Runner Girl

Chapter Ten

My hands are clammy and I have a hard time gripping the crutches as I head for the gym after school. I debate changing out, but since I didn't think I'd still be on the team, I didn't bring any gear with me, and even if I borrow some clothes, I don't think I'm up to figuring out how to get shorts on over my cast, so I decide not to worry about it. My crutches echo on the polished floor, and the girls turn to look from their warm ups. Janel smiles as I hobble over, and she points to a bare patch of floor that looks like it was deliberately saved for me. Even though I'm nervous about trying to cheer with my cast, it's a good feeling to be wanted, and I drop to the ground clumsily and try to follow along with the warmup. Surprisingly, there's not much I can't do; the cast makes some of the stretches a little unwieldy, and I have to get creative when everyone crosses their legs, leaving my injured foot sticking out and tucking my other heel into my groin under my skirt, but by the time we finish the warmup, my blood is flowing again and some of the familiar tingle I've always felt before a run is back, coursing through my body and making me pulse with anticipation.

When Janel claps her hands, everyone gets to her feet. Rosie lends me a hand to help me leverage myself up off the floor, and she clasps my arm once I'm steady. "I'm glad you came back," she says with a genuine smile. "I was afraid we'd scared you off yesterday."

I grin. "I'm still not sure how I'm going to cheer like this, but I'm glad I'm here." It's the truth, too, I realize as the words leave my mouth. Even though I was intimidated by the girls—was that just yesterday?—now it feels strangely natural to be part of their chattering, friendly warmth. It's good to have a team again, I think, fighting down a pang of homesickness at the thought of my old track team and Coach Merk.

I shut my eyes for a second, forcing myself to focus on the present, and when I open them again, Coach Cypri is standing in front of us in what I'm starting to realize is her standard stance, arms on hips, feet wide, and head high. The other girls straighten in imitation of her, and I feel myself adjusting my posture, too. Energy surges through me, and my head snaps up, my spine tall. Even with the cast, I suddenly feel like I own the world, and I glance around at the rest of the team in wonder. Is this the secret weapon that makes cheerleaders so confident? They just know how to stand like they own the room?

A smile flickers over Coach Cypri's face and she nods like she's answering my silent question. "All right, ladies. We've got a month until the first home game, and six weeks until the first cheer competition. As you know, it's a long season, since we have to wait for the basketball team to get going, and I hope you're ready to buckle down and work for the next few months. We need to pick our theme for the shows this year, and start thinking about music. Any suggestions?"

I have no idea what she's talking about, so I keep my mouth shut and listen, trying to absorb the ideas that start flying around me like confetti.

"Dance off!"

"Broadway's Best!"

"Queen. Come on, then we could use "We Are the Champions."

"Myth and magic," Janel says, her voice pitched to carry over everyone else. "Think about the flying potential if we use fairy tales or mythology."

Everyone considers this suggestion, and I have to admit it sounds cool, even though I still don't know what's going on. Coach Cypri smiles thoughtfully. "Any other thoughts before we vote?"

Nobody says anything, and the vote is nearly unanimous; everyone loves Janel's idea. I vote for it, too, and Janel gives me a wide smile when I stick my hand in the air. Cypri claps her hands at the end of the vote, and the girls around me break out in spontaneous cheers.