9A/N: Just wanted to take the time to say thanks for who has followed so far. I have an outline of about 25-30 chapters. I am open if anyone has any suggestions as for what they would like to see. also want to say sorry in advance grammer and spelling aren't my forte nor is it fun for me so whatever autocorrect doesn't fix, sorry. I am going to try and go back and forth past to present if it gets confusing let me know and I can label better, thank you again!
Kate, Ana, Christian= 14
Elliot= 16
Mia, Ethan= 10
" if it isn't the fresh meat ready for slaughter" I rolled my eyes, I swear if his head was any bigger it would start to slant.
Ana and Christian are Un- fazed but everything he says I swear it's to get a reaction out of me.
"Don't you have a girl to be drooling over? Leave us alone Elliot" I say as I push past him into the bus.
"The two years without you was the best of my life" I say to him as I walk past him.
" I know you've been missing me in the halls, Katie girl" cockiness steaming out of him.
"My name is Kate not Katie girl, and not Katie jerk, learn it. I didn't think you were that stupid, what happened? hit your head too much during practice" I spewed out as Elliot sat next to his friends messing with me for show. He knew how to get a reaction out of me every time. It's like he knows out of everyone I'll always respond to his stupid remarks.
"Whatever you say, Katie girl" he says and starts to talk with his friends.
I stick my headphones in my ear, Finally, peace and quiet. Over the years I made friends with Olivia who also lives near us and just recently has become my escape away from the love fest that's Ana and Christian. Over the summer Ana and Christian have gotten closer and when we went on the grey's boat for Labor Day it's like everything changed.
Christian has googly eyes for Ana and it's only a matter of time before he asks her to be his girlfriend. she's totally going to get her first kiss before me.
Two weeks later
Today is the first day of cheer try outs. Ana and Christian took the bus home. Ana isn't coordinated at all so cheer isn't for her. I on the other hand have worked so hard to get on the cheer team. I cheer in middle school and took some tumbling classes to prepare for high school cheer squad. If there is one thing I love most is being in charge and being the best, and the cheer team are always the main event of the football games.
"Well well, trying out for cheer? Christian didn't tell me" of course I couldn't avoid him on the massive field. He could pin me out of a huge crowd just to embarrass me.
"Wow, so observant. Gold star for Elliot" I snark back walking as fast as possible to the where the girls are stretching.
" You can pin the star anywhere you want Katie girl" the way he says it I know it's teasing but it makes me feel light headed. Over the summer he has started to tease me and I know exactly why. The stars aligned and by some divine miracle my flat chest isn't flat anymore I'm finally starting to grow boobs. But it's a bit of an adjustment trying to find the right clothes to fit me and not be too baggy. Elliot has been there all summer to tease me with "Katie Kat finally isn't a boy" and other dumb comments.
With my boobs and me starting to change from Christians kid best friend to an actual girl has made Elliot's teasing even worse. I secretly hope all the teasing is because on some level he likes me as much as I like him. We have always been close and talk about sports and a bunch of other stuff and we still do but lately the teasing has gotten out of hand.
" do all football players greet cheerleaders like this or is it just you" I snark back and he smiles its like he likes my sarcastic answers to him.
"Just me, you'll make it on the team I've seen your flips. And then you can cheer for me every Friday" he winks at me.
"Yeah, with the way I've seen you on the field you're going to need it" I look him up and down smiling.
He's grabs his chest "you wound me, gotta step up my game now"
"I guess you do"
"Wait for me by the late bus I'll walk you home it gets pretty dark out" he said as he started to walk away back to his teammates on the field.
" scared of the dark Elliot? need me to hold your hand?" I yelled out after him. He just turned around and winked at me and kept running back to the other side of the field.
The tryouts went well, the things they asked were pretty easy and I felt super confident.
"Congrats Kate, I think you're a shoe in, we'll post the list Monday during free period" said Amanda one of the head cheerleaders.
"Thanks so much!" I say as we walk towards the exit of the field.
"is that grey waving at you?" asked Amanda and I turned around to see Elliot trying to get my attention from the other side.
" He'll be alright" I say trying to turn around and ignore him. I do not want everyone to associate me with Elliot at only sixteen he already has a reputation for kissing everyone.
"KATIEEEEE" he yells. Oh god, I'm going to die of embarrassment as people turn to look who he is talking to. "I know you hear me, Katie" he says even louder. I cover my face with my hands, I'm going to murder him.
"Goodbye Elliot Gerald" I yell back knowing he hates the mention of his middle name.
I can hear the laughs around him. " Come on Katie Kat, you know I'm scared of the dark" he yells back and I can hear him getting closer.
He's so dumb I cant help but laugh and finally turn around to see him a few feet away. "I'm not holding your hand doofus"
He laughs, " You looked like you did good" he looks down at me with that smile that I love, even now I still have the stupidest crush on him when I shouldn't.
" Thanks, I hope I get it" I say as we hope onto the late bus. "you need to hurry and get your license so you can drive us all around" I tease.
He laughs again, " trust me I cant wait to drive my dad's been taking me out driving on the weekends, I cant wait"
"I know, Christian said your Dad came home asking him to borrow his bike helmet"
"Ha-ha, I'm a great driver" he looks down at me. "what's with the snark lately, do you not like me anymore" he says smile disappearing.
I look up at him " what's with the comments"
"About what" he asks confused. Then its like the lightbulb goes off. " ohhh, you mean the comments about you finally blossoming" he says smiling using air quotes for the word 'blossoming'
I nudge his shoulder with mine. "Yes, jerk".
" I don't know, its just surprising is all, you growing up and all"
"Elliot I don't know if you've noticed but we have all grown up, you're like a giant now"
He laughs " yeah, its like I grew over night. But seriously sorry I make the jokes I just don't know what to say around you anymore"
"what do you mean"
He rolls his eyes "come on Kate, you don't look like one of the boys anymore or a kid anymore"
"what do I Look like then Elliot"
There goes that damn smile again, and something else I just cant place it. He blushes, " you really don't know"
"just spit it out will ya, Elliot"
he sighs shakes his head "you look hot, okay" he scratches his head.
The smile that forms is nothing for the fireworks I feel inside. How do I respond to that? Nicely or snarky?
"why, thank you" I choose to say.
"and apparently conceited now too" he mumbles but is still smiling.
I pinch his side. " don't be rude" I say but still smile. "Even though I'm 'hot' to you know can we still be friends that don't fight as much?"
" we'll always be friends Katie Kat"
I pinch his side again. "god dammit Kate, can you stop"
"don't call me Katie Kat, then" I smile.
" I thought we weren't going to fight like this anymore" he says as he starts to get up. Our stop coming up next.
I get up and turn around to face him. Hand on my hip for a little extra measure. "I said as much, jeeze Elliot we really do need to make sure you don't have a concussion or something".
"ha-ha" he says moving in front of me, leading me out the bus. "Come on, its getting dark, and we're blonde it's the main event of every horror film".
I laugh again and throw my head back, being with him always makes me laugh uncontrollably. Being with him is comfortable and easy even when we bicker. I stop though when I realize he grabbed my hand and hasn't let go.
A little dazed I try to think of what to say besides be dragged by him down the street.
"hey, what did I say about hand holding" I tease, smiling. I don't think I could frown even if I wanted to.
He looked down at our hands together and then back up at me. " you know you like it"
Stupid jerk. "whatever".
He walked me home on the way to his house. Walked me to my door and yelled in a hi to my parents before leaving. I watched from the window as he left. My crush for him after that day intensified.
I got on the cheer team and everyday during the fall Elliot and I took the bus home together and he walked me to my door each day. It felt comfortable to the two of us just two friends hanging out. We would talk about everything and anything. We mostly talked about our bet on when Ana and Christian would finally get their heads out of their asses. I bet that Christian would be the one to kiss Ana first knowing how shy Ana is I knew she wouldn't do it first. Elliot on the other hand swore up and down Christian was a chicken shit and wouldn't do it first.
When it came to game days, one of my parents would try and make it watch my half time game, the Greys were at every single one cheering Elliot on but they would also cheer me on especially on days my mom or dad couldn't make it. Ana was always there for me no matter what sitting and cheering me on even on days Christian couldn't make it to go with her, she'd have Ray come with her and he'd cheer me on too. After every Friday game the greys would go home for pizza and movie night as a family. It started because Elliot would get invited to all the parties afterward and he had to make a deal with his parents. If he would stay in Friday nights with the family he could go out Saturday nights to the parties and didn't have to go to family functions on that day if he didn't want to.
My parents on the other hand would take Ana and I out after games if they were there to our favorite sushi spot but if not we would always tag along for pizza night and movies, especially after Grace and Carrick went to bed we got to watch all the good scary movies and gossip about school. Well, mostly hear Elliot gossip about school and the girls he was chasing after. Even though I always hoped he would chase after me, hearing the stories were too funny not to laugh.
On one night, Mia came downstairs after her parents fell asleep and watched a scary movie with us but ended up getting scared and made Elliot and Christian both walk her through the dark house and stand guard outside the door while she got ready for bed. Which left Ana and I too talk.
" Christian kissed me" Ana blurted out when she didn't hear the boys voices anymore.
My mouth dropped open "No way"
Ana smiled " after school I had to come home and help my mom with something so Christian took the bus with me and waited for me so Grace could drive us back to school. When we were walking back to his house he stopped and told me he thought I was beautiful and then kissed me"
"Oh my God"
"oh Kate, it was so amazing! He really does like me like I like him" said Ana.
I rolled my eyes "Ana a blind man can see that you guys are all googly eyes over each other".
"oh I'm sorry I don't mean to be insensitive I know how long you've been waiting for your first kiss" says Ana suddenly. She always wants to be fair and kind and I love that about her she never sets out to hurt someone's feelings.
"who cares about me right now, this is about you. You got your first kiss! This is epic" I say smiling. I am truly happy for her.
"I know! I'm still in shock, I hope he does it again soon" she says blushing.
"how about tongue?" I say laughing and then laughing harder at Ana's shocked look.
"what about tongue" says Elliot as he and Christian walk back in.
"Ana asked what would be the weirdest scary movie they haven't done" I think fast. " I said a movie called Tongue" sounds gross to me.
Elliot laughs as he plops down in his spot next to Christian. "movie about killer tongues, imagine".
Ana got kissed everyday after that as Christian walked her home. I on the other hand got stuck with the chatter box Elliot wouldn't stop talking about defeating some team this Friday.
"What's up with you" he nudged me as we got off the bus.
"Nothing" I replied
"it is something, you've been too quiet and you've let me talk for at least 20 minutes without telling me to shut up" he said standing in front of me blocking me from walking.
" Just stuff Elliot" I shrug. What am I supposed to tell him I'm bummed my best friend is getting kissed and I cant get one guy to even look at me.
He grabbed my hand and dragged me to my back porch as we got to my house and sat on the back porch swing patting in for me to sit.
"Tell Elliot all your worries" he smiled.
"what if I don't want to tell you all my worries" I snarked.
He just looked at me, "come on, I wont tell anyone. It has to be bothering you for you to be so nice to me this week"
I played with my fingers and turned around. "If I tell you, you have to swear not to tell anyone".
"I swear" he said automatically.
" I swear Elliot you tell anyone I shave off your precious hair" I say back and he automatically goes to protect his hair.
"Christian kissed Ana"
"Dammit, didn't know he had it in him" he said more to himself. "But why is that bothering you?"
"you cant laugh at me" I told him knowing that's going to be his first reaction.
"Just spit it out Kate" he said.
I sighed loudly, " I just, I always thought I'd have my first kiss by now but no boys even look at me, I thought being a cheerleader at least one football player would show interest but they all avoid me like the plague".
Elliot looked at me a little confused. "you're bummed no one has kissed you yet that's it" he said.
"Ha-ha, I know lets all laugh at Kate being Kate mad over somethings stupid, but its something I've been looking forward to and-" I stop as his lips touch mine gently at first. And I look into his eyes and he in mine and then close my eyes as he kisses me a little harder and more. He doesn't stop for what feels like forever. When he stops and moves away and opens my eyes he's smiling and so am I.
"how was that for a first kiss" he says smiling.
"pretty damn good" I smiled back.
"Good, now can you go back to being regular Katie" he said and not even the mention of the nickname that bothers me can ruin this moment.
I smile, "I -iii don't know what to say"
He laughs as he gets up "Just say thank you" he winks.
"thanks" I smile.
As he's walking off the porch he looks at me, "Oh and don't worry about guys not liking you, the guys just no you're off limits" he says.
I'm stunned, what did he just say?
"What do you mean Elliot?" then it dawns on me. Why didn't I see it before, am I that insecure that I couldn't see it. Football players love freshmen. "Did- you-"
He turns as he's walking away " did I what" smiling.
I'm fuming as its coming to me now. " Elliot Grey did you tell the football team not to go with me".
He has the decency to look a little ashamed "No"
I let out a breath of relief "good, because-"
"I told them if they go near you they have to answer to me" he smiles.
"ELLIOOTTT" I scream I get up to chase him
"see you tomorrow Katie girl" he smiles as he runs up the drive way.
That was the day I got my first kiss and also the first time Elliot Grey had confused the ever living fuck out of me and my life.