rainbow connection | rini

three

"Nini, can you stay for just a second?" Ms. Jenn asked her on her way out of class.

"Of course. Is something wrong?" She adjusted her bag on her shoulder, her fingers twitching nervously.

"No, I just wanted to tell you that there are cheerleading tryouts after school today and I thought you'd be interested in joining," She explained.

Nini rolled her eyes and said, "You know I wouldn't."

"Well, yes," the woman chuckled, "but I've already signed you up. So you have to go."

"Seems arbitrary," Nini mumbled.

"I just think you need to meet new people and have fun for once," Ms. Jenn told her. Nini was already on her way out of the door.

"Arbitrary," she repeated.

Nini showed up to tryouts anyway, Ms. Jenn knew she would. She couldn't stand to disappoint anyone, even if it meant showing up to the stupid tryouts.

"Nini?" The cheerleader checking her in asked. Nini nodded nervously, her bottom lip tucked firmly between her teeth. She glanced at the girls at the table, knowing full well that at least five of the six hated her. The very first one was Ricky's girlfriend, Gina.

Another cheerleader spoke up, "Okay, Nini, your form says you can tumble, is that true?" Nini suppressed a sigh and nodded once more.  She tumbled for fun on occasion, but definitely didn't want to."Would you mind showing us? We can lay out the mats."

Nini surveyed the area around her. She definitely didn't miss the football players practicing on the field. "No, I don't need a mat," she decided. The cheerleader gestured for her to begin, so she gave herself prepping room and began to tumble. She finished with a back tuck and the girls all seemed equally impressed. Except for Gina, of course.

"Can you do a standing back tuck?" She asked. Nini braced herself and successfully completed a standing back tuck. "Cool, quick question. How much do you weigh? You didn't include it on the form."

Nini rocked back and forth on her heels, "Is that optional?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. It's just that you put down that you're okay with being a flyer and we either need to know your weight or try to toss you," She explained.

Nini hummed in thought. She wasn't sure that she wanted to share her weight with anyone. "Toss me."

"Gina, Ally, Sarah." The girl decided. Gina, Ally, and Sarah all got up and Nini was suddenly worried that Gina would harm her.

"We're gonna do an elevator. If you can, try and do a heel stretch," Sarah told her. Nini said a quiet okay and cleared her throat. Gina and Ally each put a hand out and Nini stepped into them. To Gina's chagrin, Nini executed the move perfectly. She'd told her team that it wasn't going to work.

"Nini," The girl who Nini assumed was the captain, "Will you practice this week and join us in our upcoming game?"

"Uh, yeah." She gave them an uneasy smile, her mind still on the fact that Gina could have easily dropped her. She heard some whistles behind her and turned around.

"Nice ass, cutie!" Ricky's friend, EJ yelled. Nini rolled her eyes at him. He didn't notice, though, because he was too busy high-fiving the other players. Ricky jogged over to the cheerleaders.

He gave Gina a sloppy kiss and Nini had to restrain herself from gagging. She was pretty sure she saw him pawing at her backside, too. Gina said something about Nini cheering at the next game and Ricky rolled his eyes.

"And who is she to me?" He asked. He kissed Gina again, "You're my favorite cheerleader."

"I need to get going, thanks." Nini smiled.

"See you at practice!" The captain called out.

And as she passed Gina, she heard, "Uptight bitch." Followed by the laughter of more than just Gina.

Nini was rather happy to see both of her parents home. Her mom was cooking and her stepdad was sitting in the kitchen, talking with her.

"Hey!" She exclaimed at the sight of the man. She hugged him.

After kissing her cheek, he said, "Did you have a good day?"

She sighed and said, "I guess. I went to the cheerleading tryouts today. I think they want me on the team."

"Well, who wouldn't?" He joked. "And you've been working hard in dance?"

"Yeah, but there's this new guy in there and he's so annoying. I feel like he's always in my practice room and watching me and I don't know why," Her parents knew she was just venting.

"Mom said you didn't pack a lunch today," he mentioned.

"Oh, yeah. I was in a hurry today. It was fine though, I grabbed lunch at school." She smiled at him. "You guys worry too much."

"I guess you're right. I made spaghetti. Let's eat!" Her mom said.

After dinner, Nini excused herself and made her way upstairs. She twisted the bathroom doorknob, but it wouldn't budge. Out of frustration, she slammed her hand against the door out of frustration.

"I need to pee," she called down the stairs.

The chatter of her parents stopped. "You can pee at 8:30," her mom called back.

Nini let out a sound that was like a cross between a groan and a scream. She took a seat next to the bathroom door. She heard footsteps up the stairs not too long later.

"Kid, mom and I just want to be sure. I'm sorry she decided to lock the bathrooms for the next 30 minutes," her stepfather told her. He sat down across from her.

"I just need to pee," Nini said quietly.

The man looked at her, his eyes searching hers. "And maybe that's true, but you've said that before." And he was right, she knew that. Maybe she'd used that excused too many times.

"Okay, Dad." He smiled as he did every time she called him that.

"I love you, kiddo," he said.

"I love you too, can you please open the door?" She pleaded. He laughed.

"No can do. You know I'd give you the world in a heartbeat, but your mom definitely won't give me that key. Those two things go hand in hand." He ruffled Nini's hair and then stood up. "If you really wanna stick it to her, I'd suggest peeing on the floor right there."