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CLASSES SPED THROUGH like the second it took for someone to snap their fingers. It was the time of the day where Cassie would put on the uniform and hurt her cheeks by smiling too much. As co-captain of the cheerleaders along with Jessica Davis, she had to set an example for them all to follow. If she could move on, they all could, especially when the basketball games were coming up.
"You have a routine, James?" Jessica asked almost quietly.
"I know she was your friend, Jess. If you need to sit this practice out—"
"Do you have a routine, or not?" Jessica interrupted, looking her dead in the eyes.
Cassie could tell she didn't want to talk about it. And if that was the case, she wouldn't push her. Yet, she knew Hannah and Jessica had a history of being best friends less than a year ago and although some things went down she just thought Jessica would still have some feelings about her death.
"Round up the girls," Cassie ordered, answering Jessica's question.
Including the captains, the girls grabbed their pom-poms, and got into a pyramid position. At the front of the team stood Jessica and Cassie, however she needed to teach the new routine for the upcoming basketball game and so she turned around to face them. Before she could start, the girls started whispering to one another and the bounce of basketballs echoed off the walls like someone jumping on a trampoline repeatedly. Cassie slowly turned around and her eyes roamed the team, firstly falling onto Zach who sent a friendly smile and a wave, and secondly falling on her former boyfriend.
She forgot they would be practicing during their own practice, but even more importantly forgot Justin was on the basketball team. The same team she would be cheering and raising her pom-poms up for.
Cassie spun around, "this doesn't change anything, lets get to work, ladies."
She felt his eyes staring her down, and was tempted every second to turn around. Cassie was too distracted for practice, but she had to do it for the girls. She wouldn't give up on them, because it was too hard. Nothing was too hard unless she tried hard enough.
"Okay, after the toe touches, everyone will do high V's while Amy and Chloe will do layout flips on the sidelines. When they get to the front, they'll do splits and we'll carry on with the routine we've been practicing," Cassie explained subtly and the girls nodded, including Jessica who had never looked more focused for someone who recently lost an old friend.
"I love when you take control, Cas," his voice murmured by her ear as his arms went around her waist from behind. Cassie looked down at his arms from the corner of her eyes, and found herself unable to breath. His touch was toxic to her and only reminding her that they weren't actually together anymore.
"What are you doing? I'm practicing," Cassie said trying to make him acknowledge she was busy.
"Yeah, well I'm practicing how I'll hold you when you become mine again," he whispered by her ear again, sending goosebumps to flare up on her arms.
