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"sophomore year"
I WALKED DOWN the school hallway after school with a deep pit in my stomach. theo madden, my boyfriend had his arm wrapped around my shoulders as we made it to the gym.
"you got this aria, i promise you'll make it" and he lowered himself to give me a kiss. "thanks babe" i replied as i let him go and walked inside the gym.
i was trying out for the royal woods cheer team. i tried out freshman year but they rejected me because of "sloppiness and unprofessionally working with others" as if any of the girls were world class cheerleaders.
"oh my god you're here, finally" my friend edith screamed approaching me. we were friends since forever and now we were trying out together.
we were required to wear shorts, a sports bra and hair out of the face. i followed what ever they said so my chances were high to get in.
"imagine we actually get in. we'll be able to cheer on our boyfriends and finally wear the uniform ughhh i cant actually wait" edith babbled on and on.
"sure, if i actually get in" we laughed it off but it was edith's dream not mine. both of our boyfriends happened to be on the football team and juniors, but i never understood the chemistry between the footballers and cheerleaders. i just wanted to join to be able to be apart of something and get somewhere in life instead of being holed up at home.
"i mean you're dating theo madden, it's a given you get in" edith said his name like he was a god.
"we would be the best couple in school, we would win prom king and queen, we'll be so popular, what's not to love?" i remembered theo's 'motivating' quotes to hype me up for cheer.
since middle school, ive dropped the try-hard, excited for school thing. homework didn't excite me, staying in school made me want to flip over tables, and the teachers were all equally bitchy and gossipy like they were the ones in high school. i hated school like any other teenager, but my hatred started because of my academic downfall in 5th grade. after that i figured why try? the outcome would be just as disappointing. but what really made me stop was my brother sebastian passing away in 6th grade. he was only a junior in school when him and his friends went driving after a party when they had too much to drink and ended up in an awful car crash, only causing sebastian's death. so when my biggest role model and oldest brother were gone, so were my inspirations and excelling in school.
my leg was shaking up and down on the bleachers waiting for them to call me for my solo audition. "how'd it go?" i asked edith as she walked back all sweaty. "i think i did decent, tired" she panted out of breath.
"aria levine" coach jay's yell echoed the gym as i got up from the bleachers. i went up to the coaches table to introduce myself.
after spectating me up and down and judging what i was wearing they all faked smiled. "so this is your second year trying out for us?" they sassed. "yes miss" i replied 'professionally'
"well, okay, do you have the choreography memorized that we require?" coach jay says.
"yes, of course" and so they put on the upbeat music to which i immediately recognized. the dance was short but tiring, jumps and all. and then they paused it, which is never a good thing when i haven't even finished the dance.
"thank you aria" they say as i make my way back to the bleachers. "oh my god they totally like you!" edith squealed as she held my hands all excited. "no they didn't, they stopped my music in the middle of the choreo." i felt panic. they were not moved by my dancing or cheering. i wiped the sweat from my forehead
"it's whatever, at least you didn't mess up on anything." she comforted me.
after auditions, my friends and i all met up to debrief about auditions. my friends chloe, jackie and blair caught up with us and started complaining. "why are they so sassy" said blair. "yeah like they can cheer better than us" chloe piggybacked off her. this went on for another half hour until i felt my phone repeatedly buzzing. i flipped it over to see theo spamming me saying he's outside.
"guys i gotta go, ill see you guys tomorrow" i said goodbye, grabbing my duffle bag and leaving before i crashed out.
i pushed the double doors of the school to see theo parked right out front waiting for me. "hey, how'd it go?" he started with his jock voice, opening the passenger door from the inside. "awful, they didn't even let me finish" i climbed in putting my seatbelt on before anything else.
"but you were doing good, right?" he asked driving off. "yes! i literally didn't mess up once." i groaned. "well maybe they say all they needed and made up their mind. whatever they say, you're still perfect and my cheerleader" theo grabbed my head and brought it to his lips and kissed my head.
he finally pulled around to my driveway to drop me off. "thanks for the ride theo, love you" i got out and he waved bye as he reversed and disappeared down the street.
