“5, 6, 7, 8!” The HBIC’s voice rings throughout the gymnasium.
Loud, expressive music comes from the stereo. Cheryl and Veronica stand, side by side, watching as the girls do the audition dance together.
Cheryl slowly crosses her arms to her chest. “None of these girls are any good,” she says, rolling her eyes.
“Come on, Cheryl,” Veronica groans. “Stay positive.” They watch for a minute more. “Your cousin isn’t all that bad,” she says, shrugging.
Cheryl makes an uninterested noise. “Third-cousin,” she grumbles. “And, I suppose she’s not as terrible as expected.” She checks her phone, bored out of her mind.
Suddenly, the music cuts out with a crash.
“What the hell?” Veronica exclaims, voicing Cheryl’s thoughts. As Cheryl looks up, she sees an unfamiliar face dusting off her knees and wincing. “Sorry, sorry—“ the girls apologizes, bending over to put the boombox back upright.
Veronica whistles. “Wow. Who is she?”
Cheryl rolls her eyes, trying to ignore the pounding in her chest. “Control your sapphic remarks.” She steps forward a few steps and clasps her hands together. “Hi! I’m Cheryl Blossom, aka Cheryl Bombshell. And who might you be, intruding on our dance?”
“I’m Toni Topaz,” the girl says, voice smooth as butter and low like a car’s hum, making Cheryl weak at the knees. “I’m here to audition for cheer.”
“Topaz? What is that, a stage name?” Cheryl taunts, ignoring Veronica as she elbows her. “Anyway, get in the row.”
Toni aligns herself with the rest of the girls and stretches her arms, abs on display as her shirt rides up deliciously.
“I’m sure you watched the example video online?” Cheryl tests her. “And you have all the moves down?”
“See for yourselves,” Toni says with a sly wink.
Veronica lets out a shaky breath, moving her legs closer together. Cheryl focuses all her energy on trying not to swoon.
The girl, Toni, moves in time with the music, same as all the other girls at first, but with a passion unlike any other. Sweat gathers in her cotton crop-top, and its low-cut style shows her soaked sports bra underneath. As the music picks up in speed, her movements exaggerate to fit the beat exactly, her body rolling back and forth, low grunts coming from deep in her throat at the effort to stand out in her dancing.
Veronica stumbles through quiet words to a dazed Cheryl. “She’s…talented.”
Cheryl rolls her eyes again. “Just admit you want her in your pan—“
“I want her in my pants,” Veronica says in a rush. “There, you happy?”
The girls around Toni slowly cease to dance as they notice themselves being outdone by the competition.
Finally, the routine ends. Toni raises her head up, catching her breath and meeting eyes with the captains. “So?” She asks, smirking devilishly.
Cheryl swallows, trying to regain her posture. She turns to the other girls. “Well, I don’t think any of you amateurs are going to top that, so...”
