Putting on Airs

Pulling Stunts

Chapter 3

"Do you need a ride, Cupcake? I can take you home," Luke suggests with a little too much, well, suggestion.

I feel my nose crinkle and shake my head slowly. I'm saved from speaking by North slapping Luke upside the head. While I don't really find his brand of flirting to my taste, I dislike violence even more. Without thinking, I reach up and grab North's hand as he's bringing it back to his side.

"Don't hit your brother, North," I instruct before dropping his hand like it's hot. "I don't need a ride, thank you. While I appreciate your offer, the way you made it is icky. Especially considering you were still wearing diapers at 10." I smile as I zip my backpack closed, enjoying the low rumbling laughter of the guys still waiting around for me.

"Hell yeah! She told you, Luke. I knew this girl was smart," Nate exclaims, looking about two seconds away from doing a smug happy dance.

Taking a moment to mentally picture such a large, muscular guy dancing around creates a confusing mixture of humor and excitement. Huh. Well, that's certainly new. Without waiting around for the guys to finish ribbing Luke, I make my way down the wide steps of the lecture hall and start down the hallway.

When I get to the doors at the front of the building, I notice it has started raining and dig my small, travel size umbrella from my bag. Quiet footsteps approach me from behind. I turn my head to look over my shoulder and am trapped in the steel colored eyes of the class auditor. I scrounge up a small smile and fight against my body's need to push through the door and run to the bus stop.

"Miss Sorenson, I believe you have my pen," he tells me with his cultured voice.

My cheeks flood with color when I realize I just ran off with this guy's expensive writing tool, and he'd needed to chase me down. Shoot. Way to keep a low profile, Sang. Sheepishly smiling, I hand it over and turn back to the door. I really don't want to go out there. If my bag gets wet, all of the things I carry will as well.

Reflections in the glass show the other guys have arrived on the scene. Mr. Suit seems to be doing that blasted silent speech thing with them, and for once, I just don't care to know. It seems my old friends have plenty of other friends and family now. It was a silly hope; a childish hope. I can't really be distracted from my goals anyway.

That one thought decides it for me. Using my hip to open the door, I simultaneously open my small umbrella and dash into the onslaught. My pants are drenched, as are my old tennis shoes, and the socks on my feet. I've never felt more glad that cheerleading requires separate shoes and socks to wear with the uniform. If it keeps raining like this, we'll all be drenched by the end of the night anyway.

The bus is on time, and I make it back to the high school with time to spare. I use the side door that is notoriously left unlocked, and squeak my way over to the gym. The rest of the squad is already there, looking completely dry and perky in their practice clothes.

"You look like a drowned rat, Sang. Ugh. Why are you wearing those hideous glasses," Carissa shouts in her usual tactful manner.

"I feel like a drowned rat, Riss. It's really coming down out there. The glasses aren't my first choice, but I lost my contacts earlier," I reply, not falling for her intentional jabbing.

Getting into a fight with Jade's second in command will only make things infinitely worse for me. I quickly change into the shorts and tank top that I use for gym, and let the girls lead the way out of the locker room and up into the mezzanine where we practice our stunts.

We go through our halftime routine twice, then practice stunts for another 30 minutes using another girl as the flyer. They are rather pissed that I don't have my contacts in for practice. In fact, they nearly go postal when I say I'm out of my prescription disposables and won't have them for the game tonight.