Cheer Angels

Who likes Who?

The boys were talking about Operation Cupid on the bleachers, not knowing that under them, two people were listening to their words.

Ling and Vicky were listening to every word that the boys were saying above, keeping as quiet as house mice. Little did the boys know, that Ling and Vicky hide a secret too. Under the bleachers, they kept their whispers hidden and passive.

"So what are you telling me, Ling?"

"I think it's hard to put the words together, or at least my thoughts."

"It's literally a crush on a boy, it's not that hard."

"But you know, the guy I like is complicated."

"Sounds like you like Greg."

"Why would you assume that I like Greg? I would never date him."

"Ok good."

"What?"

"Ling, I have a confession to make: I like Greg. Some say that he's ugly and some would call him fat because he has a baby face. Personally, I find it cute, maybe I find him cute because we're both ugly."

"Vicky, you are not ugly."

"Who said that I was not ugly? Think about that."

"Phoebe calls everyone ugly and makes racist remarks to us on a daily."

"Eh, my self esteem has spiraled so downhill that nobody can fix it. No wonder Phoebe makes me dance in the front all the time."

Vicky lightly tapped one of the metal bars.

"Anyways, you are the only person that I would allow you to know that I like Greg. We actually snuck away from the rest of the team because we said we need to use the bathroom, and Tracy suddenly uses the Buddy system. By the by, Ling, is there anybody you have a crush on?"

Ling tried shaking her head, but instead it turned into a shake and nod.

"Feelings are complicated?"

"Yes, because I know he doesn't like me back."

"Which guy?"

"You are so going to hate me for this one."

"There is no way I..."

"Mike."

Vicky's mouth dropped to the floor.

"Oh honey."

"I know, he likes someone else, and he probably doesn't know that I exist."

"What do you mean?"

"Doesn't Mike like Tracy? They're always near each other and they always are talking and stuff like that. The signs are obvious, it's like a red flag."

"There is no way that Tracy and Mike would last as a couple. They can't even STAND each other. And besides, Tracy would devour him if they ever were dating. He'd be dead, I'd tell you."

"But why does his face get so red?"

"I think we both know it's you he doesn't like back. My best guess is a girl from his hometown, he's just a hometown boy."

"And I'm from Oregon, he's from Massachusetts."

"It might happen, maybe It's you."

The second Vicky said that, she wished she never did.

"Do you think so?"

"Uh, yeah."

"No wonder whenever we're in the same room, his face turns super red and he can't look me straight in the eye. I should have known, has it been obvious this whole time."

"Sure...."

"So much to do in so little time! I have to work on my stunts and hope that the next time we do a stunt that I get paired up with him. Or if Phoebe won't allow him into the routines, then I'll get injured so I can sit with him. And he won't be able to resist me."

"You're willing to give up being a flyer for a boy? Don't you think that's crazy?"

"Why would it be? Phoebe won't be able to yell at me at all during the routine, it's pure genius."

"But Ling, would you help me gather the courage to tell Greg how I feel?"

Ling started to leave.

"Wh-where are you going?"

"I have to prepare a lot of things. I'll help you as soon as I can, I have to make sure everything is perfect so that Mike won't be able to resist me! It'll be quick."

Ling left leaving Vicky alone.

Vicky almost started to cry at what was happening because she knew who Mike liked, he once told her.

"To be honest, I like an Angel. You won't tell anyone who I like, will you?"

"What's there to say?"

"I like your attitude, Vick. Anyways, I Ugh. I uh, I l-l-like...."

"Spit it out, hotshot."

"Her name is Lisa."

Vicky was silent, which caused Mike to express worry on his face.

"I kind of predicted it. You two look like the stereotypical high school couple except you both are cheerleaders and you are not a football player."

"I thought you were going to yell at me-."

"Don't you two have an age gap?"

"By like 2 years."

"And you're ok with that? You're the younger one in this."

"Why not because you know in a few years age won't matter anymore. A 24 year old could date a 37 year old and nobody would say anything about it."

"Will you promise to be good?"

"I'm always good."

After that flashback, Vicky sat down on the cold, damp grass and hung her head against a pole.

"Mike likes Lisa, but Ling likes him and everyone else thinks that Mike and Tracy are a couple."

Vicky thought even more and reclined her head back a little bit.

"But does Greg feel feelings too? I'm tired of being the support for all my other friends, what about me for once?"

Vicky closed her eyes and tears appeared from her eye sockets. She was quiet and didn't cry loudly. Everybody forgets Vicky and who she was, they never saw potential in her because they always looked at the looks of somebody and not who they were as a person and what skills that they had.

It was starting to get dark out when Vicky woke up, her neck sore from resting on the pole. She picked herself up and dusted herself off quickly before realizing something.

She has to stop Ling before it's too late, to prevent her from getting a broken heart and a hatred for a guy that did no wrong. The blood rushed to Vicky's head as she tried to get her surroundings in one piece.

Sneaking out from the tight hole under the bleachers, she noticed how the dorm building lit up while the sun was slowly starting to set.

Vicky ran as fast as her legs could take her.

"DON'T DO IT, LING!"