Definitions

Chapter 70: Giving it All You Got

Fighting, verb.
When the dream is so real, and achievable in your mind's eye, that no amount of physical setbacks can stop you from pushing forward to get there, even if it's gonna take everything you've got.

Chapter seventy: Giving it All You Got
Saying goodbye was much easier this time. Within two weeks, Simon would be with me again, and in the time that elapsed I would be busier than ever, trying to get back into hardcore cheerleading. I was even marking out the routine as I sat on the plane, America bound, doing it as best as I could strapped in my plane seat. I wanted to be sure I still retained the muscle memory, and for the most part, it seemed to be okay. The stewardess who served me lunch was giving me weird looks, until we got talking, and it turned out that her daughter watched my YouTube videos, so I made her a quick video saying hello to her on her mum's phone. Hopefully it'd make her smile.

It seemed like barely any time at all before I was pushing open the door to the gym, and trying to wedge my stuff into my locker that had never really been big enough for the bag I carried. My team were all happy to see me back, which really warmed my heart that they didn't blame me for basically ditching them all. Out of all the sports I've played, my cheerleading team would have to be the closest group I'd ever struggled through a season with. We were like family to each other more than any other team I'd been a part of, probably stemming from the fact that our actions in our performances directly impacted the rest of the group. We physically supported each other as well as mentally and emotionally, and that first practice back with them I really felt it more than I ever had before. My muscles were straining and aching, from pushing to get back into it, but I could feel the one hundred and ten percent effort that the rest of my team was giving as well, and it spurred me on to do better.

Overall, I was happy to be back, and it was a sweet reunion. I could even smile during conditioning, which included all sorts of death, and Eddie our coach was laughing at me, because I was the only one smiling during bear crawls.
"Look at Jordyn," he smirked. "She's so happy, maybe we should do some more bear crawls?"
"No!" Yelled one of the guys, whilst the rest of us groaned.
"Jord, wipe the smile off your face!" Yelled Meah, causing us to laugh.
"Come on guys, pick up the pace," called Orby, our other coach. "The sooner we get it done, the sooner we move on."
"I mean, unless we do more bear crawls afterwards," Eddie laughed. "You know, since Jordyn likes them so much."
"You just do know how much I hate bear crawls," I groaned, and we all laughed again. We were barely even halfway through our conditioning for the day, and I was already dying, but I knew I was more than capable of continuing, so I pushed through it for the sake of the dream.

Once we finally moved on to working on our actual routine, everything seemed to fall into place, although I needed to do a lot of cleaning and sharpening, especially in the stunt sections. If tumbling was my strength in cheerleading, stunting was my weakness, and I felt bad for my stunt group, like I was letting them down. It was hard to not start blaming my bases for me falling - as the flier you rely on them a lot, but it's also up to you to keep your balance, and fight to stay in the air. We were getting there after the first few days of practice, but it was inconsistent, and we had worlds little more than a week away. We were doing full outs every practice now - going through the whole routine, music and all, as if we were at worlds. It was exhausting, but all of us were fighting for the same dream, and pushed to keep going. That being said however, I was being extra careful during my long tumbling pass, which was the one I broke my leg on, but this unfortunately meant I missed throwing my best skills.

"Jordyn! Why are you throwing a full?" Orby yelled. "Vanessa, sharp! Sharper! Alex, where's the performance! Come on guys, smile!"
"You guys have got this, you need to concentrate!" Eddie added loudly. "Wow, do I need to spell it out for you?" He proceeded to spell it incorrectly, yelling the letters out over the music, and none of us could help smiling at that.
"That's more like it!" He screamed. "Yaaas!"

The routine ended, and Eddie called everyone in.
"Not bad, we didn't drop a single stunt, and Meah's performance in the centre of the dance was amazing! As for the rest of you... I know you can do better. Vanessa and Bobbie as well, did you hear me screaming at you?"
"I'm not deaf," Vanessa laughed, causing the rest of us to join in.
"Sharper, guys," Eddie continued. "And also, Jordyn... I love you to bits honey, but why is the girl with the longest tumbling pass in the routine throwing a full, and all the others are throwing doubles? Is your leg okay?"
"Yeah, it's okay," I nodded. "It's just a mental thing. Mind over matter. That's the pass I broke my leg on, it's getting to me. But no pain at all."
"No pain is good," Eddie nodded. "Okay, well Jordyn is gonna do that pass four times, whilst the rest of us do wall squats and watch her. Let's go! And if she touches out or throws a full it doesn't count!"

A/N: Another update will be up shortly. Or else I'll eat a jalapeño. Also CHAPTER SEVENTY GUYS PLS CLAP FOR ME *bows*