Chapter 1 #2
Olivia scrunched up her face in disgust. “What the heck is that?”
Celia laughed and came around the bar to place a quick kiss on Olivia’s cheek. “Don’t worry, Liv. You are gonna love the dish!” Celia danced off to check on her food before it burned. “So, how were tryouts?”
Olivia slouched in her seat and sighed. “They sucked balls, Aunt Celia.”
“Language, Liv,” Celia scolded, but the reprimand didn’t sound too harsh since she delivered it in a sing-song voice.
“Sorry. It did suck, though. I nailed my routine but the mean girls of the squad, ‘the ies’ took one look at my skin color—not at my talent or my moves—and decided I wasn’t right for the team.”
“They what?” Celia whipped around with a wooden spoon in her hand and started spewing rapid fire Spanish Olivia didn’t understand. She got a bit of what her aunt was saying, though, since she did understand a few curse words in Spanish.
“Language, Celia.” Olivia turned at the warm voice of her uncle chastising her aunt. The playful way they teased one another was one of the things Olivia loved most about them.
The change that came across Celia’s face could only be described as adoration.
She dropped the spoon on the counter and walked straight into her husband’s arms. Celia and Felipe didn’t have what most would consider a fairy tale relationship, but to Olivia, the way they were with each other made her want the same thing—to be a part of someone who made you want to be better.
She didn’t believe loving someone completed you or you became one person when you fell in love.
She wanted a partnership, to feel someone was behind her all the way and would support her when she was in need, to talk her down when she got crazy and push her when she wanted to give up.
Felipe and Celia had the connection and after the things she had been through with her mom, this was nice to be around.
Felipe gave Celia a warm hug and a long kiss before releasing her with a spin and a smack on the butt.
“Aye, Papi!” Celia playfully swore at her husband as she retrieved her spoon and went back to cooking. She started talking without looking at either of them. “Did you hear what she said, Felipe? She said they judged her by the color of her skin.”
Felipe wrapped his arm around Olivia, giving her an awkward side hug, and kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Mija. I know you did your best.”
“Her best is the best, Felipe. How could those girls think anyone could dance better than our Olivia?”
Olivia sat with wide eyes and she listened while her aunt and uncle debate the authority, respectability, and distaste of the squad leaders without having set eyes on them. It was strange to have such blind loyalty…sometimes it made her uncomfortable.
“Aunt Celia, it’s okay, really. Today wasn’t the last tryout.
School doesn’t start for another three weeks and the official tryout has the coach involved.
They let the captains have first pick so they don’t have to do so much work.
” Olivia grinned. “Or so the rumor goes.” She and Nicole had done their research on the cheer squad of East Mount High.
From the different message boards they found, Olivia knew who controlled the squad and whom final decision belonged to.
The coach, Dr. Janice Sloan, was as tough as they came, but she led the squad to more championships than any other sport in the school.
If Olivia got the chance to dance in front of Dr. Sloan, she would be in. She needed that chance.
Celia turned to Olivia, the concern was written all over her face. Olivia didn’t like she was the cause. She was almost eighteen, an adult, but they still worried and occasionally treated her like a child.
“You know, Liv. I can pull the old alumni card, go to the school and…”
“NO!” Olivia put her hand down on the counter and cringed at the hurt on her aunt’s face. “I’m sorry, Aunt Celia. I want to do this on my own. Please?”
Olivia’s aunt and uncle grew up in the town of East Mount.
It’s why they made the decision to move back and bring Olivia here.
Their fond memories of the town, school, and general feeling made Olivia want to also.
Even though they were back in their old stomping ground and in a better part of town than the one they grew up in, it was still on the “wrong side” compared to where most of the kids at school were going to live.
Olivia didn’t bother with geography; she had bigger plans ahead of her.
This was an address; it didn’t brand her with a scarlet letter.
Celia nodded and conceded. “Okay, Liv. But if you ever need me?”
Olivia smiled softly at her aunt. “I know, Cee. I know and I will.”
“Okay then. So what’s the next plan of attack?”
Olivia’s uncle silently excused himself as the girls started to chat about a new strategy for the next tryout.
Celia went to school with Dr. Sloan and told Olivia intimate tidbits about her.
One was odd and Olivia was sure wasn’t true.
She was curious, though, and would be interested to find out one way or the other.