It was no surprise that nerds and cheerleaders didn’t mix, in either movies or real life. Oil and water, cats and dogs—you name it. For her and Jason, it was no different.

She was the queen of the school—cheer captain, the girl everyone admired or envied. Jason? He was the sarcastic, foul-mouthed nerd who worked at the local ice cream shop and avoided small talk at all costs.

What no one at school knew was that they’d been neighbors forever. Jason’s window faced hers, so he knew more than most about her home life—the constant fighting between her parents, the late-night screaming matches.

When things got bad, she’d sneak into his room through the window, wordlessly escaping the chaos. He never asked why, just handed her an old hoodie, put on a movie, and let her be. Jason wasn’t one for deep conversations, and she didn’t have to explain anything. It was an unspoken routine, something she counted on when the rest of her world fell apart.

But at school? They pretended not to know each other. She kept up her perfect image, and Jason let her. They weren’t friends, not really.

That Thursday should’ve been like any other. Jason was heading to work when he saw her, sitting alone by the bleachers, her pom-poms discarded, her head buried in her knees. The girl who always had it together suddenly looked like she was falling apart.

Jason hesitated, hands in his pockets, before walking over. “You alright?”

She didn’t answer right away, just sniffled, her shoulders shaking. He’d seen her cry before, but not like this. They weren’t hidden away in his room; this was out in the open, where she was supposed to be untouchable.

Finally, she looked up, her red-rimmed eyes a mess, mascara streaked down her cheeks. “Do I look alright?”

Jason sighed and sat next to her. Comfort wasn’t his strong suit, especially not with her, but walking away wasn’t an option. Not when he knew what might really be going on. He’d heard her parents fighting the night before.

“Rough day?” he asked quietly.