Tempted by My Buddy after Getting Cheated On

Chapter 6 The Cheerleading Squad

While Kiana stood there, stunned by my words, I grabbed the nearest trash can, shoved it over her head, and then kicked her.

I felt like a woman on the edge, unleashing all the frustration I'd been holding in.

My movement caught the attention of those around me, but all I did was smooth my hair and flash a sweet, carefree smile.

"I'm just teaching a crazy woman a lesson. All done now!"

It didn't matter. Everyone at school knew about the tension between us, so no one was going to get involved.

I started to walk away, but something inside me urged me to turn back. I gave Kiana one last kick.

I warned, my voice low and venomous, "Kiana, you really love Ash Rothman that much, huh? Well, I can't wait to watch you two tear each other apart."

I picked up the business card that the man had thrown, then turned and walked away.

Behind me, I heard her furious scream. "Melissa, you f*****g bitch..."

I only smirked. That scream was nothing more than the desperate cry of a loser.

I didn't go home right away. Instead, I headed somewhere else.

My innocence was about to be reclaimed.

The next morning, a video surfaced on the school's intranet, a recording of a man and a woman unmistakably having s*x, their faces clearly visible, their voices loud and clear.

It sent shockwaves through the campus.

Though the video was quickly taken down, it was enough. My innocence was vindicated without me saying a word.

As soon as I arrived at school, I found Ash waiting for me.

His eyes were red, his grip tight on my arm as he demanded, "Kiana says the video was your doing. Melissa, is it true?"

I feigned surprise. "Why would I have a video of you two having s*x?"

His mouth hung open, momentarily speechless.

I stepped closer, pity in my gaze, and lightly patted his cheek.

"How can you still be so naive? If Kiana had a recording, it means she has the video. She's forcing you to admit she's your girlfriend. Ash Rothman, I hope you two stay tangled up forever."

His face turned pale, but I smiled and turned to walk away.

I heard him shout after me, his voice full of conviction. "Kiana will never be my girlfriend. Melissa, you are! I only acknowledge you!"

Too bad for him, I didn't acknowledge him.

For several days after, Ash relentlessly pursued me, trying to win me over, completely disregarding Kiana's feelings.

But honestly, I was sick of it.

At this point, I couldn't help but miss Elrod a little.

But I knew he had been busy lately.

He'd told me that there were important matters at school he needed to handle, and I didn't want to burden him with my mess.

Ash, growing increasingly desperate, saw my stubbornness and knew I wasn't giving him an inch.

He lost his patience, his voice rising in a roar of anger. "Melissa, don't think I can't live without you. There's a line of girls waiting to be my girlfriend. You're nothing special."

"Then go ahead and find one," I shot back, not even looking at him.

I knew Ash wasn't serious about making amends. He was just too prideful to accept that I dumped him.

He was too cocky, assuming every girl in the world would be dying to get with him.

"Fine. I will," Ash spat, his voice thick with frustration. "But Melissa, without me, you can forget being cheer captain. And our football team? We don't need you."

I stared at him with mock, unwavering. "Go ahead. I don't care!"

"I mean it," he insisted, his voice biting. "This isn't a joke!"

I turned on my heel and walked away, unbothered. Soon, my position as cheer captain was stripped from me.

And Kiana, that b***h, had already taken my place.

As I walked past some of the other cheerleaders, they turned their heads, avoiding me.

I knew it was Ash putting the pressure on them.

Ash came from money, which was why Kiana, despite the reputation she was earning, was willing to sleep with him and swallow all the shame.

Normally, I wouldn't have cared.

But when I was suddenly called in to substitute during a football game, I couldn't ignore it.

They told me someone had injured her leg and needed me to step in.

I didn't want to go, but it was a school event, so I reluctantly agreed.

When I got there, though, I saw Ash and Kiana locked in a passionate kiss on the field.

They had no shame. This was supposed to be a game, not some public display of their personal drama.

But they didn't care. They had no respect for the seriousness of the match.

Ash was the football team captain, so even with a breakup or leaked s*x recording on the table, his position was secure.

But it was their complete disregard for the event that was despicable to me.

Even if they won the game, it would still feel like a loss to me.

A loss in the ritual of competition, in the meaning of the game.

I turned to leave, but that was when Kiana spotted me. She called out, her voice dripping with smugness, "Hey, Melissa, why are you leaving? Just stay! What's wrong, feeling uncomfortable?"

Her victorious tone set my teeth on edge. Without a second thought, I stopped, turned around, and walked right up to her, smiling sweetly.

She tightened her grip on Ash's hand as though to flaunt it.

But my eyes weren't on her face. They were fixed on her cheer uniform.

Kiana noticed my gaze and tilted her chin up, mocking me, "What's the matter? Familiar, isn't it? Yeah, I can see that. You used to be the one leading the squad. But not anymore. Guess this uniform's a waste on you."

With a gloomy face, I'd noticed something when I first arrived. There hadn't been anyone injured. I had been tricked!

Kiana had set me up, and this was all part of her pathetic attempt to humiliate me.

'Who the hell did she think she was?'

"Take it off!" I commanded, my voice low but firm. She scoffed, but I wasn't about to back down. I just yanked the uniform she was wearing, the one that was mine.

"Cheerleader uniforms belong to the person who earned them. You don't deserve to wear mine."

"I'm not taking it off." Kiana tugged at it, but I wasn't letting go. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, I ripped the uniform off her right there in front of everyone.

My things were mine. Only I had the right to give them up, and no one else could take them from me.

Kiana stood there in just her bra and underwear, and Ash stormed over and threw her his jacket, covering her up. He glared at me, his voice a thunderclap. "Melissa, that's enough!"

He reached for the uniform I still held in my hands. "You're not even on the cheer team anymore. You don't deserve this. Give it to me, now!"

Ash's words felt like a challenge, and before I knew it, the crowd began to close in around me.

Their presence was so threatening. If I hadn't given in, I wouldn't leave this place today.

As the crowd closed in, I heard a familiar voice, one that made my heart race.

"Who says she doesn't need it? She's still the team's cheer captain!"