by April Marcom
I rushed through the whole bathroom routine, only slowing while washing my hands to check out my hair and makeup in the mirror.
Some serious fear raced through my head all the while. I mean, he left work early just so he could come talk to me in person about something. Was it a breakup? Or was he moving again? It HAD to be important. With all the short-term and on-again-off-again relationships my besties went through, I was VERY worried.
Ty was still standing in the doorway to my room when I exited the bathroom, so I took his hand and walked him over so we could sit on the edge of my bed.
He glanced around. “Your room is huge. You could even get rid of your bed and sleep in the window.”
He was right about that. My window was massive and stuck waaay out away from the house. It also had pink and blue pillows all over the ledge where I could sit and think while I watched the outside world. “Yeah, well, it’s not half as big as Nicole’s, but I love it.” I remembered how small his room was compared to mine, and he had to share it with his brother, so I could understand how he appreciated it. “So, what’s up?”
“My family’s been trying to take a camping trip all summer. Something’s always coming up, so we’ve tried planning it a few weekends since school started, but that didn’t work out, either. My dad finally has a couple of days where he’s not working, so we’re gonna take off for the lake tomorrow. I don’t think I’ll be home in time to take you out Friday night.”
The knots in my stomach began to unravel. I was still kind of bummed, but at least it wasn’t anything dire. And really, it might be nice to take my head out of the clouds for a couple of days. That way I could get caught up on my school work and fun times with my girls. “That’s okay. We have a football game Friday night, anyway.”
“Yeah, it’s an away game, right? Against Blanchheart?”
“Yep.”
“We’ll be camping not too far away from there.”
“That’s cool, but we probably couldn’t have gone out Friday night, anyway, so don’t feel too bad about it. Maybe we can hang out sometime Saturday instead.”
“Sure.”
I knew I’d look forward to that all week.
“I’ll try to bring back something special for you,” Ty said with a wink.
“From a camping trip?” I asked. “Like a beautiful stick or a skipping stone?”
He laughed and shook his head. “No, not like that. I’ll figure something out, though. I can be pretty creative.”
“That’s sweet, but you really don’t have to.”
“I know. I was thinking it’ll give you something to look forward to—and it’ll help keep your mind on me and not on Blaine.”
I had to laugh. I knew he was trying to be cool, but Blaine was obviously driving him crazy. I reached out for one of his hands. “You know I want to be with you instead of him, right? I mean seriously, Ty.”
He smiled and put his free hand over mine, running his thumb back and forth over mine. He lifted it so he could kiss my thumb knuckle. “You just made my week, Hadley.”
I leaned over to kiss him. “So, do you have to leave?”
“I can stay a little while,” Ty said, smiling.
“Are you any good at math?”
“Yeah, math’s my thing.”
“Do you think you could help me, then? The fractions and decimals are killing me on this assignment.”
“Of course.”
So we sat there, trying to focus on math, and me getting sidetracked over and over. Ty was really good at drawing me back into what we were supposed to be doing. I really just wanted to stare at him and think about how gorgeous and how cool he was. Somehow we still sped through the math. Next, he gave me some pointers on my English paper.
Before I knew it, my mom was knocking on the open door to get my attention. “It’s nine-thirty, Hadley. You should probably get ready for bed.”
“Yeah, I need to go home, too.” Ty stood up. “I’ll call you when I get home Friday night, Hadley.” My mom was at the doorway, so Ty gave me a soft hug and left. “Good night, Mrs. Cane.”
“Good night, Ty.”
My mom sat down next to me and grabbed a handful of pretzels. “You know if you’re hungry, we still have leftover chicken and rice from last night.”
“Yeah, I might go heat up some of that before I go to sleep.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Ty’s going camping with his family for a few days, so he won’t be around until Saturday,” I said.
“Are you still having a hard time with old feelings for Blaine?”
“Well… sometimes. I do still like him—like, a lot, but… he hurt me too many times and I have just as many feelings for Ty.”
“All you need to do is follow your heart, honey,” my mom said.
She put her arm around me and we went downstairs to heat up leftovers and continue our boy talk. I loved having her for a mom!
20
Thursday afternoon. The last class of the day.
I was sooo ready for the day to be over. And I sooo wished it was Friday. It was always such a blast to ride in our team’s cheer van to away games. Ms. Nordik may have been a crazy driver, but she gave us control of the radio and the volume.
My last class was science, so I was struggling to pay attention. Mr. Pain droned on and on about microorganisms as he paced back and forth in front of his desk. We were supposed to be taking notes, but I simply could not stay focused on his bored, old man voice.
I’d managed to scribble a few things down while writing a letter to Nicole, two sheets of paper laying side by side on my desk. The note was mostly about all the crazy fun we’d have at The Royal Rebellion that weekend. My favorite part of writing notes to my girls was always drawing along the borders. This one had the Smokin’ Six with their hands in the air, riding a rollercoaster down from its highest point.
I was just putting the finishing touches on my hair blowing behind me when someone knocked on the classroom door. I didn’t look up until Bobby Park let out a long whistle.
“Looks like Mr. Pain has a secret admirer,” he said, drumming his hands loudly against his desk.
Mr. Pain laughed as he took the clear blue vase from a delivery man. It was filled with white chocolate seashells and milk chocolate seahorses on sticks. Shoots of purple, plastic sea coral lined the back of the arrangement. He thanked the transporter and held the little card up close to his half-blind eyes. “These are for Hadley, actually.”
I perked up. Everyone turned to look at me. Patty Free leaned over from the front desk in my row and smiled. “I bet they’re from Ty Black.”
“The card’s sealed, so your guess is as good as mine,” Mr. Pain said. He carried them toward me, so I slid my notes over the letter to Nicole. “You can open the card now, Hadley, but don’t get into any of the chocolates until after you’ve left my classroom.”
“Yes, sir.”
He set them on my desk and I noticed the silver chain wrapped around the skinniest part of the vase. A 3D pirate’s hat charm with rhinestone skull and crossbones hung from it. I opened the little envelope tied around the vase in the same spot. Inside was the cutest, tiniest card I’d ever seen. One side was blue with little yellow seashells and the other had a note written from Ty:
* * *
Only 2 more days.
I’ll have you
back in my arms.
Love, Ty
* * *
I smiled as I slid the little card back into the envelope. Patty was still watching me, so I nodded to let her know her suspicions were dead on. Then I took the necklace off the vase and clipped it around my neck. I loved it! The necklace and the ocean/pirate themed gift.
It made me want to get something special to give Ty when he got back from his camping trip. But how would I top such a thoughtful, perfect gift? Maybe I could talk the girls into a trip to the mall after cheer practice today. I seriously doubted they would be able to pass up a shopping trip together.
>
Just as expected, everyone was all for hitting the mall, and Nicole’s mom didn’t mind driving us. She even let me drop off my gift from Ty first, so nothing would melt in her van while we were inside.
An hour or so into shopping around, no-one had bought anything, but half the fun of going to the mall with my girls was talking and laughing and just enjoying being there together.
Then something caught my eye behind the toy store window. There was a whole display of magnetic gadgets and play things, including a bottle of magnetic liquid. I had no idea they could make something like that. “Hang on just a minute,” I said, then turned into the store.
“Hadley!” Nicole sounded mad.
I stopped and turned around. “Yeah?”
“We are not going into a toy store.”
“It could be fun,” Zaniah said.
“Yeah, it’s been years since I went in there,” Brittany said. “I used to love holding all the dolls and bouncing on the mega-bounce balls.”
“Have you lost your minds?” Nicole asked, staring at the three of us.
“I wanted to get something for Ty,” I told her.
“So you’re going into a toy store?! You’re acting crazy! It was a dare, Hadley, one date. Now you’re, like, in love with the guy, and you’re dragging all our reputations through the mud with yours. I’ve had enough. Break up with the guy, or you’re off the team.”
The world around me seemed to shatter until all I saw was her scorching stare. The pressure rolling through my chest was nearly enough to make me cry. “What?”
“I said you’ll be off the team. We’re going home—right now.” Nicole turned a one-eighty and walked away.
I stood there staring mindlessly at the sea of strangers passing by. My eyes teared up. Even though I always knew this would happen eventually, it was like an arrow had been shot through my heart.
Brittany put her arm around me and we walked behind the others. Nicole led the way alone.
I’d never been threatened like that by Nicole. Everyone else had at least once, but never me. I always thought our childhood bond kept some small part of her heart warm and human. Guess I was wrong.
Ty was probably the best boyfriend ever, but I couldn’t throw my whole life away for him. Getting cut from cheer would be like becoming someone else. My life had always been centered on gymnastics, and then cheer. It’s what I loved. It’s who I was, and who all my best friends were. It’s what I wanted to do all through high school, and college, and maybe even professionally one day. I couldn’t give up all that for a boy.
My mom was right; I shouldn’t let Nicole control my life. But like it or not, she controlled this. There was absolutely nothing I could do.
I had no choice but to break up with Ty.
21
Friday was rough. I felt so drained. No appetite. No happiness. If Nicole noticed, she didn’t show it. My other four besties looked concerned. No-one was brave enough to bring up Ty or my depressed mood, though.
Nicole, Zaniah, and I usually sat together in the first row of seats in our cheer van. Stephanie, Brittany, and Lavender sat behind us. The trivials took the four seats in the back. We sang our favorite songs and gossiped the night away.
Tonight, I sat in the second row beside the window, forcing Brittany into my usual spot. I didn’t even glance at Nicole for a response, so I can’t say if she bothered with one or not.
Everyone else talked excitedly while I stared silently out the window all the way to Blanchheart High. My bag with my cheer jacket, phone, glitter spray, and other essentials went untouched.
I couldn’t believe how horrible I felt. It was worse than my breakups with Blaine, because this felt so completely out of my control. Not to mention it was the first time I wasn’t completely surrounded by friends who always had my back.
I seriously could not STAND Nicole! The hour-long drive felt like forever.
Then finally, the sound of gathering crowds and brass instruments doing warmups in the stands drew me from my angry daze when we pulled into the parking lot. The drummers were banging out a beat, and I have to admit—I started feeling better. Friday night games were the best!
Ms. Nordik parked beside the Silver Wing High bus the football players rode in to Blanchheart. They were probably already in the locker room talking plays with the coach.
The final, weakening rays of sunlight stretched partially across the sky overhead. They’d probably be gone before I even set foot on the field. I was ready to get lost in a cheer and the energy of the night.
“Hadley, could I have a word with you?” Ms. Nordik asked. She was waiting beside the van’s long, sliding door when I got out last.
“Can we go ahead?” Lavender asked. “I wanted to talk to Michael before the game starts.”
“Yeah, go ahead and see if student council has the breakaway banner ready, too.”
The cheerleaders split up toward the locker rooms and the others went toward the field.
Ms. Nordik turned to me, looking concerned. “What’s going on with you, Hads? I’ve never seen you this down.”
I didn’t want to talk about it with her, but I felt a spark at the idea that she might be able to do something as the coach. “Nicole said she’ll kick me off the squad if I don’t break up with Ty.” I stared at her like she held my life in her hands.
“But you girls are best friends. You don’t think she’d really do that, do you?”
I nodded, my heart dropping to my knees. The look on her face told me everything I needed to know.
Ms. Nordik crossed her arms and tilted her head, muttering something about “too much power” under her breath. “Well… we both know she is the cheer captain. I would do everything I could to talk her out of it. You’re one of our best girls.”
“Thanks,” I said, staring at the parking lot rocks as I tromped on them on my way to the stands. The conversation was over as far as I was concerned.
A cool breeze brushed against me. I vaguely heard someone say, “Hey, Hadley,” as I walked past them. I ignored it.
Everything about Blanchheart’s field area looked so shiny and brand new. It was like someone had just painted the bleachers, fencing, and even the goals with a fresh coat of metallic silver.
Steph and Brittany were stretching on the sidelines of the football field nearest our stands. The four trivials faced each other in a circle behind them, whispering frantically about something.
“Come on, Hadley, you must be excited about hitting The Royal Rebellion tomorrow,” Brittany said.
“I guess so.” I reached my right arm over my head, stretching with them. I had been looking forward to it all week.
“Yeah, we’re going to ride King Twisted Pretzel until we throw up,” Steph said. “You should ride it with us tomorrow.”
“No way; I hate that one!” Any ride that turned me upside down always had me puking my guts up and miserable. “I think I’ll just stick with the princess rides.”
“But they’re sooo lame. How can you and Lavender be so into those?”
“They’re not lame.” I actually had fun talking to the other cheerleaders when Nicole wasn’t around. It was like being among friends again. I decided maybe if I just leaned more toward the other four and didn’t always stick so close to Nicole that life could go on happily, eventually. Nothing would be happy until I got over Ty, though.
Ms. Nordik showed up, then Zaniah, Lavender, and Nicole. Lavender dropped the rolled-up banner beside our cheer bags and informed me that Blaine would be allowed to play after all. He’d worked some deal out with his coach. I felt whatever cheerfulness Brittany and Stephanie offered drain out of me at the sight of Nicole.
The stands were filling quickly. Kids came down to lean over the bar at the bottom of the bleachers and talk to us until Ms. Nordik told us to grab the banner and go unroll it at the edge of the field. Our football players were gathering just outside the opening in the fence.
The home team cheerleaders already had their ba
nner ready. A loud energetic voice announced THE BLANCHHEAAART RAAAAVENS over the loudspeakers.
Nicole grabbed one end of the banner. I scrambled to unroll it and make certain I was on the other end of our sign. Somehow the other four of The Smokin’ Six ended up with me and the trivials kept beside Nicole.
We barely got our giant banner unrolled before football players in black and red were ripping through the one at the other end of the field. The stands on one side erupted with cheering and feet stomping and air horns.
I searched the Silver Wing High football players behind us until I found Blaine front and center. The spotlights shining brightly over everything revealed him winking at me. I half smiled, wondering if we might work things out after all. A horrible sinking feeling filled me, because Ty’s the one I wanted. But I also didn’t want to feel alone, you know?
The band started playing our high school theme song. I shut my eyes tight and held my breath. I hated waiting for all the giant football players to rip through the banner, even though I knew it tore easily. It was like opening one of those rolls of refrigerated biscuits or popping a balloon.
I flinched when I felt them jerk on the sign, then it went limp. I let go once the last football player had passed through it. Then I clapped my hands, cheering as loud as I could so the players could hear me over the stands and each other. It was probably a fail, but I loved it nonetheless.
Brittany kicked one leg over her head. Stephanie did a backflip. Lavender and I copied her and we all screamed, “GOOOO ANGELS!” together.
My spirits lifted as we raced across the field toward Ms. Nordik. The designated student council kid picked up the mess behind us.
The game kicked off and my cares were all carried away with that ball sailing through the air. All that mattered was cheering for the players and getting the crowd going and exploding with excitement and cheerleader energy.
I kept my distance from Nicole as much as possible. That alone made me feel better. It was easier to have fun with my girls when a little space was kept between me and my total frenemy.
