And Peggy

14

Alex had to go.

"Keep him." I said.

"Excuse me?" Eliza asked

"He's a good one, Liza! Keep. Him."

"Well okay then?"

"Uh-huh."

Friday:

Cheer tryouts.

"Margarita Schuyler. You're up." Said my coach.

"You can just call me Peggy."

"Alright, Peggy, show us what you've got!"

First I did my back handspring. It was perfect. Then my splits. Once again, perfect. Then my round-off. Perfect. My flip. Great height and overall perfect. My aerial. Guess what? It was perfect.

"Thank you, Peggy."

I walked to the bleachers and sat next to Sally.

"Sally Hemmings. You're next."

Sally walked up nervously.

She did her back handspring. She fell. She did her splits. Her knees were bent. She did her round-off. That was perfect at least.

"Thank you."

Sally walked over to me crying. "There goes my chance at being on Varsity."

"So what? You'll be a cheerleader, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

We waited two hours before the list was up. Sally fell asleep on top of me.

"Sally, wake up. The lists are up."

"I know I got Junior Varsity, but can you just check?"

"Sure."

I walked up to the list. My hair bounced as I sped up. I was at the list. I only looked at people I knew.

Maria Reynolds. Varsity.

Sally Hemmings. Junior Varsity. Flyer.

Martha Manning. Junior Varsity. Ha.

Peggy Schuyler. Varsity.

I ran back to Sally.

"Let me guess. You got Varsity and I got Junior?"

I sighed. "Yeah, but you're a flyer!"

"Wow."

"Guess who also didn't make Varsity."

"Who?"

"Martha fucking Manning."

"Oh my god."

"I know!"