Putting on Airs

Spirit and Snuggling

Fridays are my least favorite days during football season. Today, being a game day, means I have to wear my cheer skirt and shell throughout the day in an effort to "promote school spirit". I have no problem with that, in theory. I just realize that a person will either have school spirit, or not. It's not like they have trouble filling the stands for the games. I believe that has more to do with drug swapping and promoting promiscuity than students actually watching the team, but that's another matter altogether.

What I wear has no bearing on whether they give a hoot about our team. In fact, it is more likely to cause dissention in the school ranks, from my experience. There's nothing more volatile than a cheerleader feeling threatened; or their jock boyfriend feeling as though his girl is getting disrespected.

I am lucky to have Silas in my corner during school. He keeps most of the creeps away; those that enjoy looking at the cheerleaders in their skirts with the assumption of easy access to the "goods". Silas may not be able to stop the leers and nasty comments the bravest creeps send my way, but now I am able to walk through the halls without unknown hands trying to cop a feel.

I make it through high school hours and am grateful to see Luke waiting to take me to the college. It's a little trickier to change out of my cheer stuff in the tiny front of a car rather than the long bus seats, but I manage to do so while only experiencing some minor blushing. Luke, being the gentleman that he is, is careful to keep his eyes trained on the road. He doesn't make any comment as I slip into something more appropriate and less revealing.

Having a ride to the college means that I have plenty of time to get to class without running. I spend the extra time listening to the guys talk while pulling out the assignments that I had completed ages ago. I surreptitiously look around the room and find Owen already looking at me. His unexpected wink brings a flush to my cheeks, but I manage not to fall off my chair in surprise. That's a win in my book.

I spend class alternating between peeking at Owen and thinking about the quick practice I have to rush too after I get out of here. After that, I'll have an hour or so before I need to go back to school again for the game. Caught up in my head, I don't even realize that I'm missing most of the lecture.

Jade stressed how important it is that we are all there tonight, reminding us that this will be like a dry-run for competitions. I was thankful that this will be one of my last football games I'll have to cheer at before I graduate at semester. It will also be the last event that I would be qualified to compete in before graduating at semester, so the entire squad needs to get good marks. My understudy flier is still nervous after seeing what the bases did to me during the game I'd last cheered at. I don't blame her. I'd be nervous too if I still had basketball season with Jade and her posse to look forward to.

I shudder when I think about the competition Jade reminded us we were competing in this weekend. She had told us after the last cheer practice that the squad is taking a bus to regionals tomorrow. When some of the girls asked if they could drive separately, we were all told 'no.' Jade had shot an evil smirk my way and had explained that we need the time together for team bonding. Jade's sadistic desire to always torment me aside, I suspect that team bonding was just an excuse to keep the team together. Driving separately would increase the chances of someone to being late, or the girls being too distracted to compete. I don't know about the distracted part personally, as I always had to ride the bus to these competitions. It's my impression that she worries about the girls being "put together" more than anything; it wouldn't do for the girls to show up with smeared lipstick, rat's nest hair, and uniforms askew. Some of them have very...physically affectionate boyfriends after all.

I blush when I remember how after that practice, I had shyly asked the guys if anyone wanted to come for moral support. I had assured them I will be safe; everyone will be on their best behavior because it is a multi-school competition. The likelihood of being accidentally-on-purpose dropped or thrown is slim-to-none. They exchanged looks full of hidden meaning and had told me they would try to figure out whose schedule was open. No one has said anything since, and for all I know, no one is coming. I'm left with the knowledge that the phone wedged inside my bra is my only lifeline to them. Knowing that this is my last competition, I'd like to have someone in the stands that is there just for me for once. Besides, I really feel like I could use the support. Those girls are vipers. Well, most of them are at any rate. I suspect the ones that aren't Jade's special cronies would be nicer if they could, but worry about the fallout for crossing Jade and being nice to me.