Nine

I ran into the gym kind of late, people have started arriving, but it wasn't game time yet. I stormed into the locker room, and Alisha handed me my uniform "Hurry before she flips on you." I quickly changed into my uniform and threw my hair up in a loose bun; Alisha grabbed a sharpie and drew a heart under my right eye "Jordyn will get mad if you don't have one. She says it gives us luck." I laughed "She doesn't actually believe that?"

She grabbed her lip gloss "Put this on, she says we have to be cute on the court." I read the label "I didn't join to look like Barbie." She adjusted her shirt and hair tie "Gauges out, she'll flip." I stood up "Enough, she doesn't like it, she can gladly throw me off the team." Jordyn came in and everyone huddled "Let's go win this guys. Make this year count."

The team went into the gym, and Jordyn pointed at her earlobe "It's dangerous to play with those." I pulled them out "Fine." I threw them in my front pocket and wiped my mouth. I went out to the gym; the other team hasn't come out. I got into position, I looked in the bleachers for Tomas but didn't see him. I noticed Ryan was in the front row.

The game started; it was pouring rain outside and you could hear the thunder shake the gym. The gym doors opened, a girl ran in laughing, and holding a raincoat over her head behind her was a guy that was holding her hand and laughing with her. Jordyn yelled at me "Casey! Focus!" When I turned my head, the ball was coming at my face and hit me in the forehead, I fell to the floor. Rob hollered "Casey! It's okay get back up!"

I got up and rubbed my head, my coach came up "Are you okay?" I brushed my hair back "I'm fine." She put her hand on my shoulder "Have to focus honey." I nodded my head "I know I just got distracted." She smiled patting my back "Get back in there." I got back in my position, the gym door opened and Tomas ran in. I looked away from him and focused on the game, I pulled the shorts down to my thighs the best I could and adjusted my shirt.

Jordyn served the ball, it came back at me, I spiked it up to Alisha; she missed it. Close to the end, Jordyn grabbed the ball, she handed it to me "Serve it since you'll be next year's captain." I inhaled "Fine." I threw it up and spiked it to the other team, they ended up missing the ball giving us the last winning point. The girls piled onto me congratulating me; the coach came over after they gave their congrats, and she hugged me "I knew you could do it. Just a little distraction."

Ashlyn came up "You did awesome girl!" I hugged her "I got distracted at first, but thanks." She smiled "We all do, are you guys staying for my cheer practice?" I looked back at Tomas and his dad "I'll ask but I should get out of these shorts, they are doing a good job advertising my ass." She laughed "Go I won't keep you waiting." I ran to the locker rooms to change, Ashlyn walked up to Tomas and Rob "Hey Tomas, Mr. Evans." Rob laughed "Go ahead and call me Rob or Robert."

She giggled "Yes sir, are you guys going to stay for my cheer practice, Casey said she wanted to." Rob nodded his head "Of course, is Casey thinking about joining that too?" She smiled trying to hold back her laugh but it slipped out "Casey? Join the cheer team? No, she has to be one of the boys, cheerleading is to clique for her." Tomas smiled "Yeah Dad I can't see her doing it. She likes to get down and dirty with sports." Rob laughed "Okay guys I get it."

I came out of the locker room in baggy sweats and a t-shirt, Alisha walked beside me "Cheer starts, you should try out." I looked at the tiny uniform they wore "I'll leave that to Ashlyn." She grabbed the strap to my bag "It's cheerleading, you use to be a gymnast right?" I pulled the strap back up on my shoulder "When I was 7, I'm not into it anymore." She smirked at me "Is it because of Tomas? Ashlyn told me you wanted to join cheer until you met him."

I brushed my bangs back "None of my decisions are based on his opinion." She crossed her arms and said "Okay. If that's true, then give us a chance. What will it hurt?" I looked at Rob, Tomas, and Ashlyn talking; Tomas quickly looked at me, but looked away "Next time." She shook her head "You're going to let him decide what you want to do?" I got upset at her "I refuse to cheer in front of him."

She snapped her fingers and said "Ah ha! There it is! Who cares what he thinks, did you forget he's with Amanda and doesn't care he's hurting you? I'm team Ryan Casey! He cares about your feelings and likes you for you." I raised my eyebrow "They broke up and what am I? This isn't a Team Tomas or Team Ryan kind of debate." She pulled out her phone "Then you should see this."

She started scrolling down "This is ridiculous. I'm team no one." Alisha shook her head "Ryan. He is now captain of the basketball team." Ashlyn came up "Can we talk about this drama later? Kylie will be here shortly and you know how she is." I wasn't sure I heard her right "Did you just say, Kylie? I will not try out if she's the captain." Ashlyn grabbed my right arm "She's not the only one who can out you." I picked up my duffle bag and threw it over my shoulder "I'm good, have fun guys."

I walked toward Tomas and Rob, Kylie entered the gym; the team got in formation for her immediately. I sat on the bleachers next to Rob, and he whispered "Have you ever tried cheerleading?" I looked at him "When I was younger, but I rather not do it now." Ashlyn looked at me smiling with her fingers crossed, Kylie began the song. I watched with my chin resting on my hand. She started getting angry and removing people from tryouts, I started feeling agitated at her lack of patience.

I sat up and hollered "Kylie how do you expect them to learn when you give up so easily, that's just setting them up to fail." She turned and faked a smile "Are you the coach?" I stood up "No but losing your patience so quickly is only confusing them and setting them up to mess up."

She turned with her hands on her hips and gave me a sarcastic response "Right. The volleyball player is going to tell me how to run my tryouts." I faked a laugh "I'm not trying to do anything, I'm just saying you're working with a team of people and you aren't giving them a chance because you're losing your patience far too quickly." She moved aside "Go ahead then since you are such a good team leader."

Alisha spoke up "Casey is a good team leader, that's why she was made team captain for next year." Kylie crossed her arms "Fine, let's see how well you teach them." She sat on the bleachers with her arms crossed pouting; I climbed down off the bleachers. Alisha came up "You got this, I have faith in you." I walked to the end of the mat and kneeled; I waved them to the end of the mat. They lined up behind me, I stood up and fixed my hair "Watch me then you guys follow."

I ran and did backflips to the other end of the mat; the coach came out and watched, and the girls and guys followed; some of them were able to follow and some were not able to. I broke the tryout in parts for them to understand better then we did it all together; I finished the tryouts, and Kylie stood up clapping "I'm impressed for a volleyball player." The coach came over smiling "Welcome to the team!" I looked at her frantically "No I'm not trying out, I just..." Alisha came up and hugged me "Dude! That was awesome!" I shook my head "I will not do that again." Tomas came down from the bleachers "Wow! That was... impressive, especially for your first time."

Kylie walked up to Tomas "I thought Amanda said you weren't allowed to talk to Casey." He rolled his eyes "That's long over. Now would you mind?" She scoffed and walked away, Ashlyn ran and jumped on my back "Oh my god! I am so proud of you!" The gym doors opened and Amanda came walking into the gym "Tomas!" I looked down trying to hide my laugh, she walked up "We are through!" Rob looked at me confused, Tomas rolled his eyes "I broke up with you, you are just so crazy." She looked at Rob "Is this your dad?" I crossed my arms and waited for this to be over, she looked at me "And of course, Casey..."

I covered my mouth to hide my smile "Hi, can we help you?" She got frustrated "You should be with Ryan, he is your boyfriend, not with my boyfriend." She stormed out of the gym, and I laughed "She is so nuts, I have no idea how you did it." He looked at me with a serious look "What is she talking about?" Rob took his leave as he realized the intense conversation "I'll be in the car; we'll celebrate with dinner." Ashlyn, Rob, and Alisha left.

Tomas crossed his arms "Well?" I looked up at him "She isn't lying..." he shook his head in disgust "I know about the debate going around, I'm for team Ryan now. You already chose your team; we'll see if he's better than me. I mean you're moving away anyway, long-distance relationships don't last. Maybe moving with your mom is the best for you. " I pulled my hair down "I don't need your permission; I don't know what you expected to get out of dating her. It just pushed me away from you." He nodded his head "You're right, and you being with him is going to push me away too." I began walking to the double doors where I stopped to talk to Ryan. Tomas walked past glaring at him; once I said my goodbyes I followed shortly behind Tomas.