Love & Ride

Chapter 5

- "Move you dumb ass!" Cooper screams as she tries to create a way for herself through the crowd.

The official cheerleading list is on the board and we're trying to see if we got in on the team.

After a lot of struggle, we make our way to the board and check our names. Cooper and I got in. Isobel didn't make it.

- "I'm so sorry Izzy." Cooper tells her before hugging her.

- "It's okay I didn't want it anyway" She actually looks a little relieved.

- "Yes but you would've been with us." I tell her and join in on the hug.

- "Go do that somewhere else and let us check the list!" A girl behind us screams.

- "Shut up bitch!" I shut her off.

- "She's got some nerve! That's my Skyla!" Cooper tells me.

- "She's ruining an emotional moment!"

- "I love you girls." Isobel tells us.

- "We love you too" We answer at the same time.

****************

- "Mom?" I scream while going down the stairs. "Mom?" I scream louder.

- "In the basement honey!"

I go to the basement and find mom going through Monica's stuff.

- "Your sister needed some pictures from her high school years and I can't find them."

- "Try the boxes on the shelves or the ones she left in her bedroom."

- "Good idea! Did you need anything?"

- "I'm going to the bookstore, I still haven't replaced my 'Fallen' copy that I lost on the beach."

- "Okay baby, be home for dinner." She knows that I always lose track of time when I go to the bookstore and end up staying there for hours.

- "I will! Bye!"

I put my phone in the back pocket of my jeans then head outside. I enter the bookstore and go to the sci/fi section. I know this place better than my own room. I come here at least once a week, it's a habit. Some books catch my attention while I'm looking for Fallen.

I pick some of them and start checking them out. I get so focused on reading the summaries that I don't even notice the person standing right behind me. When I look up to pick another book, I jump out of my skin, dropping the book I was holding. Tyler Hanson, what?

- "A cheerleader huh?" he asks, with a funny-serious face.

- "What?" I tell him, not understanding what he means.

- "I mean, you kinda look like a smart small gal, not really cheerleader material. But I guess I was wrong." He says without losing the smile. That damned smile.

- "So you're saying that I'm not smart?" I say, shocked.

- "I'm saying that cheerleaders are not." He acts innocent.

- "Being a cheerleader does not say anything about a person's level of intellect. I hate prejudices." I turn away and he follows me.

- "Yes...no. If you're smart and hang out in bookstores because you're into books, I don't see why you would audition. But you got in, so you must be good, it just doesn't make sense." He explains while I keep walking away, not really going somewhere but just getting away from him, yet he keeps following me.

- "Well, the universe is under no obligation to make sense to you." I say, hoping to shut him off.

- "Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Astrophysics For People in a Hurry." He says, finally losing the smile, he actually looks confused.