Diana
Seventeen Years Old

"Diana!" My mother screamed from the kitchen downstairs and I groaned as I rolled over on to my side and pulled the sheets up over my head to try and tune out my mother's voice so I can return back to my peaceful sleep, but as usual that never happens.
"Diana, get up or else Mom's coming up here with the bucket." Theo warned me as he peaked his head through my door and I quickly shot up and jumped out of my bed because she had done that to me before and I do not want to relive that memory.
"Jesus, I'm up, Mom!" I yelled down to her and I heard her chuckle as she thanked Theo for waking me up. I rolled my eyes as I walked over to my closet tiredly then pulled out my cheer uniform as I tried to get ready for school.
I walked down the stairs twenty minutes later and I glared at my Mom, who was at the stove making eggs and bacon for breakfast. My Dad wasn't home, he was playing a basketball game in Cleveland which, might I add, I had really wanted to go to but my Mother wouldn't let me because I haven't graduated from high school yet. "Good morning, sweetheart," My Mother greeted me once I sat across from her at the island and watched her cook. "It's your official last week of high school! You excited?" She asked eagerly as she turned around and handed me a plate filled with eggs, bacon, and toast. I couldn't help but smile at her as I nodded my head and she smiled back.
"I am so excited, thanks for making me breakfast, Mom." I said and she shrugged as she handed me a glass of orange juice.
"Well, after this summer I won't be able to make you breakfast anymore because you'll be going off to college." My Mother sighed sadly and I smiled a bit as I reached across the island and patted her hand.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm not leaving yet. I haven't even graduated yet!" I teased and she chuckled as she nodded and then Theo entered the kitchen.
"Well, the sooner she leaves I'll be the only child around here and that's going to be awesome." Theo teased back and I gasped and my Mom laughed as she shook her head at him.
"Oh Theo James, come over here and eat your breakfast with your sister." My Mom ordered and he nodded as he walked over to me and climbed up onto the bar stool.
"I hope you don't become tall like, Dad. I like messing with you because you're shorter than me." I teased as I ruffled his hair and he tried to slap my hands away.
"I'm almost as tall as you, Diana, and I'm only ten years old. You're only five foot three, I'm already four-eleven, but then again I am seven years younger than you but what's your excuse?" He mocked and I glared at him as I elbowed him in the ribs.
"Whatever, shorty." I sneered as I ate my breakfast and my Mom gave him a stern look.
"Be nice, Theo, or else I'll take away your PlayStation." She threatened and his eyes widened in fear as he looked down and acted like his food was the most interesting thing in the world.
"Speaking of taking things away," I said casually and my Mother looked up at me questioningly. "I was thinking since I've been doing so good in school and doing my chores around the house that maybe I could get my car back...?" I asked hopefully as I bit my lip. My Mom stared at me, scrutinizing my face and she was clearly debating with herself in that stubborn head of her's. I continued to bite my lip nervously when she looked down and started to open one of the drawers in the kitchen then she slowly pulled out my keys.
"I will give them back to you, Diana Nicole, under one condition," She said and I nodded my head quickly as I stared at my keys in awe. "That you continue to do your chores around the house and promise not to drive like a maniac anymore." She commanded and I nodded my head eagerly as I held out my hands for my keys.
"I promise, Mommy. I'll never speed again." I promised and she smiled as she placed the keys in my hands.
"I know you won't, baby. Just please be careful, you are my little girl." She sighed and I smiled as I got up and jogged around the counter to hug her.
"Thank you, Mom. You're the best! I love you so much!" I gushed as I squeezed her tightly and she giggled as she rubbed my hair gently and then kissed my cheek when she finally released me.
"I love you too, sweetie. Now go on and get to school, don't wanna be late for your last week." My Mom said enthusiastically and I giggled as I jogged out to the backyard and into the garage. I stared at my Cadillac with excitement.
"Oh, how I've missed you, Cady." I sighed and then quickly got into my car.
I pulled up into my school's parking lot and quickly parked my car. As per usual, the basketball team was waiting for my arrival and I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my pom-poms and gym bag from the back seat then got out of the car. "Hey Di!" One of the players called from behind me and I waved at them then headed towards the school.
"When're they going to leave you alone?" My best friend Kelsey asked and I shrugged as I adjusted my gym bag on my shoulder while I held my pom-poms.
"Once I graduate, but then it'll just continue on to college and most likely for the rest of my life." I sighed and Kelsey frowned at me.
"Don't worry, Di. You'll always have me to be with you at Columbia next fall." She said confidently and I giggled as I nodded my head.
"Thank God for that." I sighed happily and we continued to walk to school. I looked around the halls with everyone talking excitedly about graduation and the school year being almost over and I felt a pang of sadness wash over me as I realized that this was it. I was leaving this school and then I'd be moving away to New York for college. I was going to become an adult and be away from my family for the first time in my life.
"Hey there, Diana." I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise at the sound of his voice as I felt him walk behind me.
"Leave her alone, Kevin. You're not supposed to come anywhere near her." Kelsey hissed at him from beside me and I continued to walk with my head down and my heart racing against my chest in fear.
"I don't have to do what you say, Kelsey. If it wasn't for your dumbass, Di and I would still be together." He sneered at her and I whirled around with tears in my eyes.
"You don't get to speak to her that way, you may have treated me like complete crap but I will not let you treat her or any other girl that way. You're lucky my Mother didn't throw your ass in prison where you rightfully belong." I scoffed at him and he stared at me with flushed cheeks and his eyes burning with fury as he studied me. "Now, stay the Hell away from me and stay away from my friends or else I'll tell my Father and everyone else about all the other stuff that I haven't told anyone about so fast it'll make your head spin." I threatened and grabbed Kelsey's hand with my free hand and pulled her away quickly as I tried to hold back the tears in my eyes.
"Come on, Diana. Let's go to the bathroom." Kelsey murmured next to me as she escorted me to the bathroom. We quickly got inside and she blocked the door with the heavy metal trash can and then looked at me worriedly. "Diana...?" She trailed off softly and I just erupted into tears as I collapsed on to the floor in my cheer uniform and sobbed loudly. "Hey, it's okay." She cooed as she sat down next to me and pulled me into her arms soothingly.
"I can't believe I dated him." I sobbed and she just held me tighter as she rubbed my back gently.
"I know, but it's going to be okay. You're free from him and look how happy you are now! It's going to be okay, I promise." She said sternly and I took in a ragged breath as I continued to sniffle and cry silently.
I was sitting in my drama class later that day, still in a sad mood and not really paying attention to the teacher when someone sat next to me. I didn't notice until I looked down and he was wearing cowboy boots which was not something you see a lot of people in Miami wearing them. "Like the shoes?" He asked, his thick country accent apparent in his voice and I smiled as I looked up at him. I froze when I saw a pair of bright green, earthy eyes staring back at me and he had a breathtaking smile that made my heart beat faster.
"Well, people from around here don't usually wear cowboy boots. I was just surprised to see them." I admitted once I shook myself out of my trance. He grinned at me and chuckled softly as I smiled and looked back down at my notebook.
"Well, clearly I'm not from around here." He teased and I nodded my head.
"Yeah, I can tell. The accent gives it away." I teased back and looked back up at him and he was still smiling at me.
"You're a cheerleader, huh?" He asked and I nodded my head proudly as I looked down at my uniform.
"Why? Do you not like cheerleaders or something?" I questioned and he shrugged as he looked at my pom-poms on the floor.
"I didn't really talk to cheerleaders back in my hometown, but you seem pretty nice so I though why not go ahead and give her a chance." He said casually and I giggled as I rolled my eyes at him.
"Well, thank you, I think." I sighed as I looked back at the teacher talking to all the theater kids. I was happy that this cowboy talked to me because now I'm in a way better mood than I had been in earlier. "What's your name?" I asked as I turned back to look at him.
"My name is Colton, what's yours?" He asked and I was instantly in love with his name.
"I'm Diana." I said and then his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"You're that famous basketball players daughter, right?" He wondered and I felt myself lose interest in him right when he said that. Why can't I just be Diana Banks? Head cheerleader and a senior in high school, but instead I'm just Nathan Banks' daughter. I nodded my head stiffly as I sighed and looked down. "Well, that's cool. I'm not really into sports." He admitted and I felt my heart soar back up when he said that.
"Well, then what're you doing in Florida?" I asked and his smile started to slowly fade.
"I just transferred here this year from South Carolina, I'm surprised you haven't seen me around considering I don't dress like everyone else." He teased as he tried to change the subject but I wasn't going to let it slide, but then again I wasn't going to pry into his personal business either.
"Yeah, that is true. But whatever reason you transferred here, I think you did it for a good reason." I said and he nodded as he smiled at me briefly.
"So, what do you do in here? I'm ditching lunch right now since it's the last week of school and all." He said it like he ditched often and I rolled my eyes at him again as I chuckled.
"We usually just reenact plays, learn about stage directions, but since we already did our finals we're not doing anything in here anymore." I shrugged and leaned down to check my the time on my phone that was in my book bag and noticed we only have five minutes left of this class.
"Well, that sounds better than my boring lunch." He sighed and I nodded. His voice was so enticing, no matter what he said you just always wanted to listen. Plus, it didn't help that he was unbelievably handsome and incredibly polite. I wish I had lived in South Carolina and met a nice southern boy like him instead of rude city boys. The bell rang and I started packing up my stuff. "So, where you off to next?" He asked as I started to get up.
  "Oh, I am going to health class right now." I sighed tiredly. He strolled along next to me and everyone looked at us confused. I gave them all the evil glare which made them all quickly look away and we continued to walk.
"Well, I didn't realize walking with a pretty cheerleader would make everyone uncomfortable." Colton teased and I couldn't help but smile as I looked up at him. He already could break me out of my bad mood and I just met him. I already knew I was going to like him.
"It's because you dress differently, but who cares? I like the country and flannel." I shrugged and continued to walk but he had stopped and I turned around to look at him confused. "What's wrong?" I asked and he was grinning at me which freaked me out a little. "Okay, you're starting to creep me out..." I trailed off and he chuckled as he shook his head and looked down at the ground for a second processing his thoughts then he slowly looked up at me with his kind, beautiful eyes.
"I've just never met a such a nice, down to earth girl like you before." He admitted with a small smile on his handsome face and my heart started to race against my chest. Was he flirting with me? I couldn't believe he actually gave me a compliment. I slowly smiled back at him and nodded my head toward the end of the hallway.
"Come on." I said and he walked over to me. This day went from bad to insanely great all because of this one guy named Colton.

*A/N: Hi everyone.! So I'm changing the story's POV to Diana considering she is the 'Basketball Baby' haha, sorry lame joke 😂 but anyway here's an insight into her life.! I wonder what happened between her and her ex-boyfriend Kevin, I'll give you more insight into that in the following chapters.! Thanks for reading and hope you all have a lovely day.! Love yous.! ~Ariel 💜💚😘*