Free Stacey And The Cheerleaders by Ann M. Martin

steps were on the beat, my arms were energetic. I even managed to smile through most of the routine.
    "Stacey, you are going to blow their socks
    off!" Jessi said. "I am serious. Socks will be flying all around you. The cheerleaders'll be running around in their bare feet. That was fantastic!"
    "We're the best! Stace and Jess! Yea, team!" I shouted. I was fired up. For the first time, I knew I had a shot at making the team.
    "You should preview this at the BSC meeting," Jessi suggested.
    "Are you kidding?"
    "No way. Aren't you proud of it?"
    "Well, yeah, but ..."
    "It'll be like a dress rehearsal. If you can do it well before them, you'll be great at the tryouts."
    "Maybe."
    "I knew you would!" Jessi exclaimed.
    "I said maybe."
    You know, sometimes I think Jessi is just as bad as Kristy. That evening, at "new business" time in the meeting, Jessi stood up and said, "I move we all go into the Kishis' backyard at six and watch Stacey's cheerleading routine!"
    Claudia cracked up. She thought it was a joke. And Kristy got impatient. But Jessi insisted — and that was how I got my first audience. At precisely six, my friends and I ran out to the backyard. I was on.
    How did I do? Not bad, considering I was wearing my down coat and snow boots. Kristy
    and Claudia still seemed to think I was crazy, but they applauded.
    Good old Mary Anne said, "Stacey, that was great! If you were a cheerleader I wouldn't be able to watch the game!"
    Now that is a friend.
    On Thursday I had my second dress rehearsal. This one was planned. I couldn't help blabbing to Sheila about my progress, and I asked her if she and a couple of the others would watch my routine in advance.
    I went with her to The Group table during lunch period. She whispered to Penny and Darcy, and the four of us headed for the rear door, which led to the school parking lot.
    "We can't go out there," I said. "We'll get suspended."
    Penny laughed. "Don't worry."
    This teacher, Mr. Schubert, was standing near the door. He began staring at us. Darcy just smiled at him and called out, "Just a little drill review. We'll be back in two minutes."
    Mr. Schubert nodded.
    I felt a little nervous about breaking the rules, even though Mr. Schubert had okayed it, so I ran through the routine quickly. By that time I was pretty confident, and I don't think I made any mistakes.
    The girls' eyes were wide when I finished.
    They looked totally surprised. I wasn't sure whether I'd been better or worse than they had expected.
    "Did you like it?" I asked.
    Penny nodded. "Yeah."
    "Any suggestions?"
    They shook their heads. "Just do exactly what you did," Sheila said. "You are good, Stacey. Really good."
    Well, I was as high as a kite. But I didn't want to assume I'd get in. I practiced really hard Thursday evening, and then again on Friday after school.
    Friday night was my dinner date with Robert. He knew I needed to eat right after the BSC meeting, so you know what he did? He decided to surprise me outside the Kishis' at six.
    As we barreled out of the house, Jessi was the first to see him. She stopped in her tracks and gasped, "Oh, wow! Is this him?"
    Robert blushed, and we all cracked up. (Jessi, by the way, was mortified. She didn't stop apologizing to me for a week.) By this time, the other members of the BSC, except for Shannon, had already met Robert. He'd sat at the BSC table in the cafeteria a couple of times.
    Needless to say, every one of them liked him. (How could they not?)
    Well, my weekend was off to a perfect start. We ate dinner at Robert's house, and then his dad drove us to a rock concert in Stamford. That was where I learned, in the aisle of Row 34, that Robert was a very cool dancer.
    The next day, Saturday, SMS had an afternoon game (which, of course, we won). Watching the cheerleaders, I felt great. I could do everything they could. Watching Robert, I felt even better. One time he actually winked at me from the court.
    Our double date with Logan and Mary Anne that night was