Chapter Text
Zora knew it was wrong. It was gross, to peep on the school’s most popular cheerleader. Stella didn't deserve something like that, to get watched through her window while she did her homework on her bed.
And it's not like Zora wanted to do this, it was a dare!
A dare that started 5 months ago.
It all started at a school party, one that Zora would never usually be invited too. She was (un)luckily targeted by some popular kids to be that party's charity case, and how could she say no? It would've ruined whatever social cred she currently has. Zora doesn't hate parties, there were just not her scene.
The smell of booze and sounds of irresponsible teenagers pollute the air as she’s forced into dance after dance by her more outgoing friends until she ends up at some random table where some of her friends and acquaintances were playing truth and dare. “Cmon Magic, you're not gonna chicken out are you?” Said some random boy that probably doesn't even go to their school. Magic, never one to be left out or made fun of, starts chugging some sort of drink that no one has any clue what's in. Zora looks away, embarrassed to even think of doing something like that. She clutches the sleeves of her hoodie, noticing that Stella had drifted over and was also encouraging Magic to drink whatever it was.
Stella was pretty, with her auburn hair tied up in a ponytail and her makeup done lightly, lighter coverage than what she wore to school. She rested her arms on the table, back to Zora as she faced Magic, who was opposite where Zora stood awkwardly. Zora felt out of place, and she was eyeing the door before her friend, Jawhn snapped his fingers in her face.
“Helllloooo?” He said, waving his hands in her face. “It's your turn, Zora.” He takes a quick swig from his dirty glass, clearly wasted. “Truth or dare?”
Zora considered her options. If she chose the truth, there was a slim chance that her friends would actually remember, but she also knew they would choose something embarrassing and anyone in the crowded room could hear and remember. However, with dare, they wouldn't choose something horribly dangerous or gross, but it might be equally as embarrassing.
Ultimately, she chooses dare.
Jawhn thinks for a second, looking over to where Magic has fully collapsed in Stella’s arm, snoring while the ginger girl laughs. “Yea.. Um, your dare is to follow Stella home and..” He stops to drunkenly look at her. “Steal her cheerleading uniform.”
He smiles as he starts to laugh, spilling his disgusting drink all over himself. Zora grimaces, sliding out of the way as he tries to put his arm over her shoulders.
“Theres no way in hell I'm doing that,” She snarls out. “Besides, how the fuck would i even get in her room?”
Jawhn points to the door, where Stella is escorting Magic out of the door, much to the complaints of all her friends.
“Well there's your chance,” He slurs out. “I know she didn't come in the car, and they live right next to each other. Just sneak in while she's putting Magic to bed.”
It's a stupid idea, for sure, but something in it calls to Zora. She swallows hard, giving him a brisk nod. It's out of her character to do something as stupid and illegal as this, but something gross in her is telling her that everything will work out in the end.
She slips out a few minutes after Stella and Magic, trailing many feet behind them until they stop at two houses, modern and classy. Stella escorts Magic into one, while Zora practically jumps into the doorway of the other, which is miraculously unlocked. She bounds up the stairs, looking in the bedrooms until she sees one that HAS to be Stella’s, with its bands and sports posters, showing all sorts of popular figures. Zora stops to gaze at Oliva Rodrigo one for five seconds, before remembering her mission. She beelines it to the closet, opening it up and grabbing whatever cheerleading thing she sees first.
She see’s Stella exit Magic’s house, crossing the yard to her own front porch. Zora’s heart beats in her heart, threatening to burst and spew all over Stella’s pretty things. She jumps down the stairs, three at a time with the gear in her arms. She runs into a counter, somehow not knocking anything over and bursts through the back door.
She has a foot across the treeline when she sees the porch light turn on. She can't turn back and look into Stella’s disgusted green eyes, so she runs and runs and runs, until she somehow makes it to her apartment building, bounding up the stairs and opening the door before collapsing on her family's couch, not bothering to get unready.
She falls into an uneasy sleep dreaming about ginger hair and cheerleading skirts.
Of course Stella knew who it was. How couldn't she? She saw Zora following her home, and even led her the easier way back. Of course she saw Zora through Magic’s window, saw her rummage through her closet, and of course she left at the right time to scare her just enough to watch her run through her own yard. She had turned on the lights for a reason, she had wanted Zora to look back and see her smiling.