Shit.
The Skyline Vikings are dominating the second quarter with a 9–0 lead. Our squad showcases our dance routines to “Go Big Blue,” along with a few other cheers Alli crafted, and executed a couple of baskets from our routine. Coach wants us to startperforming them in front of the crowd to help us feel the pressure and attention before the state competition.
We transition to the basket tosses, one girl and two male stunters support the flyer. I feel bad sometimes for Grant. He’s one of the bases for Cassie, serving as the pillar for the entire stunt. I see the frustration and tension in his arms as he struggles to catch and hold Cassie, who can’t support her own weight.
All the girls land smoothly, except for Cassie, who grunts in frustration, Coach claps her hands together with her clipboard. “Alright, let’s not do the tosses right now. We’ll keep working on those in practice. Tumblers, get ready to rock and roll.” She twirls her fingers for us to get ready.
Coach picks out a handful of people to run and tumble across the sidelines since it doesn’t make sense to have the entire team do it. I jog towards the end of the sidelines, alongside Alli and Grant.
“You have a fan in the stands,” Grant explains, stretching his legs out.
I raise a brow. “What are you talking about?”
“Tyler’s been staring at you all night. I think it’s taking a toll on Cassie.”
“She was never good to begin with,” Alli mutters under her breath. She angles her head at me. “And he’s right, Tyler’s looking at you like you’re the only person here.”
One teammate finishes their tumbling and I use it as my opportunity to escape being interrogated. “You guys can keep making assumptions all you want.” I back away from them and straighten up my pose.
With a deep breath, I settle my eyes forward. I block out the noise and lock in. The energy from the crowd hypes me up enough so I begin to sprint off, launching my body into a round-off, effortlessly transitioning into a back handspring. Without missing a beat, I follow up with a back handspring with a front somersault, tucking and rolling gracefully. I land on my feet and I can hear the student section clapping and roaring in cheers.
I used to feel shy back then after landing, which made me walk away with my head hanging low to avoid eye contact with the audience as a child. Now that I’m older, I lift my head with confidence and throw out a wave and a proud smile to my fellow classmates.
I walk back to my spot, but my godmother/coach stops me in my path with a big fat smile. “You missy, are the business.”
I stifle a laugh at her using slang. I really need her to stay off TikTok. “Thank you.”
“You shine out there and I’m so happy to see you sparkle again.”
Grant claps his hands on my shoulders, totally pumped. “Ugh, you’re so good!”
The stadium is buzzing with excitement, the cheers and applause creating an unforgettable atmosphere. I think about the times when my dad would tell me to be confident, and proud of my performances. I didn’t quite understand it back then since I was still shy and learning who I was as a person.
Sometimes I wish he could see me living life like he asked me to do.
A very tiny tear runs down my cheek as I head back to my position in the lineup. I wipe it as quickly as I can hoping no one notices, but Alli offers me a soothing hand on my shoulder once everyone finishes out their tumbles.
“You okay?”
I nod, faking a smile so the team doesn’t sense the change of energy within me. “Yeah, just thinking about my dad.”
“He’s proud of you. I know it.”
We leave the conversation at that and continue on with the rest of the second quarter. Skyline Vikings are still up but the Greenwood Lions have caught up with a field goal, bringing the current scores to 12–3.
It’s halftime now but before we can take a break, we watch the school’s marching band perform their opening title. A group of students playing their instruments and memorizing their movements to create a cohesive performance? Super impressive.
Alli, Grant and I march up the stadium stairs when the performance’s over. “I’m fucking starving,” I say, scanning the area and looking for any signs of real food other than popcorn, while also looking for a certain person.
I didn’t see Tyler in the stands when I walked up to the concession area, so he might be up here already.
I need food before I can even think about him and let my thoughts take over. Alli taps my shoulder and points at a pizza stand. I get in a line that isn’t too long, while Alli and Grant go in a different line to grab drinks. I’ve been given strict instructions to buy a full pie for us. Priya is still on the field snapping photos, so I’ve been told to save her at least three slices.
I’m holding a wad of cash in my hands while tapping my foot impatiently due to my growing hunger. I peek over the line that hasn’t budged. “This line is taking forever,” I mutter under my breath.
“Tell me about it. The game will be over by the time we reach the front.” A familiar voice behind me chimes in.
I whip my head to laugh at their response. “Right, I’m getting hangry soon about to be frangry.”
