Friends Don't Kiss, Do They?

Chapter 24

The next few days was hectic as I did an hour or more practice with Mrs O'Hare to make sure I was prepared by Friday night's game. At first it wasn't easy, but with the help of my teacher, I was able to make it possible.

In between practice and my final days of school, I tried my best to not let the things that happened between Matt and I get to me. It wasn't easy, and I didn't want it to distract me from cheering. I didn't want to end up with another injury because of the lack of concentration. The main thing is that Matt and I were still friends and I was thankful for that.

And the best thing was Samantha had completely back off.

By Friday I was a nervous wreck, wondering how the school will react to my one arm stunts. My team supported me, and I was thankful Samantha was no longer a part of the team because she will only put me down. Mom promised to be at the game tonight. She was leaving my brothers with a baby-sitter.

In the locker room just fifteen minutes before the game, the nervous began to get the best of me as I started to feel nauseas. I have only ever been this nervous at my first game. There was no reason for me to be nervous when I have done this a thousand times, only this time I was performing with one hand. Hearing the excited crowd from the gym didn't help with my nerves.

Just as we walked out to the gym, Mrs O'Hare walks alongside me, asking how I was and if I was ready to show everyone what I could do. I admitted to her how nervous and sick I felt. She pats me on the back, smiles, and tells me I can do it.

We enter the gym. The crowd cheers when they see us. The Myrtle Titans were already on their bench, waiting for the game to start. I had no idea what the name of school we were playing against, mainly because I have been busy with practice that I hadn't taken notice of what school it was, but they were also at their bench on the opposite side. In the crowd I spot my mother sitting in the third row. My friends sit in the front row behind the team's bench. Emma has also shown up to watch the game. It was nice to see her and Bailey talking again.

My nerves disappear once the game begins. My eyes focus mainly on Matt as I watch him run up and down the court. He shoots two times, misses the first but manages to score the second time when Tayvon passes him the ball. Our school was in the lead 8 – 6 by first period.

I glance up in the crowd during the one minute break before the second period. I don't see Samantha anywhere and I wonder if she had turned up to the game or not. Mom waves to me from the bleachers, so does my friends. I walk over to them.

"How are you holding up, Hailey?" Emma asks me.

I nod, the nausea feeling returning in my stomach. In about eight minutes when the commentator calls for half-time right after the second period, I will be out on the court. "I'm nervous. I don't know how everyone is going to react to me."

"You will do great," Bailey encourages me. "We will cheer the loudest for you."

"Yeah, just get out there, Hailey," Abby adds. "Do your best is all you can do."

I thank my friends for the encouragement, and then join my team on the sidelines as the second period starts.

By the end of the second period, the other school was in the lead by two points at 16 – 14. Hopefully the Myrtle Titans will be able to come up with an excellent game plan that will win our game.

Just as we walk on the court to do our half-time routine, Matt and Tayvon wish me luck. The nerves began to kick in again. I scream at the back of my head, unsure if I should go through with it, but I couldn't back out now. I couldn't abandon my team at last minute.

The commentator introduces us and then the music for The Black Eyed Peas' song I Gotta Feeling began playing.

The crowd is silent as we start the routine. Seconds into the song the audience began clapping along to the music. I quickly push the nervous feeling aside, and concentrate on the routine rather than my fear. A minute and fifteen seconds into the song, it switches to Katy Perry's song Firework. During that song is when I'm supposed to show my one arm stunts. As soon as the chorus plays, I do a cartwheel. The audience burst into excitement seeing how I did it. The vibe of their excitement sent thrills throughout my body.

As soon as we finished the routine, the crowd burst into applause. For the first time since I have ever become a cheerleader, I have never been so proud of myself. The other times I would think I have done a great job, only to be put down by Samantha. But this time she wasn't here to bring me down, nor was I going to let anyone do that. I managed to perform with one arm, and it was my greatest achievement. Not every day you get to have this opportunity, and I was fortune enough to have it. I could have chosen to quit like I had planned to. If Mrs O'Hare hadn't had the faith in me, then I wouldn't have either.

* * * * *

"Can you believe it that tomorrow is prom and then next week we graduate?" Abby says when the five of us were gathered around a table at a local pizza joint after the game.

Our school had won the final game by 32 – 25. But the game wasn't what everyone was talking about. It was the half-time performance that was the highlight, everyone amazed with how well I did. After the game people came up to me, congratulating on me for doing such an amazing job performing with a broken arm.

After the game, rather than going to the victory party at Bobby Blue's house that Tayvon didn't want to do at his place, the five of us decided to get pizza. Matt and Tayvon could have gone to be with their team mates, but they both thought it would be great if we could spend the night together.

"I know," Matt says, reaching for a slice of cheese pizza from the middle. "It feels so surreal that we are finishing off school, and probably end up going our separate ways." He bites into his pizza.

"We should go away during the summer before we do that," Bailey suggests.

"I will be moving to New York at the end of August to start college," Abby says.

Tayvon takes a sip of his Coke before he speaks. "I spoke to my dad the other night and I told him I made the decision to go to the local community college here. That way I will be close to Bailey and I don't have to worry about traveling two hours just to see her."

I smile. "So that means you and Bailey are officially back together." I couldn't help but let my heart sink with disappointment, wishing Matt and I could officially say we were together, but instead we decided to take the path as being friends. And that's okay because being friends was better than being nothing.

Tayvon nods, putting his arm around Bailey's shoulders. "Yeah, we decided to put what happened behind us. I'm also giving up basketball, which my dad is giving me a hard time for. He just doesn't want me to throw away my potential of being a star in the NBA. If Dad hadn't injured his knee in college, he would be playing for the NBA now rather than coaching high school basketball." He faces Bailey. "I just couldn't put my potential career in between the love of my life."

Bailey smiles and gives Tayvon a quick peck.

"What about you guys?" Abby asks Matt and I.

"College isn't for me," Matt answer. "So I will just be getting straight into work."

"I haven't decided what I would like to do," I reply. "I haven't applied for any colleges so I guess I will just get into work."

Tayvon removes his arm from around Bailey's shoulder. "I know what you should do for a job, Hailey. You should become a cheerleading coach and teach them how to do one arm stunts."

I laugh. "I don't know if I'm cut out for that."

"I reckon you would be great," Matt says. "You were the highlight of the game. You're an inspiration for what you did."

"Yeah, you are," Abby adds. "If you had quit like you were planning to do, you wouldn't have been able to show off your skills." She leans forward. "And you know what? I bet Samantha would never have been able to do what you did."

I smile, realising how my friends were right. I wasn't sure if I would call myself inspirational, but definitely Samantha wouldn't have been able to pull it off. She would have just sat out and not give it a try.

But for once everyone was talking positive about me, and not about a rumour Samantha had made.

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