Once the final group is finished and my cheeks are beginning to prickle from my perma-grin, I excuse myself from the table.
“You okay?” Noah asks with concern lacing his voice.
“Never been greater. Just going to use the restroom real quick.” I place a peck on his forehead, and my actions shock me. I know it’s from the pure and undeniable adrenaline coursing through my blood, but in no way do I have any intentions of leading him on.
“Okay.” He sends me a little wink.
It makes me cringe, and I mentally note to never send any mixed signals again. Noah’s too sweet to use or break.
My ass finally finds a perfect curb to plop down on out in the night air. California’s evenings are amazingly warm and welcoming. I know my whole table would kick my ass if they knew I was out in the dark all alone with the monster the news and our coaches keep warning us about, so they’d triple shit their pants if they knew I ran in the dark every single night.
My fingers strum the edge of the cement as I wait for my parents to answer the FaceTime. I know they’re spending a relaxing evening at home tonight.
Mom’s face is the first to beam back at me, but it’s Dad’s voice I hear first.
“Baby Blue.”
I shake my head and giggle a little bit at one of his many nicknames for me. But it’s that one I always scold him for using. All I can manage to do is give a squeal scream combo back into the phone. My mom immediately picks up on it and smiles back at me and begins screaming nonsense right back in my direction. Dad finally appears in the background and can’t help but smile.
He’s been around the two of us and knows our idiotic squeals of delight only mean one thing.
“I got it.”
Something catches my attention, and I turn to see Tuck leaning against the brick wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He only nods at me, and not taking time to analyze it any further, I turn back to my parents.
“Holy hell, is Preston having serious cutbacks?” my dad asks.
Titling my head, I ask, “What?”
“I mean, my hell, I’d hope they could afford a bit more fabric for you.”
I peer down at my outfit and know exactly what he’s talking about.
“I’ll be on the phone with the athletic department first thing Monday making a donation to the cheer squad for clothes.”
The low rumble of a chuckle fills the night air, and I know it’s Tuck admiring my dad’s antics. It doesn’t even bother me that he’s listening to the conversation. I give my mom a blow-by-blow replay of the whole thing, and tell her even Stephie was in my group, and this was all sprung upon the freshman. I don’t miss the worry that flashes across her face, and I know she’s nervous about me being able to handle the job.
“I got this, Mom.”
“I know you do, Blue. I’ve never doubted you for a second.”
My dad’s attention has been lost, and I see him reading a golfing magazine.
“Well, I better go. I just had to see your faces.” My dad pulls down the magazine and grins back at me.
“I love you, baby girl. Be good, and if the b-ball team comes after you, take it, please.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I love you too, Dad. Thanks for everything, Mom, and I love you. Bye.”
I literally have to force my finger to push the red circle to end the session, and when I finally do, I feel that homesickness that long ago left wander right back in.
I push it all down and try to focus on the positive of the whole situation. Standing up, I brush off my sequined ass and shake some loose twigs from my legs and begin to walk up the stairs.
“Don’t ever go out in the dark without me.”
I freeze at his words and pierce him with a glare. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me, Blue.”
“Tuck, you won’t even talk to me, or fucking look at me most of the time. How the hell do you know when I go out in the dark?”
“I run with you every night. It’s no coincidence I pass you.”
I roll my eyes and don’t let him creep into my happiness right now. Walking the rest of the way up the stairs, I just hear a growl from the man.
Chapter 8
“I’m not sure we should be doing this, Sophie.” I nervously fiddle with the hem of my tank top.
“Everyone,” she drags the word out, “is going. The whole team. It’s tradition.”
I climb into the back of Lane’s truck, filled with reservations about going to a party. Noah was nabbed by some of his teammates and I nodded to him to go ahead. I clutch my sleek iPhone and debate updating my Facebook status, but in the end decide against it. Everyone in my hometown would just chalk it up to my parents buying me the spot once again, because seriously, I could never work hard at anything. Insert sarcasm. I guess it was the thing to do when jealousy took over…make up lies.
“You could’ve ridden with Noah.” Sophie turns back to me.
I look to the empty spot in the back seat and wonder why in the hell I’m back here. Surprising Sophie and causing Lane to swerve across the road, I catapult myself into the front seat.
“Nah, he’s nice and all. Will be a great friend, but no spark.”
“He’s a good guy, Blue.” Lane’s deep voice fills the cab of the truck.
“He is.”
We pull up to an extremely large house—or castle—that’s already bumping and grinding with activity.
“What is this?” I ask.
“Brett, he’s a senior and a local. This is his house, the party pad.”
“Holy shit,” Sophie mutters as her eyes take in the scene before us.
The full moon and streetlights illuminate the perfectly manicured lawn adorned with a pearly white picket fence. The house is framed with a gigantic front porch where several bodies are congregated. The music from the house is easy to hear. Lane jumps from the truck while Sophie and I follow him with deer in the headlights looks.
Finding some comfort, I stuff my hands in my pockets of my ever so comfortable pants. Sophie is still dressed in her cheer outfit. I neatly folded mine and stowed it on the back seat of the truck with plans of having it framed in a shadow box. Thanks, Mother, for making me neurotic like you. I shake my head at my thoughts, but still plan on shadow boxing that bitch.
We wind through an endless sea of bodies, some with drinks in hand, while others just chat away the night. We finally make it to the center of a large area where people are dancing. I’m startled by a booming voice.
“She’s here.”
The music instantly cuts off and a voice fills the air, and I notice a makeshift DJ standing in the corner of the room.
“It’s that time, cheerleaders. Get on with your bad selves.”
Instantly, music is blaring once again. Laney, another team leader, snags me by the elbow and propels me up onto a table with the other leaders. I stand like a fucking idiot as the others start freestyling to Hot in Herre by Nelly. The rest of the cheerleaders surround the table and start dancing as well. It only takes me minutes to find my rhythm and groove with the girls and finally fully accept the position as a leader. I let my hair down and even swing it around as I carelessly twerk a bit too aggressively. I make sure to pooch my tush when the infamous part of the song comes on and then break out into the running man, letting my pants have some of the limelight.
The DJ picks up on my moves and switches to the classic Can’t Touch This, and the other leaders just shake their heads. It’s evident there’s no old blood lingering in them. My dad insisted if I was going to dance and cheer that I know some oldies, and granted, MC Hammer wasn’t at the top of his list, but I learned it.
The crowd’s response is ridiculous, in turn causing me to dance harder and with sharper moves. When the song ends, I give the signal across my throat that I’m done and take a bow. My heart couldn’t handle another song as my lungs struggle to inhale and exhale the stifled air filling the room. Hopping from the table, I look for an exit, or at the very least a window to get some fresh oxygen.