Who Loves Me?

Chapter 2

"There has to be at least one good tryout." Lizzie says to me as she's as exasperated as me, by all the bad tryouts we've seen thus far. "I wish even one man could walk in, isn't there any bold men anymore?" Melony sighs and we all laugh as another girl walks in. "No such luck." Melony leans back in her seat and I get Rena to start up the music.

The music starts and I'm expecting her to do a small dance or to maybe throw in a cartwheel but I'm impressed as I see a few flips. She's following the beat and her posture is good as she lands every move she makes. The music ends and all the girls, including I are clapping at her routine. "I did gymnastics for years." She smiles as she blushes at our praise.

"You've never been a cheerleader?" I ask in surprise, so is the rest of the squad as they look her up and down. "I wanted to but gymnastics was full time and I finally decided to take a break and give this a try." "Well, welcome to the team darling." Melony raises a fake glass, to the air. "That decision is ultimately left to me." I glare at her and Melony laughs it off as a joke, even though I know she's been gunning for my captain position since I got appointed a few years ago.

"Captain!" The girls whine and I smile as I nod to the one in front of us. "I just need the name of our new member." "Really?" Her smile is big as she walks towards our table. "Holly." She introduces and shakes my hand. "Welcome." "As if she wasn't going to make it." Melony says as she stands up and turns on the music.

She starts working on her flips and I see Lizzie and Rena looking at me, waiting for my reaction, yet I know not to indulge Melony and her antics. I call the other girls up to join her. We need to practice some of the new moves I'm throwing into one of our routines. "Let's do a thigh stand." "I'll then position you guys to do a jump and flip." "I'm on top, aren't I?" Melony coyly says and we all shake our heads as shes goes from angry to flirty in seconds.

Melony has always been one of our best flyers but she tends to covet the position as if she can't support the team by being a base or a back spotter. It leaves little room for me to switch up our routines as she won't comply with some of the tricks I've had in mind. I'm the only other flyer and Melony always throws a fit for when she has to be a base.

I won't give in to her fits as I have a few new things in mind and I know I'm the only one capable of doing them, if Melony won't. "We'll try a basket toss now." "Amateur hour, isn't it?" Melony hops down from the girls and shoves by me as she grabs her water bottle. "Not just any basket toss." "I'll be doing a double full twist."

"You will?" She laughs as if I've said a joke. "Do you have the confidence to do so?" She pops her hip out and glares at me, daring me to disagree. "I'm confident." I tell everyone to get into position and see Melony huff as she becomes a base. I've known Melony for years, since we were children and I knew shes always hated me for knocking her off her pedestal.

She had been quite popular with everyone, when we were little. It wasn't until 5th grade, when I started blossoming out of the awkward and insecure girl that I was. People then started talking to me and I realized how much I enjoyed having them around. Melony would watch in the distance, glaring at me as if I stole her favorite toy.

I became more confident in speaking, dancing and my humor eventually attracted the attention of Lucas, in 6th grade. I became naturally good at leading and it was only a year later, when I dedicated myself into cheer leading and learning it completely. Melony and I had stopped being friends for awhile and that's when I heard that she'd been caught making out with a boy in the janitors closet.

I wasn't sure why she took on the new role but she seemed happier as boys followed her everywhere, hanging onto her every word. I'd caught her after one of my gymnastics sessions, for cheer leading walking in and talking to the coach. I didn't know at the time that she signed up or that her sessions had been twice as long, to catch up with me.

It wasn't until high school, when we tried out for the cheer team did we try to mend our friendship even if it's still rocky at times. "You guys ready?" I see their positions are good. I step onto their hands and feel myself lifting up as I place my arms correctly and twist down. I land perfectly and stand back up as Melony grabs her bag and leaves.

"Someone's in a mood." Lizzie comments and Holly looks at the time and runs out. "I didn't realize we finished this late." I look at the time and realize it's almost almost 8. "We went over by an hour." Rena tells me and I shake my head. "We need the practice though, especially with our team being as small as it is, we'll need to adjust." "Right." She then picks her bag up and walks to the locker room to change, unlike the other girls.

I sigh as I walk out, picking up my bag. I choose not to change as my house is only a few miles from the school. I usually walk home most days and the fall weather is still warm, from summer. I walk out the gym doors and see none other than Jax walking down the road, by the school. He turns and looks at me, before he continues. The very moment that must have lasted a second, leaves my heart racing.

It wasn't like Jax is dressed any different as he's cladded in black, like always. I then wonder if it's because this is the first time seeing him without Hilda hanging off his arm. I knew that couldn't be it as I pictured the way his dark brown eyes gazed into my blue ones. I realize then that it's the fact that Jax noticed me, looked at me for the first time ever.