Free Cheerleading Can Be Murder (Horror High #1) by Carissa Ann Lynch Page A

Decay.
    “What color is the outfit you’re wearing?” She studied my face intently.
    “Purple,” I grumbled.
    She took out an awesome eye shadow palette with a range of glittery violet shades. She smoothed it on with steady hands, then dabbed more glitter across each lid. When she held up the mirror for me to see the result, I had to admit it looked great. It pained me to say it, but I did anyway. “Thank you, Brittani.” I choked out the words.
    For the next ten minutes, I couldn’t take my eyes off the clock. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as the second hand approached its destination. I could almost hear the sound of its ticking reverberating in my head. Just when I couldn’t stand the wait one second longer, the bell rang. Show time!
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter
    Twenty-Four
     
     
    I quickly changed into my purple leotard and shorts, then made my way over to my seat on the bench. The bench was already full with the other hopefuls, and everyone seemed to be sitting next to their respective group members. I took a seat next to Amanda. I tried to catch her eye to wish her luck, but she was staring straight ahead at the padded walls, her lips pursed nervously. She was wearing a sparkly, rainbow-colored leotard. She looked fabulous.
    Sydney was sitting at the other end of the bench. Unsurprisingly, she was sitting next to Genevieve and Tasha. She too looked great in a stretchy red sports top and matching shorts that we’d picked out together weeks ago. That trip to the mall seemed so long ago. Now we were barely speaking…
    Mariella Martin was wearing a sequin-covered, green leotard that looked nothing short of perfect in conjunction with her bright red hair. Genevieve and Tasha were wearing matching two-piece outfits that basically looked like slutty bathing suits. Yuck.
    But the award for strangest outfit had to go to Brittani. She was wearing cotton-fibered shorts over a stretchy leotard covered in pictures of small kittens. “I love kittens,” she said defensively, when one of the girls rudely asked why she’d picked it.
    The other girls—Tally, Monika, and Ashleigh—were wearing similar variations to the rest of us. Our outfits may have been different, but our expressions were the same—every single one of us looked nervous.
    When Coach Davis walked in, I think all of us were holding our breaths. She took a few minutes to get the music for the routines ready, and then she took a seat in a plastic straight-backed chair that gave her a perfect view of the center gym floor.
    “The first group who will do their routine is Group Three,” she announced, glancing down at a notepad on her lap. She made a few scribbles with a red ink pen. Seeing her there with that notepad was downright intimidating, and hearing my group number called first was not something I’d expected.
    However, I jumped to my feet enthusiastically, and followed my two group members out to the middle of the floor.
    Since Teresa was no longer in our group, I took my spot in the center, while Amanda and Brittani stood across from each other, forming a row behind me. I placed my hands on my hips and took a deep breath, waiting for the music to begin. Coach Davis did a three count, and then she pressed play on the compact disc player.
    The steps to the routine came easily, and I performed them just as I had in practice. Only this time it was the real thing! I stayed on rhythm with the music and hit my jumps perfectly, all the while keeping a smile on my face. At the end, the other girls on the bench clapped with muted enthusiasm. Coach Davis gave us a curt nod, making several notes on her pad. I wished I knew what she was thinking, but I honestly had no clue since she didn’t offer us any feedback.
    “Group one, you’re up!” she called next, looking toward Tasha on the bench. The next group took their places in the center floor, while my group took a relieved seat on the bench. Tasha and Genevieve were standing in