Good Things Gone Bad

Chapter 1

I'd like to think that I was a normal teenager, just like everyone else. But unlike how Hollywood portrays cheerleaders, I was nothing like them. Although, I had a crazy amount of friends and I was the captain of my cheer team, I was a straight A student, and I had a one way ticket to Harvard next year. How totally unlike the movies.

I didn't even see it coming.

It was the night of the homecoming football game and we were winning twenty-four to ten. I stared at my skin tight, black and gold cheer uniform and fixed the edges of the bottom. "You have to look proper ladies." My coach's voice echoed in my head. We showed her midriffs and our boobs, some girls showed more than others, like my best friend Piper Katz. I was too scared to show more than what I already had been showing and goosebumps were protruding from my stomach; showing up to anyone who got close to me.

"God, my ears are so cold!" Piper complained from next to me with her legs in first position; standing information with my other cheer team members behind us.

"All of our ears are cold. Our hair is legit stuck to our heads." I laughed. "Is my bow still up right?"

She looked up at my gold bow and handed me her pom-poms. "Here. Hold this for a sec, would you?" I took her pom-poms into my arms and her pale arms reached above my head, wiggling my bow into place. "There. Much better."

I grinned. "Thanks."

"You're spic and span, darling." Piper said mimicking our coach, making us both laugh. At least our laughs were keeping us warm through the rain was falling.

"Daniela!" I heard my name being called from the bleachers. I turned around to see who was calling me and all I could see was a group of seniors who were either drunk or just eager to get brownie points for excitement. "Daniela! Come here!" I heard again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marik Jenson waving his limbs to get my attention. "Come to the fence!"

I placed my light reflectors of the pom poms on the ground before hustling over to Marik, who was shaking in his boots, literally. "Hey, what's up?"

"Post game party at my place?" He asked.

"I can't."

"Why not?" Marik whined.

I chuckled at his idiocy and ran my palm over my hair, fearing that the rain was getting rid of my thousand proof hairspray. "Because I promised that would help with the after party here for the freshman and sophomores."

"Daniela, come on! We need you for the top of the pyramid!" Piper called from formation.

"Coming!" I called and I smiled at Marik. "Once the party here is cleaned up. I'll swing by!"

"Will you bring Gio?" He hollered from the bleachers as I ran back to Piper.

"You know I will." Gio is my boyfriend, Giovanni Ivans, and he's a typical jock. He's a varsity football player, looking to play for the NFL, that is, if he graduates from our school and he comes with all of the stereotypical traits. He's not a straight A student, he's a below average student, he's our team captain and we've been dating since we were freshmen. To be quite honest, it was love at first sight.

"Alright girls, pyramid!" My coach clapped. That was her favorite thing to do, clap when she ordered us around, it was as if she was training us like dogs. Three groups held onto three cheerleaders on their hands. Then two other girls flipped on top of the three. Finally, I flipped onto the top of the pyramid, being captain and all.

"Let's get a little bit rowdy!" I began to cheer as loud as I could. I was surprised that I hadn't lost my voice in the sixteen years that I've been cheerleading. "Let's get a little bit rowdy!" The girls joined with Piper's lead. "P-A-N-T-H-E-R-S! We are the Panthers hear us roar! Run this way, tackle this dude! We won't quit 'til we're through with you! Let's go Panthers!" We all screamed. As I climbed down off the pyramid, Gio received the ball and ran to the touch down zone; winning the game, thirty-one to ten.

"Winners! The Panthers for another great game!" The announcer that staying in the box announced. The crowed cheered and roared as the football players ran into each other in a mass of spandex; hitting Gio's helmet. As if it were a ritual, they picked Gio up onto their shoulder; chanting as doing so.

"Final cheer ladies!" Our coach ordered.

"We are the Panthers! Hear us roar! We just kicked your butts, just look at the score! You thought you were best, but look at us now! Now we are the best! We're Panther proud!" My team and I cheered and the football team ran off the field.

"Alright girls!" My coach clapped which was our signal to get our bags. "Daniela!"

I ran over to her as I put on my jacket, "Yeah, coach?"

"I didn't want to tell you this before the game because I didn't want you to get worried," She started as she lead me to two people near the gate that separated the field and bleachers. One was a lady and the other was a man; both holding clipboards. "This is Mrs. Oakland and Mr. Goadie. They are cheer leading scouts from UCLA. They were looking for someone with pure talent, you."

"Hello, Daniela. I'm Mr. Goadie." He reached his hand out and shook mine. "It's nice to meet you."

I smiled. "It's nice to meet you both, too."

"We would like to offer you a scholarship." Mrs. Oakland said and looked at her clipboard, double checking if she was saying the right words. "A full ride."

"My lord!" My coach gushed, which was an appropriate response for my mouth was in paralyze state and nothing was coming out anytime soon. "Mrs. Oakland and Mr. Goadie, how generous of you."

"You're really welcome." He smiled.