Just you and I

Chapter 2

Football was my one connection, besides my grandparents, I had left of my dad.
Every Sunday me and my dad would sit in front of the Tv, with out football jerseys and stripe painted faces, with a large bowl of buttered popcorn and watch the game.

Signing up for the cheer squad felt like a legacy. Although my mom was never a cheerleader, it was what my dad had wanted for me, and I knew he was shining down from heaven when I marched up to the sign up sheet. I signed all three of us up, then headed off to lunch to tell the girls.

It was still a beautiful day, as fall hadn't quite yet arrived. The girls were sat underneath the summer tree we normally sat under in the summer. I couldn't hold back my smile as I approached them.
"What's got you all happy?" Maddy smirked.
"I signed us all up for tryouts!" I grinned.
"Really?" Addison beamed. I nodded my head in excitement.
"Um...I don't know..." Maddy fidgeted. She had always been shy and awkward about these sort of things. But it felt like it was time to push her into the deep end and learn a few new skills.
"Oh come on Maddy! You never know, you may love it" I try to persuade her. Addison gives her the, you always do this look, then shuffles in her seat.
"Fine!" She sighs. We all let out a little squeal, then get back to eating lunch.

Friday, final period had come around quiet fast. I mean it always does on the first week back. I couldn't wait to get out of school and start the weekend. Unfortunately for me, I had a class that required no intelligence at all. Gym class. The one class I hated. Your probably thinking, Harley your trying out for the cheer squad, what could be so bad? Nova Carter. The most popular girl in the entire school. Every single girl in gym is either following her around like a fly attracted to some light, or they are her personal targets. I however happen to be one of her targets.

Nova wasn't always the way she is now. She was once a shy girl, with little to no friends at all. She came from a family who had nothing. But one day her dad had a break through with his job, and became super rich. People started to find out about Nova and her increasing wealth, and that's what increased her popularity. But with popularity comes attention. Nova liked her new found attention and became more confident until the point she thought she was more privileged than everyone else. And thus the Nova Carter we have today. Although she was captain of the cheer squad, she didn't have the final say. But in gym, that's a complete other story.

As I walked into the locker room, I tried to find some room to get changed. Nova had of corse spotted me, then marched up to me, with an entourage behind her.
"So....Harley is it?" She spat sarcastically. I turned to face her.
"Yeah?" I rolled my eyes and her little clan giggled behind her.
"You and your nerd squad have signed up for cheer huh?" She pouted at me, while twirling her hair around her finger.
"Is that a problem" I raised an eyebrow as I spoke.
"Do you seriously think your gonna get in?" She burst out laughing, with her gang joining in.
"That's why I signed up" I pushed past her to get out the doors.
"Well don't forget that we'll all be watching you" she said in a baby voice. I turned around to look at her.
"You'd be surprised how many people can do a backhand spring without training like you do, but can actually land one" I smirked. Nova couldn't land a backhand spring, so this was a dig for her. They all gasped in shock, as I left the locker room and headed to the field.

Once I made it to the field, a group of girls from the locker rooms were calling my name.
"Harley! Wait up!" They called. I waited for them to catch up.
"What you did in there was awesome!" A girl said to me.
"You should have heard Nova scream crying in the mirrors" Another giggled.
"I wish I was as brave as you" The third smiled.
"Well someone had to tell her" I shrugged with a smile.
"I just don't understand how your not one of them" The first one said.
"What do you mean?" I smiled.
"Well your just so pretty, I'm surprised your not popular" They all walked away to the field as I slowly followed behind, taking the compliment in.

As I walked home with Blake, he told me all about how awesome his first week was.
"And then Mr Rouge was like If you don't shut up your getting a week of detention! But Harrison was all like If you don't shut up there will be no detentions because I'll burn them all down with these chemicals!" He laughed. He was such a sweet boy.
"How was your week H?" He asked.
"Well, not as funny or as fun as yours, but I did sign up for the cheer squad" I smiled at him.
"Sick! Does that mean my fake big sis is gonna be part of the hot cheer squad? With all the hot cheerleaders? Ooo! Does that mean you can take me to all the games?" He grinned asking a million questions at once. I giggled as he continued on.
"Possibly! I have to tryout first, and anyway even if I didn't get in I'd still take you to the games, you might become too cool to go with me, but that's cool" I smiled at him.
"What? Are you serious? Everyone thinks I'm super cool for hanging out with you cuz all the boys think your mega hot! Even more than that Nova chick" he scrunched his nose up at me while saying her name.
"So you only hang out with me because people think your cool for doing it" I gently shoved him. He burst out laughing.
"No! I think your cool, even if you don't think it" he smiled.

Once he reached his front lawn, we said our goodbyes and both headed into our houses.
"Hello Harley dear!" My grandma greeted me as I entered the house.
"Hey grandma! I signed up for cheer tryouts" I grinned as she walked towards me to give me a hug.
"Oh sweetie how wonderful! Your farther would be so proud right now! Ron! Get in here, Harley has some news" she called to my grandpa.
"What's my girl been getting up to, huh?" He beamed.
"I signed up for cheer tryouts!" I grinned even harder the second time.
"That's amazing! Just think how proud your farther would have been" he smiled while coming over to hug me.
"You know what? I think I'm gonna make you your favourite for dinned! Grandpa chicken and fries" he started walking towards the kitchen to prepare my dinner.
It was something he had been making me since I was 5. My dad loved it as a kid, and before I moved in with them, it was what we had on every visit.

That weekend, the girls and I had a sleepover at Maddy's, as she had the bigger house.
"We heard what happened in gym Harley! Everyone is loving you right now" Addison blurted out.
"I can't believe you had the confidence to do that" Maddy grinned.
"Well it's the sort of thing you have to have when your a cheerleader" I laughed.
We watched a movie while eating pizza, and talked the whole night.
"Do you guys wanna practice the cheer chant?" Addison asked out of the blue. Maddy looked at me, and I looked at Maddy. We both burst out in laughter.
"I mean sure, a bit random, but sure" I giggled. We all stood up and started practicing how we'd all do it.
"Come on boys, don't let us down! Gooooo Lions!" We all took in turns to do our routines, but couldn't take it seriously. After about an hour of trying to chant, we all fell asleep dreaming of the cheer squad, well that's what I did at least, and how wrong Nova was about us.