Crap. I can’t exactly tell her I ditched the chaos to get kissed breathless by Jamie and then watched Miles deck someone. “Yeah, I, uh… got a headache and tried to find you before I left.”
Bella blinks behind her shades, then shrugs. “Fair. It was madness out there. Anyway!” She stops suddenly in front of the Student Center steps, whipping her sunglasses off with a little flourish. Her lipstick gleams in the sun when she grins at me. “I come bearingexcellentnews.”
“Oh no,” I say automatically. “That smile is dangerous.”
“Shut up and let me talk.” She bounces a little, clearly thrilled with herself. “So, Maggie, me, and Brielle”—she waves aperfectly manicured hand— “the captains, remember? We had a little meeting this morning. And we’ve decided…”
My heart actually picks up. “Decided what?”
“That you’re in,” she says.
“In what?”
“On the cheer team, duh!”
For a second, I think I misheard her. “What?”
“Officially, like… part of us.” She does a little spin, sunglasses still in her hand. “Congrats, babe. You’re a Delta Phi cheerleader.”
It takes a beat to sink in. I blink at her, the corners of my mouth twitching up despite everything. “You’re serious?”
“Dead serious. I mean, you’re technically still a pledge—don’t go stealing pom-poms yet—but we need you.”
She must see the disbelief still written on my face because she leans in, lowering her voice. “Someone brought spiked punch to the after-party last night.”
I blink. “Okay?”
“And half the cheer team isdeadtoday,” she adds. “Like, not literal dead but close enough. Food poisoning, hangovers, someone may have thrown up in the communal shower. It’s been chaos.”
I wince. “Yikes.”
She snorts. “Right? I got lucky I was already passed out before it hit. But Maggie’s still sick, and Brielle’s voice is practically gone, so guess who’s up?”
“Me?”
“You.” She looks entirely too pleased with herself. “You’re the only pledge who’s ever been a cheerleader. You already know the basics, and we have a game in two days. You’ll be fine.”
I should probably hesitate, but the truth is I need this. I needsomethingto throw myself into, something that isn’t tangled up in Miles’s anger or Jamie’s kisses or the way my own head keeps spinning in circles.
“Of course,” I say, smiling despite the nerves fluttering in my stomach. “I’d be happy to.”
“Good girl,” she says, squeezing my arm. “Oh, and one more thing—you’ll be staying at the Delta house until the game. We’ve got a spare room you can crash in since practice will basically be all day, every day until then. Think of it as an initiation perk.”
My grin widens. “You’re serious?”
She nods, already fishing her phone from her tiny purse. “Welcome to hell week, sweetheart.”
Thirty minutes later, I’m regretting every single syllable of, “Of course, I’d be happy to.”
The cheer gym smells like a mix of rubber mats, perfume, and exhaustion. Bright overhead lights make the whole space feel twice as hot as it should, and my borrowed uniform feels painted on. It’s navy blue with a gold stripe down the sides and a short pleated skirt that’s definitely meant for someone with fewer curves.
“This belonged to Marissa,” Bella says, handing me the top earlier. “She transferred, and she was tiny, but you’ll make it work.”
Tinyis right.The top barely stretches over my chest, and the hem of the skirt keeps riding up every time I breathe. I’m showing at least an inch more leg than everyone else, which earns me more than a few raised eyebrows and smirks from the other girls.
Brielle—captain number three—claps her hands to get everyone’s attention. She looks tired but chipper, the kind of girl who’s powered by pure caffeine and ambition. “Alright, ladies! Let’s run it from the top.”
I copy the others, falling into formation. The mirrors stretch across one entire wall and watching myself move in sync with them is weirdly thrilling. I almost feel like I belong here.
