Free Snitch by Kat Kirst Page A

heard the “one” and remembered that we forfeited that win because we did something stupid to a substitute. The roar that exploded from the crowd erased that thought, and we all waved and smiled as the music geared up for the next cheer.
    Chrissy grabbed the microphone from Coach and pranced to the center of the court as only she could do.
    “We need volunteers to help us with this next cheer! We have everyone’s name in this box , and if we call your name , come on down!” she announced.
    The crowd answered her as Tammera and Catherine flounced to the center of the gym with a box decorated in green and gold.
    Tammera drew out a piece of paper and leaned forward into the microphone. “Angela Smith , c ome on down!”
    Screams came from the stands as Angela’s friends pushed her up from her seat and down the steps to take her place in the center of the gym. Chrissy gave her a set of signs and directions as to what to do while Catherine pull ed the next name.
    “Simon Indago , c ome on down!”
    Simon quickly stood up holding his arms in the air for recognition. His friends slapped him on the back , grunting and raising their fists in the air before Simon ran down the steps to where Chrissy was holding our school’s large stuffed mascot. Roaring for the audience, Simon grabbed the tiger and held it in the air as the crowd cheered even louder. He was so involved performing for the crowd, it took Chrissy three tries before she got him to stand to the right of the cheerleading line.
    I knew how he felt; sometimes I feel like that too when the crowd is screaming for me. Once the nervousness of standing in front of the entire school goes away, it just feels good.
    Chrissy cal led out the last name. “Kate DuPrey , come on down!”
    The crowd yelled again , craning their necks for a look at Kate who didn’t stand up right away. Reluctan tly she rose, shaking her head—probably pushed up by the people next to her —and impelled by the crowd and their cheers. Kate smiled her quiet smile and nervou sly walked to Chrissy who put a sign in her hands and placed her next to Angela. After a few more directions, the cheerleading squad lined up behind the girls and Simon.
    “We’re going to do a cheer and it’s you we need to hear!” Chrissy chanted . “When we say, ‘Give us an inch’, you say, ‘We’ll take a yard’. When we say, ‘We’ll drive the ball,’ you say, ‘and fight them hard’! Got it?”
    The crowd growled , making Chrissy smile. She took her place as the cheerleaders , with their hands on their hips , faced the crowd . She checked Kate and Angela who both nodded once to let her know they were ready.
    They began.
    “Squad! Ready! Give us an inch!” they screamed, clapping their hands to the side.
    “We’ll take a yard!” the crowd answered.
    “We’ll drive the ball!” the cheerleaders yelled, bouncing and clapping to the other side.
    “And fight them hard!”
    The noise was unbelievable as the cheerleading squad repeated the chant and the crowd answered. The second time through, Kate and Angela , standing next to one another, held up their signs each time the cheer began. By the third time both girls , caught up in the moment , held their signs high while the crowd yelled even louder. Even Kate seemed to have been taken away by the noise and the excitement.
    Suddenly Chrissy appeared between Angela and Kate , pushing Angela a few steps right and Kate a few steps left. She shook her green and gold pompoms addressing the crowd. The girls moved to opposite ends of the cheerleading line holding their signs high as the cheerleaders stepped forward and repeated the cheer once again.
    And then things went wrong. The tone of the crowd cha nged from cheering to jeering. Instead of clapping , the crowds pointed and laughed.
    And all of it was directed at Kate.
    As Kate turned to Chrissy with a horrified look on her face, I saw what it was all about.
    When Angela and Kate held their signs together they