by Brann Garvey
Peter was the smartest kid in the whole school. I was sure he’d agree with me.
Peter looked up. “Do you have an idea for a project?” he asked.
“What project?” I asked nervously. My heart flip-flopped. I felt panicky. “Do we have a project due? For what class?”
“Not for class. For the museum science fair,” Peter explained. He sighed. “I can’t decide. Should I make electricity with wind, water, or solar power?”
“You could recycle straw wrappers,” I suggested. “That would save energy, wouldn’t it?”
“I’ll do wind, water, and sun,” Peter said. “That might win first place.”
I dropped my head on my arms. I was ANNOYED and frustrated. Nobody was listening to me. Not even Monica and Becca.
“I bet you’re right, Becca,” Monica said quietly. She stared at Anna’s table. “Gina will pick Anna and her friends.”
“Yep,” Becca said.
“But only three of them are trying out,” Monica said. “The team will still need one more new girl.” She looked at Becca. “Will you help me practice?”
“Nope,” Becca said.
“Why not?” Monica asked. “I thought we were friends.”
“We are,” Becca said. “That’s why I won’t help you become a snobby cool kid. Besides, the cheerleaders at our school do the mean kind of cheers.”
“What’s a mean cheer?” Monica asked.
“One that makes fun of the other team,” Becca explained. “Or INSULTS them. Like this.”
Becca recited a basketball cheer.
“We’re the best, and you’re not.
Cougars never miss a shot.
You’re okay, but we’re way better.
Cougars win! We’re go-go-getters!”
That gave me an idea. “Maybe you can STOP the mean cheers, Monica,” I said.
“I’m not a cheerleader yet,” Monica said. “And Gina’s the captain.”
“Gina’s a bad leader,” I explained. “A good leader would have fair tryouts, not a popularity contest. And she wouldn’t do mean cheers.”
“Yeah, but who would be a better leader?” Monica asked.
“You!” I exclaimed. “You want to be a leader. This is your chance.”
“I just want to make the squad,” Monica said.
I sighed. Someone needed to stop the mean cheers. It was the right thing to do. But I couldn’t make Monica lead if she didn’t want to. I decided to help her practice anyway.
“Let’s start training tomorrow,” I said.
The bell rang, and we all stood up to leave.
“Don’t forget to recycle your straw wrappers!” I called out.
Everyone was in a hurry. They all forgot.
How could I be a great leader? I couldn’t even get my friends to save a tree!
CHAPTER 6
Training Tactics
Day 1
After school, Monica and I went to my house. We headed into the living room. Then we heard a SCREAM.
Nick ran in. He took a flying leap and then he belly-flopped onto the sofa.
“Does he have to be here?” Monica asked.
The answer to that question is always, “Yes.”
1. Nick’s mom goes somewhere almost every day.
2. My mom is a good neighbor.
3. Nick stays at our house.
4. Mom pays me $2.00 an hour to watch him.
5. I can’t get out of it. (Not for any reason. Not even if I’m sick or have a ton of homework or chores or something really important to do like help my best friend become a cheerleader even if I don’t think she should.)
Watching Nick wasn’t easy. He didn’t listen. He yelled. He was constantly lying. And he liked being bad. There was only one way to make him behave. Bribery.
“Sit still and be quiet, Nick,” I said. “Then you can watch a DVD with us.”
“What DVD?” Nick asked. “Viper Man and the Doom Buggy? Space Rat Race?”
Monica frowned. “I thought we were going to practice,” she said.
“First we have to learn what to do,” I said. “I got a cheerleading DVD at the library.”
“Girl stuff! No way!” Nick yelled. He jumped up and down on the sofa. “I want to watch Viper Man!”
“Do you want some cookies and milk?” I asked.
Nick stopped jumping and asked, “Is it chocolate milk?”
“Sure,” I said. “Whatever.”
Nick sat down.
I got milk and cookies for everyone.
Then we watched the DVD. Monica and I took notes.
The DVD started with a cheer. Six girls shook their pom-poms. They smiled. They jumped and chanted with GUSTO.
Gusto means energy and enthusiasm. It’s the perfect word for cheerleading. And Nick.
Nick waved his arms and yelled, “I can do that! Two! Four! Six!”
I stuffed a cookie in his mouth.
Day 2
The next day after school, I went to Monica’s house. She was wearing a short white skirt. She even had pom-poms. “This is my mom’s old tennis outfit,” Monica explained. “Dad gave me the pom-poms. I practiced using them last night.”
“Great! Show me a cheer,” I said.
Monica moved her arms up in a V. Then down in a V. Then into her chest and out to the side three times.
She finished with a hop. It wasn’t high enough to be a jump.
She did the moves twice and chanted while she moved.
“Go Green! Go Gold!
Cougars, Cougars, fast and bold!
Go Gold! Go Green!
Go, Cougars! Go team!”
Monica stopped to catch her breath. “How was that?” she asked.
“Not bad,” I lied.
Monica had done everything wrong.
1. Sloppy movements
2. Quiet words
3. Stiff shoulders
“But you want to be the BEST, right?” I added. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I wanted to help her as much as I could.
“Right,” Monica agreed.
“Good,” I said, smiling. “You have to say the words clearly. And punch your arm and leg movements. Don’t drag them.”
“Like this?” Monica asked. She raised her arms. She moved one leg to the side and bent her knee. That move was called a lunge.
“Better,” I lied again. It didn’t look at all like the lunges wed seen on the DVD. “Try moving your arms and legs at the same time,” I suggested.
Monica lunged again. That time, she almost had it.
“Yeah!” I shouted. “That was great. Did you do the exercises on the DVD? That will make your muscles stronger.”
“I’d rather do the fun stuff,” Monica said. She tried a split jump. It’s called a Spread eagle. She fell down when she landed, so it was more like a turkey tumble.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “You’ll get it.”
Monica promised to do the exercises and practice in front of a mirror.
Day 3
The next day, I had to watch Nick after school. So Monica came to my house. I kept Nick busy with a plate of cookies while Monica and I talked in the treehouse.
I had set up a few large pieces of poster board. They were reminders for Monica.
“What are those?” Monica asked.
“Cheerleader charts,” I said. “To remind us what makes someone a good cheerleader.”
Chart One: The Three Parts of Cheerleading
1. Gymnastics
2. Tumbling
3. Dance
Chart Two: The Four Cheer Groups
1. Movements
2. Jumps
3. Stunts
4. Chants
Chart Three: A Cheerleader Must Have:
1. Strength
2. Spirit
3. Smiles
“Stunts?” Monica asked nervously.” “I can’t do stunts.”
Nick put down his plate of cookies. “I can. Watch!” he yelled. He did a somersault. He hit me with his
feet.
“Let’s go outside so Nick has more room,” I suggested. The grass would be SOFTER and SAFER for Monica, too.
Nick went down the ladder first. He somersaulted across the lawn. Then he did a somersault backward.
“Can you do that?” he asked Monica. “Try this.” He did a handstand.
“I can flip, too,” he told her.
I grabbed Nick’s shirt. “Stop showing off, Nick,” I told him. “We’re supposed to be training Monica.”
“Can I help?” Nick asked. “Can I train Monica too?”
Monica rolled her eyes. Then she shrugged. “Sure,” she said. Then she looked at me and added, “But I still can’t do STUNTS.”
Monica looked scared. That was a good thing. She wouldn’t try anything dangerous. “We used to do cartwheels,” I reminded her.
Monica smiled and said, “Oh, yeah!” She took a deep breath. She ran two steps and JUMPED. She put one hand down and then the other.
Monica’s arms and legs were supposed to go up and over, like spokes in a wheel. Instead, her legs were bent, not straight. And they stuck out instead of up. She lost her balance on the landing and fell over.
“That was awful!” Nick exclaimed.
“No, it wasn’t,” I said. I glared at him, but Nick is glare-proof.
“She looked like a dizzy toad,” Nick said.
“Nick!” I snapped. “That’s not nice.”
“But it’s true,” Monica said quietly. “I can’t be a cheerleader if I can’t do stunts.”
“Yes, you can,” I said. “You take riding lessons. You know how to pay attention to what the horse is doing, what you’re doing, and what the other riders are doing.”
“So?” Monica asked. She looked puzzled.
“So you can be a spotter,” I said.
“What’s that?” Monica asked.
“Only some of the cheerleaders do the stunts,” I explained. “They’re called flyers. Then there are bases. Bases catch and hold the flyers. They need a Spotter to count, watch the flyer, and help catch her. You can do three things at once.”
“That works!” Monica said, smiling. “I bet I can do a better cartwheel, too. I’ll just have to work harder.”
” I want more cookies,” Nick said.
Day 4
On Saturday, I brought my dad’s video camera to Monica’s house.
Monica only had two more days to get ready. I pushed harder.
Here’s what happened.
Monica: “Don’t record me. I’ll get nervous and mess up more.”
Me: “You’ll be nervous at the tryouts, too. This will help you get over it.”
What I thought: The camera would show Monica her mistakes. Then she’d know what to fix.
Monica: “I’m sick of smiling. It’s so fake.”
Me: “You have to look happy, or you won’t get picked.”
What I thought: Nobody likes a cranky cheerleader.
Monica: “My legs hurt, and my arms feel like they’re going to fall off. Even my face hurts.”
Me: “Good! The exercises are working.”
What I thought: You’re the one who wanted this. Stop complaining!
Monica: “I am so tired! Can’t we take a break?”
Me: “You have to cheer for a whole game. Ten more jumping jacks!”
What I thought: Losers rest. Winners work.
Monica: “Why are you being so mean, Claudia?”
Me: “Because Gina will be meaner.”
What I thought: I hope we’re still friends when this is over.
Day 5
I invited Monica to my house on Sunday.
“No practice today,” I said. “Let’s watch the video I made yesterday.”
“But tryouts start tomorrow,” Monica said. She sat down on the couch.
“That’s why you should REST and RELAX,” I explained.
I picked up the remote and sat down next to her.
“Wait for me!” Nick yelled, running into the room. He squeezed between Monica and me on the sofa. “Okay. You can start now,” he said.
I clicked PLAY.
Monica’s stretching exercises looked good. Then she did a lunge.
It was hard to hold that position. Monica’s smile twisted into a frown after a few seconds.
“Monica turned into a monster,” Nick said.
Monica covered her eyes. “This is awful,” she said.
“You have to watch,” I said. “You need to pay attention, so you won’t make the same mistakes at the tryouts.”
Monica peeked through her fingers.
On the tape, Monica twirled. Her feet slipped out from under her. She squealed. Then she fell on the grass.
Nick laughed.
“It’s like watching America’s Funniest Home Videos,” Monica said.
Nick laughed again. “Yeah!” he said. “Only you’re FUNNIER.”
“It’s not that bad, Monica,” I said. I was still watching the video. “Look! You did that jump perfectly.”
“But my face is all scrunched up,” Monica pointed out.
She sighed. “I’ll never be a good cheerleader,” she said. “I should quit before I make a total fool of myself.”
“No way,” I said.
Everyone at school already knew that Monica was planning to try out. It would be too humiliating if she quit now.
“Funny people are the best part,” Nick said.
“Of what?” Monica asked.
“Everything!” Nick exclaimed.
I shook my head and ignored Nick.
“You’ve worked too hard to give up,” I told Monica. “And your cheers are getting a lot better.”
“Really?” Monica asked hopefully.
Nick and I both nodded.
“Just do your best,” I said.
“And don’t go like this,” Nick added. He scrunched up his face.
CHAPTER 7
Jump Start
I wore a Pine Tree Middle School T-shirt on Monday. It has a picture of a big pine tree on the front. I taped a note to the tree. The note said: Save Me!
Everyone was too busy talking about cheerleading tryouts to notice my shirt.
“Are you NERVOUS, Monica?” Adam asked at lunch.
“A little,” Monica admitted.
“That’s okay,” Peter said. “Even rock stars get nervous before they go on stage.”
Tommy looked at me. He cocked his head and asked, “How many straw wrappers can you make from one tree?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. I didn’t have an answer. Someone had finally noticed the note on my shirt, and I didn’t know what to say.
“Beats me,” Becca said, shrugging.
“Thousands,” Adam said. “Maybe even a million.”
“Let’s say it’s A MILLION,” Peter said. He found a pen in his backpack and started to scribble on his napkin. “Six kids times five days a week. We’d have to save our straw wrappers for 33,000 Weeks to save one tree,” Peter said.
“How many years is that?” Becca asked.
Peter scribbled more numbers.
“Six hundred and thirty-five,” Peter said. “If I don’t subtract vacation weeks.”
Sometimes I wish that Peter wasn’t so smart.
“Let’s say we recycle straw wrappers until we graduate from high school,” Tommy said. “We might save a twig.” He held his hands two inches apart and added, “A twig about this big.”
“Unless everyone at school recycles straw wrappers,” I said. “Then it wouldn’t take so long to save a whole tree.”
“Okay! Okay!” Adam yelled. He threw up his hands. “I’ll recycle my straw wrappers.”
All my friends put their straw wrappers in the recycling bin. But I would have to remind them the next day, or they’d forget again.
My idea was starting to seem pretty dumb. needed a greater cause. Something everybody really cared about. I couldn’t think of anything.
* * *
Adam and I went to the chee
rleading tryouts after school. Becca wouldn’t go. She didn’t want to watch Monica’s hopes get crushed. She also didn’t want to watch Monica become a snobby cool kid.
“Does Monica have a chance?” Adam asked me as we sat down in the bleachers.
I looked around the gym. Six girls were warming up. I was sure that Anna had made Carly and Karen practice, so her friends wouldn’t mess up and look bad. Gina would definitely pick them.
That left Monica and two other girls, Kristin and Holly. One of them would be the fourth new cheerleader.
“She’s got a one-in-three chance,” I told Adam.
Adam shrugged. “That’s not too bad,” he said.
“Let’s get started!” Gina yelled. “Everyone who’s trying out, line up.”
Adam gave Monica a V for victory sign. I smiled at her and waved. Then Monica started giggling.
“Oh no,” I whispered. I’d forgotten that Monica giggled when she was nervous!
Monica took a deep breath. She stopped laughing, but she couldn’t get rid of her GOOFY GRIN.
“Everyone follow me!” Gina yelled. She started doing some exercises.
The girls did jumping jacks, waist bends, and toe touches. Monica bent her knees a little during the toe touches. You’re not supposed to do that. But she was the only one who smiled the whole time.
“This isn’t a joke, Monica,” Gina said.
“I know!” Monica exclaimed. She stopped smiling for one second. Then she giggled again and said, “I’m having fun! I love the Cougars! And I love cheerleading!”
“That’s the spirit!” Gina said, grinning.
I stopped holding my breath.
Anna blinked with surprise. Then she smiled too.
Next Gina showed the girls a basic cheer. She used two lunges and a spread eagle jump. She went over it three times. Then the new girls tried it.
“Pine Tree Middle is our school.
Go, Cougars! Go, Cougars!
Pine Tree Cougars rule!”
