You sit in the front row (like you always do)
PART 6 — “I’m worried about you, not disappointed in you”
Description: Kayleigh’s ankle is healing, but everything else feels like it’s falling apart. Finals are over, second semester has started, and one bad grade turns into the first real fight of their relationship.
Second semester starts with everyone pretending they have their lives together.
No one actually does.
Especially not Kayleigh.
Her ankle is mostly better now.
Mostly.
She’s back at cheer practice, but only in limited capacity, which somehow feels worse than being fully injured did.
Because now she’s close enough to normal to remember exactly what she’s missing.
She can stunt again, but carefully.
She can tumble, but not too much.
She can practice, but not fully.
Everything comes with restrictions.
Everything comes with reminders.
And on top of that, her grades have started slipping.
Not catastrophically.
Just enough to matter.
Just enough that every teacher has started giving her that look.
The one that says:
you’re capable of better than this.
As if she doesn’t already know.
As if she isn’t trying.
As if she doesn’t lie awake at night thinking about all the assignments she’s behind on.
It’s exhausting.
And humiliating.
And she hates it.
Which is why, when KK sees the 68 circled in red at the top of her chemistry quiz during lunch, everything goes downhill immediately.
“What’s this?”
Kayleigh freezes halfway through opening her water bottle.
KK is holding the quiz in one hand.
Her eyebrows pull together.
Not angry.
Worried.
But Kayleigh is already too raw to tell the difference.
“Give it back.”
KK hands it over, but she doesn’t look away.
“Kay.”
Kayleigh stuffs the paper into her binder quickly.
“It’s one quiz.”
“You’ve been stressed for weeks.”
“I said it’s fine.”
KK exhales slowly.
That should be Kayleigh’s second clue.
“Have you talked to your teacher?”
Kayleigh’s jaw tightens.
“No.”
“Why not?”
Because she’s embarrassed.
Because she feels like she’s failing.
Because she doesn’t want to say any of that out loud.
So instead she shrugs.
And KK, unfortunately, keeps going.
“You need to get on top of this.”
There it is.
That sentence.
That awful sentence that lands in exactly the wrong place.
Kayleigh laughs once.
Sharp and humorless.
“Thanks, KK. Super helpful.”
KK blinks.
“What?”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You basically did.”
KK sets her tray down.
“Kayleigh, I’m trying to help.”
“Well, you’re not.”
The words come out harder than Kayleigh means them to.
But now that they’re out, she can’t take them back.
KK’s expression changes.
Not angry.
Hurt.
Kayleigh sees it.
Still doesn’t stop.
“Not everything needs to be fixed immediately, KK.”
KK’s shoulders tense.
“I’m not trying to fix you.”
“Really? Because it kind of feels like you’re treating me like a project.”
Silence.
The kind that makes the whole cafeteria suddenly feel too loud.
Paige and Azzi, sitting across from them, become very interested in their lunches.
KK stares at her.
“You know that’s not what this is.”
Kayleigh pushes her chair back.
“I’m going to class.”
“Kayleigh.”
But she’s already walking away.
And she doesn’t turn around.
The rest of the day is miserable.
Kayleigh ignores three texts.
Then four.
Then seven.
Not because she wants to.
Because she doesn’t know what to say.
Because every time she sees KK’s name pop up on her screen, she feels guilty.
And defensive.
And still upset.
Which is a terrible combination.
By the time she gets back to her room that night, she’s emotionally exhausted.
She drops her bag onto the floor and finally looks at her phone.
KK🏀💙:
Can we talk?
KK🏀💙:
I’m sorry if I pushed too hard.
KK🏀💙:
I just wanted to help.
KK🏀💙:
Please text me back.
KK🏀💙:
I love you.
That one nearly undoes her on the spot.
Because she loves her too.
And she knows KK wasn’t trying to hurt her.
She knows that.
But knowing doesn’t stop the tears that start burning behind her eyes.
A knock sounds at the door.
Soft.
Then softer:
“Kay?”
Kayleigh closes her eyes.
For a second she considers pretending she isn’t there.
Instead, she opens the door.
KK is standing in the hallway with her hands shoved into the pockets of her hoodie.
She looks nervous.
Which is rare.
And devastating.
“Hey,” KK says quietly.
Kayleigh steps aside.
KK comes in and closes the door behind her.
Neither of them speaks for a moment.
Then KK rubs the back of her neck.
“I’m sorry.”
Kayleigh’s eyes sting immediately.
“You don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do.”
KK steps closer.
“I know I came on too strong.”
She swallows hard.
“I wasn’t disappointed in you.”
Kayleigh’s face crumples a little.
“Then why did it feel like that?”
KK’s expression softens.
“Because I’m bad at this.”
“At what?”
“Being scared.”
Kayleigh goes still.
KK laughs once under her breath.
No humor in it.
“When I saw that grade, all I could think about was how stressed you’ve been.”
Her voice grows quieter.
“And I hate seeing you overwhelmed.”
Kayleigh looks down.
KK gently tilts her chin back up.
“I wasn’t thinking ‘why are you doing badly.’”
She brushes her thumb under Kayleigh’s eye.
“I was thinking, ‘how do I help the person I love?’”
That does it.
Kayleigh starts crying almost instantly.
“Oh, baby.”
KK pulls her into her arms without hesitation.
Kayleigh clutches the front of her hoodie.
“I’m trying so hard.”
“I know.”
“I feel stupid.”
KK tightens her hold.
“You are the least stupid person I know.”
Kayleigh laughs wetly.
KK kisses the side of her head.
“You’re injured, you’re stressed, and you’re doing your best.”
She pulls back enough to look at her.
“And your best is more than enough for me.”
Kayleigh’s bottom lip trembles.
“I’m sorry I said you were treating me like a project.”
KK shakes her head.
“I get why you felt that way.”
“No, I was mean.”
“You were overwhelmed.”
Kayleigh sniffles.
KK smiles softly.
“You’re still stuck with me.”
That earns a real laugh.
Small.
But real.
“Good,” Kayleigh whispers.
KK brushes their noses together.
“Good.”
Later, they end up curled together in Kayleigh’s bed.
Kayleigh is tucked against KK’s chest, one leg thrown over hers.
KK is helping her make a study plan for the week, but this time she asks before giving suggestions.
And every time Kayleigh starts looking stressed, KK presses a kiss to her forehead until she smiles again.
Eventually, the homework gets abandoned.
Kayleigh traces lazy circles over KK’s stomach.
“Thanks for worrying about me.”
KK kisses her hair.
“Always.”
Kayleigh tilts her head up.
“I love you.”
KK smiles immediately.
“I love you too.”
Then she kisses her slow and sweet until Kayleigh forgets all about chemistry and grades and everything else that felt too heavy earlier.
For the first time all day, she feels like she can breathe again.
And with KK’s arms around her, everything feels a little more manageable.










