The Ascension

Chapter 12: Friday Night Lights

The stadium lights were too bright.

Ronnie sat between Aaron and Peter in the bleachers, her hands shoved deep into the pockets of her black hoodie, watching the Westridge Warriors demolish their opponents 35-14. The crowd roared around them—students screaming, parents cheering, the marching band blasting fight songs that made her head pound.

She wasn't watching the game.

She was watching Katie Smith.

Katie stood on the sidelines with the rest of the cheer squad, her blonde ponytail swinging as she executed a perfect toe touch. Her uniform was pristine—blue and gold, tight enough to show off her athletic figure, short enough to make every guy in the stadium stare.

Ronnie hated how perfect she looked.

"Did you see that?" Aaron leaned forward, his eyes tracking the quarterback's throw. "Thirty-yard pass. Clean."

Peter yawned. "Riveting."

"You're the one who wanted to come," Aaron said.

"I wanted to people-watch," Peter corrected. "There's a difference."

Ronnie said nothing.

Down on the field, Katie turned toward the bleachers. Her eyes scanned the crowd—and then landed on Aaron.

Her face lit up.

She smiled. Bright. Warm. Genuine.

And waved.

Aaron's entire face transformed. He sat up straighter, his hand lifting in an awkward wave back, his grin so wide it looked painful.

Ronnie felt something crack inside her chest.

She looked away.

"Jesus Christ," Peter muttered under his breath. "This is painful."

"What?" Aaron asked, still grinning like an i***t.

"Nothing."

Ronnie pulled her hood up, sinking lower into her seat. She focused on her breathing—in through her nose, out through her mouth—trying to ignore the way her heart was racing, the way her blood felt too hot beneath her skin.

Friendship is better than nothing, she told herself. You can do this. You can be his friend.

But watching Katie smile at him like that—watching Aaron light up in response—felt like drowning.

The game ended with Westridge winning by three touchdowns.

The crowd flooded onto the field, students swarming the players, parents congratulating coaches. Aaron, Peter, and Ronnie made their way down the bleachers, navigating through the chaos.

Katie appeared out of nowhere.

She was flushed from cheering, her skin glowing under the stadium lights, her ponytail slightly disheveled in a way that somehow made her look even more attractive.

"Hey!" she said, slightly breathless. "You came."

"Yeah," Aaron said. "You were great out there."

Katie's smile widened. "Thanks." She glanced at Peter and Ronnie, her expression flickering for just a second before returning to Aaron. "So, a bunch of us are heading to Madison's house for a party. You should come."

Aaron's eyes lit up. "Yeah? That sounds fun."

"Cool." Katie started to turn, then paused. "Oh—it's kind of an invite-only thing, so—"

"Can Peter and Ronnie come?" Aaron asked.

Katie's smile froze.

For a moment, she just stared at him. Then she glanced at Peter and Ronnie, her expression carefully neutral.

"I don't know if they'd have fun," she said slowly. "It's mostly the cheer squad and the football team. Not really their scene."

"I think they'd have fun," Aaron said, oblivious to the tension. "Right?"

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like I want to spend my Friday night with jocks and cheerleaders?"

"See?" Katie said quickly.

"But I'll go," Peter added, his tone flat. "Wouldn't miss it."

Katie's jaw tightened.

She looked at Ronnie.

Ronnie met her gaze evenly, her expression unreadable.

"Sure," Katie said finally, her voice tight. "The more the merrier."

She didn't sound like she meant it.

Madison's house was massive.

Two stories, sprawling lawn, a pool in the backyard that glowed blue in the darkness. Music pounded from inside—something bass-heavy and loud—and the front door was wide open, students spilling in and out with red Solo cups in hand.

Aaron, Peter, and Ronnie walked up the driveway together.

"This is going to be a disaster," Peter said.

"It'll be fine," Aaron said.

"You're an optimist. It's adorable."

Ronnie said nothing.

Inside, the house was packed. Bodies everywhere—dancing, drinking, laughing. The air smelled like cheap beer and expensive perfume. Colored lights flashed in the living room, turning everything into a chaotic blur of movement and sound.

Katie found them almost immediately.

"You made it!" she said, looping her arm through Aaron's. "Come on, I want you to meet some people."

She pulled him away before he could respond.

Aaron glanced back at Peter and Ronnie, his expression apologetic. "I'll be right back."

Peter waved him off. "Take your time."

Ronnie watched them disappear into the crowd.

Katie's hand was on Aaron's arm. Her body was pressed close to his. She was laughing at something he said, her head tilted back, her ponytail swinging.

Ronnie's chest felt tight.

"I'm getting a drink," Peter said. "You want one?"

"Yeah."

"Try not to murder anyone while I'm gone."

Peter disappeared into the kitchen.

Ronnie stood alone in the middle of the living room, surrounded by people she didn't know and didn't care about. She pulled out her phone, scrolling through nothing, just to have something to do with her hands.

"Oh my God."

The voice came from behind her.

Ronnie turned.

Three girls stood there—all cheerleaders, all blonde, all wearing variations of the same outfit: crop tops, high-waisted jeans, too much makeup.

One of them—a girl with sharp features and a sharper smile—stepped forward.

"You're Ronnie, right?" she said. "Aaron's... friend?"

Ronnie's jaw tightened. "Yeah."

"That's so sweet," the girl said, her tone dripping with false sincerity. "It's nice that he still hangs out with you. Even though, you know..." She gestured vaguely at Ronnie. "You're not really his type."

The other two girls giggled.

Ronnie's hands clenched into fists.

"I mean, no offense," the girl continued. "But Katie's, like, Katie. And you're..." She trailed off, her eyes raking over Ronnie's black hoodie, ripped jeans, and Converse. "Well. You're you."

"Are you done?" Ronnie asked flatly.

The girl's smile widened. "I'm just saying. You should probably get used to the idea that Aaron's moving on. He's not going to want to hang out with his weird little friend forever."

Ronnie felt her blood heat beneath her skin.

She could feel their heartbeats—fast, excited, cruel.

She could make them stop.

Just for a second.

Just long enough to scare them.

But she didn't.

Instead, she turned and walked away.

Behind her, the girls laughed.

Ronnie pushed through the crowd, her vision blurring.

She needed air.

She needed to leave.

She needed—

She stopped.

Across the room, near the sliding glass door that led to the backyard, she saw them.

Aaron and Katie.

They were standing close—too close. Katie's hand was on his chest, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. She was smiling up at him, saying something Ronnie couldn't hear over the music.

Aaron was smiling back.

Ronnie's heart clenched.

She started to walk toward them.

Maybe she could pull Aaron away. Maybe she could say she wasn't feeling well. Maybe—

Katie saw her.

Their eyes met across the room.

And Katie smiled.

Then she leaned up and kissed Aaron.

It wasn't a quick kiss. It wasn't a peck.

It was slow. Deliberate. Possessive.

Aaron froze for half a second—surprised—and then his hands came up to her waist.

Ronnie stopped walking.

She couldn't breathe.

She couldn't move.

She just stood there, watching the boy she loved kiss someone else.

Katie pulled back, her eyes still locked on Ronnie.

She smiled.

Ronnie turned and walked away.

She made it to the front yard before the tears started.

She wiped them away furiously, her hands shaking, her chest heaving.

You're fine. You're fine. You can handle this.

But she couldn't.

She couldn't handle watching him smile at Katie like that. Couldn't handle watching Katie's hands on him. Couldn't handle the way he looked at her like she was the only person in the room.

"Ronnie."

She turned.

Peter was standing there, two red Solo cups in his hands, his expression unreadable.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

Ronnie opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.

"Katie's friends," she said finally, her voice cracking. "They—they said some s**t. And then I saw—" She stopped, her throat closing up. "I saw Katie kiss him."

Peter's jaw tightened.

"I thought I could handle it," Ronnie said, her voice breaking. "I thought I could just... be his friend. Be around her. But I can't, Peter. I can't do this."

"Then don't," Peter said.

"I have to. He's my partner. He's my best friend. I can't just—"

"You can still be his friend," Peter said. "You just don't have to be around her."

Ronnie wiped her eyes. "That's not how it works."

"Then make it work."

Before Ronnie could respond, Aaron came running out of the house, his face flushed, his eyes bright.

"You guys!" he said, breathless. "You'll never believe what just—"

He stopped.

His smile faltered.

"Ronnie?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

Ronnie's throat burned.

Peter opened his mouth—

"I'm not feeling well," Ronnie said quickly, cutting him off. "I'm going home."

"What?" Aaron's brow furrowed. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine," Ronnie said. "Just—tired. I have training in the morning."

"But—" Peter started.

"Katie kissed me," Aaron blurted out, his grin returning. "She kissed me. Like, she just—she grabbed me and—"

Ronnie felt something shatter inside her chest.

She forced a smile.

It felt like her face was cracking.

"That's wonderful," she said. "I'm... I'm happy for you."

Peter rolled his eyes.

Ronnie elbowed him in the ribs. Hard.

Peter winced but said nothing.

Aaron didn't notice.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" he asked. "Just for a little longer?"

"I'm sure," Ronnie said. "You should go back. Have fun."

"But—"

"Aaron," Ronnie said, her voice firmer now. "I'm fine. Go."

Aaron hesitated.

Then he nodded. "Okay. Feel better."

Ronnie turned and started walking down the driveway.

She made it three steps before the tears started again.

Behind her, she heard Aaron say, "I hope she's okay."

Peter's voice was flat. "You're a f*****g dumbass."

"What?" Aaron asked, confused. "What does that mean?"

Peter didn't answer.

Ronnie heard his footsteps behind her.

"Peter—" Aaron started.

But Peter was already walking after Ronnie, leaving Aaron standing alone in the driveway.

Ronnie didn't look back.

She couldn't.

If she looked back, she'd see Aaron standing there, confused and oblivious.

If she looked back, she'd see Katie coming out of the house, linking her arm through his, pulling him back inside.

If she looked back, she'd see the moment he chose her.

So she didn't look back.

She just kept walking.

And when Peter caught up to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she sobbed, she let herself break.

Aaron stood in the driveway, staring after them.

He didn't understand.

Ronnie had said she was happy for him.

So why did she look like she was about to cry?

"There you are."

Katie appeared beside him, her arm looping through his, her body warm against his side.

"Come on," she said, tugging him toward the house. "Let's dance."

Aaron looked back at the street.

Peter and Ronnie were gone.

He hesitated.

Then he turned and walked back into the party with Katie.

The music swallowed them whole.