All The Truths - Rina Kent Page 0,11

state doesn’t happen by standing around.”

“Yes, Captain!” Like a hive of bees, everyone returns to warming up or practicing throws. Naomi and Lucy grin at me before joining the rest.

“Prescott,” I call as he heads over to the boys.

He winces before turning around and facing me. I point at a secluded corner, and he joins me without so much as one word of protest. Once we’re out of earshot, I watch him closely. His shoulders are drooping underneath the male cheerleading uniform and he’s averting his gaze.

Prescott is the male co-captain, and if I’m going to make things work, I need to see eye to eye with him while still keeping my authority.

He hasn’t hidden the fact that he’s on Bree’s side since I returned, and I need to see the end of that.

“What did I do to you before?” I don’t beat around the bush.

“C-Captain?” He seems taken aback, as if he didn’t expect that question.

“I obviously hurt you in some way.”

He hesitates.

“Tell me, Prescott.” I soften my tone. “If we’re going to lead this team, we have to make our relationship work. Help me out here.”

He swallows. “This…this is the first time you’ve ever asked me to help you.”

“It won’t be the last. A captain needs trusted leaders. Now, tell me.”

“It was nothing, really.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

He interlinks his fingers then releases them. “Last year, you said you’d hook me up with Lucy then, well, you told me I don’t deserve her and to fuck off. You threatened that if I approached Lucy in any way, you’d cause problems for my parents—they work for your dad’s company.”

I pause. For some reason, I don’t think I would’ve made that threat without anything to back it up. Perhaps I cared for Lucy and I thought Prescott really didn’t deserve her.

As much as I loathe Old Reina, she had reasons for acting the way she did. She wasn’t stupid.

She was just emotionless—on the surface. No idea how she coped with things inside.

Maybe that’s why I lost my memories and came back with this new version of me—a version that has made more peace with her emotions and shows them on the outside.

“What happened between when I promised you and when I told you to forget it?”

He lifts a shoulder. “Nothing.”

“Think carefully. Something must’ve happened.”

“I guess you caught me fooling around with a sophomore—but it was just a kiss and we were drunk and she looked so much like Lucy. Fuck. You think it was because of that?”

If I thought Prescott wasn’t serious about Lucy, I would’ve definitely offed him. “Could be. Were you also close to Bree?”

“A little. I mean, you were best friends with her.”

Or maybe I pretended to be best friends with her for other reasons.

Old Reina had an interesting brain. It’ll take me some time to get into it, but I’ll eventually figure out her thought process.

“Are you going to be on my side or do I have to treat you as an enemy?” I ask him.

“I want what’s best for the squad.”

“Wonderful. And Prescott?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

He lowers his eyes. “No.”

“If I deem you worthy and if Lucy agrees, I’ll lift the ban.”

His expression lights up as he stares between me and Lucy, who’s struggling to have Naomi hold her up. “Is this another game?”

“No games.” I pat his shoulder. “Don’t disappoint me.”

After practice, I shower and walk out with Lucy and Naomi. They keep following me around. Even though they’re not voicing it, I know they won’t leave me alone for fear I’ll be attacked again.

If I didn’t know who attacked me, I might be scared as well. I might look over my shoulder and search for those green eyes that were eating away at my soul.

Now, I have a different type of plan, one they don’t need to know about. If they did, they’d tell me not to do it.

Since I woke up at the hospital, I haven’t been as sure about anything as I am about this.

My phone vibrates. My lips pull into a smile as the name pops up in my notifications.

Cloud003: Any gloomy clouds today?

My heart flutters with tiny bursts of happiness. He remembers. I don’t know why I feel so touched that he does.

Reina-Ellis: I’m trying to get rid of it.

Cloud003: How’s that working for you?

Reina-Ellis: Not so well.

Cloud003: I’m sure you’ll make it. You’re a fighter.

I bite my lower lip.

A fighter.

Why does that single word fill me with so much energy? It buzzes under my skin,