Chapter Forty Lacey
Chapter Forty
Lacey
I love Homecoming.
I guess that wouldn’t really surprise anyone.
It’s all the things I love about high school and cheerleading combined into one fun weekend.
This year I find myself wondering about my mom more than ever.
I just know she loved it too. I can almost picture her decked out in blue and white, sitting in the stands with her friends.
It’s the best turnout of the football games all season. Everyone is dressed in school colors, and the bleachers are filled with students and local families, all bursting with team spirit. It’s the night that cheering on the local team is not only accepted, it’s practically required.
Even my dad made it this year. He waves as he starts up the steps to find a seat. He even has on a blue sweater, which is probably a coincidence, but it still makes me smile.
Claire walks over to where I’m waiting with the other cheerleaders for the team to come back to the field. Warm-ups are over, and they’re in the locker room for one last pep talk before the game.
“The single moms are going to eat your dad alive,” she says.
I scrunch up my face, but when I look back at him, women are scooting over to make room for my dad to take a seat. “Great. Even my dad will have more of a love life than I do.”
Claire gives me a sad half smile. “Have you heard from him?”
“No.” I shake my head and then pull myself out of those thoughts. “It’s fine. I don’t need a boyfriend to have an amazing time this weekend.”
“Of course not. That’s why you have me.” Claire links her arm through mine.
“Yeah, I love you, but it’s not the same thing. I don’t want to kiss you under the gym lights at a high school dance.”
“What about Austin? I could probably convince him to give you a little peck tomorrow night.”
I shake my pom-poms in her face, and her mouth curves into a wide smile. Her laughter makes me feel better already.
“Just kidding,” she says. “But I do know plenty of other guys, including Mark, who would jump at the opportunity though, so you just say the word…”
“Thanks, but no. I’m good. I had a quick pity party, but I’m better now.”
“The team’s back,” Andie says from behind me.
I glance to the far side of the field where the guys are lining up to run out. That’s my cue to get the squad ready.
“I gotta go. I’ll see you after,” I say to Claire.
She backs away as she asks, “Do you still want to come with me and Austin to Boone’s party after the dance?”
“Yes,” I say even though part of me would like to go home and watch TV in comfy sweatpants. “As long as you don’t try to get Austin to kiss me.”
“Deal.”
I turn to the other cheerleaders and wordlessly we move into formation, creating a tunnel in the middle of the field.
The football team decided this year that they didn’t want to run through a banner like they have every other year.
Instead, I helped them come up with another idea.
I figured I owed them for all the extra time I spent on the soccer team earlier this month.
I raise my pom-poms over my head with the rest of the squad, and then the lights go out. There’s a chorus of “ooooh” from the crowd, clearly thinking something has gone wrong, but then the music starts and one by one, we click on the glow sticks that light up our pom-poms in neon blue.
The players’ jerseys light up too. Their jersey numbers were painted with glow-in-the-dark paint I had to test and promise the coach wouldn’t ruin the jerseys. Totally worth the risk because as they run onto the field, the crowd cheers louder than ever.
“It worked!” Andie squeals beside me.
We share a grin and shake our pom-poms as the guys run through. As soon as they’re all through, we fall back into one line and dance to the music.
The pregame festivities have everyone pumped up for kickoff. The marching band and color guard are on the opposite end of the bleachers, and when they play our team fight song, we join in with them.
It’s everything I love and going even better than I imagined, and still when I see Rowan sitting with some of the soccer team, I feel a pang of sadness that Vaughn isn’t here.
I wonder how things are going at the showcase. I have no doubt he is playing his heart out and showing everyone exactly how great of a player he is. He feels like he has something to prove after the team lost in the semifinals, and I hope he proves it to them and to himself.
Is he at all sad he’s missing tonight?
If he were here, he’d sit in the bleachers with his friends.
He’d wear an expression that looked bored to everyone else, but I’d know different.
Rowan would try to pull him into a cheer.
He’d flash me an amused smirk while clapping in a way that somehow wouldn’t look like he was excited at all.
Other people would assume all these things mean he doesn’t care.
I know, because I used to be one of them.
But he does care. He just doesn’t show it the same way I do.
He’s the kind of guy who keeps things to himself. Vaughn doesn’t make a big show of his feelings, but when you’re with him, you know his heart. He showed me his in a million different ways. I wish that had been enough.
Once the game starts, I get swept up in it. I lead the squad through our cheers, and before I know it, it’s halftime. The football team heads to the locker room, leading by thirteen points.
The marching band takes the field first. Andie and I sit with the other cheerleaders, watching as they perform. Next up is the principal who welcomes back alumni and acknowledges all the sponsors and groups that support Frost Lake athletics.
Finally, it’s time for us to do our dance routine before the football team returns for the second half.
Adrenaline mixed with nerves bounces around in my stomach as we run out onto the field. I never get nervous cheering on the sidelines, because most people are watching the game, but out here all eyes are on us, and with a big crowd like this it’s intimidating.
I spot Dad as we’re getting into position. He lifts his hands, doing the claw pose from the “Thriller” dance. A smile loosens, and I relax a fraction.
Andie is on my right. She shakes her pom-poms in front of her at her waist. “Ready to do this?”
I nod and move into the starting pose. Once the music starts, the nerves fall away, and I get lost in the familiar dance. My heart races, and the smile on my face is wide with genuine excitement. And the crowd is enjoying it too. They watch from the bleachers and line up around the fence.
During the final movement, I circle around the other cheerleaders to the back where my tumbling pass starts. As I go, something catches my attention along the fence. Or rather, someone.
My heart flutters even before I recognize Vaughn. My steps falter for only a second. I keep going, but when I am facing the front again, I can’t help but be drawn back to him.
It’s really him. Vaughn is here. Dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans. And he’s holding a sign over his head. I can’t focus long enough to read it before it’s time for me to do the tumbling pass.
As soon as I’m upright again, I glance back at him. I’m closer and can tell he’s smiling. I can’t believe he’s here.
We come to the end of our dance and freeze in the final pose. The crowd gets to their feet, clapping and screaming for us.
Andie catches my attention as we start back for the sideline. Her eyes widen and she mouths, “Oh my god!”
I slow to a jog as I approach him. I can finally read the sign: Go, Lacey!
He drops his arms as I stop two feet away.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, a huge smile pulling at the corners of my mouth.
“Isn’t it obvious?” He points with one hand to the front of his T-shirt. In sloppy penmanship he’s written “I heart cheerleading” in black Sharpie.
A laugh bubbles up in my chest.
He turns, and on the back of his shirt is written Kerr and a giant number one. “I had to come cheer you on.”
“I don’t understand,” I say. “You’re supposed to be at the showcase.”
“I didn’t want to miss this.” He steps forward and takes my hand, holding my fingers loosely in his. “And I needed to ask you something.”
“What?”
“First, I need to say something. I’m sorry about last week.
I panicked. My whole life, soccer has been everything.
I’ve failed in other relationships because I thought if anything got in the way of my drive to be the best, it would ultimately cost me everything I wanted.
Then you made me believe I could have both.
I wanted that so badly I blocked out any idea that it wasn’t true.
But when the team lost, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d been wrong.
Maybe I’m not a guy who gets to have it all. ”
“Vaughn.” My voice breaks on his name.
“I had to sit with it and figure out who I am and what I want.”
“And?”
“I don’t have it all figured out.” His lips curve into a small grin. “But I do know that out of all the things I’d do differently now, you aren’t one of them.”
Relief spreads slowly through me, making my arms and legs shaky.
“I’m better with you. Not worse. I see that now.
When you’re in the stands or by my side, I feel like I can do anything.
I can’t fail with the best damn cheerleader in the whole world rooting for me.
And if I do, then knowing you’ll be there the next time will keep me pushing to be better.
I want more than to be the best soccer player in the world. I want you with me while I do it.”
I think this is what shock feels like.
“I’m not saying I’m going to be perfect at it, but I want to try to be the boyfriend you deserve.”
A laugh slips from my lips. The giddy kind that comes out in an uncontrollable giggle.
I beam up at him, still not positive I didn’t hit my head during the routine and I’m dreaming all this.
“You already were. I don’t need you to give up everything.
There are times we’ll both have other things to focus on.
Cheerleading, soccer, school, friends. We can navigate it together.
I’ll be your cheerleader if you’ll be mine. ”
He nods.
“One last thing.” He makes a pained face that has me confused. He steps away, letting my hand drop and motions to Rowan and Austin standing a few feet away. I didn’t even realize they were there.
Grinning, they both come forward. Vaughn moves between the two guys. Austin and Rowan squat with their knees together and Vaughn places one hand on Rowan’s shoulder as he climbs up.
“Oh my gosh.” I cover my mouth with one hand and watch in a fit of giggles as Vaughn does a thigh stand. Then he lifts the poster up over his head and turns it around to show the back of the sign: Lacey, Cheer me up and go to Homecoming with me?
Nodding, I drop my hand and step forward, shouting up at him, “Yes!”
He jumps down with a cocky smirk.
“I cannot believe you did that.” My heart is beating so fast, and I can’t stop smiling at him. No one has ever done anything like this for me before. “You even used glitter!”
“Yeah, my dad’s SUV will never be the same.”
He tosses the sign to the side and then scoops me up into his arms. The crowd cheers and behind me I can hear the football team taking the field for the second half.
He covers my mouth with his. In the background, the rest of the squad starts a cheer. I should probably join my squad…
Just as soon as he’s done kissing me.