The Art Of Seduction ✓

|22| Cheer

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  "Life is about choices. Some we regret, some were proud of. Some will haunt us forever. 'Black Rain' was very much about choices. The message - we are what we chose to be. "
 Graham Brown

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THERE WAS AN obvious silence when Grace entered the locker room with Tassia. Most of the girls turned glancing at the blonde. Even Grace noticed, but she smiled at them, introducing herself to the younger girls as well. When Coach came to explain that Grace was replacing Daisy, no one said a word. 

Grace didn't have her uniform yet, so she wore her older cheer uniform. Her older cheer uniform was red and yellow and stuck out among our blue, white and yellow uniforms. She could have just worn something else but I had a distinct uneasy feeling that she wanted them to know that she didn't bribe her way through. I turned to look at Rekha but stopped midway, not quiet glancing at her but nearly. 

She hadn't spoken to me since our argument in the toilet. Grace moved towards me, "Hey," She said when she was close enough. "I think it's going to rain, perhaps we better use the gym."

"It's too small, besides, English weather always looks like it's going to rain." 

"It's warmer too." She touched my elbow gently, "Come on Amber."

"The competition's in April," I said. "It'll still be chilly."

Our eyes met and I knew Grace would push it, but she didn't. She looked at the ground, "Fine," She said in a sharper tone. Then she put on a smile turning back to walk to Tassia who was waiting for her. Tassia's eyes darted to met mine before the two girls went outside. I rubbed my cheerleading t-shirts sleeves. I wore blue arm warmers to keep me from feeling cold. I walked out, the girls coming out. Soon we're all on the field.

The wind blew my hair wildly. I glanced to the stands spotting Kaden sitting with Cassian and Joey. My heart jumped when I spotted him, dark hair, large broad shoulders and sleek hair. Joey was using his phone. I ignored my heart skipping then I turned to look at all the girls who had reached. "Warm-ups," I instructed ignoring the new-comer. Then I led our stretches, from easy ones to more flexible ones. 

After that, Rekha told them to do twenty laps around the field and she led it, not once glancing at me. 

Normally, I jogged beside her, but today, I lingered back, jogging behind her. The girls followed in two lines. The wind was chilly on my bare skin. I didn't wear the skirt as today we often just did fitness drills. But I did wear black shorts paired off with the long cheer leading socks. Tallah jogged beside me and even she looked a little cold. 

"We won't be able to keep jogging in this weather," Tallah said gently. 

"Yeah, we won't." I responded. It's been a while since I've hit the gym. I found my self at a loss for breath after the fifth lap. I was panting heavily at the tenth lap, but I forced myself to keep going. It was my fault that I hadn't gone to the gym. On my fifthteenth lap, Grace who must have been jogging behind me overtook me. Tallah was still keeping my pace though I was sure she could easily go faster. 

When we stopped, walking a last lap, Tassia had also overtook me, walking with Grace in front. Grace and Tassia seemed to have engaged in conversation. When my breathing was under control, I glanced to see if Joey was watching. 

He wasn't. 

He had left. I didn't see him, or his black bag. I frowned, looking back in front of me. I wasn't supposed to care whether he was there or not.