third person pov

today was the last football game of the season, and even thought valerie absolutely didn't want to go, her and victoria signed up to be cheerleaders.. which meant she'd be there anyway.

to hopefully make her night better, she invited ashtray, knowing he probably wouldn't go, she did anyway— and just like she thought, he said no.

ashtray wasn't involved with any of the school activities, he hadn't even been to one of the football games, he couldn't care less about them.

... but, valerie was a cheerleader. and for whatever reason, he felt bad telling her he wasn't going even after she practically begged him to.

so, as valerie was now changed into her cheer uniform and standing on the side lines of the football field, freezing her ass off, she kept her head high and a smile on her face anytime a teacher or an adult would walk by or wave to her, but it would immediately drop the second she turned around.

"well, you look like you're having fun."

valerie's head whip around fast as the sound of the voice, and she met eyes with ashtray, the same boy who told her he wasn't going to be there tonight.

"ash! you said you were coming?" she smiled, hitting his shoulder playfully.

anyone in the bleachers that were watching the two, probably either thought they were dating.. or just really close friends.

"yeah, but you wanted me to come so bad." ashtray mocked himself from the winter formal, and valerie felt that same little feeling she felt when he said that sentence the first time.

she just smiled, now feeling ten times happier than she did twenty minutes ago. she turned to the field, and knowing the game was starting soon and she would have to start cheering, she quickly turned back to ashtray. "uh, the games about to start... but meet me after, yeah?"

he nodded, "yeah." and then walked away, turning to watch and her and the other cheerleaders got closer together and moved onto the field more.

he made his way up the bleachers, not having anyone to sit with, but also not wanting to sit with anyone, he looked for a place to sit where not many people were... until roy yelled, "yo! ashtray!"

ashtray let out a groan, before making his way over to the boy and sitting next to him, being met with his twin brother, roy, and a few other teenagers he guessed were their friends. "i'm surprised you came." roy laughed, and ashtray just gave him a nod.

neither ashtray or valerie knew anything about football, so they weren't having much fun watching the game itself, but valerie didn't care about the game, knowing she'd be hanging out with the boy she likes right after it's over.

ashtray on the other hand.. he was happy to see valerie, but at the moment the boys he was sitting with was being obnoxious and barely paying attention to the game, and when they were.. their loud cheers made him want to punch them all in the face.

eventually, it was halftime and valerie dropped her pom poms, going to take a drink of water, and looking over everyone in the bleachers to find where ashtray was. a smile grew on her face when she saw he was sitting with roy, she liked the fact that the boys her and her bestfriend like, got along. but her smile quickly dropped when her eyes moved over and she saw a girl sitting on the other side of ashtray. how she didn't notice it sooner, she didn't know.

valerie had never had a boyfriend, she was too scared of actually putting the label on it. she had talked to a few boys before, but it didn't last long because of her fear of them turning out like her parents... and after awhile of watching maddy and nate, that was even worse. so overtime, she just didn't care about the whole 'boyfriend' thing. she wouldn't know what to do if she got in a relationship and they ended up like maddy and nate.. that's the last thing she wanted. also because most of the guys that tried talking to her only wanted her for either, to get close to maddy.. or to take her virginity.

but after she realized she liked ashtray some time ago, she pushed her fear away.. wanting nothing more than to be his girlfriend. but seeing him up there with a girl next to him, she was jealous.. and those thoughts of how the two could end up came back.

"i seriously doubt you have anything to be jealous about." valerie heard from behind her, and she finally took her eyes off of the boy she likes to see her best friend walking up to her.

she rolled her eyes, going back to where she stood before, with victoria following her. "seriously, val.. he's not even talking to her back." she said, and valerie turned back to see ashtray looking straight ahead, almost as if the girl wasn't sitting next to him at all.

"yeah.. but-" she started to go on and on about how he could be just acting that way because.. well, whatever reason, but victoria cut her off, hearing that ramble one too many times. "val! he's not."

valerie let out a deep sigh, but dropped it, nodding her head just as halftime was up.

                                       ———

"were you and your friend talking about me earlier?" ashtray asked, the two of them walking to fezcos car.

the conversation her and vic had quickly popped in valerie's head, and she shook her head. "nope."

but ashtray didn't believe that for a second. "then why did y'all keep looking at me?"

the first thing that came to valerie's mind, "we were looking at... roy! we were looking at roy."

ashtray furrowed his eyebrows, "why?..."

val sighed, "you know.. because she wants him to ask her out! we were just talking about that."

"mhm.. valerie, you know da-" ashtray was cut off by his brother, who stuck his head out of his car window with a laugh. "look at you! little cheerleader and shit."

valerie mentally thanked him, and smiled as she walked up to him. "hi, fez."

"what's up, kid?" he responded, unlocking the doors, ashtray got in the front seat and valerie sat in the back.

AUTHORS NOTES:

it makes me lowkey upset that this is the last book i'm doing about ashtray..... 😭
i wanna do something else after doing 4 about the same person. i want to do one about either benny rodriguez or luis mendoza, but i don't know ANYTHING about hockey or baseball