*Beauty*
I was numb.
I could barely think.
I'm not a cheerleader anymore.
"We have to fight this," Gemma growled.
I blinked. We were sat in Madison's car. Still parked on school grounds. The other cheerleaders had left after practice so it was just us four.
After coach's declaration, she'd started practice. She'd ignored my presence, like I'd ceased to exist the moment I was off the team, then she'd said that spectators could watch but couldn't sit with the team.
My mind blank, I'd moved seats. I'd managed to calm the others down before they could protest.
Then I'd sat there and watched the team cheer without me.
My brain was fixed, as if it had frozen the moment Coach had kicked me off the team.
I'd been a cheerleader all my life. Mom had made all of us train the moment we could walk. What was I if I wasn't one?
Gemma's head whipped to Layla. "Can't you talk to your mom? She's the principalâcoach can't do this! Everyone hooks up on school trips. She knows that. Why should Ellie get punished for it?"
Madison shook her head, her gaze fixed on her hands clenching the steering wheel. Her expression was still shocked. "The principal can't interfere in decisions like this. She has no say. I can't believe..." She trailed off.
Gemma slammed the back of her head into her headrest, releasing a groan of anger. "She can't do this. And of all people, did she have to give Head Cheerleader to that evil Chelsea? Do you think Chelsea knew this was going to happen?"
Chelsea had looked as shocked as the rest of us. I'd had a passing thought that she would gloat, but she hadn't looked at me once throughout the entire practice.
Almost as if she felt sorry for me.
"Chelsea's behaviour isn't always good, but I know she wouldn't go this far," Madison said.
"It was Catherine," I whispered.
She'd probably had no idea how much destruction that poster would cause.
She'd probably thought the same thing I didâthat Will was ashamed of our relationship. So she'd put it up to force him to dump me.
Me being kicked off the squad hadn't been part of her plan.
And yet here I was.
Gemma released a slew of insults that were too rude for anyone's ears.
"Let's kill her," she growled. "Coach too. I'm pretty sure that I can come up with a revenge plot that will ruin their worthless lives."
"I'm in," Layla agreed.
Madison just shook her head.
Gemma slammed her fist against the window. "I know coach is evilâbut this is beyond evil. How are you supposed to get picked up by a cheer scout if you're not allowed to cheer? How are you going to get into college? All the things you were supposed to do, to achieve, she just took it away because of one stupid poster that wasn't even your fault in the first place. It's not fair, she's ruining your future because of some stupid girl's jealousyâ"
"Gemma, stop," Madison said softly, her gaze fixed on me.
I realized then that I was crying.
Gemma's eyes widened. "Oh, BeautyâI'm sorry."
I started sobbing.
Layla, the closest to me, pulled me into a hug. I heard the car's doors open. Madison and Gemma slipped into the backseat of the car. The sound of their comfort was drowned out by my sobs.
And a new thought settled itself into my mind: what was my mom going to say?
*
The girls dropped me at home when the sun had already set.
I stared at the house. Somehow, it had expanded, towering and silhoutted by night.
I didn't want to go in there.
Once I was inside, I would have to tell my mother. My motherâwho had trained me practically from birth to be a cheerleaderâthat I'd been kicked off the team. A fresh sob threatened to claw up my throat.
The girls were staring at me with sympathy and concern.
"We should go in with you," Gemma said.
Madison reached over from the driver's seat, squeezing my hand. "It might be easier if we're there."
Layla brushed a strand of hair back from my face. "We've got your back Ellie."
They all knew how my mom was about cheerleading. How my whole family was about cheerleading. This would...
Thinking about it made my eyes water all over again.
I shook my head, forcing the tears back. "It's ok," I rasped. "It's fine." I rubbed my eyes, and inhaled a breath. "It's better if it's just me."
I didn't know if that was true. Honestly, I wanted them to be there. Maybe if they were there, mom wouldn't react as she would if it was just family. And yet I knew the moment they stepped outside, mom would freak. I couldn't even imagine how angry she would be. She'd freak out if I missed a day of beauty pills. She was already pissed off at me because of the poster yesterday. When she found out I wasn't on the squad anymore?
I didn't know what she would do.
"Oh, Ellie," Madison crooned. She squeezed me into a hug.
My sobs threatened to return as the girls hugged me, but I forced them back. I slipped out of the car, my eyes fixing on the house ahead.
"I'll see you guys later," I whispered.
Before I could change my mind, I shut the door and walked towards the house.
I could feel the girls' gazes fixed on my back. I forced myself to straighten. I would get through this; I could get through this.
Surprisingly, my hands didn't fumble as I unlocked the door. I inhaled a deep breath, and pushed it open.
"Ellie!"
I flinched.
Mom emerged into the hall, a bright grin on her face. She was even more perfectly groomed than usual, curls pouring over her shoulder, her face glowing. "There you are! Why are you so late?"
I stared, shocked.
Dad slipped into the hall, also smiling. "Hey, sweetheart. Welcome home."
My mouth opened, but nothing came out.
Didn't they know I was kicked off the squad?
Realization jolted through me. Of course they didn't. No one must have told them yet. Coach wasn't the kind of teacher that called parents, and mom mustn't have had a chance to chat to the other cheer moms.
When I didn't move, Dad nudged me inside and shut the door behind me. "You okay, sweetie?"
My eyes slid from mom to him. His brow was slightly wrinkled, but he was still smiling.
Tell dad first.
My voice came out as a whispered croak, "Dadâ"
"Is that Ellie?"
My gaze snapped up as another person stepped into the hall. My eyes widened. "Julie?"
Standing next to mom was a perfectly groomed woman. Her curls spilled down her beige jacket. Her tanned skin was complimented by a white bodycon dress and matching heels.
"Lookâyour sister came to visit!" Mom gushed.
Julianna smiled, her eyes flickering away from me to mom. "Well, I had to, I couldn't be away from mom for too long."
Mom's grin widened.
That must have been why she was in such a good mood.
Julianna was my oldest sister, and the most like mom. They were always on the same wavelength. And Julie had been Head Cheerleader in High School and in College.
I'm not a cheerleader anymore.
Dad grinned, kissing her hair. "I'm just glad you came to see us Julie."
Julie waved him off. "Stop dadâyou're messing up my hair."
Dad chuckled. "Sorry, sweetie."
"Why are we standing out here?" Mom said, turning back towards the living room. "I have so much to update you on Jules!"
They all began walking towards the living room, mom and Julie bantering back and forth. Dad occasionally commenting. I trailed behind them, the weight in my gut gradually growing.
How was I going to tell her?
The others were in the living room. I watched as Tessa jumped into mom and Julie's conversation, their voices filling the room. Amelia was glaring at a wall, her body stiff.
I hovered in the archway, trying to figure out what to say.
My gaze flickered to dad. He'd settled on a sofa, his attention focusing on a football game playing on the television.
I stared at him, trying to catch his gaze.
He didn't notice.
I drew in a breath. I could do this.
Just say it, and it's over.
But then my mouth shut. No stress. We weren't supposed to stress mom out because of the pregnancy.
If I told dad, then we could figure something out. He would figure out how to tell her. Everything would be fine.
I shifted towards dad, skirting around where Mom, Tessa and Julie were talking.
He glanced up when I touched his shoulder.
His brows furrowed. "Ellie? What's wrong?"
"Can I talk to you?" I whispered.
He frowned. "Okayâ"
A phone started ringing. I froze.
"I'll get it!" Tessa declared, hopping off a sofa and towards the landline. She answered it. "Hello?" There was a beat, then her gaze flickered to mom. "Mom, it's for you," she said in a stage whisper. "It's Mrs Thompson."
My heart started pounding as mom stood, crossing the room to the phone.
"Mom, waitâ"
"Hello?" she said into the receiver. After a pause, "Yes, your daughter is on the cheer squad isn't she? A freshman, right? Is this about me talking to Ellie about giving her more field time â?" Her brows furrowed. "What? Why would Ellie be angry with her?"
There was a long pause. I could hear a voice speaking on the other line, rapid and unintelligible. Slightly panicked. Slowly, mom's bright expression faded. Her brows grew more furrowed.
"Excuse me?" she said, her voice deathly low. "What did you just say?"
My lungs stopped functioning.
Then mom laughed. "That's a funny joke."
My eyes started to burn.
"Because of what? One second." Mom slammed the receiver down, turning to me. "Ellie, seeing as you're so popular, Mrs Thompson is worried her daughter is going to be ostracized because of something that happened in practice today. She happens to be under the ridiculous impression that you were kicked off the squad âridiculous, since you're the Head Cheerleader. Do you mind coming over here and telling her that she's wrong?"
Mom stared at me, waiting.
I felt the gazes of everyone in the room shift to me.
My lips parted.
Say it.
"I'm sorry," I choked out.
Mom blinked. "What?"
And, abruptly, I started sobbing. "Coach said no romantic fraternizing on the trip, or you'd be off the squad, but I didn't even think about it. It didn't even dawn on me that we would actually get in trouble. And then she saw the poster and she said that I wasn't on the cheer squad anymore, and I didn't know how to tell youâ"
Julie jolted to her feet. "Wait? Are you saying you got kicked off the squad?"
The entire room was gaping at me.
"Yes," I sobbed. My eyes flickered back to mom. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Mom's face was eerily blank. Her hand gripped the phone. Her voice was low, monotone. "You were kicked off the cheerleading squad...because of that poster?"
Dad stood, moving towards her warily. "Honey?"
"Mom, are you okay?" Julie asked.
Mom paled. Her lips parted. One of her hands brushed her stomach.
And then she collapsed.
*
Hello wonderfuls :) I hope you liked the chapter!
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xxx
Yemi Everest