Chapter 25
SAGE
Classes go about the same the following day, the routine of it all starting to make me feel numb. School seems so pointless, not like it used to. Sage Lindman was once the girl who thrived in a school setting; she loved to learn and participate in extracurriculars.
But in Blackmore, I have yet to fill my time with anything besides hunting down secrets.
I groan, leaning against the wall to my right as Juliet digs around in her backpack for something.
She looks at me, her eyebrow pulling up in curiosity. “What’s the matter with you?”
“I’m bored!” I stomp my foot. “I used to be so busy in Cali, but here, I just walk around school like a zombie, then go home and sit there.”
She slips her backpack over her shoulder. “Okay? So find something to do.”
I curl my lip. “Thanks for the tip.”
She laughs, then her gaze travels behind me. “There’s something you can do.”
I turn, following her line of sight to find a group of girls dressed in cheer uniforms, all huddled around someone’s locker. “Didn’t you used to cheer in LA? Go join the team.”
With a sigh, I look back at her. “It’s November. Tryouts are long over.”
She narrows her eyes. “Okay? But you just got here, so go talk to Coach Steele and see if she has a spot for you. Worth a shot, right?”
I hum between my lips at the thought, narrowing my eyes as well while I look at my friend. “Will you join with me?”
She laughs, throwing her head back. “You’re funny.”
I knew it was a long shot. Juliet is more rock ‘n’ roll and whiskey over pom-poms and hair ribbons. “Okay, I’m going to do it,” I declare, grinning. “Wish me luck.”
She claps her hands once in front of her chest, then raises them in the air, sarcasm dripping from her tone. “Gooooo team!”
I laugh, rolling my eyes at her as I turn around and head for the gym.
I loved cheer in California, and even though I’m embarking on this new town, new me journey, I would love to get my ass into a uniform again and fly around in the sky.
Just because Sage Lindman is dead, that doesn’t mean I can’t still enjoy the things that once made her happy, right?
As I pull out my phone, I’m thankful I only deleted the photos the other night and not the videos, and I scroll through them as I walk through campus.
I favorite some of the best ones to show the coach, then push through the doors of the gym.
I ignore some of the sour and curious looks from some of the girls that are stretching just inside the doors and continue toward the coach’s office at the back.
I knock on the door, and when a feminine voice calls out for me to come in, I turn the knob and poke my head in.
“Miss Lindman, I was wondering when you would show up at my door.” The coach greets me, standing up and rounding her desk to meet me halfway.
Her light-brown hair is twisted up in a messy bun, tendrils falling around her face.
She’s young and pretty, and her smile makes me feel a little more welcome and confident to plead my case.
“I’m Coach Steele. It’s nice to finally meet you. ”
“You know who I am?” I smile back at her.
“Your name came across my desk—the headmistress thought you might be an asset since you were on the cheer team at UCLA.”
“I was the co-captain”—I point out—“and led our team to the national championships for the last two years.”
She smiles, and I return the gesture. “Do you have any videos?”
I hand her my phone, pressing play on the first video I have pulled up. As she watches, I listen to the cheering of the crowd, the music blasting through the stadium, and my faint voice in the background calling our cheers. It lifts some of the darkness from my shoulders.
Coach Steele watches the entire video, then hands the phone back to me. “Well, I’m impressed, Miss Lindman.”
She turns around, grabs a T-shirt from a box behind her, and tosses it at me. “Go change and warm up. You’ll have to try out for the squad to see where we can put you.”
I smile big, nodding eagerly. “Of course, perfect. Thank you so much.”
Leaving her office, I quickly change in the locker room, then sit down on the bench to stretch my legs a little.
When I make my way back out into the gym, everyone has moved outside, bringing a smile to my lips.
I’d much rather be outdoors in the warmth of the sun, so I push through the doors and walk out to the football field to join them.
Once I find a spot on the sidelines, I sit down on the grass and stretch some more. I’m rusty, and I can feel my hamstrings pulling tight when I try to touch my toes, which sends anxiety flooding through me. I’ll need to start hitting the gym again. I’ve gotten lazy since I arrived in Blackmore.
I know I won’t slide back into the role of squad captain, since I’m brand new and they don’t know me, but the thought of starting right at the ground floor makes me a little annoyed. I’m good at this, and hopefully the team sees that and puts me into a position I’ll excel at.
I’d be good as a flyer, but the thought of trusting these girls with catching me makes me nervous.
I haven’t made any friends outside of Juliet, and the looks I got when I entered the gym earlier make it seem like they already have something against me.
Maybe when they see I’m not going to come in and try to take over, they’ll warm up to me.
At least, I hope.
I stand up, running through one of my old routines silently, the timing and eloquent footwork coming back naturally.
I pull my leg straight up over my head, even as my hamstring pinches, and look out across the field to catch the football team barreling onto the grass.
One player in particular stands out to me, his jersey stretched over his broad shoulders as he runs with the team.
I let go of my foot, dropping my leg back to my side, watching him go.
The team huddles up, and he seems to gain the attention of every single player as he shouts into the sky.
He’s so fucking laid-back, but still somehow commands and inspires the team to jump around and shout with him.
He seems unworried, like he knows exactly what he’s doing, like he knows best out here.
The team splits into two after they all clap hands in the center of the circle, and Vinny leads his group to the edge of the field for a more intimate huddle.
He claps someone on the top of the helmet while he speaks, pointing out across the field like he’s giving direction.
He does the same with each guy, sending them running to their positions on the field.
Ah, so, quarterback, then? No wonder he’s so cool and confident.
He joins his team in formation, then the coach blows his whistle and they all start moving.
Catching the ball, he runs backwards a few feet as he looks out to the end zone, seeing who he can throw the ball to.
Then something in him shifts, and he starts running forward, dodging and weaving the players who try to stop him as he crosses yard after yard.
Finally, someone’s able to tackle him, taking him down like a weight.
His chest is shaking with laughter when he gets up, and he accepts pats on his helmet as he walks back to position.
I want to stand here and watch Vincent Donahue play football all damn day—the way he controls every single player on the field sends shock waves of lust through me.
He adjusts the play, hyping his teammates up, and I find myself addicted to the vision of him dominating.
He’s the commander out here, and I think even if Kaiden were here, he’d still be in control.
“Sage?” Coach Steele calls, pulling my attention to where all the cheerleaders are seated in the grass. She smiles. “You ready?”
“Ready!” Looking back across the field one last time, I catch Vinny’s eyes on me. Our gazes connect, and a small smile pulls at my lips. I lift my hand, wiggling my fingers at him, and he shakes his head as he chuckles, then turns around to keep practicing.
I walk over to the group, and Coach Steele introduces me to the team. A couple of girls smile at me, but most of them don’t. One girl, right in the center of the clump of cheerleaders, a pretty brunette with a sneer on her face, catches my attention. She seems familiar, but I can’t place her.
She raises a hand then, speaking before Coach calls on her. “What position are you trying out for?”
All the girls glance at her, then back at me, so I clear my throat to answer.
Before I have the chance to speak, Coach Steele answers for me.
“Sage was the cheer captain at her last school, so she’ll show us what she’s got, and we’ll all figure out where she fits best on our team.
Maybe she can bring something fresh and new to the squad. ”
Coach speaks as if I’ve already gained a spot on the team, sending confidence through me, but then the brunette narrows her eyes at me and speaks again. “Well, let’s see what you’ve got then, Sage.”
She spits my name like it’s left a bad taste in her mouth, and she’s trying to get rid of it. I shake it off, taking a deep breath and stepping backwards so I have room.
I smile wide as I start my routine, one I choreographed for a competition last year, and after a few moments, it’s as if everyone around me has disappeared. I start to get more and more confident, yelling out my cheer as I dance and move.
I was a sophomore co-captain for a reason, and I’m going to show them exactly why.
I’m creative, flexible, energetic, and I take risks.
Which is exactly what I do when I start running, then flipping, doing a pair of perfect front handsprings and then a round off.
I finish my routine with a back handspring that ends on a touchdown with a loud clap of my hands.
I make sure my smile is wide when I walk back to where I started so I can address the team.