Chapter 49 - "The real you is perfect."

Courtney slapped her nightstand, finally managing to smack her alarm into silence while also making her palm sore. Did her phone deserve the abuse? It did have the audacity to disturb her sleep after a very late night, so she thought it did.

Was she the one who implemented this disturbance, yes but it was easier to blame an inanimate object.

With the phone taught a lesson about waking her up, she turned her face into the folds of her pillows and groaned.

Was the late night worth it? Yes. She got to spend it with Micah and his very loud family.

Was the wake-up call and the day ahead of her greeting her with all the hope and cheeriness of a new day? Not really.

Though maybe it was trying, her windows were closed so she couldn't hear if there were birds chirping.

Deciding not to suffocate herself with her pillow, she turned her head but didn't move beyond that.

What is the point anyways, the tasks of the day will always be there, doesn't matter if I move now or in an hour. I could lay forever and the task would still be there. Why get up now? I see no reason. None whatsoever.

Her phone dinged, apparently it was still talking to her even after her abuse.

With the energetic reaction of a sloth, she slid it off the nightstand and checked it.

Micah:

I'm on my way.

Okay, that was a reasonable reason to get out of bed. Darn her attachment to this person, he was making her do the unthinkable, leave her bed. The audacity of men!

Micah:

I have coffee for you.

And the kindness! How dare he be cruel and thoughtful.

Courtney:

Thanks.

Spurred on by her Idiot's soon arrival, Courtney flung the blankets aside and leapt to her feet, invigorated for the day. Okay, no she didn't leap or fling but she did exit her bed. But that was a victory in its own right. The little things shouldn't be overlooked.

Dressed in an outfit appropriate for cleaning up a gym while also looking decently attractive for her boyfriend, Courtney threw her hair up into a messy ponytail. With narrowed eyes, she weighed whether to wear makeup. Look cute or practical? Micah mentioned finding her cute without makeup, which meant she could be practical and cute without it. Which conveniently meant she could be lazy and skip the ten-minute task.

Leaving her bed in an inviting mess for when she jumped back into it after the work, she left her room. In the hall, she encountered Heather climbing the stairs.

"You're up early," Courtney said.

"You assume I slept."

"That's on me. Have you found an apartment?"

Heather sighed. "I've decided to stay here."

"What? Oh happy day! Have you told Dad? I want to see if he becomes a cartoon character and zooms around the house with elation."

"No, haven't seen him yet. But I'll tell him when you're around."

"What changed your mind?"

Heather shrugged but the smile that was a hint of fondness told a different story than her dismissive shoulders.

"I realized I'd miss you all too much," she said.

"I'm glad you're staying, who else will stand in my closet and debate my attachment with my floor with me?"

"Exactly, I can't leave you in your time of need."

The yawn that Heather produced spoke to her all-nighter. At least she could go to her bed, while Courtney was being forcibly separated from hers.

Okay, so the force was her boyfriend but the pull of her bed was still equal to it. Giving into the gravity of her bed, Heather left and Courtney walked down the stairs. A small achievement she savored without the deathtraps of crutches that always made her imagine an impending doom.

"Where are you off to?" her father said, appearing with a mug in hand and robe flowing behind him like some eccentric billionaire.

"To work. Unlike some people," she said. "I have to make a living to support all you layabouts."

"Lauren!" her father said. "Am I a layabout?"

"Yes."

"Never trust a wife. They are never honest."

"I heard that!"

"So where are you going?" her father asked.

"To destroy all our hard work."

"Ah. I would offer to help clean up, but I am the one who saved you from disaster so I feel like you need to handle this on your own."

"You're too kind."

"I know, it's a big fault of mine." He kissed the top of her head. "Have fun."

With the parting statement, he ascended the stairs, his robe not at all working to contradict his oddness in any way. It was interesting how a flowing robe could either make one look like an eccentric billionaire or a mad scientist. Maybe it was simply one's perspective of the person. Since this was her perspective, she decided he looked like an eccentric billionaire. It showed more promise for her future inheritance than the half-completed experiments of a mad scientist.

"Mom," Courtney called out. "I'm off to clean up the mess that husband of yours caused."

"If you're looking for validation, then here you go: I'm proud of you."

"Thank you."

"How are you getting there? Your car isn't in the drive?"

"Micah is picking me up."

Silence followed the shuffling of slippered footsteps told Courtney exactly what to predict. And she was proven a psychic when her mother poked her head through the archway to the kitchen.

"Is that so?" she said.

"Yes."

Her mother smiled. "Have fun then."

"I'll try even though normal definitions of fun don't include being stuck in a gym on Sunday cleaning up after one's father."

"Definitions can change based on perspective."

"Like dad being an eccentric billionaire?"

"Instead of a mad scientist? Yes. I keep trying to have him fix his hair before he leaves our bedroom but that still hasn't happened."

"As long as he leaves me something in his will, he can look as eccentric as he wants."

At the sound of a car approaching, Courtney took a step toward the door.

"Tell Micah I said hi," her mother said, disappearing.

"Will do. Your validation of his name gives me hope for the future and the continuation of it being used in the house."

With her mother's light laugh in response, Courtney exited the house before Micah could exit the car.

"Hey," he said, one hand on the door handle as if debating whether to get out or not.

Before he could decide to be gallant, Courtney hopped into the passenger seat, leaned over, and gave his cheek a quick kiss.

"Good morning."

"You're cheery this morning," Micah said, pulling out of the drive.

"Cute boys tend to have that effect on me."

"All cute boys or specific ones."

"So far it's one specific one."

Aww, an idiotic grin from my Idiot. There is no better sight. Oh coffee! Okay, an idiotic grin comes in a close second. Like a milliseconds close second, so that it doesn't even feel like it was in second place but parallel to first place so that I'm not terrible for having coffee come first.

I might be terrible for coffee come in first.

"Is this for me?" Courtney asked, picking up the second cup of coffee.

"Yup. And I thought you might need something to eat too. Here."

A bagel with cream cheese given by a boy with an idiotic grin. Never mind, coffee takes second, boy takes first with bagel, which everyone knows is a source of happiness.

"You win," Courtney said. "The bagel pushed you ahead of coffee. Congratulations."

"I hope it was a close competition or my pride will be seriously hurt."

"You were only a millisecond behind coffee."

"I'll take it. You were almost a millisecond behind me not getting up early to get you coffee and a bagel but you won in the end."

"Oh, stiff competition. This will keep me on my toes for the next round, can't fall behind or sleep will beat me."

Considering he was the reason she got out of bed, it felt like sleep was the true heavyweight champion in life everyone had to compete against.

"Makes me worry about my outfit. I put a lot of effort into seeing how much effort I didn't have to put into it. Should I put my efforts into more pretty ways in the future?"

Micah glanced over at her, inspected her outfit quickly but focused on her face.

"You look perfect to me," he said.

"Bummer, I was going for real."

"The real you is perfect."

"That seems like a contradiction and a point of flattery that I'm not sure I approve of. Either I'm real or perfect, you can't have it both ways. You must choose."

"Real. I like the real you."

"Good. I do too."

Courtney sipped her coffee. Oh, delightful caffeine how you light up my life!

Taking a bit out of the bagel, Courtney did a tiny dance in her seat making Micah laugh.

"I should have known food would make you this happy."

"Bagels are a source of happiness. Everyone knows this."

Micah smiled at her again but left her in peace to absorb her caffeine and happiness. Which was a very gentleman-like action to take.

When Micah turned the car into the school parking lot, it became the second vehicle there. The first was Courtney's car.

We are the first in the tide of arrivals. Soon the parade of cars will come and overtake the parking lot, the Council members leaping from their car with the eager zest of people ready to do manual labor.

Okay, might be stretching that too far, it will be a miracle if they show up. After all, it is 9AM on a Sunday which is coming after a long day and late night of Homecoming.

"Who is coming to help today?"

"So far the ghosts of past students," Courtney said.

"I don't think they'll be much help, they'll just phase through everything."

"I guess we'll have to hope humans make an appearance too."

Courtney reached for the door handle but Micah stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"You have cream cheese on your face."

Leaning over, he popped open the glove box and removed one of the numerous napkins kidnapped there.

"Here," he said.

He reached for her but she snatched it out of his grasp. "Thank you but the last time you wiped something from my face, you took half a of my skin with it."

"I was being thorough. After all, you were the one who'd smeared chocolate all over your face. I didn't want to miss anything."

"You didn't. There wasn't a trace of my old face left afterwards."

Courtney cleaned her face then presented it for Micah's inspection. He narrowed his eyes as he did a complete survey of it before nodding his head in approval.

"Still pretty," he said.

"That's because I didn't scrub half my face off."

"It was my mistake. I apologize for being so harsh last time."

"Accepted."

As they headed to the curb, Courtney messaged Hank that they'd arrived and would wait for him to bring them the keys. With a quick response, Courtney directed them to the bench in front of the school only weeks ago she'd nearly had a breakdown on. Luckily, Micah had shown up to keep her from reciting more song lyrics.

"The school seems strange this empty," Micah said, gazing around.

From the quiet and the emptiness, Courtney half expected a tumbleweed to slowly roll by pushed by a whistling wind. Why she felt that she couldn't pinpoint. They were in Southern California, did they even have tumbleweeds here?

"It's the kind of empty that you feel like you'll be murdered then be forced to haunt the grounds of the rest of your ghostly life."

"It would make summers really boring with no one to scare," Micah said.

"You have summer school, football practice, and cheer practice."

"True. But the rest of the time would be so lonely."

"So clearly the solution is to not be murdered here."

"Sounds like a solid plan."

They fell silent and Courtney realized how it felt to simply be beside Micah without needing to fill the quiet. Rather than disturbing like they'd judged the empty school grounds to be, it felt comfortable.

"Have you thought of posting on the school app and asking people to come help?"

"And lose strong independent girl points by admitting I could use help? No, never. Besides, who is going to show up to school when they don't have to."

"You don't know, someone might come. It would be you asking after all. People like you. You did win Homecoming Queen."

"So you're saying as their queen I should make it a royal decree that people come help?"

Micah nudged her shoulder with his. "Or you could ask as Courtney."

Courtney took out her phone. "I will make this post if only to have the power of an 'I told you so' later on."

On the main school board, Courtney posted a short message: Calling all Autobots. Avengers Assemble. For Gondor. (Input any other classic rousing quote) If you are awake and partially functioning, I, Courtney Hart, could use help taking down Homecoming decorations. If you want to help, just show up and I'll give you a job.

This message will self-destruct in five seconds.

"There. The word is out. It is being passed from one ear... eye to the next. We will wait for the calvary to arrive."

"You don't know, it might."

"Ah here it comes," Courtney said, sweeping her hand towards the parking lot.

Walking across the road and onto the school grounds was Hank. His hair was a mess and his clothes were wrinkled.

"Hey kids," he said.

Courtney held out her hand. "I'll take the keys. Since no one is here yet to help we can't get to the parts that need subversion so you can go back home and get some coffee."

"I trust you not to climb ladders or handle dangerous equipment without me," Hank said, dropping the keys into her palm.

"Wouldn't dream of it. I'll call you when we're ready to be productive."

The interior of the gym lay completely dark, only vague outlines of the decorations could be seen. Instead of using the main lights, Courtney turned on the lighting that had been used the previous night. With no exterior windows to break the darkness, the gym looked almost exactly how it had during the dance.

"I thought you should get a chance to see what you'd been a part of making happen," she said.

Micah said nothing as he tilted his head back and made a slow circle. After watching him for a second, Courtney took in the decorations. Though she'd observed them last night, it felt different to see them now when she wasn't rushed, her brain wasn't thinking of where Micah was, and she was being crowned. All that she'd hoped it would be had come true with the help of so many people.

"You did an amazing job, Cory."

"No," Courtney said, still staring up at the lattice of leaves. "Everyone did. I was only the boss who handed out jobs."

At the brush of Micah's hand with hers, she tore her gaze away from the colorful canopy.

"I'm sorry I didn't come yesterday to see it," he said.

She laced her fingers with his. "It's okay. It was far more dramatic for me to come to your house. Being your Wise Ole Sage, I had planned to show up on my trusted steed, but all we had was a car. I mean still horsepower, but not really the same."

Micah cocked his head and it made Courtney want to playfully tug on his curls for him since she knew she was causing him fractions of confusion. But not overwhelm which was a good sign.

"You've always been this strange, haven't you?" he said.

"Yeah. I just think the cute face and the uniform hide a lot. It's like people don't believe strange and cheerleader goes together. Except what's more strange than flinging each other into the air to hype up a bunch of guys who are running into each other as they chase a ball?"

"You make a good point."

The door to the gym opened and Miguel walked through, holding a cup of coffee. Well, not Miguel but Miguel's doppelganger. The give away was this Miguel was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.

Clearly, Miguel being lazy and not wanting to help with clean up sent in his lookalike, only he forgot to tell his lookalike what to wear. They were almost exactly identical that Courtney would have been fooled, if not for the outfit.

"Imposter," Courtney said. "You can tell Miguel that his laziness is not appreciated and he should be here, not his doppelganger."

Miguel stared at her with no expression. Okay, that did make her question if it was the real Miguel, no one wore no expression quite like Miguel did.

"How long are you going to drag out this joke?" Miguel asked. "I want to know so I can tune you out until you're done."

Courtney gasped and clutched Miguel's shoulders. "Miguel! Good heavens! It is you! I didn't recognize you with all the exposed leg!"

Shaking her off, Miguel rolled his eyes. "I should have stayed in bed."

"No, you should have worn pants. I thought you didn't own shorts?"

"That's a myth."

"A very believable one." Miguel yawned and Courtney thought of the long night he must have had. A night that had involved talking to Kimber. "Oh my goodness! You wore shorts to distract me from being smug about you and Kimber, didn't you?"

Miguel sipped from his cup. "Might have."

"You are devious." Courtney sighed. "I feel like my moment for being smug is over."

"Good, we can pretend you were and move on."

"So you will give me no details about how it went and what will happen between you in the future."

Miguel held her gaze and slowly sipped his coffee. It was astounding how a man could say no without saying anything at all. Or maybe it was a Miguel-only ability.

The door opened again and Kimber strode in, breaking Miguel's cool and giving Courtney an opportunity to use up some of her storage of smugness. Closely following Kimber were Aubrey and Rosa. Though Aubrey and Kimber looked fairly alert, Rosa looked as if someone had summed her from the dead but she hadn't wanted to go. As if to prove this, she reached the trio then sat on the floor then spread her limbs out.

"Ahhhh why are we here?" she moaned. "Why are we even alive? What is life? What is the reason for us being?"

"Too early," Miguel said.

"That's what I'm saying," Rosa said. "It's too early to be here. It's too early to be alive."

Rosa's collapsed state on the floor seemed to be an invitation to everyone else and they all settled down in a rough circle.

"Why are we here?" Rosa moaned again. "There's no way I can be trusted to do anything. I partied too hard at Kimber's after-party."

"No one told you to eat all those Skittles," Aubrey said.

Rosa shot up, showing more energy than her moanings suggested. "There was a whole bowl of them on the table, what did you expect of me?"

"Restraint," Kimber said easily to her friend, seemingly unaware of how Miguel watched her.

Courtney amped up her smugness since she saw how Kimber's unbothered manner hooked Miguel in.

"How little you know me?" Rosa said, laying back on the floor but after a second, she rolled to her side and propped her head in her hand, looking at Courtney and Micah. "You two are back together. How did it feel being the damsel in distress and being saved by the heroine?"

"What?" Micah asked, looking at Courtney.

"Rosa is a writer."

"Ah."

Rosa flipped to her stomach and dropped her chin in her hands. "So... what happened? I inspired her to race after you, just so you know."

"I was always already leaving when we crossed paths," Courtney said.

"But I solidified your resolve. So what happened?"

For the entertainment of the people who'd willingly chosen to get out of bed, Courtney retold the night's events. As she did, the council members trickled in. When Lynn and Aiden arrived together, Lynn quickly jumped in with embellishments to the story for drama sake. When the story was coming to a close, Max showed up and joined the seated group.

"You came," Courtney said, as side conversations broke out.

Max shrugged. "I was awake and saw your message on the school app come through. Figured I'd come help."

"Thank you," Courtney said. "How'd it go with you and Blake?"

Max shrugged again. "I don't know. We talked but I don't know if anything will happen. It doesn't seem like he knows how to be himself and not his whole bad-boy persona. So who knows."

"That's a bummer, he was a nice guy before."

"People change, I guess."

Courtney teasingly poked Max in the shoulder. "So they do." Max rolled her eyes but a tiny smile appeared. "Ready to get back to training on Monday?"

"Yeah, I am. Though even if I make the squad I don't know how I'll pay for it."

Courtney pointed to Miguel, who was talking to Kimber, in what she knew was his casual manner, though it looked like he was working a little too hard to be casual. As long as he didn't say he was causal, for in doing so would negate the casualness, then he should be fine.

"Don't worry, his sponsorship program is going to make it happen with the help of my family. And well, if you don't make the squad then there's nothing to stress about."

"Rousing speech. If I don't make the squad I think that will reflect badly on you since you're the one coaching."

Courtney flicked her hair off her shoulder in the most stuck-up fashion she could manage. Considering she was a blonde cheerleader, it was a pretty convincing performance. "Not really, I'll simply blame the failure on your lack of skill."

"I look forward to being on the squad just to spite you."

"The best revenge is success."

Max smiled at Courtney, proof that what Courtney said was true. After all, she'd successfully changed Max's opinions of cheerleaders. What better revenge against the motorcycle girl who insulted her weeks ago? From rebel to cheerleader.

"Micah, I'm just saying, if you were the protagonist in this situation, what would you have done?"

Courtney looked over to find that Rosa had transplanted herself next to Micah. Clearly the author was digging for material.

Not sure if this story is one for the books, Rosie.

"Am I not the protagonist of my life?" Micah asked.

"Yes, you are but sitting on your couch and not going after your girl seems a bad move? The reader would be yelling at you to move your-"

"Ah," Micah said. "But every protagonist makes mistakes, right? I see that one as my mistake. I was being an idiot."

"You were," Rosa agreed.

"But he's my Idiot," Courtney said, leaning in. "Which means it's okay."

Rosa wiggled her finger between them. "I'm going to assume there's a meaning to that by the way you two are looking at each other and this isn't some weird verbally abusive relationship where Micah just takes your insults and pretends they are endearments."

"Rosie, you think too much."

"Maybe you should think a little more, you did just call your boyfriend an idiot."

"My Idiot," Courtney corrected.

"I see no difference."

"The 'my' and the capital 'I'," Micah said.

"Ah yes, that makes it all better."

"Yeah, it does," Micah said smiling at Courtney.

Yes, I see you narrowing your eyes, Rosie. Leave this one alone.

"Okay," Rosa said.

"Most of the council and a few spares are here," Miguel said, standing. "I think we should call Hank and get to work."

Aiden raised his hand but spoke before anyone could acknowledge his want to be heard. "Are we not going to address the fact that we can see Miguel's legs?"

"Yeah!"

"This needs to be talked about?"

"What parallel universe did we switch to?"

"Oh good it's not just me, I thought I was hallucinating for a second."

"Are we even sure this is Miguel? Does anyone know if he has a Laidback Twin?"

"Cause we all know he'd be the Evil Twin in the scenario?"

"Obviously. Have you heard the music he listens to? It's totally evil guy lair music."

"If this is Laidback Twin, do we really want the real Miguel back?"

"Hey! That's rude to evil Miguel. I'm sure he simply has a tragic backstory that made him the way he is."

"Rosie, only you would think that."

"Me and everyone who has read a book."

"Enough! I'm wearing shorts. I'm aware it was a mistake. I will never make it again. I'm calling Hank and making you all work."

"What should we do while we wait? Play music and create a classic teen movie scene where we all dance around?"

"No!"

"Are you insane? I'm barely awake."

"That classic teen movie will become a horror film if you do that."

"I'm not moving until I have to."

"You're laying on a dirty floor, you know that?"

"Leave me to my misery, will you?"

The lights overhead turned on breaking the soft glowing autumn atmosphere with reality. Dramatic cries of surprise and pain echoed around the gym. Despite this, people pushed themselves to their feet, some shaking out sleeping feet. Micah stood and held his hands out for Courtney. She took them and he hoisted her to her feet.

"Feel like being my partner in this teardown?" she asked.

In answer, he held onto her hand. Hank walked over to the blob of students and broke people into groups. Together, Courtney and Micah got designated to set pieces and lighting, since Micah had been the one to handle the lighting.

"You know, Juan and Sophie really did an amazing job on these," Courtney said.

While Micah carried the front end of one of the forest set pieces, she carried the back end, the detail in it impossible not to see that close.

"I liked getting to know them," Courtney said. "During this whole thing."

"They felt the same way."

"Good. That's two down, the rest of the group to go."

Micah angled his head so he could meet her gaze. Which, though thoughtful, put him in danger of running into something. And if he ran into something Courtney would definitely be impaled by the set piece. Was that impossible to be impaled by a long, blunt frame? Probably not but not something she wanted to risk. Death by Set sounded awful.

"Eyes forward," Courtney said. "You're the one driving this vehicle."

Smiling, Micah faced the front again. Which meant a safe journey to the theatre storage area and a return journey for a second piece. They took either side of the set and pivoted it down until it lay horizontal. Courtney picked up her end but Micah didn't. Instead, he held her gaze with those caring brown eyes of his.

"I'm sorry about Damon and Trina," Micah said. "I heard what they said to you."

"Can't blame friends for being protective. Even if it might have been a little threatening. I guess that means your previous relationship was pretty bad."

Micah didn't respond right away. "Yeah."

"What a relief that is for me. I mean if it was so bad, I must look amazing in comparison."

Micah laughed, a sound Courtney could listen to for a long long time.

"With or without my ex, you'd always be amazing, Cory." He broke his gaze to look around at the gym that was slowly transforming back into its normal average self. "Do you know that it's been a month?"

"A month?"

"Yeah since we actually met."

"Ah, yes." She swept her arm in a wide arch. "And it was here that I failed in my backflip and humiliated myself before all my peers. How can I forget."

Micah ducked his head, but there was a touch of a smile in the corner of his mouth. "I know it was a terrible day for you, but... I wouldn't change it." He lifted his head. "I don't think I would have had the chance to get to know you."

The way he looked at her, like all he could think of were the good times over the past weeks helped Courtney reframe the day in her mind. Did everything feel like it was falling apart around her and taking her down with it?

Yes. But she'd also discovered someone who'd held her up in the midst of it.

"Because of that day," Micah said. "I got to know the person everyone knew. The cheery girl that... kinda seemed untouchable and perfect."

"And realized I'm very much not perfect?"

"Yes, but it's more than that." There was a tone of surprise in his voice. "I got to know you and see all that you do. How you managed to be kind when people laughed at your expense. How hard you work to connect with people. How you put in so much time and effort into something for other people. How you can smile even when you're struggling. Seeing all that, I realized something that I didn't understand and I don't think others do either."

"And what's that?"

He smiled at her and she felt she completely seen.

"That despite what people think, it's not easy being the It Girl."

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IT'S DONE!! THANK THE FREAKING STARS!!! IT'S FINALLY OVER!! 🥳

*coughs* 😶 I mean, ah no-o so sad that the story is over. D-darn it, such a bummer.

Through your tears of sadness that it's done you should share your thoughts. 🗯💬💭🥹

Okay, this book has take a year to write, the longest it's ever taken me to write, and I think it took at least five years off my life because it took so long. That's why I'm so relieved that it's over.

But thinking about it, I'm going to miss Cory and all her oddness. She's really such a strange character and I loved seeing how bizarre her thoughts were.

So to end on a positive note let's share our favorites!

Favorite character.

Though usually I have a side character that sometimes steals my heart, Cory is really the one I love! She's been such a blast to get to know. I really never expected her to be so weird.

Close second is of course Miguel.

Favorite scene.

Okay, I don't know if I have a specific. I think the closet scene because it was fun to write a realistic collision moment and break the illusion.

Favorite Cory bizarre thought.

I think the one where she was thinking of her self as a whale because the school was a school of fish then Micah instantly knew what she was talking about. That one sticks out to me.

If you have anything else to share, I'll happily hear it!

Till the next book, thank you for going on this journey with the blonde cheerleader and giving her a chance to share her story!

There's an epilogue waiting for you! I hope you enjoy it!