The Romance In Our Rivalry

20 | Anything for the Crown

Nick

"I don't think she's cheating on you," Maddie shared her input as I played with a random checker that had been left out on the kitchen table. "She's probably just stressed or embarrassed about the whole thing and doesn't know how to recover from it."

I shrugged, "it just feels like she's doing something. Has she talked about me to you?"

Maddie shook her head, "no" she said with no hesitation, so I know she wasn't lying about that.

The last three weeks with Nova have been a game of hot and cold, with a lot of guesses in between. She doesn't have the same vibe towards me at all, it makes me think somebody else has her interest. I'm not sure who though, because from what I saw, she and Aubrey seem to be more awkward than ever.

My eighteenth birthday is right around the corner, like, 'in a few days' right around the corner. I had planned this whole special day with just me and my girlfriend. But now, I doubt she'll come around to it. She hasn't even been coming around to simpler things, like letting me take her home or going to my football games.

***

Nova

Lately I've fallen off with everything. Every other day I'm skipping classes that Nick and I share, and I only talk to him when I absolutely have to. I stopped showing up to the Norwood Newsletter club after that stunt they pulled with the article about me and Aubrey, so I guess you can say I've quit. I'm so lost right now, even my mom noticed that I'm different.

I stood in the mirror and examined myself. I looked bored, tired even, and had a unkept look. My hair was done, though messily, and my outfit didn't even match. Everything about my demeanor was unusual, yet it seemed that nobody cared enough to ask.

"Why aren't you in class?" I heard a familiar voice question me. My mind was too preoccupied to put a voice to a name, but I nearly jumped when I turned around and saw Aubrey. It felt like I hadn't seen her in forever, truthfully.

"Couldn't I ask you the same thing?" I asked once recomposed. "I haven't seen you in first period in a while. Have you been skipping?"

Aubrey nodded, "I've been skipping up until today" she confirmed. "My original excuse was my birthday passing because I didn't want anybody giving me a hard time on my special day. Then, I just got comfortable with the idea of not showing up. But now I realize that by being all sad and avoidant, I'm letting other people ruin my senior year."

"First of all, happy belated birthday" I said as I gave Aubrey a weak smile. "Secondly, I just see that as protecting your peace, but maybe that's just me."

Aubrey scoffed, "you're doing it and want to justify it, that's why you see it that way" she opinionated.

I raised an eyebrow, "no I'm not" I retorted.

"Not that I care" Aubrey began, folding her arms, "but I've noticed you lose interest in your day to day activities from a distance" she finished. "You started the year all bubbly and annoying as fuck, now you just seem pissed off by everything all the time."

"So you're stalking me?" I folded my arms back at Aubrey, "hmm."

Aubrey chuckled, "if that's what you wanna call it" she said, "more like, thinking about my next move."

Maddie

I was going back to class, having just been skipping with Matt. I naturally found myself halting as I passed the girls room, having heard what I believed was Nova's voice. For obvious reasons, I wanted to decipher what she was talking about. Maybe, just maybe, whatever Nova was discussing could help Nick figure things out.

"Your next move?" Nova questioned someone, as I peeked my head in the room. The way the bathroom was set up, you could see people from the door if they were standing in front of the mirror. If you stood at the right place, then you would be covered by a stall, say the person standing in front of the mirror turns around and looks at the doorway.

"I mean with you" Aubrey answered, as she seemed to get closer to a now seemingly relaxed Nova, "I know we said we'd forget about what happened between us but I've been thinking about it non-stop. I don't know what to do Nova." I damn near gasped, but I decided to not panic yet because Aubrey's words didn't matter. Nova's did.

"Nick is already iffy about me Aubrey" Nova stood firm, "I can't risk being caught again. Plus, if we do get caught, both of our runs at prom will be fucked. Did you forget about that?" It was silent for a moment, I couldn't see Aubrey's facial expressions because she was facing Nova.

"So what happened between us meant nothing to you?" Aubrey asked with some emotion in her voice, seeming offended at Nova's previous words.

Nova shook her head, "it did mean something, but I'm just not sure what" she answered. I watched as Aubrey and Nova appeared to have been staring at each other—their bodies nearly level as Aubrey was about an inch or so taller—and their faces practically touching. Then, in an ambiguous way, Aubrey kissed Nova, and Nova accepted.

I nearly fell over as I tried to contain myself. "I've gotta tell Nick" I whispered in the lowest tone possible, as I slowly backed out of the ladies room and then awkwardly ran towards the gym, where Nick would most likely be during his free period. Nova and Nick do not have the same free period, so Nova was supposed to be in class.

Nova

"Stop" I said as I yanked myself away from Aubrey, and without even thinking, wiped my mouth.

"Why?" Aubrey asked, seeming to not understand the issue. "Nobody else is in here Nova."

"I love Nick" I tried to convince myself. "I refuse to let my relationship be screwed over because of you." Suddenly a thought crossed my mind, one that I've never even thought of before.

"You're not slick!" I nearly yelled, causing Aubrey to flinch ever so slightly. "You're trying to set me up! You're trying to make me fall in love with you or something so that everything between Nick and I can fall apart, making you and Jason's run for prom King and Queen an easy win." Aubrey squinted at me.

"No" she replied in a normal leveled tone, "I genuinely feel something, whatever it is. If I was trying to ruin you, Nova, I would have already."

"And who said you didn't already?" I asked, rather rudely. "You're the most shallow human I've ever fucking met. All you care about is popularity and yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if this whole situation, from Jason's alleged side bitch to now, was some setup planned by you."

As I spoke, I could see Aubrey's facial expression grow seemingly sadder and sadder. Her eyes began welling up and she lightly but her lip. I realized in that moment that I may have just gone too far.

I sighed, "okay maybe I went too far" I began, but Aubrey quickly cut me off.

"What attracted me to you the most, was how friendly and sympathetic you were" Aubrey let out, as tears began to slowly roll down her face. "I finally thought, for once, that I had met someone that somewhat understands why I act the way I do."

"Aubrey" I tried to interrupt, reaching my hand out to her, but she gently slapped it away.

"No!" she hissed at me, and this time I was the one flinching. "You want me to be the bitch you first met again? Fine, you got her back, Nova. I had forgotten about all this prom Queen campaign bullshit for a good while, but now, I'm back on it. And now, I swear I will do anything, anything, to win that crown. I don't care if it hurts you anymore."

Before I could say anything else, Aubrey turned around and rushed out of the bathroom. As I recited the words that had just come out of her mouth to myself in my head, I began rubbing my temple. "What the hell did I just do?" I worried aloud, as my hands moved from my temple to clutching myself by the waist, fighting off tears.