The Day the Boys Cried

Chapter 1: Where's the Kicker?

Chapter 1: Where's the Kicker?

“Sink in the rivers the lessons I learned” the last chord of Counting Stars played as I flashed a smile at my cheer coach. “Alright ladies at Friday’s rally this is where we will say the spirit cheer.” she yells into her megaphone, “Practice will be dismissed after Jordan shows you her new flip.” I smile to myself, excited to show of my new skills to my teammates. “1” I crouch down, “2” I imagine myself flipping through the air, “3” I launch myself up into the air. I launch off perfectly and turn over. There paused in the air for what seems like hours but it is only a second I remember why I love cheering. The ground comes rushing up and my feet hit with a thud. I can’t help tossing my hands up in the air as my teammates ran forward and engulf me in a bear hug. That moment was perfect and every single girl knew all the hours and practice I had put into learning this. When, they finally let go I gather up my water bottle, shoes, and bows and casually toss them into my bag. “Omgers that flippy thing was like totally cool!” a high pitch voice yells at me. The voice belongs to my best friend Ryan Collins, who loves to tease me. “Ryan, no one talks like that,” I protest as we walk out of the football stadium. Just then I hear my teammate shout, “Oh my gosh! That bow is totes adorbs!” Ryan looks over at me with a smirk, so I just stick my tongue out and roll my eyes. He punches me lightly in the shoulder, and I kick him in return. Next thing I know, my world is being spun around and Ryan has tossed me up on his shoulder. I kick and scream and giggle, trying to wiggle free, when the football coach, Coach Jones, walks by. We both freeze, expecting a lecture on the danger of falling on cement, but Coach Jones just kept walking. As Ryan sets me back down I ask, “What’s wrong with him?” ‘Oh, nothing. We just don’t have a kicker, thats all’ ” He shrugs his shoulders and keeps walking. Most people would’ve thought he was fine, but I knew that when Ryan dug his hands into his pockets like now, it wasn’t nothing. We said our goodbyes and walked to our cars. I unlocked my silver Honda Pilot and threw my cheer bag in the back. I drove home silently thinking, and by the time I reached my house I had decided I was going to do something about the whole kicker situation. The what didn’t come until the next day in P.E. though.