East Chapel Academy

Chapter 32-Marcus

"That's great ladies, thank you for the pictures."

I had taken as many "action shots" as I thought Nia needed. Nia was right in saying that the cheerleaders don't get enough credit. I thought our practice was hard, I may be getting hit but I'm not expected to jack knife up in the air and come back down with a smile on my face like nothing happened. What they're doing is intense, it's so much more than yelling and shaking pom poms.

I let the camera fall against my stomach. We had been here for about an hour and a half, Nia wanted to get a sense of what their practices were like before she started her interviews. When we first left the computer lab she didn't seem like herself, but she wouldn't tell me what was bothering her. She was fine before she talked to Mr. Hobbs and Thomas.

I don't like that guy. He's never done anything to me personally, but it's just something about him that I don't like.

I saw Jackie going over by the bleachers she sipped from her pink water bottle before sitting down.

"Hey, Jackie," I said coming up to her. "Can I talk to you for a second."

She coughed choking on her water. "Uh-uh, sure," she stammered. Jackie placed her water bottle on the bleacher.

"I need to buy two prom tickets, you wouldn't happen to have any on you?"

"Oh, I-I think I do let me see." She pulled her huge bag onto her lap. I tried my best not to look inside but things were almost spilling out of it. How does she carry that thing around?

"I thought you weren't going."

"I changed my mind," I said subconsciously scanning the room to find Nia. I spotted her across the gym floor laughing with Coach Stevens and Marnie. I've talked to Marnie at some football banquets, Whitney was heated when she got captain over her. But she should have known that they were going to pick a senior for captain. Honestly I would pick anyone over her.

Nia kept eye contact with them, but her hand was still scribbling notes on the page. I don't know how she does it, my handwriting is bad enough even when I'm looking at the page.

"One-fifty," Jackie said holding out her hand. I quickly slipped her the bills and slid the tickets in my pocket. I had made sure to stop by the atm before school to pick up some cash.

Jackie asked,  "Are you and Nia going to prom together?"

"That's the plan." I should probably get around to asking her. I'm not the promposal type, but maybe Nia is. I hope she's not, because I hate having a lot of attention on me.

She raised her eyebrows, her mouth set in a slight frown. "Well, I hope you guys have fun."

Maybe I'm reading to much into it, but I don't think she meant that. Jackie didn't stay in the gym much longer, she disappeared out of the gym doors her giant bag over her shoulder and her cell phone up to her ear.

I sat on the bleachers and waited for Nia to finish with her interview. It felt nice to take pictures of something other than my Mom and her closet. I've never thought about pursuing photography outside of the work that I do for her, but maybe I could do this more often.

"Hi," Nia smiled coming up to me. She sat next to me on the bleachers setting her notebook and pen in her lap.

I asked. "How was your interview?" I promise the more I look at her the prettier she gets. She had her hair in a large braid that fell over her shoulder. Her soft lips were tinted pink from her chapstick.

"It was great! They were both very nice and I got more than enough for my story."

"Are you going to be a cheerleader now?" I asked jokingly.