Beautiful Demons

26. I Must Have Seen it Wrong

At the game, Agnes asked me where I wanted to sit. She'd barely even talked to me the whole week, and I was surprised she even cared where I was sitting. Still, I hated to admit I'd been invited to the reserved section.

"Of course," she said. "Next thing I know, you'll be showing up at the tryouts next week to audition for the squad." There was so much bitterness in her voice.

I couldn't look her in the eye. "Agnes..." I'd been trying to figure out how to break the news to her, and now that the time had come, I wasn't sure what to say. Guilt twisted my stomach. Was I wrong to want something better for myself?

"You've got to be kidding me." She looked at me as if I'd just slapped her across the face. "I didn't think you'd actually do it. You know how much this means to me, Harper. And since when do you want to be a cheerleader? When you moved here, what was it you said about them? That they were ego-maniac airheads? My, my how things have changed."

"Agnes," I said. "Don't be upset. I'm sorry. It's not like I expected things to turn out like this. But-"

"But what? You're going to stab me in the back anyway?" Tears formed in her eyes. "Come on Courtney, let's go. We're not good enough to sit in the reserved section with Harper."

Courtney shrugged apologetically and gave me a little wave.

I felt like a real jerk. I knew how important the squad was to Agnes, but at the same time, didn't I deserve to be happy too? Never in my life had a group of people invited me into their circle the way the cheerleaders had. It was the first time I felt special, and I didn't want to give it up for anyone.

I made my way through the crowd to the small reserved section of bleachers just in front of where the cheerleaders stood. Mrs. King was already there and she smiled brightly when she saw me.

"Harper, I'm so glad you made it," she said. "Brooke told me you girls are going to her house to practice tonight, and I think that's such a great idea. Some of the other girls trying out were there for the auditions last year, so a lot of them will already be familiar with the cheers and the dances. It's really sweet that the girls are spending so much time with you. Friendship on the squad is so important, and even though we want to pick the best girls for the team, it doesn't hurt that you already get along with them so well."

I smiled. "I really feel lucky to be included," I said.

The game was much more exciting than the first one I'd gone to. I tried to pay special attention to all the cheers, but the thought of having to learn everything in just one week made me nervous. Plus, I couldn't help watching for Drake out on the field. He was really a star out there on the field. A couple of times when the defense was out on the field, I caught Drake watching me from the sidelines.

Everything was going great until the pyramid incident.

Sometime near the end of the third quarter, the cheerleaders did a cheer that had them piling up into a giant pyramid. A small brunette climbed to the top and stood, then with a little bounce, she was thrown high into the air. It was a beautiful stunt at first. She did a full flip in the air, but something went wrong on the landing. Her foot got caught on someone's arm and I gasped as she fell to the ground. Sitting so close to the squad, I had a clear view of the entire stunt. The girl's fall happened so fast. I jumped up, helpless to stop her. I could swear I heard a crack as her head hit the ground.

I screamed and jumped from my seat. The crowd around me gasped, then went silent. Mrs. King rushed out to where the other girls had huddled around the injured girl. I looked around, waiting for the paramedics to rush over, but I didn't see them.

My pulse hammered in my veins. She had to be hurt really bad. Possibly paralyzed. I watched as Mrs. King emerged from the huddle. She was smiling.

The small brunette stood up and waved to the crowd. Applause broke out all around me, but I stood there, stunned. How could that be possible? She had fallen at least ten feet straight down on her head. There was no way she was fine.

"Sherry never misses that toss," Mrs. King said. "Good thing Ella broke her fall."

I shook my head. "Are you sure she's alright? I could have sworn-"

"Goodness Harper, don't worry so much." Mrs. King laughed like it was nothing. "She's fine. In fact, I'm almost more worried about Ella's leg. Sherry practically fell right on top of it."

"I guess I must have seen it wrong," I said. But to be honest, I didn't think I had.