As I've depicted. It would be a piece of cake to get on the Effney High swim team.The moment I entered Mr. Brimworth's office, the swim team coach. He recognized me, and I was asked to be a part of his team without having to ask.He is on cloud nine to have me; any school would."My sole desire to be a part of your team is to receive a scholarship." Soberly, I say."And you will receive that scholarship in full if you bring me home that trophy this year," Brimworth says wildly, with a pounce behind his desk.It's hard to control his excitement; gaining the one he's confident in will take his team to victory.Brimworth scurries from his desk to stand at my side. One of his hands touched my right shoulder while bursting with joy, telling me how glad he was that I was part of his team.I wasn't.I'm oblivious to whatever else he's saying, lost in my thoughts. I was only there to secure a college scholarship."Your former team is coming in second place this year." No longer absent-minded
"Stop," Amber brought to a halt our practice.Everyone looks around, wondering who ruined the dance routine once more.When my name is called, I'm surprised."Come to me, Jaylee," says Amber curtly.Fidgety, I walk to her.As I stand before her, she gives me an intense stare."I'm sorry-" I'm about to apologize. But Amber raises a hand, halting me."Are you a virgin?" she asks."What!" I'm bemused.I glance back as everyone begins to laugh, and my head lowers, humiliated."Shut up!" Ambers silenced them."Are you?" Amber asks again.My gaze returns to hers. "No," I con."Then why are you moving your hips so stiffly and out of tune as if you are?""Probably she hasn't had some hanky-panky in a while and is a bit rusty," Sookie jokes, followed by everyone laughing.Amber smiles, and I blink excessively to not cry."Pay close attention to my waist," Amber says.I'm extremely focused as she reels her waist as if it had no bone.I smiled and was impressed."Now you try it?" she says.I sta
"The house has been awfully quiet since you've become a cheerleader," says Mom as we're eating supper: mashed potatoes, fried chicken, and buttery garlic green beans. "Are you too popular to talk to me? She bites into the chicken wing. "Yeah," I joke, sipping my grape juice. Mom laughs. Mom and I have been dining alone since the day she found out Dad was having an affair with his secretary. I was thirteen at the time. Dad remarried a day after he and Mom finalized the divorce. I lost all respect for him for cheating on Mom, and I wanted nothing to do with him. But Mom, having a good heart, doesn't want me to resent Dad. So, I'm under pressure every holiday to visit him and his homewrecker wife, Viola. "How are you liking being a cheerleader?" Mom goes on to ask. "Good," I say, and an awful feeling rises inside of me. I loved being a cheerleader, but I hated being told to do things that don't come with being a cheerleader. ***** I video-called Samantha as I was in my room, lyin
As I step into the locker room, resentful stares greet me."Sell out!" someone coughed, followed by chuckles.I evaded them by walking to my locker.I'm opening my locker. I realize I can't get in. With force, I'm pulling it open.A hand is placed on the locker, and I see Lucas, the captain, standing next to me.My arms form a tight fist, staring him down, showing I wasn't intimidated by him. If he wants to fight, I'll be happy to take my abusive dad's problem on him. He pulls back, and finally, my locker opens with a forceful yank. I search for my swim goggles, and I discover they have shattered into pieces.I take it up and slam the locker shut."Who did this?! Who broke my goggles?!" Angrily, I toss it on the ground.Everyone is laughing, and I'm seething with fury."Probably one of your team members flew from Canada and broke it, realizing you're a sellout," said Lucas Jester.I grab his shoulders and shove him backward to the locker, pinning him down. He's struggling to break fre
Searching through my closet, I grunt loud enough for Mom to hear downstairs."Jaylee, are you okay?!" she yells."I'm fine, Mom!" I yell back.Amber's party is one day away, and yet I've found nothing to wear."Too ugly, not good enough, also ugly," I toss all the clothes that were unappealing for the party.I stopped at a pink bodycon dress my mom bought for me five months ago. I was happy when I got it, but also suspicious as to why she decided to buy me a fitted dress when she refused to get me one at the mall when I begged. I found out later that evening that she was using the dress to bribe me to attend Dad and her homewrecker's anniversary. I roll my eyes, upset, whenever I see the dress in my closet."What are you searching for?" Mom comes into my room."Clothes, dah," I say with an eye roll."I know. What I mean is, What outfit are you looking for?""Something sexy to attend Amber's party tomorrow." I say this as I'm still searching."And at what time is her party?""8pm.""No
I'm expected to be welcomed with frosty looks, but when I enter the locker room instead, I'm greeted with a guilty stare. I evade them and head to my locker. I'm motionless when I open the locker to see brand-new swimmer's goggles and a black rectangular box inside. The goggles are the same brand as the one that was broken. I open the box. The box holds the broken pieces of the goggles my sister bought for me.I turn to see Lucas, along with everyone else, staring at me sorrily.I nod to thank him, and he returns my nod."Everyone, get outside, and let's start training," Coach Brimworth says as he enters the locker room.I take my new goggles from the locker and shut it."Are you okay?" Coach Brimworth asks when we're alone.I nod."Good," he says."Change quickly into your swim gear and let's start training," he says and walks away.*****At the end of practice, as I'm leaving the pool, Lucas extends a hand to help me. I glance at him. He gives me a welcome smile, and as I grasp his
"You've sure been in a bad mood the entire practice session," Amber says as she approaches me as I'm closing my bag.Unable to hold it in any longer, I ask, "Were you the one who told Samantha that we're unable to be friends anymore?"Amber folds her hand, then straightens her body."No, I didn't," she says soberly.I examine her for any signs that she's lying, but I see none."How long did you think your lies would backfire on you?" Amber goes on to ask.Tears engulf my eyes."She figures it out on her own when she approaches me yesterday, asking if the cheerleading meeting is over and needs to speak with you." "And I wasn't going to lie for you?" Amber says."You caused it on yourself," Amber says, walking away.Hot tears pour down.I called Samantha when I went home, but the phone call went straight to voice mail. I sent a few text messages apologizing over and over again, but it seemed she had blocked me.***At lunch break, I'm staring at Samantha as she sits with her chess team.
I sigh in frustration as I hang the clothes back on the rack in the mall. It's been almost an hour since I've been searching for hot clothes, and all of them are a big flop."This store needs better clothes," I grumble."I know, right." I overheard someone from behind.I turn to see a dyed, red-headed woman wearing skimpy jeans and the company's blouse, which she ties to advertise her belly ring. She has a badge displaying her name, Debbie."What type of clothes are you looking for?" she asks, chewing her gum."Something hot that no one else has worn yet?" I say.She jokes that it has not yet been created.I roll my eyes."Come with me," she then instructs.I follow her."What type of event are you planning on going to?" she asks."A high school party to win over a hot guy before my teammate does," I say, and I freeze in disbelief that I just blurted my business to a stranger."Well, you're not going to find it in this area," she says."Where then?" I ask."The area where the stripper
Tristan had been my biggest crush since the first time I laid eyes on him in class during our first year at Effney High. I recall stealing glances at him when his attention was glued to his book, wishing it was me he was so focused on. I used to be overwhelmed with wonderous feelings whenever he walked past me in the school's corridor, until he no longer had that same effect after sharing my first kiss with Nate.Tristan's head remained lowered as I walked over to him.Even when he's drunk, I still get nervous around him."Tristan," I call as I stand before him.He slowly raises his head, and as he does, he rakes a handful of hair from his face, brushing them backward, like a hot character from a teenage romance movie—making my heart skip a beat, which I find attractive, despite the fact that he was extremely intoxicated."What do you want?" His bewitching blue eyes looked at me for a second before drifting all over the place, unable to stay focused.I never had a conversation with hi
It's the weekend; I should be hanging out with a friend instead of laying in bed mulling over a guy who doesn't want me. It's almost evening, and I'm still in my pajamas.Forcing myself out of bed, I go to stand before the mirror. Combing a handful of hair out of my face, I notice myself in the mirror.Why didn't Nate fall for me instead of Sophia? I think downheartedly.Weren't I beautiful enough for him? Walking away from the mirror, I fall backward on the bed.I believed being a HotShot cheerleader and walking among the popular ones would give me the privilege to get any guy I wanted, but it didn't. If Sophia hadn't gotten in the way of Nate and me, things might have turned out differently for us.What am I thinking? I reach for the pillow covering my head.Nate had admitted he had no feelings for me, so there was no hope of us getting together if Sophia wasn't in the picture.But why Sophia, though?Out of all the girls at school, he had to choose her. I wish it was someone else,
I'm coming from Mom's car when Amber shouts my name. Amber is at the side of the school building; her phone is at her right ear; she is talking to someone; and Sookie stands beside her.I approach her, and she hangs up the phone. Amber smiles at me, and it doesn't feel right. She's up to something, and I know it."How is everything about getting Nate to be your boyfriend?" She asks, then places an arm around my shoulder, drawing me to her side.I caught Sookie with a smug on her face, and I was certain that Amber was up to no good.The aching memory of Nate turning me down after I had confessed my true feelings to him struck my mind, and I lowered my head."He has a girlfriend," I tell Amber."And so, you decide to give up," says Amber.Keeping my head lowered, I give a sad nod."Well, his relationship didn't stop Sophia from chasing after him," Amber says, maintaining a straight gaze.I lift my head to see what she's looking at, and my eyes widen to see Sophia sitting in the front se
It's Saturday, and I'm outside mowing the lawn when Mom pops up with a cup of water.Stopping, I turn to her and take it, quenching my thirst."Thanks," I say, handing her back the cup.She takes it and starts to play with the end of her hair, twisting it around a finger, and her eyes, as dark as mine, scrutinize the areas I'd mowed.She does this when she's nervous, and I find out she wasn't just there to give me a cup of water; there was more to it."Mom, is there something you want to tell me?" interestedly, I ask.Quickly, her eyes jump to me, and worries mixed with fear take over.Finding out what she wanted to say, I angrily resumed mowing, refusing to hear anything.She runs in front of the lawn mower. I stop, almost running her over."I could have hurt you," I growl."We have to talk about this, Nate," she says, standing firmly before me."I don't want to hear anything you have to say about that man!" I'm walking away."Nate," she chases me down."How long have you been talkin
For an hour, I had Sophia in my arms; she'd fallen asleep.My phone vibrates. I retrieved it from my pocket.Training late, Mom texted.No, I'm with a friend; I'll be there soon. I texted back.Okay, come home soon.I put my phone down and watched Sophia sleep. She's beautiful when she sleeps, and I find myself developing feelings for her.I wish I could let her sleep more in my arms, but I must go."Sophia." I gently touch her shoulder."Hmm," she moans, her eyes open."I'm sorry, but my mom needs me," I say."It's okay," she says, sitting up and rubs her eyes."Should I take you home or leave you at the gas station?" I ask.I'd hate to cause any more trouble for her and her mother."At the gas station," she says.I nod.As we arrive at her stop, she says, "Thank you, Nate, for being here for me.""My pleasure, and feel free to call me whenever you need someone to talk to again," I say with a smile.She's about to open the car door to leave."When are you coming back to school?" I as
It's Tuesday, and I'm at swimming practice. Brimworth, the coach, approaches me as I get out of the pool."Nate, your phone has been ringing like crazy for about an hour. Go and see who it is. It must be something very important for someone to be calling like that," he says, walking off.I was worried something might have gone wrong with Mom like Dad finding out where we lived. I ran to the locker room and burst open my locker with the wildest thought that Dad had her lying on the floor, choking her.There's a possibility it can happen. I left her at home, not feeling too well, and she probably heard him at the door, though it was me.Fishing my phone from my backpack, the worries fade away when I see it was Sophia calling thirty times, and no missed call from mom, which means she's okay.I return Sophia's call. After the incident with the sex buyer, I haven't heard from her, nor has she been at school. It's good to hear from her now."Hey Nate, I'm sorry I haven't answered any of you
"Jaylee, it's time for us to leave," I hear mom call downstairs.I remained to sit on the bed, not wanting to go."Jaylee, I said I'm ready!"With an ache in my heart, I get up, stamping my feet angrily, and leave the room.Mom looks at the top of the stare, and she's furious.I stop."Can't I go to the school at Dad?" I say."Jaylee, I don't have time for your childish behavior anymore. I'm late for work, and we need to leave now," she says, walking to the front door to open it.I sigh and start running down the stairs.On the road, all I can think about is not seeing Nate at school.When I arrive, I look around for his car. Thankfully, there was no sight of his car. Which means he wasn't here yet. I remove my seatbelt and dash from the car."Goodbye," I heard my mom say as I did."Yeah," I say.After confessing my feelings for Nate, I plan to hide him whenever I see him. I am still humiliated after he turned me down.The first session of school is going great until the second class.
It's Saturday, and Sophia still hasn't replied to my Instagram message. I'm worried something might be wrong with her. The guy may have come back and hurt her.Exchanging numbers before I left her house yesterday, I called her. The phone kept ringing and went straight to voice messaging.Thinking she may be busy with some Saturday chores, I decided not to call her again. After all, I was going to pick her up at her house this evening. She was supposed to show me around town since I'm new here.Hours have passed, and it's almost time for me to pick her up, and she still hasn't returned my missed call. The worries grow."Where are you going?" As I'm coming down the stairs, Mom asks."I'm going out.""With whom, a girl or a boy?" She studies my outfit. A blue long-sleeve shirt, black pants, and a grey and white Jordan.Playfully, she sniffed my Calvin Klein cologne, and I laughed.Her face then turns serious as she finds out for herself that it's a girl."You know I don't like cheating m
Pulling up into the driveway, I spot my mom's car.She's here early, I thought.I park the car and go to the front door, opening it. I hear Mom in the kitchen, and I go to see her with some papers while she uses the calculator."Hey honey, swimming practice kept you late at school today?" She turns to ask as she senses me."No, I was out for a while," I say, and my attention is kept on the papers as I approach her.Mom gathers the papers, along with the calculator, before I can see what they are."I bought your favorite chicken pizza for dinner; it's in the oven," she says as she walks out of the kitchen."Mom, what are those papers?" I stop her, and she turns around."Nothing I can't handle, son. Just focus on your school and swimming," she says with a smile, and I spot worries in her eyes.I nod, and she hurriedly walks away.My mom has never had to worry about money because my dad is wealthy. I know it's going to be hard for her to learn how to handle everything on her own. I need