“And, hey—” Dani shook my shoulder, causing me to wobble slightly as I braced myself against the table at the unexpected gesture. “Keep that same energy for those bullies because fuck them. They’re the ones who should be ashamed, not you.”
“So, you guys don’t hate me?”
“Nah, you’re chill,” Dani said, nudging me with her elbow as she walked back to the other side of the table, picking up her apple and shoving it into her mouth.
“As long as you don’t screw over Elliot, I don’t have a reason to,” he remarked, glancing over with a smirk. “Plus, it’s nice to know, ‘Miss Prom Queen’isn’t a shallow, self-obsessed cheerleader, with a monkey brain.”
“Haha, you’re so funny,” I said flatly.
“I know. Oh, and if you want to make new friends who aren’t operating on a single brain cell, just try being yourself. Stop trynna be so goddam perfect and just have some fucking fun. That’s the biggest ‘fuck you,’ you can give to those popular assholes, anyway.”
Be myself.
It almost felt like I had forgotten who that was. I guess it was time to find her again.But how?How could I make people like me without losing myself in the process? My brain scrambled to search for a solution. I needed to make a statement. Something that screamed, this is me—someone who isn’t afraid of your judgement, but is also a ray of sunshine and beauty. Maybe the answer had been in front of me all along, hidden beneath the doubt and hesitation.
And then it hit me.A devilish grin twisted my lips as a spark of mischief flickered in my eyes. A shiver ran down my spine at the plan that was taking form in my mind. It was time for my two worlds to collide.
“You’re right,” I admitted, a sly smile playing on my lips. “And I think I know exactly how to do that. How do you still feel about joining the cheer team?”
Sixteen
“Camryn quit.”
Who knew a simple sentence uttered by Coach Smithson could cause such an uproar? Several gasps emanated through the room. Luna’s brow knitted together as Meredith spun toward Kendra, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.Ugh. Overexaggerate, much? It wasn’t like she had died. I stood next to Coach Smithson, shooting her a quick glance as we listened to the commotion heighten around us. Inaudible mutterings flooded my ears, one person’s words overlapping another’s.
“What? Why?” Meredith shouted above the other voices. She directed her attention to the coach. “Did you kick her off the team?”
“No.”
“DidClarke?”
Anger clouded Meredith’s eyes as she glared at me the minute my name rolled off her tongue. Placing my hand on my hip, I sneered back at her.
“No, it wasn’t Clarke’s decision.”
“Then, why’d she quit?”
“She didn’t want to be on the team anymore,” I answered plainly.
Luna puffed out her lower lip. “Why not?”
“WhyCamryn quit isn’t important,” Coach Smithson chastised. “Whatisimportant is that we’ve found someone else to fill her shoes.”
Meredith couldn’t control her excitement as she blurted out, “Really? Who is it?”
I smiled smugly. “Andrew Green.”
Her face fell. A look of utter disgust washed over her features, causing my smile to deepen.
Kendra’s eyes grew wide, but her mouth stayed shut. Confused glances were thrown around as I internally cackled at their unease. Satisfaction soon turned into irritation as their musings grew louder. Once again, the gymnasium was alive with turmoil, taking the form of ten teenage girls with a deadly allergy to a single male presence.Were cooties still a thing in high school?Because it sure as hell felt like everyone thought it was. Pain pulsed through my eardrums as a chorus of cries filled the air.
“A boy?”
“As a cheerleader?”
“What if he’s a pervert?”
“He’s gay,” I deadpanned.
