Yes you have to work together when cheering but like any other job, everyone didn’t always get along or even need to, in order for things to work.
I’d left Belle back in the hall looking for Tammy who was still a no show and who hadn’t answered her phone.
I wanted to stay with her and help find the other girl since she seemed so distressed, but coach had made it clear that she didn’t put up with tardiness or any form of slacking off, and I wasn’t about to start off on the wrong foot, so I told her to come find me when she got word.
I saw the other girls in a huddle as I approached. They looked over and saw me coming and as if by mutual consent turned their backs.
This morning my step might have faltered, I might’ve missed a step, but now that I was in fighting form I really didn’t give a frack.
I walked over to the coach to let her know I was there and she blew the whistle for attention, apparently I was the last one there.
“Right, now that we’re all here let’s get started. Now last year we had some issues that I’d like to avoid this year.
This is supposed to be fun for all involved, yet there were stories of bruised feelings and cattiness that I will not abide.
Let this be a warning, I will not think twice about removing any trouble makers from this squad are we clear?”
There was a bit of mumbling from the back but I kept my head forward, I wonder what that was about?
I know cheerleaders get a bad rap and most are seen as stuck up divas, but in truth, most of the girls I cheered with were just happy to be doing something they loved.
I personally like the excitement of the crowds but that’s secondary to the feeling I get when I’m being tossed in the air and doing my flips and shit.
It was just a graduation from dance as far as I’m concerned, and since I wasn’t planning on making it a career choice since cheerleaders made squat, it was just a fun way to get through high school and stay in shape.
I’m sure it meant a lot more to some and some people might call me cynical, but for crap sake it was just a sport.
My brother played football and I cheered, mom and dad come to see both of us doing what we love, that’s about it for me.
“Okay, before we begin let’s go over the nutrition sheet.” There was even more grumbling as she passed out the sheets of paper.
After the rudimentary questions and answers she turned to me and the other hopefuls who were there to try out. Oh boy here we go.
I stood off to the side and watched the others as they went ahead. She didn’t have them do anything extra just the basic jumps and rolls but when it came my turn she had other ideas.
“Okay Claiborne I’ve read your file, since you’ve been part of a team that has won nationals your last two tries let’s see what you got.” She smiled encouragingly after putting me on the spot.
I could see Mandy and her girls weren’t too happy with this turn of events, but I did my warm ups and got down to business.
Since I didn’t want to be a show hog I didn’t hit them with my skills, but I had to bring something more to the table since coach had outed me.
Which, from the indrawn breaths and loud whispers I gathered the others had not known of my past success.
Where the other try-outs had done the basic requirements of cartwheels, round offs and handstands, with forward and backward rolls, I did back handsprings and tucks and threw in a few fulls.
I made sure my toes stayed pointed during my jumps because if coach was any good at this, she’d be watching that stuff.
She started calling out jumps in the middle of my routine and luckily I’ve dealt with that scenario before so I didn’t miss a beat.
“Right hurdler, pike, straight jump.” I kept my toes pointed, legs straight and a big smile on my face. I’m the cheerleading queen. Suck it.
There wasn’t much muttering and whispering going on but there were a few pissed off divas I can tell you that; especially when the younger girls who were there for the first time flocked to me and started peppering me with questions.
“Hey I’m the head cheerleader, why are you asking her stuff? She’s not even a part of this team.” Mandy showed her ass for real. Seriously?
“She is now, welcome aboard Ms. Claiborne that was nice I hope to see more like it in the future.” She mumbled something under her breath but I didn’t catch it.
She chose a few other hopefuls and I felt bad for the ones who didn’t make it. There was one girl there with braces, who for some reason reminded me of Maggie.
I don’t know why since my sister have never worn braces, but there was just something about her that made my heart hurt at the look of disappointment on her face.
“Alright ladies saddle up let’s hit the tracks.” I ran over to the girl who was walking off dejectedly.
“Hey, you were really good out there you just need to stop flexing, I think you’re a little nervous but with some help I’m sure you’d make the next try-outs.”
She looked around like she thought I was talking to someone else. “You’re just saying that.” She pushed her glassed up higher on her nose and my heart was a puddle at her feet.
“No really I mean it, look here’s my number, call me later and we’ll set something up okay.” I put my number in her phone and passed it back.
“I didn’t get your name by the way.”
“Really, you’ll help me? I’m Cassandra.” She was staring at me like I had the answers to the meaning of life.
“Sure.” I smiled at her reassuringly. She started to say something else but then stopped as if struck by lightning. Her whole face changed as she looked over my shoulder at something or someone behind me.
I followed the direction of her gaze and almost dropped my pompoms. My hands and legs lost their feeling and I couldn’t tell you what day it was if my life depended on it.
He was the most gorgeous specimen I’d ever seen. “Oh shit.” Crap I said that out loud. He gave me one of those smirks that you only see on the big screen and walked away towards the other jocks that were already getting on the field.
“Who the hell was that?” I turned back around. She was gone with the wind.
Chapter 6
TAMMY
I stood in stark fear as they circled around me again and again, shouting their taunts at me.
This was nothing new, I had grown accustomed to this treatment at their hands in the last school year, and it didn’t look like anything had changed for the new one.
My best friend Belle stood off to the side, not able to do anything to help because I’d made her promise not to get involved.
I knew it was hard for her to watch, but I didn’t want her to come under attack as well.
She was spared the worst of their antagonism by some miracle, but me, for whatever reasons they hated me and has been singling me out for their special brand of torture.
I’d hidden out all day like a ninny, not wanting to draw their ire. After showing up I’d hidden away in the musty old music room after picking up most of the year’s assignment sheets.
I knew that today was going to be hard; the new guy was coming. As if I’d have any interest in him. But past experience had taught me that I would be at the receiving end of whatever viciousness they chose to dole out and I had been trying to avoid that.
Now it seemed I’d hidden away for nothing, because just when I’d thought I was safe, they pounced.
I thought I’d timed it so well too, they were supposed to be at practice for at least another half hour.
I’d stupidly wasted time heading down to the counselor’s office trying to catch him before he left for the day.
I had to go over the list of students I’d be tutoring this semester. I’d been so excited too when I’d left the office, and now this.
There was no rhyme or reason to their meanness. I wasn’t a nerd or fat or ugly or any of the other things you heard used as excuses for bullying.
I wasn’t the most beautiful girl in school, not by a long shot, but I wasn’t exactly chop liver either.
I was bright yes, probably the brightest person in the whole school, as was witnessed by my many honors and trophies that had been collected over the years.
But I didn’t flaunt it or anything, and since when was it a sin to be smart?
They never gave a reason for their hatred of me, just one day out of nowhere the attacks had started, and though no one had actually hit me as yet, I was afraid it was only a matter of time before it got to that point.
I hadn’t shared my personal hell with my parents because I didn’t want to make waves, but if this kept up I was going to have to do something.
“Look at her; are those clothes from the thrift shop? They’re like last year’s cast offs or something. I think that use to be my shirt.” Mandy Taylor jeered at me as her friends joined in the laughter.
I tried once again to get through the circle but they closed in on me. Liz Summers, who seemed to be the ringleader today, stepped forward and I felt today was the day that things would escalate; there was such venom in her face, but why?
What had I ever done to her? She was one of the most popular girls in school, a member of the cheerleading squad, and she dated the hottest guy in school; well to me anyway, though most people thought Jace was number one.
The thought of Shane Dumas made me blush even now. He was my guilty little secret, the one thing that made coming here a pleasure, even though he didn’t know that I existed.