Crying on the Inside
by: Stacey Scott
Friday came quickly. After school there was so much excitement because it was the first game of the season.
Basketball besides football was big in their school thanks to JC, Lance, and Joey. Of course the whole team contributed but the focus was on the main guys of the game. They scored the most and the coach made sure they had the ball most of the time. Even though there was obvious favoritism everyone had to admit the three guys did have skills. After school the girls headed home to freshen up for the game. Not to long after they were on their way back to the school. They decided to meet up with the other cheerleaders on the football field to go over their performance. They practiced until gametime. There wasn't a lot of turmoil between these two schools. Last year they had beaten Parkmont in the first round of finals easily. After the girls took their seat on the bench in front of a roaring crowd, they looked at the guys practice for the last five minutes of warmup. Michelle watched them practice and noticed that the other school had improved and looked like they would give their guys a good game.
"The guys are lookin good out there," Heather said eyeing Lance. Of course Michelle had to listen to Heather's sexual encounters with Lance earlier in the week. Michelle stayed quiet and asked no questions as to not add fuel to the fire. Heather didn't talk long except to say her experience of it was pretty much the same as Brianna's. Now they were making references to her and JC. But not to much.
"I know. But Parkmont boys look tough," Michelle said logically.
"Sure but who's gonna beat us?" Brianna said laughing. The game started and Brentwood stayed in the lead most of the first quarter. The game was exciting and people were on their feet cheering the boys on. When the first quarter was over the Parkmont cheerleaders got up and performed a quick cheer to represent their guys. It was cute but not comapred to what the girls had planned. The guys came out to play the second quarter. Parkmont gained a lead but not for long. At half time Brentwood was up by seven points. The girls got up to perform their halftime cheer. They didn't have on cheeleading outfits. They had on their sweats that they practiced in. They lined up and did the vocal cheer and then formed their pyramid. Then they lined up a different way and when the music of Christina Aguilera's "Dirrty" blasted through the speakers the girls stripped of their sweatsuits to reveal their very short tank tops and short flared cheerleading skirts which had the school colors. They danced and the audience clapped and danced along. Even the guys on the opposing side cheered for them. After all they might as well have danced in bikinis. When their dance was over they returned to their bench. Everyone was on their feet cheering. It was if they had won the basketball game. The guys came out to practice to play the second half. The players had their eyes on the Brentwood girls noticing they were in different outfits. Some missed shots but when it was time to play the straightened up to play the game. Brentwood won the game 65 to 54. The players retreated to the locker room shaking hands. The girls went to the locker room to get their things and then went to the parking lot to wait fo the guys. People passed by them and said how good they did. The guys came out and went up to the girls.
"Victory party at my house. Yall in?" Lance said. Heather, Brianna, and Joey agreed. JC looked at Michelle but didn't say anything. Michelle knew that Lance's parents stayed in a whole other section of the house and Lance might as well have had his own apartment. That meant anything could go.
"You?" Lance asked JC.
"Man you know I'm there," JC replied. He looked at Michelle who still looked hesitant. He pulled her aside.
"Come on. Just for a little while alright," JC said with his arm around her neck. "We have to celebrate the win." She really didn't want to go but JC would ask until she said yes so she gave in.
"Okay. But not all night," she said. JC nodded. They walked back to the others.
"We're in," JC said giving Lance palm.
"We'll meet you there in an hour," Heather said.
"Fine with me," Lance said getting into his car.
"See yall later," Joey said getting into his car. They all parted ways. Michelle went home and jumped into the shower. She let the warm water pour down on her as she thought to herself. She really didn't want to go to Lance's. He was her friend but she knew the things that went on at his house. He and Heather were doing it earlier that week! But she trusted JC and he wouldn't pressure her. Or would he?