Page 53 of Bad for Me

They both laughed at their own rude little story, and I looked over my shoulder at them, setting down my pen and glaring. “You know there were two Marys, right? One was a saint, and one was a whore…a whore who Jesusloved.”

The two girls exchanged a look of horror, ignoring me and looking back at Mr. Kelly, chiding the girls for talking.

I smiled to myself, picking up my pen again.

After the bell rang, Rachel approached me and I gripped my pen in my fist, readying myself for more taunts. Morbidly imagining what she’d look like with the pen sticking out from her eye as she screamed.

“We have open auditions today for the squad,Mary.You should try out; you have the body for it…and we have a championship game coming up that desperately needs middles for the pyramid.”

Her face was free from makeup, but she was naturally pretty. Her polo shirt peeked out from under a fitted, white sweater. She was the perfect suburban child from a wasp family, and as much as I wanted to make a nasty comment on her cliché appearance, I surprised her—and myself.

“You know what, I think I will. You and I could get to know each other better, maybe even become close friends!” I grinned, holding my books to my chest and turning on my heel.

I didn’t see her shocked expression, but I decided her reaction when I showed up would be even better.

* * *

The football field was massive,and after some quick research on my computer in Vermont, I had figured out that the football team was division three champs and at the end of the season would have a game against the Panther’s rivals, UVM.

Which reminded me, I needed to set up our desktop computer with internet ASAP.

As I walked across the fifty-yard line, I noticed the cheerleaders were already lined up and yelling their cheers.

The voice inside my head taunted me, Try all you want, scary Mary. You will never be anything more than a weirdo.

The hurt I endured throughout middle school made me doubt myself, but I ground my teeth together and pushed it down, far down.

“Have a seat, new girl, tryouts aren’t for another hour.”

Her voice commanded attention, and my head swiveled to her, her short curly hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.

I inhaled a sharp breath.

Recognition washed over me like hot wax melting under a flame, dripping down my lower half until my legs felt like jelly.

I noticed three things about her:

One, she was beautiful, with an angular face and a dark beauty mark just to the left of her heart-shaped lips.

Two, her confidence was off the charts. The girls didn’t take their eyes off her for a second. I just wasn’t sure if it was from respect or fear.

Three, she wore an enormous and sparkling ring on her left ring finger.

I sat on one of the bottom bleachers, unable to take my eyes off her commanding voice…never missing a beat in her instructions.

“That’s Coach Kelly, impressive, huh? She used to compete in Cheerleader World Championships in Florida when she was our age.”

I turned to the girl that had sidled up beside me, a petite brunette with a bob.

“Are you trying out, too? I’m Amber.” She held out her hand to me and I looked down at it, unsure if I should make ‘cheer friends’ when I wasn’t even sure if I wanted this.

“Mary, and I’m not sure yet…”

I ignored her hand, but she seemed happy just with a conversation.

Cheerleader World Championships? Damn…I had seen those crazy competitions on ESPN because my mother always got excited when they were on. I’m sure mom would just love it if I came home and announced my newest endeavor. A far better choice than reading books about witchcraft and astrology, in her eyes.

A deep bass coming from the field startled newbie cheer girl and me, both our heads snapping to the group assembled in front of the bleachers.

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