Free Spilled Milk: Based on a true story by K.L Randis Page B

off the ground.
     Lucille was
ecstatic. “Wow! Did you see that Coach? She did it perfectly. Did you see that
coach she cradled just like she should!”
    They raised my
torso until my sneakers touched the ground and two girls patted my back. “All
right, Brooke, that was awesome.”
    My heart was
still in my throat as I looked at Coach sitting in her chair chewing on her
hair. “Well, Brooke.” She picked up her pencil and wrote something down in
front of her. “Seems as though you’re a natural.”
    “What happened
to you in there?” Carmen and Sonia demanded as I finally walked out of the gym
doors. I told them what happened and they stared back with the same open mouths
the judges had. “You did a stunt? Well I guess it’s a good thing you
didn’t shave your legs!”
    “What does that
have to do with anything?” I asked
    “I figured, you
know, because you’re so skinny that if you made the team they would want you to
be a flyer. You can’t shave your legs before you stunt because otherwise the
bases cant grip your legs as you go up, it’s too slippery.” Sonia beamed at me.
“Aaaah that means you totally made the team!”
    An hour later
Coach appeared in front of the gym doors with a list in her hand. “A lot of
girls here today showed great talent and promise. Unfortunately, we only have
six spots per team this year, so if you hear your name, congratulations, you’ve
made the team. First we’ll start with varsity.”
    Coach rattled
off names of mostly Junior and Senior girls who shrieked when they heard their
names. Other girls looked around nervous that there were only six more spots to
be claimed.
    “Junior Varsity
will now have the pleasure of adding the following girls to the team for the
fall football season.”
    Carmen and
Sonia gripped either of my hands. “If you’re name is called, you’ve made the
team. Margaret B., Sara T., Joanna N., Riley D.,” There were only two names
left.
    Coach eyed the
group of hopefuls. “Also, Lily P., and Danica R.”
    Our hands
loosened as I realized with Carmen and Sonia that none of us had made the team.
I looked at Carmen who already had tears falling down her cheeks and at Sonia
who was shaking her head in disbelief.
    The girls who
made the team cheered and hugged each other as Coach put the list in her
pocket. “I know a lot of you had great expectations for today. And I appreciate
all your hard work. Please try again next season, as we’re always looking for
new and great talent.”
    “Yea right,”
Sonia whispered under her breath.
    “One more
thing.” Coach cracked her knuckles and cleared her throat. “I also want to
congratulate Brooke Nolan, for becoming the newest flyer on the Junior Varsity
team. We needed six cheerleaders, and didn’t realize we needed a new flyer
until she demonstrated exceptional talent at today’s audition.” Coach looked at
me. “Congratulations, Brooke. Welcome to the team.”
    Sonia tackled
me and Carmen shrieked in my ear as they hugged and danced around in a circle
with their arms wrapped around me. “You did it! You did it! You made the team
Brooke!”
    Embarrassed
enough to not even smile I realized that I wasn’t sure I even wanted to be part
of the team now that Sonia and Carmen weren’t.
    “And don’t even
think about quitting because we didn’t make it,” Carmen said, reading my
thoughts. “You will be awesome. ”
     

Chapter Nine
     “I think Paul
likes you.” Cristin and I made our way through the packed annual west end fair.
In two weeks cheerleading practice was going to start.
    I wasn’t
looking forward to getting up at four thirty in the morning to meet at the high
school, but Coach insisted it was better to work out and practice before the
sweltering summer sun came up.
    “Really?” I
looked back at Judd, Paul and Chalky following behind us. “I don’t know, he
hasn’t said much to me since I met him last summer. He was even in my health
class this year.”
    “I think