Warmth (Cheer Legacy Trilogy #1)

4.

"Hey, Gunny," Chelsea says brightly, but I can hear the undertone of nerves. We stand side by side in front of the selection counter, and the gay guy who was really nice is here, waving and smiling at Chelsea. 

"Hey, Chels," he winks at her. "Brought a friend?" Then he sees me and his eyes widen. "Oh! You're friends with this pretty new girl?"

Chelsea nods and looks at me, with some weird pleading in her eyes. "Pippy, this is Gunther. Gunther, this is Pippy, my friend. Pippy, Gunther is my brother." She says all this real quick, like she's afraid I will bolt the second she pauses. 

"Oh," is all I say at first. No wonder she was acting so weird. She has a gay brother. No biggie. I shrug. "Nice to officially meet you, Gunther."

Chelsea looks at me like she doesn't dare believe it, but when she sees I really don't mind, she smiles at me with something like hero-worship. "Gunther's boyfriend is the manager of Lucy's. But I always get to eat for free." She turns to Gunther. "Hey, Gunny. Pippy made the cheer squad today, and I'm treating her."

Gunther rolls his eyes good naturedly and smiles. "Choose whatever you want, girls. It's on the house. And Pippy, congratulations."

"Thanks, Gunther," I beam at him. He makes a shooing motion with his hands and Chelsea and I choose seats by the window. 

"You really don't care that Gunther's gay?" Chelsea asks me once we've sat. 

I nod. "It's not a big deal. He's very nice. I don't see the problem." 

Chelsea looks like she's about to break into tears. "I was right. I knew it the moment I saw you, I knew you're like an angel, and you won't care about Gunther." Then she really did burst into tears. "When Gunther came out, I lost all my friends. We used to be in the popular crowd but then Gunny fell for Alex and it was killing him. I gave him my blessing, and he came out." She stops and takes a breath, and Gunther comes over, puts our yogurt on the table and gives Chelsea a bear hug. 

He turns sorrowful eyes on me. "It was harder for Chels than me. I didn't care about the others, and I was a senior anyway. I only needed Alex. Chelsea was only a freshmen at the time."

I nod and nod as they tell the story, but all I'm thinking is that the yogurt is going to melt, and I really don't care about gayness or social cliques. I mean, I do understand and I feel bad for them, but what's done is done. My mom is dead and my dad is gone. It's done, over with. 

"It's fine," I say comfortingly, reaching out and patting Chelsea's arm, then I pick up my yogurt and start eating. Wow, that's a lot. And the fruits. Gunther really is a good guy.

"Are you gonna stay here?" I ask Chelsea. "I kinda have somewhere to be, so I gotta make a move."

Chelsea nods. "Yeah, you go. I'll stay here and do homework till Gunny's shift ends."

I wave goodbye at her and go back home for a quick shower, change into dance clothes, then I call Atticus. 

"Hello?" His raspy, husky voice fills my ears. I want to giggle. It's so overdone. 

"Atticus? It's Pippy. I'm leaving to get to the place. Can I just put the address in the GPS?"

"Whoa, Barbie? You were serious?" 

"Yeah," I say patiently. "So, can I?"

"Yeah, that'll work. What car do you drive?"

"A Merce?" I say. 

"Oh shit. Don't drive that car. You have any cheaper ones?"

"I have a scooter," I say, with a sinking feeling.