Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters!!

Charity had never cheered so poorly in her life. She had also never cheered right in front of someone who hated her with good reason. Derek had apparently made it his goal to drill holes into her with his eyes during the game. His cold, unforgiving stare made her want to run off the court, but she couldn't do that. So she tried to avoid looking at him by keeping her head down. No one had ever told her that trying to cheer while staring at the floor was so difficult. She tripped no less than three times during the first half.

She knew she was only torturing herself further when she decided to try to talk to Derek again during halftime. She knew this with every fiber of her being, yet she did it anyway. Charity wound her way around the people who were pouring out of the gym, trying to find him. She thought she had spotted him by the concessions stand when she bumped into someone, hard.

"I'm so sorry!" Charity exclaimed, picking herself up off the ground before she got trampled. The boy she had ran over turned around slowly. It wasn't just any boy, it was Tyler. Charity felt her throat knot up. She hadn't spoken to him since she staggered out of his room the night before. She wanted to say so many things to him, but nothing that her brain was saying was coming out of her mouth.

"Charity, are you okay?" He asked, steering her over to a less populated area. She only nodded, not trusting her voice.

"I guess we need to talk about last night huh?" He asked with a small smile. Charity gave him a half-hearted smile in return, still glancing around for Derek.

"It was all my fault Tyler. You told me to leave, I didn't, simple as that." Charity shrugged in an attempt to downplay the evening.

"It was more than that and you know it. I know you felt the same things I did. Ever since you came here, my life has been one roller coaster ride after another. I thought that I knew what I wanted. I thought I wanted Lauren, but then I met you. You make me feel things I've never felt before, Charity. I want to know if you feel the same?" Tyler asked softly, begging her to say yes, with his eyes.

Charity felt like she was sinking into a sea of mixed emotions. Since day one she'd had a thing for Tyler, but he'd been taken. She thought about the many times she'd wished that he would dump Lauren for her. Then she met Derek. It was different with him. He genuinely liked her. He was one of the only guys she'd ever encountered who didn't just want her for sex, and she liked that. She had been sure that Tyler was the same way until last night. Then he had acted just like every other guy she'd dated. She did have to give him points for his little speech today though. Her prior experiences had taught her that not many guys stuck around the next day. She sighed, knowing that Tyler was waiting for an answer that she wasn't sure she could give. She took one last glance around the room and her eyes locked with Derek's. He was standing across the room, making no attempt to disguise the fact that he was watching them. Tyler followed her gaze.

"Derek. I should have known. Lauren warned me and I didn't listen." Tyler said as he shook his head.

"Lauren warned you about what?" Charity replied suspiciously. She thought that Lauren was on her side.

"Last night when Lauren dumped me, she told me she knew that I had feelings for you. She also told me you were all about Derek but I didn't listen." Tyler replied, glancing over at Derek again.

"Not that it matters anymore, anyway. He hates me. Lila told him about us last night and well, he was pretty pissed." Charity said dully.

"He doesn't hate you Charity. He's just disappointed. He dated his last girlfriend for something like three years and when they broke up he found out she'd been cheating on him with his older brother for the majority of their relationship. He doesn't tolerate any hint of cheating well." Tyler explained.

"So it's pretty hopeless for him and I then, huh?" She asked, already knowing it was.

"Maybe not. Give him some time, he might come around. He really likes you." Tyler said slowly.

"What if I don't want to wait for him?" She asked softly, smiling up at him. Tyler raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"I'm pretty sure I know what I want." She said with a smile, wrapping her arms around him.

"Are you saying you do have feeling for me?" Tyler asked in surprise. Charity threw one last glance toward Derek before replying.

"Looks like I am." She whispered, before kissing him softly. Before Charity knew what was happening, she felt herself being flung backwards. She stumbled, barely saving herself from hitting the floor for the second time today. She looked up to see Derek throw a punch at Tyler.

"Derek, stop!" Charity screamed. She rushed forward to try and pull Derek back, but Lauren and Jenny were holding her back before she'd taken two steps.

"Let me go, what are you doing?" Charity exclaimed, trying to shake free of the girls' grasps.

"Are you insane? Those guys are huge and you seriously thought your puny little ass was going to break them up?" Jenny asked her, incredulously. Charity realized that Jenny had a point, as the security guards finally got Derek and Tyler pulled apart. The medics helped Tyler into the locker room.

"What were you thinking, Derek?" Charity asked softly, pulling free from Lauren and Jenny.

"I don't know. You really hurt me Charity, and I promised myself I wouldn't let that happen again. I was looking for you, to tell you that I messed up and I found you kissing Tyler." Derek replied bitterly.

Charity was tired of being the butt of fate's jokes.