No Status Quo

12. And Then There Was One

When you're falling from the top of a human pyramid, the rest of your problems don't matter much.

I hit the ground hard with a thud and feel my arm twist in a way it was definitely not supposed to twist. I cry out as pain shoots from my wrist up my arm.

"Everyone break formation! Wendy go get someone—now!" Someone yells. Amy, I think. Wendy's the fastest runner on the squad after me, I remember. The rest of the cheerleaders form a ring around me, blocking out the sun. My wrist hurts like hell, so bad I can't think straight. The pain's the only thing in my head.

"Can't mess with fate now, can we?" Daniella mutters, earning a glare from Kate in response.

My best friend looks overwrought as she kneels beside me, "Hang in there! The nurse is on her way." She says, as if she's trying to convince herself more than me.

Daniella's face is stony. Then a familiar face breaks through the crowd, "Stand back! Give her some space!"

Cam gets down on my other side and I try to sit up, only to feel another wave of pain.

"Took a big fall huh, chief?" He remarks, looking at my wrist.

"Yeah," I say with an attempt at a laugh. Even that goes when I hear Kate.

"Who the hell dropped her?" She's demanding, "Speak up, cheerleaders!"

"Let's calm down." Wendy says breathlessly, "We can't blame each other, Kaitlin."

"Yeah, nobody dropped her." Kate retorts, "You're saying she slipped?"

"I—that's not—you get my point right?" the other girl squeals.

"Gina's never fallen in cheer." Amy says, her forehead creased and Kate bites her lip, turning away from me to look at her.

"These things happen in cheer all the time." Daniella says finally.

"Unless it was you," Kate says icily, causing everyone to gasp. Well, I gasped because of pain.

"Huh? Me?" Daniella says in disbelief.

"Don't play dumb, Daniella." I say, "We both know it's you."

"How dare you—"She gasps while Kate looks smug.

"I did not!" Daniella regains her composure, "C'mon! We all saw!" she pauses, "Gina's just clumsy!"

"I don't know." Payton says sadly, "You were right above me, and I saw you move your hand away."

"That's just stupid!" Daniella objects, "Moving my arm doesn't—"

"So you accept." Kate cuts her off, jabbing a finger right in the middle of her chest. "Shut up or I'll drag you to the principal's office myself."

"And say what?"

I clench my jaw. We don't have any proof against her.

"We all know you're the only one who'd do such a thing." Kate goes, "For one, you're jealous of Gina. You've hated her since middle school and shall I remind you that you once ruined her dress in middle school, not to mention dumped mud on her project or how you were always trying to win against her, but lost anyway."

Daniella laughs, "Me? Jealous of her? Are you blind?" she asks, looking at the other girls for support. Everyone just gives her a pitying look. I would've enjoyed that if I wasn't in pain.

She shoots Kate a furious look, shakes her head then runs off. Another wave of pain hits me as I try to move and I can't help but moan, "Ugh," my wrist's starting to swell, great.