Slumber Party | Sapphic Jegulus

Chapter 6

Jamie

Rainy days are the worst.

I hate training in the school gym, but whenever it rains, the football field ends up waterlogged and muddy and there is no way we can run properly there, so we have to share the indoor gym with the cheer team. Right now, I'm wearing my running shoes (because there's no way I can run in my football cleats on the gym floor) practising passes and feints. And I say I'm because I don't think that what Justin and McLaggen and the other bunch of walking penises are doing can be considered training.

We are spread out in pairs, and because the gym is considerably smaller than the outdoor field, our distance to the cheerleading practice area is greatly reduced. McLaggen and Justin have taken it upon themselves to get as close to them as possible so they can show off in front of the girls (and fail miserably).

Sometimes they try to get Regulus' attention, but she brushes them off like they're total garbage. I don't know if she's a devoted girlfriend or if she just finds their flirting attempts as ridiculous as I do, but either way, I kinda respect her for that.

I don't want to play the man-hating nun either. I've also seen how abnormally attractive Regulus looks in her training clothes (completely platonic speaking, if our relationship goes that far, which I doubt), or how much those tights mark Hannah Pucey's arse or all the other hot things about the girls on the cheer squad (which sums quite a long list). But we have a very important game for the season tomorrow! And if these guys make a bad play or let out rivals score a goal just because they've been chasing arses all training, I'm going to throw hands at them.

I like girls as much as the next person, but I have my priorities in order!

"I can't believe this," I mutter, watching as Cormac 'inadvertently' (on purpose) throws the ball to where the cheerleaders are training. Bill (my partner) glances at them sideways and rolls his eyes. When he trains, Coach Hooch makes him remove all his piercings (for safety reasons) and his face looks pretty weird without his lip and eyebrow studs and his trademark septum. "Please, let Rosier be the one to return it."

The ball hits Daphne Greengrass' leg, who seems to be about to be lifted into the air by four of her teammates. From the look on her face, she must not have been too amused at being interrupted. She picks up the ball from the ground and throws it hard back at McLaggen and Justin, who make a high-pitched whistling sound as they catch it.

"You better win tomorrow."

Emmeline and I look up as we sit and wait for Marlene to get out of the shower. When we practice in the gym, we also share a locker room with the cheer team; Hannah Pucey is the one speaking to us, as she combes her short blonde strands in front of the mirror.

"We'll do our best-"

"We will," I assure, cutting Emmeline off, "If we win this match we go to the quarterfinals. And I plan to win this season no matter what."

There's a calm, smiling laugh. "You're scary when you get all football mood." That's the unmistakable voice of Mary Macdonald. She's nice, funny, kind to everyone, the typical girl impossible to hate. If she wasn't Evans' ex, we'd probably be friends, but I have my principles.

"Yeah, I'm determined," I answer simply, and Emmeline nudges me, noticing my slightly dry tone. Trying to change the subject, I add, "I hope you have the party planned because you can be sure I want to celebrate tomorrow's victory."

The girls laugh. For some reason, my undefeatable confidence often comes as quite funny to people.

"Crouch said he had an empty house tomorrow night, didn't he Reg?"