Survive

Chapter Six

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

August 8, 2022.

Madison Stone's Point Of View.

I go into the locker room with Ashley and the rest of the group after rehearsal is over.

Aside from the fact that the mood at the beginning was a little heavy compared to what happened earlier, the rehearsal overall was enjoyable. I think I did well, got the choreography down quickly, and was able to maintain good dialogue with the rest of the team.

"Wow, I am dripping with sweat. I need a shower urgently." And I agree with what Ashley says. "Are you going to shower here?" She asks as she stops in front of her closet and opens it.

"I think I will only shower when I get home, because I do not have the essentials so I can shower here."

"Oh, I get it." She takes my backpack out of her closet and gives it to me.

"I think I will leave now, because I am too hot and I really want to take a shower," I say while I see some girls from the team taking off their clothes and entering the pits here.

"So ok... if you want, you can leave with the clothes I lent you and just give it back to me tomorrow."

"Thank you! So when I get home, I will put the clothes in the wash and tomorrow I will return them clean, just like you lent them to me."

"Okay," she says and sits on the bench we were at at that time, starting to take off her sneakers right away.

I say goodbye to Ashley and the other girls and leave the locker room, heading towards the school exit.

I pick up my cell phone and send a message to Anthony saying that he can pick me up now, which is answered shortly after with an "I am on my way".

I leave the school and stop in front of its entrance to wait for Anthony. I could go by myself, because my house is only a few minutes from the school, but my parents say they will not let me go places by myself until I turn 16, that is, according to my parents, I can only start going out on my own after September 9, which is my birthday.

"Are you still here?" I turn around and see Andrey.

Probably the football team practice is also over and he must have showered here at school because he has wet hair and different clothes than he was when I last saw him.

"Yes, I was at rehearsal, then it was over and now I am here waiting to be picked up." I say and he agrees with his head, getting closer to me and stopping by my side. "But what about the training? Was it good?"

"Ah, it was good. I don't want to brag or anything, but I am a pretty good player," and I giggle a little. "What? You don't believe me?" He asks in a casual way.

"I don't doubt you are a good player, because if you weren't, you probably wouldn't be in the team, but I met you today, so I won't know for sure until I see you playing."

"Are you the kind of person who only believes by seeing?" He asks teasingly.

"Yes, I am." I answer in the same tone he uses to ask me his question and he gives a bold smile as he looks deep into my eyes, making me smile back.

"And your rehearsal, was it good?"

"Yes, aside the part that I think they didn't like the fact that I just arrived and already got to be your cheerleader."

"Let me guess.. did Sarah want to be my cheerleader?"

"Yes.. and I would let her be if Ashley hadn't bumped up against Emily saying that we had already agreed that I would be."

Andrey gives a proud laugh and says "I love Ashley... but what if she hadn't said anything? What would you do?"

"I would try to get her to stick to what we had agreed upon at the break, but if she insisted more on her idea of me taking Sarah's place and Sarah taking mine, I would probably give in, because first of all, it would look ugly for me to have just arrived at school and already want to fight with the girls and boss something around and secondly, I didn't care whose cheerleader I was going to be, I just wanted to get on the team." And from his expression I can see that he didn't like my last sentence very much.

"Got it.."

"But of course I would rather be your cheerleader, who I had met before than be someone's who I don't know who are," I try to soften what I had said earlier and seem to have succeeded.

"Yeah... but what matters is that you're on the team."

"Yes, that's what matters," I say and smile at him, who reciprocates with another smile.

"Um... will the person who is coming to pick you up be long? If so, if you want I can give you a ride."

"I think he should be here soon, but thanks for the invitation.. do you drive yourself home or does someone else pick you up as well?"

"Before, my parents came to drop me off and to pick me up, but then I turned 16 and they gave me a car as a present, so now I come to school alone in my car, enjoying a song and stuff." He says the last sentence imitating a hippie and I laugh. "And you? Is your father coming to drop you off and pick you up?" And I give a small, unfunny laugh at his question. I guess since my first day of school ever, he has never done that.

"No, my driver does that."

"Wow," he speaks in a mocking tone, making me laugh.

"What?"

"Nothing.. daddy's little girl," He teases me and I just laugh, looking ahead and seeing Anthony approaching with his car.

"He's here," I step forward and then turn around, coming face to face with Andrey. "Bye Butler," I emphasize his last name and he smiles.

"Bye Mad," and he does the same thing I did.

"Wow, you just met me and you're already getting all intimate, calling me Mad," I say in a tone of debauchery and he looks at me in a bold way.

"I don't know, but it feels like we've known each other for so long," and he returns in the same tone. "But I will let you choose what you want me to call you. Which do you prefer? Mad or my cheerleader?" In those few minutes of conversation I had with him, I realized that he likes to tease.

"Bye Butler!" I laugh and move away from him, but he pulls me by the arm, bringing us a little closer than before.

"You won't even give your new friend a hug? How rude, Mad."

"I'm sweaty from rehearsal, so I'm not going to give my new friend a hug." I say in a tone of irony and turn away from him, getting closer to the car and seeing Anthony getting out of it and turning around, probably coming to open the door for me. "Bye Butler!"

"You didn't say what you want me to call you!" He says in a louder tone and I laugh.

"I want you to call me Madison," Anthony opens the door and I thank him.

"No, it's too dull. I'll revise the nicknames. One hour I call you Mad and another hour I call you my cheerleader." He really likes to tease.

"Okay then, now I'm going to leave.. bye for the fourth time Butler!"

"Bye my cheerleader!" and I smile, getting into the car shortly thereafter, having the door closed by Anthony.