other girl won’t be mad. Okay?”
“Sure. Well, I gotta go.” Maddie heads for the glass doors out to the front courtyard, making her way to the parking lot. She finds her cobalt blue Camry in the upper lot and waves a goodbye to Bella before heading to Kate’s house.
Aude and Kate are sitting on opposite ends of the living room couch.
“Where’s Hannah?” Maddie asks as she closes the front door.
“Out. With Devon.” Kate frowns. “She said not to wait for her.”
“Oh. Okay.” Maddie hesitates before squeezing in between Aude and Kate. Something feels wrong . The other girls are both focusing intently on the television. “What are we watching?”
“Something’s Gotta Give.” Aude shifts uncomfortably. “So, how were tryouts?”
“Meh. I thought I did well, but apparently they’re only looking for one girl, and there was this senior, Bella, who was really good too.”
Aude frowns. “Bella. I think I know her…“ She scrunches her nose. “Nope, I can’t remember. The name sounds familiar, though.”
“Oh, well she’s this tall-ish girl, with brown hair and a really deep tan. And she said she was on JV Poms for two years.”
“Oh!” Maddie can almost see the light bulb turning on in Audrey’s mind. “I do know her! Her older sister was a Patriot, with Jackie. We met at one of their competitions.”
Maddie laughs. “You know everyone Aude.”
“Well, not everyone. But—did Mrs. Davis tell you who made the squad?”
“Not yet. She said she’d decide by Friday.”
“Oh.” Aude glances down, focusing on a throw pillow in her hands.
“What?”
“Well, I’m not sure I should say. It’s just something Jackie told me…“
Maddie sighs. “Tell me. Please.”
Aude pulls at a loose string on the pillow. “She said that Mrs. Davis was—that getting on the Patriots was sort of political. Like it’s more about who you know than how good you are.”
Maddie almost dismisses the notion without even considering it. It’s ridiculous. No coach would ever be so shallow. But the way Bella seemed so confident that she’d take the spot, the memory of Mrs. Davis chatting with the older girl instead of watching the end of her routine… Maybe Aude’s right.
“Hey, I have an idea!” Aude smiles at Maddie. “I could talk to Mrs. Davis, just like casually mention that you and I are friends or something.”
“What good would that do?”
“Jackie was the captain for two years, and Mrs. Davis loves me. If it really is political, I mean, it can’t hurt. And—ooh ooh ooh! I could say Jackie saw you dance, and told me you reminded her of her, back in high school!”
Maddie gulps. “No, I’d rather win or lose based on like my actual talent. I don’t wanna cheat.”
“But it isn’t cheating!” Aude puts a hand on Maddie’s arm. “You’re just using your resources!”
Maddie blinks. “Using their resources” is the girls’ euphemism for cheating. Get the answers for a test from a friend who had the class last year? Well, it’s okay to take a peek, you’re just using your resources! Find the teacher’s version of the textbook online? Just using your resources! “No thanks. Really, thanks for the offer, but I couldn’t.”
“Okay.” Aude lets the issue drop. “Well, I should
“Sure. Well, I gotta go.” Maddie heads for the glass doors out to the front courtyard, making her way to the parking lot. She finds her cobalt blue Camry in the upper lot and waves a goodbye to Bella before heading to Kate’s house.
Aude and Kate are sitting on opposite ends of the living room couch.
“Where’s Hannah?” Maddie asks as she closes the front door.
“Out. With Devon.” Kate frowns. “She said not to wait for her.”
“Oh. Okay.” Maddie hesitates before squeezing in between Aude and Kate. Something feels wrong . The other girls are both focusing intently on the television. “What are we watching?”
“Something’s Gotta Give.” Aude shifts uncomfortably. “So, how were tryouts?”
“Meh. I thought I did well, but apparently they’re only looking for one girl, and there was this senior, Bella, who was really good too.”
Aude frowns. “Bella. I think I know her…“ She scrunches her nose. “Nope, I can’t remember. The name sounds familiar, though.”
“Oh, well she’s this tall-ish girl, with brown hair and a really deep tan. And she said she was on JV Poms for two years.”
“Oh!” Maddie can almost see the light bulb turning on in Audrey’s mind. “I do know her! Her older sister was a Patriot, with Jackie. We met at one of their competitions.”
Maddie laughs. “You know everyone Aude.”
“Well, not everyone. But—did Mrs. Davis tell you who made the squad?”
“Not yet. She said she’d decide by Friday.”
“Oh.” Aude glances down, focusing on a throw pillow in her hands.
“What?”
“Well, I’m not sure I should say. It’s just something Jackie told me…“
Maddie sighs. “Tell me. Please.”
Aude pulls at a loose string on the pillow. “She said that Mrs. Davis was—that getting on the Patriots was sort of political. Like it’s more about who you know than how good you are.”
Maddie almost dismisses the notion without even considering it. It’s ridiculous. No coach would ever be so shallow. But the way Bella seemed so confident that she’d take the spot, the memory of Mrs. Davis chatting with the older girl instead of watching the end of her routine… Maybe Aude’s right.
“Hey, I have an idea!” Aude smiles at Maddie. “I could talk to Mrs. Davis, just like casually mention that you and I are friends or something.”
“What good would that do?”
“Jackie was the captain for two years, and Mrs. Davis loves me. If it really is political, I mean, it can’t hurt. And—ooh ooh ooh! I could say Jackie saw you dance, and told me you reminded her of her, back in high school!”
Maddie gulps. “No, I’d rather win or lose based on like my actual talent. I don’t wanna cheat.”
“But it isn’t cheating!” Aude puts a hand on Maddie’s arm. “You’re just using your resources!”
Maddie blinks. “Using their resources” is the girls’ euphemism for cheating. Get the answers for a test from a friend who had the class last year? Well, it’s okay to take a peek, you’re just using your resources! Find the teacher’s version of the textbook online? Just using your resources! “No thanks. Really, thanks for the offer, but I couldn’t.”
“Okay.” Aude lets the issue drop. “Well, I should
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