chapter twelve 

 victoria's hype

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Victoria was so happy she nearly jumped out of her seat. She still couldn't believe that she made it in the team. They had invite her to a cafe they always hang out at. Now, she was eating burgers with them.

"Is there another reason you guys hang out here a lot?" Victoria asked the leader, whose name was Hyoyeon. Hyoyeon didn't answer, but another girl did.

"The jocks would come the same time we do, but it seems like they're not coming tonight." She explained. Victoria nodded, understanding. "I'm Tiffany, by the way." She put a hand and Victoria gradually shook it.

"Who were those girls with you earlier today? Your cousins?" Tiffany asked and took a sip of her soda. Victoria shook her head.

"They're my best friends." Victoria said with her mouthful. "I'm the oldest, so I usually protect." Hyoyeon smirked.

"Well, it seems like they're going to have to protect themselves from now on." Hyoyeon said and got up to get ketchup.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Victoria asked, confused.

"Well, we're going to be training a lot. So you won't have much time for them." A girl named Yoona said. "Look at all of us. We've all become friends through cheerleading." Yoona looked around at all of them and smiled.

"What about your other friends?" Victoria asked. She felt a surge of pain form through her. She would never leave her girls. They needed her. Luna, more than anyone. She made that promise to herself this morning.

"We don't see them around anymore." Yoona shrugged. Victoria dipped her french fry in the pool of ketchup. She chewed it numbly and swallowed it. This was a difficult task to do because she wasn't even thinking about food. How could she eat when she had a choice of leaving her friends or the cheerleaders?

"I know it seems bad at first, but you'll come through." Sooyoung smiled cheekily at her. Victoria smiled back, but it was oviously fake. 

It had gotten off to a rocky start that night, but as the night progressed, she grew very fond of these girls. They had a lot more in common than she thought. It turns out that Taeyeon is the oldest, but she put Hyoyeon as leader, and Hyoyeon and Sunny likes dying their hair blonde. Victoria nodded to herself. They enjoyed dying their hair blonde, so does she.  She felt really attatched to them at that moment.

"Where's Jessica?" Yoona piped up. She had just gotten back from the restroom.

"With her ex-boyfriend, now her boyfriend again." Seohyun scoffed and rolled her eyes. Victoria's eyes widen. If they're back together, then...

"She said they're going out tonight." Hyoyeon said while examining her nails.

"What about that sick little sister of hers?" Tiffany smiled so wide that her eyes curved perfectly. Victoria winced. She knew what they were talking about, but yet, she just sat there quietly.

"Whatever. She's always chasing after him. I wouldn't blame her. He's pretty hot, even though he's not in the football team." Yuri sipped her soda. They all suddenly looked at Victoria.

"She's your friend right?" Victoria knew in an instant that this was a trick question, but she didn't know how to answer. Of course Krystal is her friend, but they wouldn't like her if she said yes. Slowly, she nodded, looking down. She could her HyoYeon snickering, and felt her cheeks flush red.

"And your other friend, with crisp blonde hair." Taeyeon slowly said, tracing her teeth with her tongue.

"What about her?" Victoria asked, puzzled. They were getting on her nerves, but she didn't feel the need to do anything. If anything, she felt right and wanted.

"Tell her stop." Yuri smiled. "She was trying to flirt with one of the jocks today." Victoria's eyes widen. How come Luna didn't tell her anything?

"I saw them walking out of their last class today." Sunny chirped, as if she was helping. Victoria squeezed her eyes shut. "He held her arm, and pulled her back to him." Sunny looked down as if she was about to cry.

Victoria felt herself shake. Why would they care if someone is flirting a  jock? They should mind their own business.

"But it's just one guy. Why can't you let him go?" Victoria asked. Suddenly, they gave her this look as if she didn't belong. As if she was a tiny fish in a squirm of scorpions. As if she was a rookie among professional cheerleaders. HyoYeon put her hand on Victoria's arm.

"That's not how it works, hun." She gave her a sarcastic, sympathetic look. Victoria couldn't believe it. Were they scared of losing their image as the girls who could get any guy they want, especially the jocks? They were scared. People would never look at them the same way if they lost one guy.

Victoria's phone rang, and she was glad it did. One new text message. She opened it. It was from Amber. She read it, those three big letters:

S.O.S.

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 author's note 

» Exquisites, what do you think Victoria will do?