again. 28 minutes.

Dally sighs, leaning back into his seat. “You know, you still haven’t told me your name…” He’s practically staring me down now, like I owe my name to him or something. I didn’t have time for this bullshit.

“Well, if it matters soooo much to you… It’s Veronica.” I mutter, darkening the one circle on the paper. I can see him smiling out of the corner of my eye. Pathetic.

“Veronica…” He repeats, like he’s committing it to memory. I nod, and go back to my drawing, staring at it intently as if this doodle might be the next Mona Lisa or something like that.

“So, Veronica, what did you even do to get in here?” He asks, again interrupting me. He shakes his hair out of his face, smiling at me. This kid can’t seriously think we’re going to be friends or something.

“Sacrificing babies in the girl’s room” I deadpan, and can’t help but laugh slightly at the look he gives me.

I push my hair behind my ear, and shrug.

“I was late for class or some bullshit like that. What about you? How do you end up with detention on the first day?” I look over at him, watching him tap his fingers on the desk.

“After the five time, they decide that you’re not lost anymore, just skipping class instead.” He smirks at me, but I just roll my eyes. Wow, so badass.

We sit the rest of the period in silence, thank god, and I’m out the door when the bell rings before anyone can try to stop me.

Note to self: Detention sucks.

—-

Dally

Usually just telling girls I’m from New York does it or hell, they just hear the accent and they seem to slip out of their pants faster than I can even blink.

But not with Veronica.

I watched her. But not in like a serial killer, “I know what you did last summer” type of way. She just tended to catch my eye a lot.

After she bolted out of the detention room, I didn’t have too much else to do. School was over, and it wasn’t like I had any friends to hang out with yet. Home didn’t sound like too much fun, with everyone unpacking and all that shit.

I slowly made my way to my locker, keeping an eye out to see if she was going to come get her stuff. She never did though, so I just made my way out.

But of course, the principal was posted right at the front door, and I had already stealthily avoided any meetings with him today, and that wasn’t going to stop now.

I quickly ducked back down the hall, trying to find another exit. I wasn’t seeing any, until I laid eyes on the gym. Gyms usually had exits, right? So I snuck into the gym, only to find cheerleading practice pretty much in full swing.

Shit.

I quickly went under the bleachers, eye set on the door on the wall of the gym. It shouldn’t be too hard to get there.  I quickly move along, sneaking peeks along though, although it was totally just to make sure no one could see me of course. Totally not checking out any of the cheerleaders or anything.

And then I saw her. Again, I can’t help that she catches my eye.

Veronica was talking to the couch, wearing shorts and a t shirt. I could only hear snippets, but I pretty much put together that couch was pissed about the detention thing, and was debating letting her cheer.

I didn’t stick around to hear the end of it, instead rushing out the door the first chance I got.

But of course right when I get out, I end up colliding with someone else. Great.

“Shit man, what are you doing, running a fucking marathon?” The kid said, glaring at me. Or at least attempting to, but it was a bit obvious the kid was obviously high off his ass.

“Uh, sorry. It was an accident.” I said, attempting mainly to just get away and start heading home. First days of school are just way too stressful.

“It’s fine, just didn’t expect to get run over by a door, that’s all.” He says, nodding towards me. “Hey, you’re that new kid.”

“Right.”

“I’m Simon.” He reaches out the shake my hand, smiling at me. He seems nice enough.

“Dally.”

“Hey, you going to the game tonight?” He asks, picking up his backpack from the ground. I shrug, glancing back at the gym door. “I was thinking about it.”

“You totally should. We can hang out or something. See you!” He walked off. Making his way to the row of buses. I sighed, turning in the other direction, making my way towards home.

A game could be fun.

—-

Keira

I saw Luca again later that day, thankfully without Kylie hanging over my shoulder and Connor over his. I was walking down to lunch when I ran into him in the hall. He was heading to some class, but seeing me, he didn’t seem all too concerned with getting there on time.

I’d be lying if I said that thought didn’t give me butterflies just a tiny bit. I’m a girl, I can’t help it.

He smiled just slightly at me, a little smirk that he always seemed to wear on his face, turning around to walk with me even though he had been heading in the opposite direction. “Hey there Abruzzo.” He said, grinning down at me. It was nice seeing him again, considering I hadn’t really been able to talk to him since summer.

“Hey, what’s up?” I said, clutching my books just a bit closer to me. He shrugged, glancing down the hall. “I think I’m supposed to be going to class, but who cares about that?” He says, shrugging and smiling at me again.

I missed him so much ever since summer ended. 

“So, you going to the game tonight?” He asked, looking hopefully over at me. I think about it. It’s not really weird that he’s asking, because I’m pretty sure he was on the team last year. He probably just wants more people in the stands to cheer the team on. That must be all there is too it.

I also think about the possibility of going out and not having to be home.

This would mean getting to avoid my dad for a few hours more than usual.

It’s terrible how badly I want out of my house, but I’m really past caring about that. I nod quickly. “Yeah, I’ll definitely be there.”

He grins, moving to head to his class. “Okay, see you there!”

—-

Dally

 I sat in the stands a few hours later, eventually deciding to stop “unpacking” and go to the game. I told my dad I was meeting a friend, mainly just avoiding any questions altogether. He seemed happy enough with that.

It seemed like everyone was there, but the school really wasn’t that big. The actual football players were out of sight. Different groups clustered in different parts if the stands. The cheerleaders were down on the field, stretching and such.

Veronica was down there too. Just saying.

“Don’t even bother dude, if you can’t throw a football, then the cheerleaders are out of your league.” A slightly familiar voice came from behind me. I turned around to see Simon, grinning slightly at me. I shrug slightly.

“Didn’t expect any less.” Simon shrugged back, leaning over too look also. “Which one was it anyway, huh?” He said, smirking again. I shove him slightly, rolling my eyes.

“Shut up, it’s no one.” He shrugs again at that, moving to sit down on the bleachers. I sit down next to him, the game starting down on the field. The cheerleaders started some obnoxious cheer, and I made sure not to look at Veronica, now that Simon was there and apparently aware of it.

 But when I glanced over at him, he was actually staring off somewhere else too. Somewhere that happened to be in the direction of two blonde girls who were sitting together a few seats down, one with long straight hair, the other with curly hair who was all but jumping up and down in her seat.

I grin, elbowing slightly. “Well, who’s checking out someone out of their league now?” Simon rolls his eyes, smiling back. “She’s not out of my league. She just thinks she is.”

I raise my eyebrows, but leave it at that. Some kid comes over and sits next to the two girls, distracting the straight haired one from her friend. The curly haired one that Simon was checking out gets up a few moments later, moving away to go somewhere else. I lean over and nudge him slightly.

“Hey, I think this is your chance to prove your in her league.” I say, nodding over towards the girls retreating figure.  Simon grinned at me, getting up to follow after her.

I considered leaving for a split second, but glancing down once more at the cheerleaders, I decided that maybe there could be some reason to stay.

—-

Keira

I went over Kylie’s after school and she drove us to the game. I was good at that, avoiding home whenever the situation demanded. If I was lucky, by the time I would be home, my dad would already be passed out on the couch. In the morning I should be able to sneak out before he wakes up.

It was like walking on eggshells, but you adapted eventually. You learn the tricks, how to time things just right to avoid a dreaded one sided argument.

But sometimes things don’t happen according to plan, and you just can’t do anything about it.

We sat at our usual spot on the bleachers, and Kylie rambled on about twizzlers and how she couldn’t wait until soccer season and probably a thousand other things I really just couldn’t even try to keep up with. The girl talked a mile a minute.

By the time the game started, Luca showed up. We talked for a while, and eventually Kylie left, muttering something bitterly under her breath about being a third wheel.

“So you’re not playing this year?” I ask him, not really paying attention to the game. It wasn’t exactly like I came for the football anyway.

He shrugs. “It was more of Connor’s thing anyway.” I nod, sighing slightly at the mention of Connor. Everyone knew him. Total jock. Total asshole. Little sister who’s a total bloodsucking demon dressed in a cheerleading outfit.

You can’t blame me for avoiding the family like the plague.

“He’s your best friend, right?” I ask curiously. He nods slightly. “Well, he’s actually my cousin, but these days they’ve kind of become the same thing.” He smiles shyly, which has to be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

We talk most the game, and after a while he starts explaining to me what’s actually going on down on the field. Kylie eventually comes back, going off dramatically about some kid who was hitting on her. 

The game ends, with our team winning. We make our way off the stands, and I’m about to reluctantly say goodbye when Connor comes over, telling Luca about some party one of the other football players were throwing in celebration.

He turns back to me. “Want to come?” He asks, although Connor gives him a strange look, and gives me a totally obvious once over. I roll my eyes and glance over at Kylie, who just shrugs.

“We’ll meet you there.” I say, walking off with Kylie to her car.

“Think there will be booze there?” She asks as I climb into the passenger seat. “Well I wouldn’t be too surprised” I respond, rolling my eyes just slightly.

She laughs, doing a strange happy dance in her seat of the car, and then driving off.

—-

Veronica

The game wasn’t too exciting, even though we won. I had gotten invited to some party by the other girls, but I was honestly just too tired to deal with the dumb girls who were on the squad. I could barely stand them during games as it is.

 I glanced around the stands, looking for Danny. He had promised to drive me home after the game. But I wouldn’t exactly be surprised if he didn’t actually show up.

I never really knew how it was with him though. Some days it was practically like we were dating, yet some days it was the complete opposite.

Besides a few times making out, he hadn’t exactly made any moves.

I start heading towards the locker room, gym bag perched on my shoulder. He would probably show up soon, and might as well change out of my uniform while I can instead of freezing my ass off while waiting.

Except when I walked by the bleachers, when a hand quickly reached out, tugging me under.

I let out a little yell that no one probably even heard because they were too far away, and barely get a look at Dally before his lips came crashing into mine. My gym bag falls off my shoulder, hitting the ground with a soft thud.

I should pull away, push him off me. Danny would be here soon to drive me home. He could see this. He’d be so pissed if he saw this.

Instead, I kiss him back.

Which was probably not the best choice of mine, but I’m not exactly the poster girl for good choices.

His hands were gripping my waist tightly, and he pushed me back against the side of the bleachers, the bar digging against my back. My hands found themselves snaked around his neck, pulling him closer.

This was really wrong. First of all, he shouldn’t even have been brave enough to do this. The Dally who attempted to hit on my earlier wouldn’t have done this.

He was supposed to be intimidated and scared. He would watch at a distance, and except that he’d never exactly have me. That’s how it was with every single boy who attempted to have a crush on me.

It kept me in control that way. And I can’t stand not being in control.

But as his hand tangled in my hair, pulling my head back just slightly, exposing enough skin for his lips to connect with the side of my neck, I felt that control slipping away piece by piece.

I felt his fingertips brush at the edge of my skirt, touching the top of my thigh, and I finally pushed him away. It wasn’t a very forceful push, but I had to leave. I wasn’t supposed to be there. There was this sick feeling in my stomach that that something wasn’t right with this.

Dally looks confused, but I quickly grab my bag and run off before he can say anything.