Beauty and the Geek Boy

Chapter 49 (Part 1)-Ellie

*Beauty*

I was numb.

I could barely think.

I'm not a cheerleader anymore.

"We have to fight this," Gemma growled.

I blinked. We were sat in Madison's car. Still parked on school grounds. The other cheerleaders had left after practice so it was just us four.

After coach's declaration, she'd started practice. She'd ignored my presence, like I'd ceased to exist the moment I was off the team, then she'd said that spectators could watch but couldn't sit with the team.

My mind blank, I'd moved seats. I'd managed to calm the others down before they could protest.

Then I'd sat there and watched the team cheer without me.

My brain was fixed, as if it had frozen the moment Coach had kicked me off the team.

I'd been a cheerleader all my life. Mom had made all of us train the moment we could walk. What was I if I wasn't one?

Gemma's head whipped to Layla. "Can't you talk to your mom? She's the principal—coach can't do this! Everyone hooks up on school trips. She knows that. Why should Ellie get punished for it?"

Madison shook her head, her gaze fixed on her hands clenching the steering wheel. Her expression was still shocked. "The principal can't interfere in decisions like this. She has no say. I can't believe..." She trailed off.

Gemma slammed the back of her head into her headrest, releasing a groan of anger. "She can't do this. And of all people, did she have to give Head Cheerleader to that evil Chelsea? Do you think Chelsea knew this was going to happen?"

Chelsea had looked as shocked as the rest of us. I'd had a passing thought that she would gloat, but she hadn't looked at me once throughout the entire practice.

Almost as if she felt sorry for me.

"Chelsea's behaviour isn't always good, but I know she wouldn't go this far," Madison said.

"It was Catherine," I whispered.

She'd probably had no idea how much destruction that poster would cause.

She'd probably thought the same thing I did—that Will was ashamed of our relationship. So she'd put it up to force him to dump me.

Me being kicked off the squad hadn't been part of her plan.

And yet here I was.

Gemma released a slew of insults that were too rude for anyone's ears.

"Let's kill her," she growled. "Coach too. I'm pretty sure that I can come up with a revenge plot that will ruin their worthless lives."

"I'm in," Layla agreed.

Madison just shook her head.

Gemma slammed her fist against the window. "I know coach is evil—but this is beyond evil. How are you supposed to get picked up by a cheer scout if you're not allowed to cheer? How are you going to get into college? All the things you were supposed to do, to achieve, she just took it away because of one stupid poster that wasn't even your fault in the first place. It's not fair, she's ruining your future because of some stupid girl's jealousy—"

"Gemma, stop," Madison said softly, her gaze fixed on me.

I realized then that I was crying.

Gemma's eyes widened. "Oh, Beauty—I'm sorry."