she's so lucky, she's a star

Bianca Esther Rivera NYU Sophomore || 20 Musical Theatre Major. Aspiring Broadway Legend. Pink Power Ranger.I change myself, I change the world.

[biancaarivera]

razabianca

📍Poco NYC

my face when the waiter offered me bottomless mimosas without checking my ID 🍾

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[biancaarivera]

syriafraye:

Syria couldn’t help but look in the direction Bianca was looking in. For a moment she watched the kids playing frisbee before looking back at Bianca. Before she could give a reply the older girl told Syria that she felt that she was the weakest link out of the other Rangers. Hearing this shocked Syria. Because she didn’t think Bianca was the weakest one out of the Rangers. Sure she didn’t agree with who Professor Hillard choose to become a Power Ranger, at first and yet she couldn’t argue Professor Hillard choice when it came to making Bianca a Power Ranger. Yes, Bianca did have some faults and Syria thought Professor Hillard would have her hands full with Bianca at first. But, now that doesn’t seem like the case. 

Shaking her head a little at Bianca’s words. A small smile formed, It wasn’t really a happy or sad smile. It was indifferent. She wondered how many of the Rangers felt that way. Syria knew that Sawyer and Eury probably felt the same. But did the twins? Again she shook her head as she tried to focus. But, she couldn’t focus on what she was going to say as her mind drifted back to that day where she was seated across from Professor Hillard. Telling her about the vials. “Professor Hillard didn’t think you are weak when she chose you,” Syria said as she looked over at Bianca. “When I told her about the vials of serum that Dr. Oliver and I created, after convincing her it was our only chance to save the world. She wrote down five names and next to those names reasons why she picked them.”  Syria closed her eyes for a moment as she pictures the list of names in her hand. “You were number three on her list,” Syria said as she opened her eyes, looking at Bianca. “ and what she wrote down next to your name was ‘the brains; intelligent and wise, equipped with cleverness and problem-solving abilities; organized, determined and dedicated to cause; secure. Will get things done. Genuinely wants to save the world’. So, you aren’t the weakest link here.” 

Syria couldn’t place what she was feeling. But, she could help but believe in Bianca’s words. The older girl seemed so confident that Syria would have a someday. A someday where she wouldn’t have to play double agent or keep an extra eye out for her father. A someday where she wouldn’t have to fear her father’s wrath. A someday where she might even have a real family. At this moment Syria knew she needed to tell someone about her discovery. Because she wanted to keep the only real family she had left safe. Even if they didn’t know they were her family. They were still family to her. 

Bianca smiled at Syria’s admission, staring down shyly at her hands clasped in her lap. She thrived off of compliments and hearing the reasons Professor Hillard had identified her as the next Power Ranger reminded her that she had good things going for her. She was chosen to fill Kat’s shoes, after all, and that had to count for something. “I don’t know,” Bianca humbly replied. “Just because I was third on the list then doesn’t mean anything about my positioning in the hierarchy now. Not that there is a hierarchy...” she trailed off, wishing she wasn’t so naturally competitive. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. My point was that we all serve a purpose no matter what skills we bring to the table. We’re too far in at this point to be doubting that truth.”

[biancaarivera]

syriafraye:

“I just hope no one ruins it for everyone else. Because sometimes people can take advantage of someone. But, I don’t think anyone has tried to pull anything.” Syria said knowing that there were people in this world that would use someone for being kind. “Try telling that one to my father.” She sighed as she shook her head, “Not that I am disagreeing with you. In the back of my mind, I know that inner strength is just as good as being physically strong. But,” Syria paused for a moment trying to think of the right thing to say. “… but I wish that I could be more helpful to you and the others.” She finished. Syria looked at Bianca with her head slightly tilted to the side. “You really think so?”  

  “I suppose all you can do is hope for the best. I’m glad no one’s tried to pull anything funny with you yet, though.” Bianca shrugged her shoulders. At the mention of Devone, she straightened her back and focused her attention on a group of kids playing frisbee. She understood what Syria was saying, but not being physically strong didn’t detract from one’s importance. “Can I be honest with you? I’m pretty sure that I’m the weakest link out of all of the Rangers. It’s the truth and I’m sure if you asked the others candidly they’d say the same thing. But just because I don’t think that I’m as strong or fast or agile as the others doesn’t mean that I am not a valuable asset to the team. You do more than enough on the sidelines. And besides, you definitely wouldn’t want to be subject to battle. Those monsters can do a real number on you,” she joked at the end to lighten the mood.  

“I know so,” Bianca replied confidently. She saw so much potential in Syria. At that moment, when she stared into her dark brown eyes that still managed to hold the tiniest glimmer of hope, Bianca finally understood why Tommy and Katherine fought for Syria in the first place despite the inevitable consequences. Syria’s safety was important- but her ability to start her own life, independent of her father and free to do brilliant and lovely things in the universe was a priority for Bianca. I’ll make sure of it, she silently promised. 

[biancaarivera]

eurydicecostas:

Bianca’s annoyance stung, and Eury took a step back. She knew that things wouldn’t be easy now that she was back, but she’d held out a little hope that her friends would be able to look past her leaving, and forgive her. Maybe it’d take a lot of grovelling, and more time than she thought, though. “I’m sorry.” She looked at the ground again, and tried to think of a way to explain her disappearance. Maybe if she told the truth, Bianca would understand. “I… I couldn’t stay here. Too many bad things had happened, and I felt like I was suffocating. I almost died, and then the whole Cody whirlwind happened… Then Aspen lied to me, and I was losing another parent. On top of that, I was trying to lead the rangers, and failing… It was a lot, B. Too much for a person like me to handle, so I did something I hated my dad for, and ran.” She was rambling, which was out of character for her, but maybe she just needed to get things of her chest. “I’m sorry for not calling, or texting. I just didn’t know what to say. I felt like I’d just broken up with a bunch of people at once.”

Immediately after Eury uttered an apology with a shameful look in her green eyes, Bianca felt terrible. She had been so fixated on Eury’s absence that she failed to recognize that she, too, hadn’t been a perfect friend either. She wouldn’t blame her for avoiding being honest. Just like magic, though, Eury opened up and gave her a brief snapshot into the hell she’d been living with over the past several months. It was careless of Bianca to have thought that her leaving was mainly a reaction to being dumped when in reality it was a culmination of hurt from friends, family, and teammates. 

“It hurt me that you didn’t stay in touch but it hurts more that you’re only just now trusting me with all of this information. I don’t hold it against you but wow,” she sighed. She always knew Eury kept her secrets locked away, even from those closest to her, but she never thought she’d bottle it up to the point of needing to escape the country. “I’m sorry for not being able to be there for you when you needed it the most.” And without saying another word, she wrapped her arms around Eury in a tight hug, hoping that her friend could feel that she was there for her. Solid, real, and not leaving any time soon. 

[biancaarivera]

TEXT MESSAGE ✉️ GRIFFANCA

GRIFFIN: Tell that to the litter!

GRIFFIN: I hope you're right, but I think I did. Like all sorts of dumb stuff. Maybe she wanted to do it in person?

GRIFFIN: It's okay to admit that you're hurt, and that you missed her, and be mad at her, and anything else that you feel. It was pretty crappy to disappear like that. I think maybe you should talk to her though, you know? Maybe she can explain.

BIANCA: You know, I'm kind of busy trying to solve a different kind of environmental crisis. One that involves an evil alien. Maybe you've heard?

BIANCA: Aw, come on now. For what it's worth, I never think anything you say is dumb. And you shouldn't think that about yourself either. I guess so.

BIANCA: Thanks, Griffin. I really appreciate that. I don't want to push her on it. I don't even think she wants to talk to me, to be honest. Whatever drove and kept her away was obviously incredibly important so... maybe I just need to be patient.

[biancaarivera]

roreomarsh:

“Have some faith, B. She’s our best friend,” Rory encouraged. Admittedly, she wasn’t too fond of sharing, but she wasn’t blind. She could see how important Bianca and Eury were to each other, and she truly wanted it to work. “She’ll be back. She has too… Besides, tell me you aren’t enjoying bossing me around, even just a little,” she grinned. 

When Bianca stopped packing her things, Rory couldn’t help but feel like it was a small victory. The hostility between them hadn’t made things any easier on Eury, not that it was their fault that she left. They had their problems, but on this one thing, Rory had to consider that they could help each other. “Never? People give me condoms and quarters in Times Square all the time,” she said with a little laugh. “It’s awesome. If you’re ever in a show down there or something…” she trailed off, leaving it at that. The words were still a little awkward to say, so instead, she spread out her things and tried to concoct a workstation that would be productive. “Date, huh?” she asked without looking up. “Anyone I know?” she teased, knowing damn well that it was Griffin. He declined her help months ago, but at least they were getting there. “This one’s for fun,” she answered, sifting through the prints. She plucked one she had taken from training and passed it over. “Wha’d’ya think?”

Pressing her lips together to stop talking, Bianca decided that it wasn’t worth raining on Rory’s parade. She wanted to inform her that best friends didn’t abandon one another, that it was an unspoken rule that should never be broken. But in all honesty, Bianca didn’t know if that were true as she’d never really had a best friend before Eury. Sure, she had plenty of friends throughout high school but no one she cared for as much as she had grown to care for Eury. 

“Never. I guess I’ll keep an eye out for you whenever I venture over there. I’ll bring quarters not condoms, though,” she joked. Bianca side eyed Rory. “It’s not a date date, it’s just a study date,” she corrected, regretting not having clarified in the first place. “And it’s with people in my politics of reproduction class. That’s all.” Her eyes flitted across the photos and scrapbooking supplies and she smiled softly. Rory was good at many things but she was especially good at photography. It was unsurprising, then, to discover that she also knew how to expertly put together her shots in scrapbooks and portfolios.  “I think it looks great so far,” she admitted honestly. “I used to be obsessed with scrapbooking. My dads’ even let me enroll in a class for it over summer break. I can’t believe they paid money for me to sit in a room with a bunch of old ladies and learn how to use mod podge,” she laughed at the memory. 

[biancaarivera]

jefflightyear:

I think New York is my favorite place in the universe so far! Everything here is always so lively, and I’ve managed to accumulate so many new things. My first week here I found a bicycle someone was giving away for free! It’s a little small for me but that’s okay, I still love it. I also love the libraries! There are so many, and they’re all so different. I’ve forgotten how cool computers are, it’s exciting to be on one again. Maybe I’ll get lucky again and manage to get my hands on a laptop one day. So many people have them, I’m sure the perfect one is out there for me too– somewhere in this big, big city.

Oh my gosh, it’s my favorite place too! I’ve accumulated so many new things as well, much to my dads’ dismay. They were so not happy to see their credit card statement after the first month I’d moved here but could they really blame me? I live a block away from a Kate Spade! A block! I’m glad that you love your bike, though. Biking is an excellent way to navigate NYC, especially in the summer when it’s ridiculously hot out. Fingers crossed you wind up with a laptop in the near future. You should check on Craigslist, there are always thousands of postings for electronics. 

[biancaarivera]

syriafraye:

Syria shrugs, “It is, and I understand if someone that needs my help can’t pay me.” Playing with the book she is holding as she listens to Bianca. “Honestly, when I was younger, I wasn’t really good at anything else. I was terrible at combat training. So, becoming a warrior was out. But I was good with science and having eidetic memory didn’t hurt.” Syria sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. “Though the things I was creating of my father never felt right. The only time being in my lab felt right was when I started coming to classes here, helping Dr. Oliver create the power serum and creating the healing serum for you guys.” Syria looked at Bianca before continuing, “I just feel that my skills could be used for something greater. Like coming up with a cure for one of the disses on this planet… like MS or something.” 

Bianca nodded her head and smiled at Syria’s kind attitude. Not many people were as selfless as she was, especially given the circumstances she was in. “That’s really nice of you, Syria. I’m sure they appreciate your willingness to help without financial compensation.” She grew quiet as Syria delved into her past as a Nexonian, as a child of Devone. Hearing Syria talk about it made her uncomfortable for reasons she couldn’t explain. “Well... You don’t need to be physically strong to make a difference. And in some weird way, you’re proof of that.” Bianca would never thank Syria for making the serums and turning her and her friends into Power Rangers but she had at the very least grown to understand and respect that she had. “They can be. And I have hope that eventually they will be.” 

[biancaarivera]

penroseholmes:

It was barbaric, really, though Aspen knew she didn’t have to point that out to Bianca of all people. “Nah, I don’t think we’d be able to intervene without force, and I don’t know about you but I’m not looking to pick a fight today,” she shook her head, lingering just a moment longer before gesturing that they leave the crowd. Someone was going to notice and put it to a stop eventually, right? “Hey, how’d your finals go?” she asked curiously, stepping out onto the sidewalk as she shifted the books in her arms. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages and now it’s the end of the school year.” You haven’t seen much of anybody, her brain reminded her.

“Oh thank goodness,” Bianca sighed in relief at Aspen’s response. “Like you, I’m not in the mood to start something either. I’m too exhausted from exams to even care,” she joked, wrinkling her nose at the crowd of students once more before following Aspen down the sidewalk. “You’re right; it’s been a really long time. I guess college is the busiest time of your life...” And being a Power Ranger, but that was a minor detail that Aspen didn’t exactly need to know about. “I’m glad that I ran into you today, though. My finals went great. I mainly had papers and performances, so my load felt a lot lighter than usual this time around. How about yours?”

[biancaarivera]

pieceofreeses:

Reese picked up a side gig of walking dogs in his free time.  Living in the city was expensive, even as a student with super powers, so he did what he had to do.  It was easy enough to schedule around his extra circulars– both this official NYU ones, and the power ranger ones, and honestly he loved it.  Being outside, in nature, with animals was bringing all his favorite things together.  The fact that it put a little extra jingle in his pocket was just a plus.  

Most days he had multiple dogs to walk, but he had a soft spot for his first customer, Mr. Adkins and his golden retriever Otto, so he liked to give him a little extra one on one attention.  Mr. Adkins, didn’t have the energy to throw the ball with Otto anymore, so enter Reese, who would come by twice a week to walk Otto and take him to the park for some fetch.  

Even by New York’s standards it was a beautiful spring day, Reese whistled to get the dog’s attention and held up a tennis ball, “Go get it bud!” He encouraged as he sent the ball soaring across the park.  Otto took off after the yellow tennis ball and Reese prepared for the dog to come barreling into him.  Except… he didn’t, once Otto retrieved the ball, he ran right past Reese and up to the person walking through the park behind them.  They must have had food or something, Reese thought as he grabbed Otto’s leash from his bag and took off after the dog.  

“Don’t worry he’s a friendly dude,” he chuckled once he caught up, before even noticing the familiar face.  

Bianca only got in one bite of the delicious elote she’d just purchased from a street vendor when a fluffy golden retriever jumped up on her and knocked the corn on the cob right out of her hand. “Aww, come on!” she complained as the dog began to lick her cheeks. It was all for show, of course. Bianca had always been a dog person and one look into its chocolate brown eyes had her heart melting. She embraced the dog and scratched behind his ears as a familiar face approached them with a leash. 

“Reese! Hi!” Bianca exclaimed, pulling her attention from the golden retriever to her friend and fellow ranger. “I didn’t know that you had a dog! He’s so so cute.” 

[biancaarivera]

TEXT MESSAGE ✉️ GRIFFANCA

GRIFFIN: Ooh, right. I knew that. I guess that's why you guys aren't the green ranger. You know because the environment.

GRIFFIN: Yeah. Well, kinda? I tried, but then I think I said something dumb. It didn't get better from there. I still don't know how to talk to her. She didn't say nothing about coming back to you?

BIANCA: Ha ha, how cute. I’ll have you know I care very much about the environment!

BIANCA: Oh. I’m sure you didn’t say anything dumb, Griff. Don’t be so hard on yourself, okay? And no, she didn’t. Some friend, right?

BIANCA: Maybe I’m being too sensitive about this. But she just left and I was fine with that but then she lost touch with me and that really hurt. It still hurts.

[biancaarivera]

eurydicecostas:

Eury couldn’t make up her mind whether she was thankful, or scared that Bianca was now standing in front of her. Her friend was a force to be reckoned with, and she couldn’t be sure that she wasn’t mad at her for leaving, or upset with her for not calling or texting more often. “Yep, that’s me,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck with her hand awkwardly. Should she hug her? What if Bianca punched her in the face? That’d be hot, but it wasn’t something Eury wanted to experience. “How are you?” she asked, feeling her cheeks heat up a little with a mix of shame, and embarrassment over not knowing how to talk to someone she was once close with. Maybe she’d be able to smooth things over with one of the souvenirs she’d brought back for her friend from her travels. Gifts always helped, didn’t they? It would also prove that she’d always intended to come back.

“You can’t be serious, can you?” Bianca asked, irritation striking her tone. She couldn’t believe Eury could just drop in and out of people’s lives so easily. The last thing she had expected from her first friend in New York was walking away from everything and everyone so easily. And now she had the audacity to stroll back in and just ask her how she was? “I haven’t even heard from you in ages, Eury. Where have you been? What happened?” Bianca had a feeling, though, that she’d never get an honest answer to those questions. Something was broken between them and she wasn’t sure if Eury was up for mending whatever that was. Deep down, however, she had faith that things could be fixed. She had to go through her frustration period first, however. 

[biancaarivera]

TEXT MESSAGE ✉️ GRIFFANCA

[MANY MINUTES OF BIANCA IMPATIENTLY WAITING LATER]

GRIFFIN: uhm yeah, I mean she was done smoking it and just threw it on the ground. They should probably have more trash cans around.

BIANCA: I don't care about the littering part! I mean I do, I just care more about the Eury suddenly being back in NYC part.

BIANCA: Did you talk to her at all?

[biancaarivera]

griffinsayoc:

Griffin lifted his hands from his lap so that Bianca’s legs could easily replace them. He was used to being near her with all their time spent watching movies together, but it never stopped having an effect on him. Watching her fingers play with the hem of her skirt his brain short circuited as it dove towards a dirtier place. “Like uhm..” he struggled to come up for the word he was looking for and forced his eyes up to meet hers. “Like what kind of stuff?” he finally asked as he tried to imagine seeing her on the sidelines for all his games instead of up in the stands. He was fairly certain that it would make concentrating a whole lot harder. 

“Oh, no way, I’m totally gonna be there,” he slightly shifted in his seat to try and keep his excitement at the current way his mind was operating to non-embarassing levels. If there was one way he’d found to try and keep himself under control, it was football, so he fell back on that crutch. “You never know what you’ll get to go on. It’s like when I was a freshman in high school, I was the back up quarterback. I didn’t think I’d get to play in the games at all, but then Brady threw three picks and pretended he sprained his ankle. I was playing all the time after that.” He glanced down at his hands again that still rested on Bianca’s tanned legs. “What’s the theater version of throwing three picks?” he asked as he looked back up at her with a goofy grin. “And how’s your ankles?” As he asked, he slid his hand down her calf over her ankle and eventually do the bottom of her show. He rotated her foot back and forth like he was testing it out. “Yeah, you’re definitely ready.”

Bianca watched Griffin with curiosity as he stared at her lap, wondering if maybe she’d gone too far. She honestly couldn’t get a read on him and sometimes she just wanted to shake him by the shoulders and ask him what was going on in that head of his. But eventually, he brought his eyes back to hers and asked her a question in that gruff voice of his that made her stomach do flips. “Why tell you when I could show you?” she responded before thinking, her own words made her cheeks redden. “I think I’d be a great addition to the squad but it wouldn’t be fair because I’d really only be there for one person. That being said, if you’re ever looking for a personal cheerleader I’m all yours.”

She beamed when he confirmed that he’d be in the audience on opening night. Griffin was always supporting her and rallying for her which was something she just wasn’t used to. Of course, her dads’ had been her number one fans but she’d never had a friend or a boyfriend for that matter consistently stand ground in her corner. It made her feel special and she’d hold onto that for as long as she could. “Aw, that’s so cute. I don’t really know what that means but I bet you were so happy to have been given the chance to shine,” she grinned. Suddenly he was asking about her ankles and his hand was sliding down her leg, eliciting feelings she didn’t quite know what to do with. “Well I’m glad that I’ve gotten your approval, Griff,” she laughed nervously, scooting even closer to him and popping another Sour Patch Kid in her mouth. 

[biancaarivera]

liamsayoc:

“Beep beep! Hungry dude coming through! He hasn’t eaten since breakfast, so get outta his way!” Liam exclaimed as he weaved between people on his skateboard. “Please!” he added as an afterthought, because manners were very important, and his mother would be disappointed if he forgot them. He was sure that a couple of people had answered him back, but he couldn’t hear them over the growls of his rumbling stomach. 

He could see the Taco Bell sign getting nearer, and he felt like a dog that was salivating at the mouth. Food. Sweet, sweet food was going to be within his reach in the next few minutes. Or so he thought. “CRAP!” he yelled, feeling himself losing balance on his board as he swerved to avoid a speeding, small child. 

Landing on the ground was inevitable, but he didn’t think it was going to hurt so much. “Oh Mylanta! Oh, this hurts!” he cried out, hugging knee to his chest as he watched his board roll off into the distance. “My board!” he yelled sadly, feeling like his day couldn’t get any worse. His knee was scraped, and so were the heels of his hands. And he still hadn’t eaten.

Bianca had just left her dance final and to celebrate the inevitable A she’d receive in the class she was going to her favorite juice bar for a turmeric shot and an açai bowl. Someone whizzed past her on a skateboard, nearly knocking into her, and she glared at the back of their head until she realized that she definitely knew who that was. Liam was swerving in and out of the crowd on the busy NYC sidewalk and when he almost crashed into a little boy she gasped out loud. Things were going downhill real quick for him and before she knew it he was crashing to the ground, clutching his injured knee to his chest as his precious skateboard skid away. Fortunately for him, Bianca sprinted for the board and caught it right before it rolled into the street. 

“What the heck, Liam!” Bianca chastised, crouching down in front of him. Her eyes assessed the damage and she winced, knowing that nothing hurt quite like scraped knees and hands. She pulled her backpack off of her shoulders and fished for the tiny first aid kit her dads had bought her freshman year. Opening some antiseptic wipes, she began tending to his wounds. “Sorry, it’s gonna sting,” she warned him after the fact. “But seriously, Liam. Do you really want to be the dude skateboarding on a busy sidewalk?”

[biancaarivera]

roreomarsh:

Rory faltered, not quite expecting the aggression, but recovered quickly. “Jeez. Lighten up, B.” She leaned against the door frame. “I kid. Besides, she’ll be back.” She was sure of it. Eury wouldn’t abandon them forever. She was just going through some stuff and needed time to sort it all out. As much as she missed her, she understood that… but a small part of her—a very small and persistent part— feared she was wrong. Still, she wasn’t about to let that show.

“Thanks.” Rory pushed herself upright and entered the room, the door closing behind her. She sat in the far corner, legs shaped like a V and began unloading her things. “Not badly,” she corrected, pulling out several photographs and scrapbooking supplies. “People just don’t know good music anymore. Or talent. People hate talent. You of all people know that,” she chuckled, smirking up at her. Her brows furrowed in confusion, however, when she noticed Bianca packing up her things. “You can stay, you know…”

Bianca snorted at Rory’s optimism regarding Eury’s return. When their friend left, she had been hoping that she’d at least return in a months time. But one month turned into two which turned into six (and counting). Bianca didn’t judge Eury and Eury didn’t judge Bianca- it wasn’t their thing. But their thing also wasn’t abandonment and Eury had managed to accomplish that with barely any warning. “Don’t hold your breath,” she muttered in response. 

“I guess I’ve never heard you sing so I can’t confirm or deny that,” Bianca shrugged. She didn’t want to bond with Rory and that’s what this felt like to her, which only made her throw her jacket and sandals into the duffle faster. But then Rory offered her to stay and she felt trapped- like if she walked out that door she’d make her feel awful and she really didn’t want to be that way. “I guess I have some time to kill... But I have a date in an hour so I’ll need to leave relatively soon,” she warned and hesitantly sat on the opposite side of Rory’s photo spread. “Is this for a class or just for fun?”

[biancaarivera]

griffinsayoc:

Griffin popped another Sour Patch Kid into his mouth to keep his smile from spreading any larger when she admitted she’d missed him too. He liked to at least pretend like he had an ounce of cool in him, even though he was positive that he’d proven time and time again that when it came to Bianca, he didn’t. She had a way of bringing out another side of him that most people wouldn’t expect to find in NYU’s starting quarterback. He was able to let his guard down around her and be himself, which wasn’t something he was able to do often.

“Oh yeah, totally,” he said with a nod of his head. “You’re totally believable. I’ve seen a ton of cheerleaders, and you nail it. That split was…it was awesome.” Griffin chuckled to himself as he listened to her explain how everyone else was awful. He’d been on his share of enough bad teams to know how frustrating it could be. “You guys are still practicing though, right? They could get better. The good teams really come together on game day. The lights are on, and people step up.” He gently bumped his shoulder into hers, hoping his pep talk had helped a little. “Besides, you’ll be amazing in it either way.”

Bianca beamed at Griffin’s compliment as they sat in two vacant chairs. She didn’t need his validation, or anyone’s for that matter, but his opinion sort of meant the world to her. Plus, he had reminded her of an important point- he probably knew way more about cheerleaders than she did having played sports his entire life. She blushed a little when he mentioned her split but took the opportunity to turn towards him and stretch her legs out across his lap. “Well there’s more where that came from,” she flirted, her fingers playing with the pleats of her skirt. “Maybe I should try out for the NYU Cheerleading Team so I can cheer our incredibly talented football team to victory.”

“Yes, we have a little over a month before it opens. I hope that you’re right, though. I offer advice but some people just aren’t willing to accept it,” she huffed. “Thanks though,” she added sweetly. “I don’t think I’ll ever make it onstage. Lucille’s in perfect health which means she’ll be fulfilling her role as Campbell and I’ll be waiting on the sidelines to sub in. It’s still fun, though! And you’re obviously still invited, of course, but there’s no pressure to come.”