Forget Green Gables

The Enemy of my Bestie is My...Friend?

 "You think we'll have some classes together this year?" Jessica asks a few minutes later, timid and hopefully all at once.

I rattle off my classes, having memorized my schedule after Jamie brought me back to Earth from Danny-induced confusion. I remember all his delicious kisses from the summer and hope Jessica doesn't notice me blushing.

"You're not taking Integrated II math?"

"No," I answer, taking a long drink of water. "I'm going to be in Integrated I. My best friend is going to be in Integrated II, but math's not my best subject. Kind of ironic, since my dad is a math professor."

"What's her name? Your best friend. Maybe she and I can be partners in class."

"Jamie Ashburn."

Jessie's eyebrow raises. "Jameson?"

I nod. If this is the Jessica that Jamie was in constant conflict with during their three years at East Middle School, my new-found cheer friend could suddenly be a new-found cheer rival. Bring It On indeed.

"Man, that girl is crazy smart in math."
I nod again. "She is."

"I want to be friends with her, but she doesn't seem too interested."

I consider this before I say anything. Is there anything wrong with having friends who are not friends with each other? More specifically, friends who actively dislike each other? "Is your last name Sloan?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Well, phooey.

"She's mentioned you a few times."

"Not good, was it?"

I give Jessica a puzzled look. "How'd you know?"

Jessica sighs. "I wanted to be friends with this really popular girl in our class, and she didn't like Jamie, so in 3rd grade, I pretended not to like Jamie. And you know how girls hold on to that crap. Now I'm regretting it because the popular girl turned out to be a huge...witch...and Jamie's like super nice and fun, but she doesn't trust me and I wouldn't either." Jessica is quiet for a moment. "And you're her best friend, so now you probably hate me too."

Without a thought, I shake my head. "Jamie is my best friend, but I can have friends who don't like each other, so long as everyone can be nice to each other and not start a bunch of drama. Can you do that?"

Jessica nods. "I just want to apologize. I want to be friends with her."

Before I can respond, the varsity coach calls us. Jessie sits next to me, and I am relieved.

"Before we say who is on what team, I just want to say that there is a lot of potential in this room. Each of you brought the best of what you have, and I want to see you all giving it all you've got this fall and coming back for tryouts in November for basketball/competitive season.

"We had a lot of strength in the underclassmen this year, which means the middle school programs are doing what they're supposed to do. Three freshmen have been placed on the varsity team, due in large part to their tumbling skills. For those of you upperclassmen spending another season on JV, you might want to consider coming to the gymnastics tutorials on Saturday afternoons."

I wait patiently to hear what team I make. All of the freshmen trying out are fairly decently tumblers. Jessica reaches out and grabs my hand, squeezing it as we waited through Coach telling the incoming seniors, juniors, and sophomores their squads.

"The following incoming freshman will join the varsity squad for a meeting in a few minutes: Erica Marshall." Applause breaks out and a girl about my size and height grins. She goes to St. James Catholic Church as well. Coach Hill continues: "Jessica Sloan and Cheyanne Strait. The rest of you will meet with the freshman coach, except for Emmylou, who will join the JV squad."

Jessica and I throw our arms around each other and jump up and down. Jamie is not a hug-and-squeal kind of girl, even when our traveling softball team won a state championship the summer after 7th grade. Erica Marshall bounds over to us and joins the mass of hugging, jumping, squealing bodies.

"I can't wait for this season!" Jessica exclaims, sitting between me and Erica at the back of the semi-circle of assembled Varsity squad members. Our coach, Michelle Hill, tells us her expectations and then dismisses us.

"Hey, what classes are you guys taking?" Erica asks a few minutes later as we stand around the girls' locker room unpacking our gear into newly assigned lockers.

"I know I've got Honors English and Honors Physical Science," I say, my head in my locker looking for my V-Neck tee shirt. "Integrated I, and Spanish 2. World History I. And gym."

"What about you, Jessica?"

"I go by Jessie. Color guard for my gym, regular English, Integrated II, Spanish One, and regular Physical Science. And World History I."

"I'm so excited that we're all on a team together!" I state, stepping into two-inch flip flops.

"So, Cheyanne, what's the deal with you and Danny Algrim?" Erica asks as she haphazardly throws her clothes in her bag. "You guys looked awfully cozy during the Youth Group camping trip a couple of weeks ago." The bold question does not surprise me at all; Erica has always been exceptionally bold and slightly tactless.

I grin. "You mean we sat next to each other by the campfire." I blush a bit remembering how Danny pulled me behind a large tree and kissed me goodnight before going to the boys' tent on the other side of the campsite from the girls' tent. I push a silver stud through the second hole in my left ear, the first hole home to a very immodest silver hoop my father hates, part of his super-Catholic feeling that the bigger the hoop, the looser the woman. Seeing as I had just kissed a boy that summer, I dismiss Dad's logic and continue to wear my big hoops every single day.

"But you like him, right?"

I smile coyly. "This season's gonna be great!"