I’m the only one who knows the new routine inside and out.”
“Not exactly,” Coach said rubbing her temple. “Kance knows the routine very well. She’s an excellent cheerleader, and her compassion for Elly today really shone. Besides, your other punishment will be detention which runs during the pep rally tomorrow.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I tried to remain calm, but inside my heart was beating too fast. Kance was an amazing cheerleader, and probably my biggest competition, but she’d never shown any interest in becoming captain. Unless that was something she’d always wanted and I’d gotten in her way.
Suddenly, it all made sense to me. I’d beaten her to the position, and this was her way of getting back at me.
Kance looked self-assured as she began pulling her hair back in a high ponytail. “Why? Is that a problem for you?”
Her tone surprised me and my face warmed up as I noticed the other girls watching us curiously. “No, it’s not a problem. I just figured you would’ve told me if you ever wanted to be captain. That’s what friends do, right?” I frowned at the shakiness in my voice. I hated to admit it, but Kance intimidated me sometimes. This was one of those times.
“Yes, we are friends , aren’t we?” she said with a sneer.
The contempt in her voice was clear. She didn’t care that I was her friend. This was something she wanted, and she had wanted it enough to betray me.
“Come on, let’s go and contact your parents, Ashton.” I didn’t bother to correct her that I only had a parent. It didn’t seem important at the moment.
Placing a hand on my shoulder, Coach led me out of the gym, and far away from my hopes and dreams. My eyes stung as the tears squeezed their way out.
Somewhere behind me I knew Kance was gloating at her victory, but I didn’t forget easily. If she thought I would take this lying down, she had another thing coming.
***
Mom pulled into the driveway and we sat in some more awkward silence. The ride home had been painful. Usually Mom was talkative and cheerful, but today she had nothing to say to me. I knew she was disappointed in me, but there was nothing I could do to change what had happened. I couldn’t take back what I’d done to Elly, no matter how hard I wished it.
Mom got out of the car first and opened up the back door so she could unbuckle Blaze from his booster seat. I got out of the car and stood awkwardly on the front lawn, watching as she picked up Blaze and headed to the front door.
Blaze frowned at me from over Mom’s shoulder. “Ashy, why you sad?”
“I’m not, baby bear. I’m just tired.” I tried to sound convincing, but I think I failed.
I was about to follow Mom onto the porch, but she stopped me. “No, you wait here. I’m going to put Blaze inside and then I’ll be back. We need to talk.”
She opened up the door and went in, leaving me outside like a naughty dog. I heaved a sigh and went over to the car to rest against it. I was in huge trouble if she didn’t want to say anything in front of Blaze. I’d never seen Mom like this before. I’d always been her golden child, but now I felt like a phony. Mom probably saw me as a horrible person, and that wasn’t something I wanted.
Luca’s words from earlier were haunting me as well. If his dad was still alive, would he really be ashamed of me? It was pretty obvious Mom was. When she’d come into Coach’s office, she’d looked worried, like she thought something bad had happened to me. I kinda wish it had. It was better than the disappointment I’d seen in her eyes when Coach told her what I’d done. She’d remained quiet throughout the conversation, merely nodding as Coach doled out my punishment. No more being cheerleading captain. Indefinite suspension from the team. And detention for a whole week. Life was so unfair.
The door opened and Mom walked out looking solemn. She sat down on the front step and patted the spot beside her. Once I
“Not exactly,” Coach said rubbing her temple. “Kance knows the routine very well. She’s an excellent cheerleader, and her compassion for Elly today really shone. Besides, your other punishment will be detention which runs during the pep rally tomorrow.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I tried to remain calm, but inside my heart was beating too fast. Kance was an amazing cheerleader, and probably my biggest competition, but she’d never shown any interest in becoming captain. Unless that was something she’d always wanted and I’d gotten in her way.
Suddenly, it all made sense to me. I’d beaten her to the position, and this was her way of getting back at me.
Kance looked self-assured as she began pulling her hair back in a high ponytail. “Why? Is that a problem for you?”
Her tone surprised me and my face warmed up as I noticed the other girls watching us curiously. “No, it’s not a problem. I just figured you would’ve told me if you ever wanted to be captain. That’s what friends do, right?” I frowned at the shakiness in my voice. I hated to admit it, but Kance intimidated me sometimes. This was one of those times.
“Yes, we are friends , aren’t we?” she said with a sneer.
The contempt in her voice was clear. She didn’t care that I was her friend. This was something she wanted, and she had wanted it enough to betray me.
“Come on, let’s go and contact your parents, Ashton.” I didn’t bother to correct her that I only had a parent. It didn’t seem important at the moment.
Placing a hand on my shoulder, Coach led me out of the gym, and far away from my hopes and dreams. My eyes stung as the tears squeezed their way out.
Somewhere behind me I knew Kance was gloating at her victory, but I didn’t forget easily. If she thought I would take this lying down, she had another thing coming.
***
Mom pulled into the driveway and we sat in some more awkward silence. The ride home had been painful. Usually Mom was talkative and cheerful, but today she had nothing to say to me. I knew she was disappointed in me, but there was nothing I could do to change what had happened. I couldn’t take back what I’d done to Elly, no matter how hard I wished it.
Mom got out of the car first and opened up the back door so she could unbuckle Blaze from his booster seat. I got out of the car and stood awkwardly on the front lawn, watching as she picked up Blaze and headed to the front door.
Blaze frowned at me from over Mom’s shoulder. “Ashy, why you sad?”
“I’m not, baby bear. I’m just tired.” I tried to sound convincing, but I think I failed.
I was about to follow Mom onto the porch, but she stopped me. “No, you wait here. I’m going to put Blaze inside and then I’ll be back. We need to talk.”
She opened up the door and went in, leaving me outside like a naughty dog. I heaved a sigh and went over to the car to rest against it. I was in huge trouble if she didn’t want to say anything in front of Blaze. I’d never seen Mom like this before. I’d always been her golden child, but now I felt like a phony. Mom probably saw me as a horrible person, and that wasn’t something I wanted.
Luca’s words from earlier were haunting me as well. If his dad was still alive, would he really be ashamed of me? It was pretty obvious Mom was. When she’d come into Coach’s office, she’d looked worried, like she thought something bad had happened to me. I kinda wish it had. It was better than the disappointment I’d seen in her eyes when Coach told her what I’d done. She’d remained quiet throughout the conversation, merely nodding as Coach doled out my punishment. No more being cheerleading captain. Indefinite suspension from the team. And detention for a whole week. Life was so unfair.
The door opened and Mom walked out looking solemn. She sat down on the front step and patted the spot beside her. Once I
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