On the Court #Wattys2015

CH 3: Wolfpack!

It was game night and Toni and Luna were getting ready for it in their dorm. Toni helped Luna straighten her hair and Luna curled Toni's. They both put their styled hair up in high ponytails. They put on their cheer bows and straightened out their red uniforms. "Perfecto" Luna stated as she looked at her and Toni in the mirror. Toni nodded in agreement.

"It's officially winter break!" Toni exclaimed as they walked to the gym. "And my goosebumps prove it," Luna mumbled. "Awe, it's great Luna. No school for nearly three weeks! Got anything special planned?" Luna groaned, "Officially, yes. My mom wants Jeremy and I to drive down to Wilmington and stay a couple of days."

Toni was suddenly saddened. What was she to do during her lonely days in the dorm? "What about you? Visiting your parents?" "Oh hell no. I moved here for a reason. I'll call." "You must've had a bad upbringing." "Not bad just...not free."

Walking into the gym and seeing it empty never got old for Toni but she knew that in a matter of hours it'd be entirely filled. The boys practiced shots and plays as Toni and Luna walked past them and into the back where the cheerleaders usually stretched. "Hey Toni, Luna" Darren called to the girls. They waved back but Toni's lingered longer than Luna's. Darren pressed his finger into his left cheek, showing Toni which cheek she'd put his number. She nodded with a smile, telling him she understood.

Toni stretched her arms and legs, splits and flips. After the boys finished and cleared the court, the cheerleaders went over their routine once and even messed around a bit. The basketball players whistleled at the girls while calling the boys on the squad gay. Such disrespectful people these days.

"Do your full" Nicolaa, Toni's second base, nudged her. "No way." "Why not? You just got it and it looks perfect." "Exactly. I just got it. I'm not about to embarrass myself."

"Lyci!" Nicolaa shouted. Toni's eyes widened as she tried to cover Nicolaa's mouth. Lyci turned her head, wondering why Nicolaa's squeaky voice was ringing through her ears. "What?"

"Toni should do her full!" "No she shoudn't" Toni protested, speaking about herself. "Oh yes...Rookie. Do your full." "Damn you, Nic" Toni muttered.

Toni was nervous. Everyone had cleared a path for her and even the basketball players took glances her way, waiting for her to do it. A few people entered the gym, waiting for the game to start but since everyone was starring at Toni, why not them too?

She gulped, "So what exactly to you want me to do?" "Round off, double back handspring, full."

"Okay."

Toni took a deep breath in before running a few meters then doing her round off, two back handsrpings and her full. It felt like her full was in slow motion, like she was going super slow. She closed her eyes and hoped that she didn't land to hard on her ankle.

Think light

She landed on her feet firmly. Her ponytail fell in front of her face. She lifted her head and flipped it back, smiling brightly. Nicolaa, Luna and a few more cheerleaders clapped for her, calling her 'Rookie'. Lyci had a smug look on her face. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the boys. She turned her head to see Darren smiling. 'You're good' he mouthed. Her cheeks tinged, 'Thanks' she mouthed back.

***

"Let's go, Wolfpack, let's go" *clap* *clap* *clap*.
The game, as always, was packed. Luna proudly wore her boyfriends number on her cheek and cheered him on. Toni was just as happy to wear Darrens. So far he made more than half of their points. "Another shot made by Rivera."

Rivera?

She thought Rivera was some type of hispanic last name, but how would she know?

"He is too fine," a cheer mate commented. "Who?" another replied. "Number 24. I think his name is Darren." "Yeah, he's pretty sexy." "I remember I got with him a few months ago. I swear i was on cloud nine. "