Darkness Next To Me

The Empty Gym

My mom hired professional movers to move our stuff into our brand new gigantic house. We'd always been modest. Small house, small backyard. This house was the total opposite, it was huge, huge backyard we probably never use, swimming pool, a balcony. That's what promotions do, I guess. 

So, thanks to those movers, my break of exploring the house and city was cut short because then, my room was ready for me. My clothes were hanged and my bed was made. I was ready for school. 

After three days of being in Miami, I went to my new High School, United Miami High. When I walked in, it was so different then my old high school. This one was full of rich girls and boys. My old high school didn't even care about social statuses. This one obviously did. 

"Oh hello!" A boy ran up to me, "Are you new here? You seem new." 

Be daring Lacey. Normal Lacey would be scared and pretend to be mute. 

"Yes, is it that obvious?" I replied, being extroverted might be easier than I thought. "I'm Lacey." 

"Yes, it very much is." He shook my hand. "I'm Barry." 

"Well, Barry, maybe you could show me around." I said. "You seem pretty normal."

"One of the few here." He walked with me through the main hall. "You'll meet lots of unnormals." 

"Oh, there's stereotypes and cliques here?" I asked. 

"Honey, there's both everywhere you go." He squinted at me, like if he was wondering if I was new to earth. 

"Not at my old school." I replied. 

"Girl, even at a Christian school, there is." He chuckled. "You probably just didn't pay attention."

"Amen to that." I made a pun, and we both laughed together. "What clique are you apart of?"

"It's obvious from my dialect, sweetie." He pointed to his mouth. "The gays."

"Well, everyone needs a gay best friend." I joked, "You could be mine."

"I'm up for the job." Barry laughed. "I would love to be your gay best friend but, I don't think you would like to hang out with the gays."

"That's true." I said, looking at the club posters on the walls. "I need my own clique." 

"I'll talk to you later." He waved me goodbye, leaving me at the wall I was looking at. "Find me at lunch." 

I waved goodbye to him too, half-wondering where Barry had gone. I ran my eyes by every poster hanging. Mathletes, chess, swim, baseball. None had really caught my eye until I saw a dark green poster that read "Join the Gator Cheer Squad! Spots limited." In huge font. 

I still aimed to be that spontaneous, new Lacey I've had in mind lately. This was the perfect opportunity to be that Lacey. The cheer team, at least, in every high school movie I've seen, is full of blonde extroverted teenage queen bees. I was none of those things except teenage. I was undoubtedly perfect for it. I checked the bottom of the poster. It read: 

"If you are interested in becoming a cheerleader, go to the gym in the middle of the school for tryouts at five-thirty 8/8-8/10." 

Luckily, today was the tenth. I need this, I thought. I opened my phone and texted my mom that I'll be home around seven that night.

I was half-way through my new first period, history. The girl that sat next to me was blue-haired, giant black glasses and a oversized flannel. She was fixing her hair as the teacher lectured and I was falling asleep.