“MOM, WHERE ARE MY PINK POMS!” I yelled up the steps as I frantically pulled shoes on. Abbey and Katie were standing by the door, duffle-bags on their shoulders and worried looks on their faces. Mike and Casey were sitting on the couch, indulging in a box of donut holes and groaning about being tired.

“They should be in your bag!” She yelled from upstairs, “Jesus Christ, Frankie put your damn underwear on! No one wants to see your wiener!” She yelled at my little brother, causing us all to laugh and help with the mood downstairs.

I rummaged through my duffle-bag, finally coming across them. I looked in the mirror we had in the living room, giving myself a once-over. Today was a big day, it was States for Mission Bay’s cheer team. Either we were the winner today and went on to Nationals’ or we were walking home a loser again. We all had to be up at the crack of dawn. The competition was in Anaheim, and we had to be there by 8. Mike and Casey were coming along to cheer for Abbey and I as we performed. Abbey and Katie’s parents were going to be meeting up with my mom there, around 9 when the competition itself actually started. My mom came down the stairs, Frankie bouncing down them behind her, yawning, and holding a stuffed dinosaur.

“Alright, let’s get in the car,” my mom said while shooing us out of the house. Thank god we had a Suburban that could fit all of us. My mom climbed into the driver’s seat, Katie went in the passengers. Casey and Abbey both sat in the middle row of seats. Mike, Frankie and I squeezed into the back row of seats so that Frankie could lay on me and sleep on the ride. “You all grabbed breakfast, right? We don’t need to stop on the way up?”

“No, Momma, we’re all good,” I smiled at her in the rearview mirror and then she started the drive and turned on the radio. Frankie placed his head on my right thigh and snuggled up with his dinosaur. He used my jacket as a blanket. My left leg was bouncing a mile a minute until Mike placed his hand on it and held it still. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed.

“Nervous?” He asked with a chuckle while wrapping his arm around me and rubbing my side. I nodded and he pressed a kiss to my temple, “You’re going to do great, babe. I’m going to feel like such a proud boyfriend when you bring home that trophy today.”

I smiled, “If we bring home that trophy.” I lifted my head up and looked at him, “This is our second year at States with me on the team, and you know that we failed terribly at the last one. Mission Bay was like the laughing stock of everyone in the state of California.”

“Well this year is going to be different, I know it is. All of you have put your heart into it, and you have new girls on the team,” Mike smiled and kissed my lips softly.

“Like me!” Abbey chimed in with a grin. “I’m just really going to be happy to be going. This is the biggest cheer event I’ve ever been in.”

Katie looked back, “I’m with Abbey on this one, even though it’s my second year as well. Cass, let’s just be happy that we have a good routine and can make a name for ourselves again.”

I shrugged, “I know, but can you imagine the looks on everyone’s faces if we won? They would be so shocked. We’d go down in history.”

“Alright Christopher Columbus,” Casey laughed. “How about you all stop thinking about it so you don’t stress yourselves sick?” All three of us glared at him, “Or keep thinking and talking about it... what do I know? I’m just a dude.”

“Your best bet is to not get into it and put headphones in, man,” Mike laughed from beside me. “It drains them out.”

“Thanks,” I scoffed. “But really guys, today is so important!”

“I’m really hoping we pull everything through smoothly with no injuries and no drama backstage... well at least no drama until we get told if we make it to the final three or not,” Katie laughed. “Because everyone knows that if we don’t all hell is going to break loose and Coach is going to go ballistic.”

“Or Cassie is going to kick Steph’s ass or something,” Abbey snickered.

“Abigail!” My mom yelled, “There’s a child in the car!”

“He’s sleeping!” She whined.

“No I’m not,” Frankie giggled and poked his head up, “Ass ass ass ass ass.”

“Frankie!” I whined and threw my hand over his mouth, “Don’t say that.”

“But Mikey says it to you... he says... he says... bring ass over here,” Frankie giggled, knowing he shouldn’t have said that.

I’m pretty sure that if I didn’t have pounds of make-up caked on my face, it would be as red as a tomato. Mike’s was as he tried to laugh off what he just heard. Casey, Abbey and Katie were all practically doubled over laughing. My mom groaned, “Really, Mike? Really?”

“Sorry,” Mike gnawed on his bottom lip. “Sometimes I forget that Frankie’s room is right next to Cassie’s.”

“What else does Mikey say?” Casey turned around and smiled at my little brother.

Frankie shrugged, “Lots of stuff. Sometimes he says sissy’s name a lot. And she says his name a lot, and then there is loud noises and banging on the wall. Sometimes I think they’re wrestling ‘cause sissy screams like she’s hurt.”

I was mortified, “That’s enough, Frankie.”

“Did I do something wrong?” He pouted and everyone laughed once again, other than Mike, my mom and I. My little brother could hear Mike and I having sex, and of course he didn’t know what any of it meant so he didn’t understand that he shouldn’t be saying those things.

“Cassandra, Michael,” my mom shook her head and looked at me and Mike in the rearview mirror. “How many times do I have to tell you not in the house?”

Mike licked over his lips, “Where do you want us to do it? In the car? On the grass? What about the pool?”

“Watch the tone,” my mom grumbled.

“Sorry, but come on,” Mike sighed. “It’s been two years.”

“Yeah, Mom. Vivian has given up with that rule already!” I butt in.

She stopped at a red light and turned around to look at us, “Two years my ass, Mike. Don’t even fight with me about it because I’m still never forgiving you for taking my daughter’s innocence. I wasn’t okay with this when Cass was fourteen and I’m not okay with it now. If you want to do it so bad go to your house. The last thing I need is Frankie explaining the sounds of your bedroom to anyone else in the family.” She turned back around and started driving. Mike huffed and rolled his eyes, and I followed in suite. No one else in the car said anything, it was obvious this wasn’t exactly a happy moment. My mom was always so sour when it came to our sex life; she wouldn’t even let me go on birth control because it just “promoted Mike and I to have more sex”; when really her big issue was the thought of me getting pregnant at a young age, like she did.

“Mommy you said ass,” Frankie giggled, lifting the mood up a bit and causing everyone to laugh, even my mom.

“Go to sleep,” I smiled and ruffled his hair.


When we pulled into the venue we had to instantly split up. Mike gave me a huge hug and kiss and wished me good luck before walking off with the rest of the audience. Katie, Abbey and I all ran towards the back area behind the stage, in search of Mission Bay’s dressing room. Once we found it we walked in and came face-to-face with Coach Marcie. She had a determined smile on her face, but we all braced ourselves for the commands that were going to be behind that smile. We took a seat on the couch in there, throwing our bags down by our feet, and waited for the last few girls on the team to get here.

“Alright, girls, we have an hour to get everything set up, stretch out, get dressed and get in our spots side stage before the opening of the show. I have already set up stations with all of your names on them, please go hang up your uniforms. Put your make-up and hair shit on the tables. You have ten minutes to do this and then we’re stretching and you’re getting dressed,” Coach Marcie commanded and we all ran towards our stations.

I hung my uniform up and then took out each set of my poms and threw them underneath the table that my name was at. I grabbed my make-up bag and placed it on the table, and then my hairspray. I took each bow and wrapped it around my hair spray can, then looked over myself. I needed to apply a little more eyeshadow around my eyes, so I grabbed my eyeshadow and did it real fast, then gave my fake lashes one last swipe of mascara. I trotted over to the center of the room where Coach Marcie had moved the couches to the walls, and took my place on the floor.

“Start stretching out,” she said with a smile then grabbed her clipboard, looking over it and doing a headcount. She walked around and said a few words to each of us as we stretched. When she got to me she gave me a pat on the head and squat down, “You’re the best on the team. I called a few coaches from some colleges and they are coming out to watch you.”

I was awe-struck, my mouth hanging open as I stretched my arm behind my head. I closed my mouth and opened it again, staring at her, “What... what schools?”

“University of Louisville and University of Southern California,” she smiled. “Act like they aren’t even there. Don’t get locked up and nervous, Cassie. Just give it your all like you always do.”

I nodded, “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

She just smiled and walked away. We finished up stretches and then got dressed. We ran out towards side stage, ruffling our silver and blue poms in the air and shouting “Mission Bay”. We all stood off to the side and waited for the announcer to come out.

Soon enough, a woman who looked like a Barbie appeared on the stage. The crowd roared as she smiled and waved the grabbed the microphone, “Hello, everyone! Welcome to the state of California’s biggest high-school cheerleading competition of the year! We have high-schools competing from as south as San Diego up to Redding! The winner of this competition will be representing California in New York City as they try to win the title of the United States’ High-School Cheer Team!” The crowd roared again, “Let’s get this competition started!”

The majority of the competition went by quickly and effectively. We had finished up our opening act and were a hit. The crowd was going crazy with for our routines, which was a big relief because of the reputation Mission Bay had received at the last State Championship. We had to run back to the dressing room, change our make-up and switch to our pink bows and poms. We stood side stage once again and waited for Mission Bay to be called out onto the stage. Our second routine went by perfectly until the last basket toss, where I went falling and collapsing onto the ground.

The pain was unbearable as I peeled myself from the floor and tried to walk off the stage with the rest of my team. Abbey and Tiffany both ran to my side, scooping me up in their arms and carrying me out. I couldn’t put any pressure on my right leg. It seriously felt like someone ran it over with a car. Coach Marcie grabbed me and set me down on the couch in the dressing room, pulling off my knee brace and putting ice packs all over my leg.

“What the fuck happened back there?” She spat at my stunt group.

“I didn’t catch her,” Stephanie shrugged. “She kicked me in the face on purpose during practice.”

“So you sabotage the entire fucking competition and injure our best flyer!” Julie screamed, “What kind of person are you! We actually had a chance this year and you fucking ruined it!”

Coach shook her head, “I can’t believe you, Stephanie. Change out of your uniform, now, and you can go sit out in the crowd with your parents. Get out of my sight.”

She just shrugged again and packed all her stuff up, then changed. She looked at me, “I hope it hurt, bitch.”

“FUCK YOU! IF MY LEG WASN’T PRACTICALLY BROKEN I WOULD BE BREAKING YOUR FUCKING NECK!” I screamed at her as she exited the door. I felt tears spring in my eyes, “What are we going to do now? We’re going to be a joke... again.”

Coach sighed as there was a knock on our dressing room door. She walked over and opened it. One of the judges stood on the other side, “Mission Bay is up for the final three, if your flyer is able to come out.”

Coach Marcie looked at me then at him, “I think it’s best if we just...”

“I’m fine!” I smiled and stood up from the couch, feeling the horrible pain shooting through my leg. “I can fly again. I just don’t have a back spot anymore because she dropped me on purpose.”

“Cassie...” Coach looked at me, knowing that I was lying. I just glared at her. “Would it be okay if we take another flyer out and only do two stunt groups?” She asked the judge.

“That should be fine,” he nodded. “Be out there in ten.”

Coach closed the door behind him and looked at me, “You do realize that if they notice you in pain, we are going to be disqualified and you will have gone out there and put yourself in great danger for nothing.”

“I’m fine, Coach. Really... Let’s just get ourselves ready.” I looked over at the team, “LET’S DO THIS!”

Notes

This chapter was supposed to be really long, but I split it in two.
So expect the other half of it to be up later tonight because I already wrote it.
Cassie's Outfit

Thank you for all of the feedback, you guys are amazing.
Sam's Town will be updated tomorrow (probably).

I seriously had a Warped to remember.
One story is x-rated, but the other parts were great.
Such as I got to go backstage in the bus area.
Ran into Kellin Quinn back thereand he was SO nice.
Had some band guys buy me beer b/c I'm underage.
Living the life I guess... stories for the grandkids.

let me know how you feel about this chapter!
thanks guys! xoxoxo