OFF TRACK

10

SUMMER

It's six am a week later, when my alarm goes off, but I purposefully set it for thirty minutes before I needed to start getting ready because I need at least ten minutes to mindlessly scroll on my phone before I drag myself from this cozy warm bed.

The dance team performed at a pep rally last night, and all week we've been on campus hyping up this big rivalry game happening today.

Every inch of my body aches from the amount of times we've practiced and performed our current routines this past week. On top of keeping up with school work and working at the coffee shop, this has been my personal hell week.

And right on time, Ellie bangs on my bedroom door, "Time to get up, Summer! Coffee's getting cold."

Ellie is a morning person, hell she's an all the time person, that girl has so much energy. She should meet Trevor's sister, actually maybe not, they'd never shut up. Me on the other hand? I'm not a morning or night person, I just kind of sleep whenever I can and I love sleep.

I groan and set my phone aside, as I pull myself from the warmth of my covers, "I'm up," I shout at her so she'll leave me alone.

And somehow a few hours later, my face is plastered with makeup and my hair is curled, laying over my bare shoulders, because even though almost every civilian is in a long sleeve shirt or sweater, we're wearing our new white halter dress uniforms. They have big blue stripes down the sides, which are lined with thinner yellow lines and gems, our schools letters are embroidered over all of our chests. When we first got them over the summer I was overjoyed but right now I just want a damn jacket.

A catcall whistle, breaks my thoughts as Ellie and I snap our necks towards the noise, while the rest of the squad ignores it, interacting with Bruins fans and students as everyone enters the stadium.

I roll my eyes seeing Alex smirking proudly, obviously the one who made the noise. James and Trevor stand beside him, all three of them are sporting different variations of shirts with 'USC' letters on the front.

Ellie bounces on her toes excitedly as Alex approaches her.

"Ready to loose?" Trevor teases as he walks up to me.

I want to reach for him, I want to kiss him again, taste him, feel his hands on my skin.

"In your dreams," I tease, keeping my pom filled hands behind my back.

"Our record is four and one, we've got you beat no problem," he shakes his head.

"One of those wins doesn't count, it was a preseason game," I glare at him. I may not understand hockey but I dated a couple football players in high school so I fully understand it and being on the dance team has me up to date with the UCLA team.

"But it was against you, so it counts."

I roll my eyes, then look at up at him a bit softer, "What are you doing later?"

"Nothing," he smirks, taking a short step closer.

"Wanna come over?" I keep my voice low. "El's gonna be at your place with Alex, and Lily and Vi are away for a game, so..." I twist my hips a bit.

He nods, "What time?"

"Ellie! Red! Let's go!" Coach B calls from the other end of the sidewalk.

"I'll text you," I tell him as I start backing away, I wink before turning to look at Ellie who's posing with Alex for a photo, "Hey! Let's go, lover girl!"

Ellie kisses Alex's cheek and says something before rushing up the hill towards me and the stadium.

By half time the Bruins are up by a touchdown, but the stands are still filled to the brim with a mix of red and blue as the team takes formation for our halftime performance. And I think I black out as soon as the song starts, my muscle memory takes over and does the movements I've been practicing since June. Next thing I know we're headed off the field to the locker rooms.