"Can't I at least have a hint?" I whine.
Mia just smiles at me, putting the car into drive.
"Oh, my lips are sealed!"
"Oh come on!" I whine.
"It's not far, I promise. She only lives a few blocks away." Mia tells me as she pulls onto the street.
"Can't we just walk then?" I question.
"Yeah, but I'm bringing some stuff...Speaking of, what do you have with you?"
"Oh this? I brought my camera with me. My mom just gave it to me and I'm starting to take up vlogging."
🎶OOPS I DID IT AGAIN!🎶
Mia's phone goes off.
"Are you able to get that please? Sorry, Al!"
"Yeah, of course" I say, putting the call on speaker.
"MAMMA MIA! MIA! MIA! HERE I GO AGAIN!!!!"
Mia smiles.
"Hey, Girly! I'm on my way, Chica!" Mia tells her friend as she pulls her white diva sunglasses from her head down onto her face.
"Ok, Mimi! Just make sure you have enough of the ribbons? I'm hoping we ordered enough."
"Trust me, it's enough! See you soon!"
"Ok, bye!"
Mia quickly taps the end button as she decelerates at the stop sign.
That's when it hits me hard.
"Mia?"
"Yeah?"
"Umm...is this related to cheer?" I ask.
"Maybe..." Mia smirks.
I frown. I haven't cheered in YEARS, and I'm a little uneasy about returning to the culture of the sport. I mean, I still work on my flexibility independently from time to time. The last time I attempted any moves was in my old backyard a few months ago, and I was still able to pull off a bow and arrow, a jump split, and even a double backbend in some people's opinions! Yet, I have a lot of trouble accepting associating myself with a squad again. My old team was really cruel to me and my family. I've just been so scarred from the discrimination I faced. That girl Maya was the most malicious person I ever met. I guess the apples don't fall too far from each other when they fall off the tree; Maya's cousin Todd and his teammates were the ones who bullied Asher as well when Ash tried to join the basketball team. I just don't understand why the people at my old school were so mean. Nobody should treat anyone with disrespect...
But I think things will be different here, especially since that's what Asher has always told me. He loves Philadelphia so much, and it makes sense. He grew up here, has a ton of friends, I can't even keep up with how many he has and I'm constantly meeting new people, he became a basketball prodigy here, and he gets to play at his dream school right in the middle of it all. I've just never experienced any of this. I don't know if it's because we are different personalities or because I grew up in a totally different kind of town, but I can't ever imagine myself being like Asher. Big crowds stress me out, and I never really had too many friends. The only time my social life ever really matched Asher's was when I did cheer at my old school.
And maybe that's why meeting his large crew of friends is a sore spot for me. In my mind, it's like going back to that scary place...
I know I am digressing now, and I know everyone tells me that I think too much (I'm sorry I have such an overactive mind! That's what my dad coined my intense thinking as lol).
Well, at least it's what makes me smart. Or at least that's what I think..oh my goodness, there goes my thinking again...
"Aly, are you good? We are here.."
"Umm..I'm..I'm fine."
Mia looks me in the eye as soon as she parks the car. I follow Mia as we take the stairs up to the fifth floor, where Mia's friend lives.
"What's wrong? Are we good?" Mia asks, walking down the hall.
"Yeah..we're fine. I'm just a little...a bit outside of my comfort zone to be honest."
"Aw, don't be silly, Aly! You used to cheer right? You'd fit right in with my friends." Mia reassures as she reaches for the doorbell.
I can't tell if this should comfort me or not...
"Yeah, I was a cheerleader. But I quit because my team really put me in a dark place and-"
"Hey, Doll!" A girl with really long hair and an exotic look comes running out toward Mia.
"Hey Brit!" Mia wraps her arms around this girl as I stand here awkwardly.
"Come on in! I'm so glad we were able to get all of the girls together while the basketball boys are off on their team bonding retreat!"
"Yes! You have no idea how much I need this." Mia whispers softly.
"Is everything alright?"
Mia shakes her head.
"No..I'll tell you inside..by the way this is my friend Aly. She's new here."
I just smile awkwardly and wave.
"Hi! I'm Barittini. It's pronounced like Brittney but spelt B-A-R-I-T-T-I-N-I because my parents are weird."
I just smile.
We all plop down in Barittini's living room and I am just overwhelmed with all of this estrogen.
"Captain Mia, are we practicing anything new today?" A tiny girl with long light blond hair wrapped into a high pony asks.
"No, since the boys are on retreat we are having our own little retreat here at captain Brit's house." Mia squeals. "By the way everyone, this is my friend Aly. She just moved here."
I smile shyly at everyone.
"Hi, I'm Aly."
"Are you joining the team this fall?!" One girl with long black hair, pulled into two pig tail braids asks me.
Before I can even answer, everybody perks up.
"Oh! Em! Geee! Hi! I'm Katie!" One exclaims.
"Wait a second, I don't mean to be super creepers right now, but aren't you Asher Westman's girlfriend?"
"Emily, that is super stalkerish!" Another girl laughs.
"No! I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that! I follow Asher on instagram and he has a ton of pics with you! You guys are adorable and you are like super pretty!" Emily tells me.
I guess these people are kind of nice...
"Oh, thank you..." I say softly.
"Wait, Aly's boyfriend is Asher? The varsity basketball captain playing for Villanova?" Some other girl asks.
"Yes! That's what she just said, Grace!" another girl responds. "That's Asher Westman!".
"Wait, but can we all just take a second to appreciate how relationship goals his insta is? It's actually adorable!" Emily exclaims, sitting up from the couch.
She pulls out her phone, and it has the same pink, gray, and mint green otterbox case as mine.
"Ooh, we're matching!" I say, pulling my phone out from my black-and-white striped wristlet.
"Ahh! I think we are meant to be friends!" Emily laughs.
"But seriously guys, look at this! This is a pic of Aly and Asher from Halloween and he wrote, 'the scariest thing about tonight was when I had to tell her good night and go back home', that's so cute!!" Emily whines as she laughs.
She holds out her iphone for us to all see.
"Stop!!" Barittini smiles.
"Wait what's his insta, I want to see!" Grace exclaims.
"Isn't it WestmanWins3 ?" Mia responds.
"No, he changed it to his senior name, AshOrCheck!" Emily laughs.
How did I not notice that he changed his insta name? Drop it, Al, everyone knows you aren't the most social media savvy!
"What's a senior name?" Grace asks.
"It's so colleges don't find your social media. You change your name to some kind of pun of your name. So like instead of Cash or Check it's Ash or Check." Mia explains.
"But didn't he already get into 'Nova?"
"It's still fun to do!"
"Ok, anyway. Did you guys see this pic of them?! From Valentine's Day?! I can't!"
It's kind of weird having all the attention turned onto me. I hate being the center of attention.
But now that the center of attention is of me and Ash...I think I'm starting to feel more sad than uncomfortable.
"Aww, did you guys see this one from Asher's Tourette's walk!" Barittini bubbles.
Oh gosh, please don't! I feel like Mia is still a bit hurt that she wasn't invited to the walk. Even if it was all guys, I was still there.
"Asher has Tourette's?" Grace asks.
"Yeah." I respond.
"But isn't that where you yell out bad words or something? He's never done that." she asks.
Oh gosh...no...
"No, not really. Some people have that but the majority don't. It's really just movements and sounds he can't control." Mia cuts in.
Ding Dong!
I am beyond thankful when someone else comes through the door. I can really do without everyone focusing on me...
It's nice that everyone is interested in me, but I guess there is still that part of me that is scared. I'm scared to go through what I went through. I'm scared to be tied down to a group of friends. I'm scared to live a life crowded with friends and expectations.
I'm scared to live a life like Asher's....
....Scared to live the "Ash Mentality"
"YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT THE FREAK JUST HAPPENED!"
The room goes dead silent and everybody's eyes spike up as this girl runs into Barittini's place.
"EVAN SUGARY, JERRY LIDMAN, AND ASHER WESTMAN ARE DEAD TO ME!"