Bradford.

10. Dance.

Chapter 10: Dance.

"I look horrible." I tell Riley as I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

The pigtails on both sides of my head make me look like a child. The red bra and shorts that I have on make me look slutty. Camila said that we had to channel our inner Harley Quinn for today's performance at halftime, so she sent us Harley Quinn's classical red and black outfit with a burlesque twist. I dyed the ends of the other half of my hair a striking red color to really get into character.

"You look great." Riley tells me. "I think the runny eyeliner look really brings out your brown eyes." She says, closing up her bottle of foundation. I had Riley do my makeup because I was too nervous to do it. This is my first performance with the team, I can't screw up.

"You're gonna do great. Just stop worrying about it." She tells me, squeezing my arm.

My phone starts ringing and it's Camila.

Ugh, I'm on my way, aren't I?

"I need to go now." I tell Riley, hugging her.

"I'll be in the bleachers, so look out for me." She tells me and I nod.

Grabbing my purse from my bed I walk out of the room and head to the football field.

It takes ten minutes to get there but I finally arrive at the football field. I make my way to the female locker room.

"Looking hot, Valarie." Rebecca, one of the girls on the squad, tells me.

"We're literally wearing the same thing, but thanks, Becca." I reply, placing my gym bag on the bench in the middle of the lockers.

"You're late." Camila's voice echoes through the locker room.

"I had to get all of this ready." I say, pointing at my hair and outfit.

"Not bad." She says, folding her arms as she stares at me.

Was that a compliment?

Did Camila Baxter just compliment me?

"Ladies, we need to go over the routine again. Meet me in the dance studio in five." She says before she leaves.

"I think she's warming up to you." Rebecca says, using a lip brush to apply her red lipstick.

"I think so." I say as I watch her do her makeup.

"Are you done?" She asks me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare." I tell her, chuckling.

"It's fine." She says, smiling at me.

"I'll head to the dance studio now." I say, stuffing my gym bag inside the locker that has my name on it.

"Alright, I'm right behind you." She tells me as she puts on highlighter.

I walk out of the locker room entering the long hallway that leads to the gym. Seeing a red door, I open it and I see the other girls in the squad doing their stretches. Walking past two girls, I hear them whispering. I slow my steps down so that I can really hear what they're saying.

I'm nosy, sue me.

"Did you see Talia Lanister's new Instagram post?" The girl wearing a bucket hat asks her friend.

"Yeah. She seemed pretty cozy with that Zachary Henderson dude. Did you know he just got signed to the New York Jets?" The other one asks.

"No way. I heard he was in town last week to see her. I wish I had a Zachary in my life." The girl wearing the hat swoons.