Chapter Twenty-Five
Carly
On Wednesday’s practice, the team is more determined than it’s ever been.
This routine is far more complicated than our previous one, and it’ll take many long hours and blood, sweat, and tears to get it right.
I feel bad for working my team so hard, but they constantly tell me they want to do this routine.
I’m struggling with some parts, too, which makes me wonder if we’re trying to achieve the impossible. But a person never knows what he or she is capable of until they really push themselves. I believe in my team and know we can pull this off.
“Break for five!” Coach Moreno calls after we’ve been rehearsing for half an hour.
I internally cringe when I realize we’re all so sweaty.
Some of my teammates are huffing and puffing like they ran a marathon.
But that determination hasn’t left their eyes.
I bet if I asked everyone to stop for today, they would want to burn me at the stake.
They want to win the next competition just as much as I do.
And isn’t there a thing that a group that suffers together grows together?
We definitely feel tighter than we did a month ago.
I meet Addie where we stashed our backpacks on the bleachers and say, “I’m so freakin’ thirsty.”
“Me, too.” She rummages in her bag and produces her water bottle. “You worked us to the bone.”
“Sor—”
“No. We already told you not to apologize. We need you to work us until our limbs fall off. It’s the only way we have a shot at winning the competition.”
I also fish my water bottle out of my bag, and then we chug them down. I finish my entire bottle in one go, probably less than thirty seconds.
Addie laughs. “That has to be a record.” When I don’t join in her laughter, she says, “You okay?”
I wipe my mouth. “Yeah. I’m just thinking…”
“About?”
“The routine. I can’t help but feel that no matter how hard we try, it won’t be enough.”
“Carly, the routine is fire. We just have to perfect it and we’re gold.”
I twist my lips, not sure I believe her. There’s just something we’re missing.
“I’m going to get more water,” I tell her.
I head to the water cooler and refill my bottle. When I turn around, I nearly collide with the person standing before me.
Ryder.
He smiles and waves. “Hey.”
“Why do you look so good even when you’re all sweaty?
” The words jet out of my mouth before I can control them, and my cheeks heat up.
It’s the truth, though. He really does look great even with the front of his hair matted to his forehead and the back sticking up.
And you can see those muscles underneath his drenched gym shirt.
He gets this pleased smile on his face, but before he can say anything, I blurt, “It wasn’t me who said that.”
He raises his brow before bending to look behind me and then turning his head in all different directions. “No one’s here.”
“Of course people are here. They’re just invisible. That’s who you heard.”
“So I heard an invisible person?”
“Yep. Maybe a ghost that roams the school.”
He chuckles. “All right. If that’s what you’re going with.
” He walks past me to fill up a cup of water, brushing his shoulder against my arm.
Goosebumps pop up all over my body. I’m about to move away, but he leans forward and murmurs.
“For the record, you look good when you’re sweaty, too. ” He winks and walks away.
I stare after him, my thoughts going haywire. Did he just say I look good when I’m sweaty, too?
Oh my gosh, am I dissecting his words again? Maybe he just wanted to throw me a compliment because we’re friends now. Or maybe he’s just returning the compliment. But Ryder wouldn’t say something like that unless he meant it. He’s not one to BS too much.
Ugh, I’m doing it again.
“Why do you look like you’re having a stroke?” Naya asks as she puts her water bottle under the water cooler’s spout.
“What?” I blink at her. “Oh, sorry. Just, um…”
She gives me a knowing smile. “Ryder again? You guys should just kiss already.”
Unintelligible drivel shoots out of my lips.
Naya giggles. “I’m just teasing you. So did Ryder tick you off?”
“No, he complimented me.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“There’s no problem.” Just the fact that I like when he compliments me like that? And I wish he would do it again?
Naya sighs. “Seems like life will only get more complicated the older I get, especially when it comes to romance. Yippee.”
I laugh, and together, we join the rest of our teammates just as Coach Moreno calls that break is over.
We once again practice until our lungs burst, but when I glance at Moreno, I find her watching us with a frown.
For a second, I wonder if she doesn’t like the routine, which doesn’t make sense because she told me she loves it, but I realize that she’s frowning because of something she’s thinking about.
When practice is over, she calls out, “Great job, everyone! Now please remember to hydrate and get enough sleep. And as always, finish your homework before you go to bed! Per the school’s policy, anyone who receives less than a C in any of your classes will be kicked out of your extracurricular activity, and we can’t afford to lose a single member.
So please don’t push aside your schoolwork.
If you’re struggling, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
All right, good night! Carly and Ryder, please stay behind. ”
As everyone gathers their things and walks out, Addie waving at me, my stomach tightens. Am I in trouble? But then why would Moreno ask Ryder to stay behind, too?
“Here.” Ryder holds out a cup of water. “Got one for myself and figured you need one, too.”
“Thanks.” I was so preoccupied with wondering why he and I were asked to stay behind that I didn’t realize how thirsty I am. I gulp it down in less than two seconds, causing him to raise a brow.
“Here, take mine. I’ll get another.”
“It’s okay,” I say with a sheepish laugh. “I’m good.”
“Okay.” He chugs his down and sighs. “Ah. Nothing as refreshing as a cup of cold water after an intense practice.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “Sorry about that. I don’t mean—”
“Carly.” He puts his hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to apologize. I trust that you know how hard to push us without hurting us. You’re good like that.”
I stare at him. “I am?”
“Sure. Like I said yesterday, you’ll make one heck of a choreographer.”
Every part of me fills with warmth. “Thanks, Ryder. I think that was the nicest thing you ever said to me. Twice.”
“Oh, come on. I’m sure I’ve said nice things to you in the past.”
“Maybe…well, if you don’t count calling the dance team corny.”
“Oh my gosh. Aren’t we over that?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” I joke.
“Carly and Ryder?” Moreno calls. “You guys have a minute?”
“Yeah, sorry,” I say as I approach her, followed by Ryder.
“The routine is solid,” she says with a smile. “And the team has been working extremely hard. We’ve made a lot of progress the last couple of days and I know we’ll be perfect at the competition.”
Ryder beams. “Thanks to this awesome person.” He throws his arm around me, pulling me to his body.
My face gets smooshed into his chest—his hard chest that smells really good…
and wow, his arm is pretty strong, too. It makes me feel protected, like as long as I’m in his arms, no harm will ever befall me.
“Yes,” Moreno continues. “But I think we need to add something. Something unique that will make us stand out from the other teams. I watched videos of the other teams’ past performances and it dawned on me that the teams that did very well added a special element to their routine.
So while our routine is solid, it’s not… I suppose exciting enough.”
My heart falls to my shoes. It stings to hear it, but this isn’t about me. It’s about what’s good for the team.
“I’ve been thinking the same,” I admit as I pace around. “As much as I love the routine, I can’t help but feel like something is missing.”
“So…we should add some flips?” Ryder suggests. “The audience loves that.”
“I don’t think any of us have a gymnastics background,” I say. “But I’d be willing to give it a shot if the rest of the team is on board.”
“I was thinking something else and want to run it by you two,” Moreno says. “What do you think of adding a pair sequence?”
“A pair sequence?” Ryder furrows his brows.
“That could be really cool!” I say. “It would fit well with our routine because we have a fairytale vibe. We can have a princess and her prince.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Moreno says with a smile. “And I think you two would be the perfect pair.”
“Me and Ryder?” I ask.
“You’re the best dancer on the team, Carly.”
“And I’m the only guy,” Ryder says with a chuckle. “Beggars can’t be choosers, slim pickings, you gotta work with what you’ve got, not enough fish in the sea—”
“Nonsense, Ryder, you’re a phenomenal dancer. And the two of you have perfect chemistry.”
“We do?” we both ask.
I give him a face. “Stop copying me.”
“You’re the one who copied me.”
“See?” Moreno gestures at us. “You have so much chemistry when you bicker. Imagine the kind of chemistry you can have when you dance as a romantic couple.”
We tear our eyes away from each other. I swear I might have seen his ears turn pink. My face definitely feels flushed. It’s odd to see Ryder blush. I didn’t think that was possible.
“It’s up to you guys if you want to add this to the routine,” Coach Moreno continues. “I don’t want either of you to feel uncomfortable. But I think we can hit a home run with this.”
I slowly turn my head to Ryder. He stares at the spot before him, clearly deep in thought. Does he find the idea of doing a romantic dance sequence with me so repulsive? I mean, we just decided to be friends yesterday. Maybe he doesn’t want to get that close to me.
He looks at me. “What do you think, Carly? Because I’ll follow your lead.”