TEN

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TEN

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TEN

ARABELLA

School drags on after that explosive cheerleading practice with Ms. Olson; she runs an insane amount of drills, the exercise hard and rough on my knees, my core tightening, arms hardening, legs sharpening.

I'm more exhausted than ever; I can barely keep my eyes awake in class the next few days, my head is drooping, nodding off in early morning classes. Nonetheless, announcements of me not being the head cheerleader circles around the school like wildfire. At first, everyone is really sympathetic- the girls on the squad are shocked, giving me hugs, shooting disapproving looks at Coach. Emily Chan, our pom-pom expert, purses her lips and says it's "so unfair".

Some girls, like Imogen Ryan and Mandy Kineski, however, have taken the opportunity to present themselves as potential candidates for Captain. Especially Mandy. She's been such an annoying kiss-ass to Coach; complimenting her hair, being Uber-obedient, not a complaint out of her as Coach forces us to do another bleacher sprint while calling us loose and juvenile. She was practically beaming when Coach picked her to be the middle flyer for the wolf wall.

"Where's the fucking loyalty, you dumb bitches?" Adrian asks on Thursday after Coach departs and we're warming down.

Mandy, flushed from practice, blinks innocently. "Oh I think, it's a shame that Arabella got unfairly removed. But still, I think this might give everyone a chance to shine."

Imogen, Mandy's brainless little minion, nod along. Her dark hair is in a high ponytail; pulled back tightly, showing off her almost bare face with clumpy mascara running down in sweat streaks from Coach Olson's insane workout. "Honestly, think of everyone else for a bit."

Adrian narrows her lips as she spiral-curls, lifting one of her legs off the floor. "Are you fucking joking?"

Mandy sighs as she tucks in a few sweaty strands of hair into her ear. "Look, it's nothing personal. You're just mad because Arabella isn't top girl anymore and you don't get to be her lazy second-in-command."

Adrian's nostrils flare and I swear she's half a second away from launching into a full-on punch; if I haven't reached out and tightly clamp on her wrist. "Wow, Coach let you be the top girl once and that's how you switched loyalties? You know, after auditions next week and Bella kick your nasty-crusty ass, have fun being a mat-roach for the rest of your high school career."

"Adrian," I say warningly; Mandy and Imogen look way too pleased with themselves and even though their comments piss me off, I don't let it get to me. It's a circumstantial fact that some of the girls have been dying for the seat of power I've held on in cheerleading ever since our JV days. I've always known deep down the only reason Mandy and Imogen have hung around me, sitting by our tables, sharing gossip and swapping outfits with us is because my position as head cheerleader means friendship with me is an easy-breezy cruise through high school. But now I'm no longer the head cheerleader, they drop me quicker than you can say "fake friends".

And you know, you can get mad like Adrian. Yelling at hoes for switching sides; yelling at people for their lack of loyalty.

But while Adrian, my best friend, my cheer-sister, is rage and fire; I'm ice-cold. Composed. Don't make a scene.

I smile icily at Mandy and Imogen. "Mandy, you did great today. Good luck at auditions."

Mandy's response is all candy-floss and bubblegum; too sweet with empty calories. "You too, Arabella."

"Come on," I mutter at Adrian, dragging her out of the gymnasium.

"Please let me kick Kineski ass. Please. I've been wanting to knock her teeth out since the fourth period."

"You've been wanting to kick her since she started dating Thomas Fuller," I remind her, laughing, "And no, Adrian. You already got suspended last time."

"You're so lame."

Adrian rolls her eyes as she quickly packs her sports bag. Together, we journey out of school and onto the school's parking lot, where we bump into a familiar face. It's Miguel Hernandez and he's smirking down at Adrian.

"Slow down there, princess," he says to her, then turns to me, "Miss Bella."

I nod my hey and Adrian crosses her arms at him. "You just love showing up from nowhere don't you?"

"What can I say, it's a speciality."

"That's what you call it."

"And what would you call it?"

"An inconvenience," Adrian says but she's actually smiling, "I prefer to know when I'm being hunted."

"Who says I'm hunting?"

"What would you call it then?" Adrian asks.

"I call it the Hernandez Get-Em."

"Excuse me?"

"It's how I pick up girls, works every time."

Adriana smirks, she tilts her head towards him. And I know she does this move when she's teasing; I know it because she does this to me all the time and it drives me insane. "I'm sure."

"Where's your crew?" I ask when I mean to say where's Dawn? But then I ask myself, why do I care where Dawn Wilson is?

"Places," Miguel shrugs. "By the way, Zelda is having a kickback at hers this weekend because her parents are gone. You guys seem into it?"

I'm not sure. I mean, Miguel, Zelda and Dawn are our study-hall friends and we hang once together after school but that doesn't mean we're like besties or anything.

But to my damn surprise, Adrian actually says yes. "What time is it?"

"It starts at eight..."

"Which means to show up at nine."

Miguel taps his nose with a rolled-up cigarette he hides in his pocket. "That's it. Also, bring booze or whatever."

"Noted."

And with that, he jumps into his Volkswagen and speeds off into the distance.

"We're hanging out with them now?" I ask Adrian pointedly as we jump into the car.

"What's wrong with 'them'?' Adrian scoffs as she reverses out of the car-park while applying lip gloss.

"Nothing- I thought we're the kind of girls who don't hang outside the circle."

"Well, fuck the circle. Kineski and Ryan can suck my ass. Besides, we need a new crew." Adrian flips her hair to the side and smiles at me, "And I'm feeling for some new meat." 

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