Second Chance

Second Chance Part 10

"Girls, you guys did incredible at the pep rally. I had several teachers come up to me and tell me it was the best you guys have ever performed. I'm incredibly proud of each and every one of you. Now tonight is about the football team and the crowd. Let's go out and support our boys and our communities." Coach says in our pre game huddle. She gives us a little speech before every game. I've never really understood. I love cheering on Friday nights, but I don't get nervous. We are there and somewhat appreciated, but the focus is definitely on the football team. "Let's get on out there!" Coach says rallying everyone. We all grab our cheer bags and walk hand in hand to the track. This is something we started doing a couple of years ago. We each hold hands with another member of the team and walk from the locker room to the track in a line of pairs. Coach thinks it makes us look like a united front. Which I can understand. Ari grabs my hand and squeezes as our feet hit the pavement. My stomach does a flip flop as soon as I see the stands. They are more packed than usual. I attribute this to the football teams stellar record last year. They made it to the state championship but ultimately lost in an overtime nail-biter. "I don't think I've seen a turnout like this since last year at state." Ari says as if she was reading my mind. "I agree, it's really exciting though, bigger crowds always make games more exciting." I say. We get out on the track before the football team has gotten out. They should be out any moment to start warming up. I'm so excited to see Max. We set our pom-poms out as we wait for the team to come out. The crowd starts cheering as a sea of football players start filing through the gates. This isn't their official entrance to the game, but the crowd still hypes them up, even for warm ups. I start grinning as soon as the guys take their places on the field. "Do you see Max?" I ask Ari as I scan the field. "Yeah he is over there closest to the away side." She says pointing. "Don't point!" I scream smacking her hand. She starts giggling and a couple of the football players turn around to look at us. This makes her laugh even harder. I feel my cheeks getting hot. We decide to warm up a couple of stunts while waiting on the pre-game activities to start. Both teams head back to the locker room for one last pep talk before the game. As soon as they walk off the field the student body gathers at the gate to make a spirit tunnel for their returns. We start walking onto the field with the band to take our places for pregame. We make our own sort of tunnel with preps lining both sides. We cheer and hold up signs while the starting line-up is announced. I stand with my stunt group waiting for the football players to come back out. Lexi notices me looking around. "Looking for Max?" She asks with a sly grin. "Maybe." I say shyly. "That's sweet" she says nudging my shoulder. I can't tell for sure if she's being genuine or not. She is one of those people who are chronically sarcastic so you can never really tell what she actually means. I mentioned this to her one day last year and she said Thank You. I never brought it up again. "Alright Badgers let's get ready for some Friday night football!" Our announcer shouts over the intercom. We mount in our preps and start shaking our pompoms as we wait for the football team to run through the spirit tunnel. The sound of their cleats hitting the pavement sends shivers throughout my body. While I will always love competition cheerleading more than sideline there is just something about the rush you get on Friday nights. Everyone is going crazy as the team runs through the tunnel and huddles at the end zone. The band starts playing the fight song as they start announcing the starting lineup over the intercom. I cheer for each guy as their number is called and they run to the middle of the field and dab up the other guys. "Number #24 Running Back Max Giovanni!" The announcer scoons. I start screaming like crazy as Max jogs down the center of the field. He jumps up and chest bumps with one of the other guys on the team. I can't help but smile from ear to ear as I see him. He gives me this feeling I've never had before. After the team is announced we dismount and scurry over to the sidelines. As I take my place in the line up I see Max jumping nervously on the sidelines. I wish I could walk over to him and wish him good-luck, but I know we'd both get in big trouble if I did. "Snap out of it, you can't just watch your boyfriend the whole time." Ari says playfully. I roll my eyes, "I know." I turn around and face the crowd. I've never had this predicament before. Brady didn't go to our school so I only got to watch him play twice a year. Once when we played each other and then again when it was our off week. With Max playing though all I want to do is keep my eyes glued to the field so I don't miss a single minute. I put on my best cheerleader smile and start doing a band routine sneaking glances back at Max ever so often.