CHAPTER THREE #2
"I just happen to think I have excellent taste."
Amanda felt her heart flutter again.
"You're flirting."
"I've been flirting."
"I only noticed five minutes ago."
He pretended to look offended.
"I've been working very hard."
Amanda bumped his shoulder. "I'll give you partial credit."
"Only partial?"
"You still walked into your refrigerator."
Michael groaned dramatically.
"I knew that story was going to haunt me."
"For the rest of your life."
"I've made a terrible mistake."
"You really have."
They laughed together as they reached Amanda's classroom. The hallway had begun to empty. Most students had already disappeared inside. Amanda stopped outside Room 214.
"So..."
Michael looked at the classroom door.
"...This is you."
She nodded.
"This is me."
Neither of them seemed eager to say goodbye. Amanda shifted awkwardly.
"I guess..."
She smiled.
"...I'll see you at lunch?"
Michael's face lit up. "I was actually hoping you'd say that."
Amanda tilted her head.
"You were?"
"I may have already planned on stealing you for lunch."
She laughed.
"You make it sound like a crime."
"I prefer to call it borrowing."
"Borrowing?"
"I'll return you after fourth period."
Amanda grinned.
"I'll consider it."
Michael leaned casually against the doorframe.
"So..."
Amanda smiled knowingly.
"So?"
"Is this the part where I awkwardly leave?"
She laughed.
"I think it has to be."
"Probably."
Another pause. Neither moved. Amanda finally shook her head, smiling. "We're ridiculous."
"A little."
She took a step toward the classroom. Then stopped.
Turned back around. Walked right back to him.
Michael looked at her curiously. Before he could ask why...
Amanda stood on her tiptoes. And gently kissed his cheek.
It lasted barely a second. When she stepped back...
His eyes were wide. Amanda smiled innocently.
"...Bye."
She disappeared into the classroom before he could answer. Michael remained standing in the hallway. Completely frozen. Another Senior passing by looked at him.
"You good, Mike?" Michael blinked.
"...No idea."
The boy frowned.
"...Okay?"
Michael slowly touched the spot on his cheek where Amanda had kissed him. Then... Without realizing it... He smiled. A really, really stupid smile. One his football teammates would absolutely make fun of.
John rounded the corner just in time to see it. He stopped walking.
"...What happened to you?"
Michael looked over.
"Hm?"
"You look..."
John narrowed his eyes dramatically. "...Happy."
Michael laughed.
"I am."
John looked toward Amanda's classroom. Then back at Michael.
"...Amanda?"
Michael nodded. John smiled.
"I was wondering when one of you was finally going to do something."
Michael blinked.
"...You knew?" John laughed.
"Mike."
He clapped him on the shoulder.
"The entire football team knew."
Michael stared.
"...Seriously?"
"You've been staring at her during pep rallies for months."
Michael groaned.
"Oh, no."
John laughed harder.
"You thought you were subtle?" "I did."
"You weren't."
Michael buried his face in one hand.
"This is somehow worse than Amanda watching football practice."
John grinned.
"She told you about that?"
"Unfortunately."
The warning bell rang again. John adjusted his backpack.
"We should get to class."
Michael nodded.
As they started walking, John glanced sideways at his best friend.
"So..."
Michael looked over.
"...How'd you end up together?"
Michael smiled to himself.
"It's a long story."
John laughed.
"We've got all year."
“Well, I don’t have all day, I got to get to Gym.”
“I’ll call you later then.” Michael smiled.
“Bet,” John replied. The two boys disappeared down the hallway, going their separate ways.
Meanwhile... The gymnasium echoed with the rhythmic squeak of sneakers against polished hardwood. Music blasted through the overhead speakers as the cheerleaders stretched across the blue mats, chatting excitedly before practice officially began.
Melissa stood near the back of the formation. She barely heard any of it. Her body moved automatically through the warm-up routine. Stretch. Count to eight. Switch sides. Repeat.
Her mind was somewhere else entirely. Amanda.
She hadn't answered. Melissa glanced toward the phone tucked inside her cheer bag resting against the bleachers.
Still nothing. She'd called three times before school.
Then twice during first period. Every call had gone unanswered. A knot tightened in her stomach.
"She hates me."
The thought made her chest ache.
"Melissa!"
She blinked.
Coach Reynolds stood in the center of the gym, clipboard tucked beneath one arm.
"Eyes up."
"Sorry."
Melissa forced herself to focus.
"Five..."
Coach clapped her hands.
"Six..." The music restarted.
"Seven..."
"Eight!"
The squad launched into the routine. Melissa hit every motion. Every jump. Every turn. Perfectly. It was muscle memory after years of practice. Unfortunately... Her heart wasn't in it. She landed a tumbling pass just a little too late. Coach immediately noticed.
"Again."
The music stopped. Melissa quietly returned to her spot.
"Sorry."
Coach frowned.
"I know it’s your first day, but I was expecting more from you." Melissa looked down.
"I know."
"Something going on?"
Melissa opened her mouth. Then closed it again. How could she explain?
I lost my best friend last night.
Because I didn't stop a girl from throwing a drink in her face.
"I..."
She forced a small smile.
"I'm just tired."
Coach studied her for another second before nodding. "Shake it off."
"Yes, Coach."
Practice resumed. Across the gym... Theresa watched Melissa carefully. She'd noticed the missed counts. The delayed reactions. The way Melissa kept staring toward her phone. None of that was normal.
During a water break, Theresa quietly walked over. She leaned against the bleachers beside Melissa.
"You okay?"
Melissa stared at the unopened water bottle in her hands.
"No."
Theresa nodded.
"I didn't think so."
For a long moment... Neither girl spoke. Finally, Melissa whispered,
"She won't answer."
Theresa already knew who she meant.
"Amanda?"
Melissa nodded.
"I called before school… Nothing.”
"I texted. Nothing.”
"I even left a voicemail."
Her voice cracked. "...Nothing."
Theresa's heart broke for her.
"You should give her a little time."
Melissa laughed bitterly.
"I don't blame her."
She looked down at the gym floor.
"I wouldn't answer me either."
Theresa rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You made a mistake."
Melissa squeezed her eyes shut.
"I know."
"But that doesn't mean you lost her forever." Melissa looked up.
"You really think so?"
Theresa smiled gently.
"I think..."
She squeezed Melissa's shoulder.
"...real friendships survive really hard days."
Melissa wanted to believe her. She really did. But all she could picture... Was Amanda standing there. Covered in soda. Looking only at her. Waiting. Then walking away. Coach's whistle echoed through the gym.
"Break's over!" The girls stood. Theresa offered Melissa an encouraging smile.
"One step at a time."
Melissa nodded weakly. As they returned to their positions... She glanced toward her cheer bag one more time. Still no notifications. Still no missed calls. Just silence. And somehow... Silence hurt more than anger ever could.
Melissa returned to her spot at the front of the formation. She tightened her ponytail one last time before taking a deep breath.
Focus.
Just for the next hour. Nothing else mattered. Not Amanda. Not the unanswered calls. Not the knot sitting permanently in her stomach. Just... Count. Coach Reynolds stepped toward the stereo before glancing at Maria.
"You've got it."
Maria nodded confidently and clapped her hands once.
"Alright, ladies!"
The conversations scattered around the gym immediately faded. Everyone hurried into formation. Music thundered through the speakers, filling the gymnasium with a familiar beat. Maria looked around the room.
"Five..."
The squad straightened.
"Six..."
Melissa rolled her shoulders back.
"Seven..." Everyone prepared.
"Eight!"
The routine exploded to life. Pom-poms snapped through the air in perfect synchronization. Every girl hit her first motion together. Except Melissa. Instead of stepping right... She stepped left. Straight into Loren.
"Ow!"
Loren stumbled sideways before catching herself. She looked over with an annoyed expression.
"Seriously?"
Melissa's eyes widened.
"Oh my gosh—I'm sorry!"
The routine continued before either of them had time to say anything else.
Melissa tried desperately to catch up. One count behind.
Then two. She missed another arm motion.
Spun the wrong direction. Her foot caught against the edge of the mat.
She stumbled forward, barely managing to catch herself before hitting the floor.
The music stopped abruptly. Silence filled the gym. Melissa closed her eyes.
Here it comes.
Slowly... She turned toward Maria. Maria stood with one hand resting on her hip. Her expression was impossible to read.
"Melissa."
Melissa sighed quietly.
"...Yeah?"
Another long pause. Maria finally spoke. "Again."
Melissa blinked.
"...That's it?"
Maria shrugged.
"You're awful."
Several girls snorted, trying not to laugh. Melissa laughed too, rubbing the back of her neck.
"...Fair."
Maria pointed toward the center of the formation.
"But..."
Her tone softened just enough to surprise everyone.
"...you're trying."
She folded her arms.
"I can fix effort."
Her eyes swept briefly across the rest of the squad.
"I can't fix laziness."
Melissa smiled.
"I'll get better."
"You better."
A tiny smirk appeared on Maria's face. "Prom is in two days."
She gestured toward the gym floor.
“And so is the Cheer Competition against Woodenbrook—"
"So I refuse to lose because one person has two left feet."
The entire squad burst into laughter. Even Melissa.
"Deal."
Maria nodded once.
"Again."
The music restarted. This time... Melissa hit every count. Not perfectly. But better. Much better.
By the end of practice, she was exhausted.