Gleeboot (Season 2)

18. Spring Breakers Part 4

Lucas's party was in full swing. There were a couple of tables, hammocks, and bean bag chairs on the sand and beneath the cabana. But otherwise it was mostly open space on the sand beneath fairy lights. It was romantic, cool, and very  hot.

When Cece saw Zar among the partygoers, she told Lola, "Looks like just about everyone from Dayton to Toledo made it to Myrtle Beach."

"We can't escape Findlay, no matter what," said Lola.

"Oh right," Cece noted. "You're a gymnast over there, aren't you?" Lola nodded. "There are two kids at Findlay who I knew that did that too. A sophomore and a freshman."

"Is one of them that Gigi girl?" asked Lola.

Cece nodded. "Yeah, the other is a boy."

"I haven't met the guys yet," said Lola. "I train after hours."

"They train all day basically," said Cece. "They do like a part-time program. They do a class or two at the school in the morning, to stay enrolled, but then go spend the rest of the day training. And they homeschool on the weekends and between practice. They're all rich so they have private tutors that keep them on top of things."

"I wish I could afford to do all that," said Lola. "Instead I have to stay in school and make up some practice hours with cheerleading. We were supposed to have the gymnastics option at McKinley but... Cheerleading took up all that funding. Sometimes I wish I had enrolled at Findlay."

"It's a tough drive back and forth," said Cece. "But those two weeks where I was doing that were mostly manageable. My advice? Don't transfer. The Findlay students will eat you alive. Besides, you're like the one girl at McKinley I've been able to get along with."

Lola smiled and said, "In that case, I have to stay in Lima."

Cece nodded and Lola felt glad that Cece would miss her. But there were other reasons she couldn't imagine leaving Lima now.

***

Those reasons walked in side by side. Ricky was greeted by cheers. As Alex went to greet his other friends, he walked up to Perla and Dominic. Perla was already holding out her phone, showing him a picture of himself in the Cheerios uniform. 

"My new wallpaper," she smiled. "I managed to snatch it before we snuck out."

Ricky shook his head at her and kept walking, flopping down on the swinging bed in the cabana. Soon he was joined by Lola, who lied down beside him. "Thank you," she told him. "Coach Lopez will be too traumatized to leave her room again for the rest of the night."

"That was the hope of all this," he said. "I'd also like to take the moment to thank you - and all Cheerios - for your service to the planet. Being in your shoes - or your uniform to be exact - for that short amount of time was exhausting. Jumping around? Strange. Uncomfortable. Torture. I don't know how you do it."

She laughed, asking, "So you won't be joining us any time soon?"

"I don't see it in my future," he shook his head and she laughed again until Lucas appeared before them. Ricky sat up and said, "I came here because my friends wanted to. I'm not looking for a fight."

"I know," said Lucas. "I came to say sorry for the things I said. I was trying to piss off Alex, not you. But I respect that you went for it." Lola looked at Ricky for confusion. "Well," Lucas continued. "This isn't a sleepover. It's a party. Come on, get up. Go mingle."

He forced them out of the bed and they walked away from the cabana. Meanwhile, Lucas cupped his hands around his mouth to make an announcement.

"Alright everyone! The bar is open! The tab is on me! Enjoy!"