Forever and Always

Chapter 14

Tris POV

I sat in the gym waiting for tryouts to starts. I honestly don't really think I should tryout. Yes, I've been doing gymnastics forever, self taught though, but gymnastics was just something I did to make myself feel better. Whenever my mom beats me she tells me I'm a mistake and that I'm not good at anything or for anything. Well, I was good at gymnastics. It was my first talent I ever found out that I had. After I felt like I could move, normally two days after a beating, and I was home alone, I would go to the back yard and do gymnastics. It was just something that made me feel like I wasn't nothing. It feels kinda of weird just to expose that to everyone. On top of that, I'm self conscious enough already, then I'd have to prance around in a little skirt. But all at once, I'm glad that I'm doing something. I feel like if I have a talent, then why not use it? It's not like I'm using it to impress anyone, and I can always put leggings under my skirt anyway. This is what is giving me the confidence to tryout.

"Alright girls! Line up and let's get this started!" Tori says, interrupting my thoughts. When we are all lined up she starts giving instructions. "Okay, first there will be individual routines, then, they're will a group cheer. From that, I will be able to decide who will be on the team. This is a no pressure tryout so please just do your best! Okay, we'll start with volunteers." Then the tryouts begin. Now, I'm not trying to be rude but, about half of these people weren't...the best. Don't get me wrong, there were some pretty good tryouts so far. Maybe this is me just being overly nervous, and I'm trying to look at my chances to calm me down. I'm not normally like this. So observant. Oh well. Before I know it, my name is called.

"Tris Prior! Your turn." My body freezes. I swallow hard and my head starts to give me instructions, it does this when I'm extremely nervous. 'Take a step,' I do. 'Now take another one, and another one,' I keep following the instructions and soon I'm in the center of the gym. I stand there and face the rest of the girls and Tori. "Go, Tris!" I hear the girls from the gang yell. I appreciate it, I do, but my face gets hot. Then the music starts.

I do my routine perfectly and when I'm finished there are tons of applause. Then we do the group cheer. When it was over Tori says, "Well, that's all! Now, go change girls and while I make final decision!" We all go into the locker room to change. I get a couple of nasty looks, from the girls who weren't so great, but the nastiest was from this girl that dresses from head to toe in sparkles. I like sparkles but that was overkill. I was practically blinded. After I changed she walked over toward me. "Don't think you're all great just because you can do some tricks. She hasn't made her final decision yet and if I were you, I wouldn't get my hopes up. I've been cheer captain all throughout middle school, elementary, and even primary. And in case you didn't know, you need to be pretty to be a cheerleader. That's why guys are always drooling over us. This is where all the pretty girls in school meet, so guys always are there at our performances. And you...just don't fit that requirement," Well that hurt. A lot. "Oh, and speaking of guys, stay away from Four. He likes me." She says, putting emphasis on the word me. Then she walks away. Ow. The girls in locker room heard all it, and they are all laughing except for Christina, Maralyne, (idk how to spell it), and Shaunna. I bite my lip. 'You're stronger than this, don't let it bother you' is what I think. The rest if the girls clear out and it's just me and the girls from the gang. "Don't worry about her, that's just Lauren. AKA, Four's ex. Look out from her and Nita. Also Four's ex. They work together to try and, 'get him back.'" She says, using quotations. "Come on, Tori's waiting." We walk outside into the gym, and Tori is holding a clipboard.

"The girls who have made the team are, Sarah, Lily, Samantha, Carly, Gracie, Sabrina, Caroline, Christina," We all high five, "Breanna, Kateline, Maralyne," we high five again, "Addison, Nita," Who turns out to be also obsessed with fashion, and if Christina doesn't like them then that's saying something, "Shaunna," we high five, "Lynn," Christina and them high five but I don't know who that is, "and Katie." Tori finishes. Well, looks like I didn't make the team. Oh well. "But before we go, I have 3 announcements, well 4, (1) I'm proud of all of you even if you didn't make it. (2) we have an assistance captain, that is Lauren!" Everyone cheers, but she looks mad. Probably because she's not captain, "(3) our 2nd assistance captain is Christina!" We all jump up and down, "and lastly (4) is our captain! This name was not called earlier because we wanted it to be a surprise. The captain is...Tris!!!" She says. I'm frozen in shock. The girls jump up and down around me while I'm standing there frozen, probably looking like an idiot. "Congratulations to everyone! Our first practice is tomorrow, Friday, so be ready! You may be dismissed!" She proclaims and everyone goes and gets there stuff while the girls are still freaking out beside me. "I knew you could do it!" Christina says. I smile. "Thank you." She smiles to and then we all go and get our stuff.

When I get outside, I see that my Dad is waiting. I'm about to get in the car, when Lauren approaches me. "I don't get it! I'm much better than you! Besides, this is supposed to be where all the pretty girls are! You are not pretty! I don't see what Four sees in you either. All you are is a lame, ugly, shy, girl that has no value! And FYI, those aren't my words. Just remember, stay away from Four. Those are his words anyway." She says, then spins around, her ponytail hitting my face. I swallow hard. Four said that? No. That can't be true. I remember what he told me today, I'm beautiful to him. I nod, trying to reassure myself, then hop in the car.

"Hey, Princess! Was that a new friend?" Dad asks as he starts to drive. I shake my head. "No, she's just someone on the cheer team." I state, not completely lying. My dad nods. "So how was tryouts?" He asks. "Good. I'm team captain." I say. His eyes widen. "That's great! I didn't know you were flexible." He says. "Yeah." I didn't really know how to respond to that. When we get home, I go upstairs and take a shower.

When I finish, I see that Four has tried to call me. I call him back.
"Hello?" He asks, clearly not looking at his caller ID before answering.
"Hey." I say shyly
"Oh it's you! I tried to call you earlier but you didn't answer."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I was cleaning up after tryouts." I say.
"Oh yeah, how'd that go?" He asks.
"Good. I'm cheer captain. Um, can I ask you something?" I say shyly.
"Yeah, of course. Something wrong?" He asks with concern.
"No. I just into Lauren, and she, um, she...said some stuff." I say, feeling a lump from in my throat.
"What'd she say? She didn't hurt you, right?" He says. I know that he means emotionally, it's just stupid to say, she didn't hurt your feelings did she?
"Why did you ask me to be you girlfriend?" I say. Avoiding the details.
"What?"
"Why did you ask me to be your girlfriend." I repeat.
"No, I heard you. I'm just confused. Why wouldn't I? You're the best person I know." He says. I feel better.
"Thanks, I'm sorry. I was just wondering. So, why'd you call earlier?" I ask.
"Oh, I was just going to ask you how tryouts went. And speaking of that, congrats on being captain!"
"Thanks. Um...I gotta go. You guys are coming over soon." I say.
"Okay. See you later!"
"Bye."
"Bye."
With that we finish. Now it's time to get ready.

*hey! So did ya like it? I hope. I'll try to update tomorrow. I'll TRY. And I tried to find a YouTube video on a gymnastics routine so you could have a visual, even though it wouldn't be the routine she planned, but I couldn't find one that fit. Sorry. Please give me suggestions. Okay. Well, I got to go. It's getting late. Bye!*

-stay sparkly✨