Molded-his first

[13] Nominee

I walk up the stairs and see Andrés writing something in my diary. I sit next to him and peek over his shoulder to see a discombobulated doodle of SpongeBob next to rule number three.

I roll my eyes before asking him for the book by gesturing.

He hands me the book with his pen before I violently scratch out Rule number 3 "No PDA"

Andrés blinks confused.

Taking my stuff and leaving him confused.

***

"Ok team" I clap my hands together and grab everyone's attention. "The couch is running a bit late so I suggest that we start stretching."

Let me tell you how this works. To determine the new cheer caption each coach must nominate one cheerleader no more no less. After all the coaches have nominated who they think would be best at being cheer captain, the team must pick who they want to become cheer captain.

They let you wear the uniform and have a taste of what it feels like if you were captain. See if you would break or lead.

So until another coach chooses their nominee I'm "captain", but it's not like I haven't been suggesting things to the team before.

Ashley scoffs before going back to her conversation with some boy on the football team.

"Ugh, Yall still fighting" Angela groans.

I suck my teeth and nod my head.

"Congratulations to those who made it through tryouts!" I congratulate the freshmen.

"Woo" one of my teammates screams before everyone starts clapping.

"I'm Zola, some of you may know me as Carter."

"And I'm the first nominee"

"Today we start with fitness. So for those who didn't hear me, I said let's start stretching!" I turn my head to Ashley and Becca who are the only people that ignored me in the first place.

"She said start stretching!" Coach Anderson yells making my heart stop.

The two jump and Ashley waves the boy away.

"Three laps please!" I commend them.

Ashley groans then she starts running and Becca joins.

"Zola I see you took my advice." Coach Anderson smirks at me referring to my weight.

I force a smile and nod at her.

Coach Anderson is our fitness coach. She used to be a fitness trainer but for some reason left her old job and decided to become a high school coach.

I don't think there's a nice way to say this but. I hate Coach Anderson.

Well, not hate more like strongly dislike. Not only is she, not a nice person to be around she's also a fatphobic woman who can't mind her own business for shit and brings out the worst in me.

In other words, she couldn't let go of the fact a plus-size girl was on the team causing her to always criticize me for my weight.

"Congratulations Carter." She places a hand on my shoulder causing me to flinch.

"Thank you,"

Coach Anderson walks away and places her stuff on the bleachers.

I find a random spot in the gym before stretching.

***

"Ok, girls that's all for today!"

I don't think I'll ever be able to walk again.

Another reason why I don't like Coach Anderson is because she likes pushing us until we can't do it anymore.

All the girls around me look just as exhausted as I am.

I miss Coach Woods.

"Oh my goodness thank you." Ashley. Squeals taking the cheer captain uniform from Coach Anderson.

Did I forget to tell you that Coach Anderson is Ashley's aunt?

I change my gaze to see one of my teammates holding onto her head as if she's feeling dizzy.

I quickly get up and grab a granola bar that I got from the vending machine. I walk over to her and smile.

"Hey, Zola." She greets.

"Hey, Christina," I say throwing the granola bar at her.

Christina was my lab partner in ninth grade before I switched to history. We spent the whole class laughing at literally nothing until it got out that I wasn't eating, from that day on she gave me a granola every time she thought I didn't look right.

She smiles at me before I wave her goodbye and walk out of the gym

She's the reason why I always have a granola bar or two in my bag.

I walk down the hall on my way to the showers.

On my way there someone puts their arm around my shoulder. I turn my head to see Andrés.

"Just the person I wanted to see," he smirks.

"You smell like shit," I lie pinching my nose.

"Only for you," he whispers in a flirty tone causing me almost to giggle.

"What do you want?"

"To ask you on a date,"

"Huh?"

My confusion fades once I see Santino in the corner of my eye walking past us giving us a stink eye.

Once Santino is far enough to not hear us Andrés speaks. "You should be more open to flirting,"

"I'm open to flirting," I defend myself.

"Sure," he says not convinced.

Next thing I know I'm being pinned to the nearest locker and being forced to look Andrés in the eye.

"You should wear that uniform more often it makes you stand out" I shift at his statement.

"See!"He says pushing his hair back with one hand. "For a dancer, you're so stiff."

"Then how do I flirt?" I ask in defeat.

"Just go with the flow." He says as if it's nothing.

He looks at my puzzled expression and sighs making me look down in embarrassment.

"Look at me." He lifts my head with his thumb.

"So what we just stare at each other until the janitor chances us out to lock up?" I bore.

Andrés chuckles at my statement and leans into my ear.

"Anyone tell you how beautiful your ankles look in those socks" he whispers.

"My ankle?" I question.

Andrés starts to giggle historically unpinning me to hold on to his stomach.

"I never knew you were so kinky Andrés, Lucio, Martinez." I roll my eyes playfully pushing him causing him to bump into the people behind him which happens to be Ashley and Becca.

"Sorry," he apologizes. Ashley pushes her hair back. Something she always does when someone she likes is around.

"Hey Andrés" Ashley greets.

Andrés ignores her as if he didn't hear her, puts his attention back on me, and smiles.

"Hasta luego hermosa" Andrés smirks before kissing my hand and walking away.
(Spanish: see you later beautiful.)

I don't know Spanish. But my former best friend who took the class to get closer to her crush does and she's fuming.