Cheer Choice by Jake Maddox

Author:Jake Maddox
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 9781434241436, 9781434279316, fiction, Stone Arch Books, Jake Maddox Girl Sports Stories, sports & recreation/general, girls & women, social issues/friendship, social issues/values & virtues, social issues/new experience
Publisher: Stone Arch Books
Published: 2014-01-21T16:00:00+00:00

Everyone cheered enthusiastically when she was finished. Colleen smiled. The new routine was much better than their other one.

“That looks awesome!” Anna shouted. “Let’s try it out.”

But as Colleen watched the squad run through the new routine, she felt sad. I made the only decision I could, she thought. So why don’t I feel happier?

Chapter 6

DOING THE RIGHT THING

The next week seemed to drag. Every day, Colleen trudged to class. And every afternoon, she trudged to cheerleading practice.

The new routine was coming together really well. Every day, the bases got more solid, and the flyers were able to lift their legs higher in the arabesque. Everyone’s split-leg jumps were higher and their legs were straighter.

The entire squad was pumped up about showing off their new routine at All-Stars. Everyone except Colleen.

On the Wednesday before the competition, the squad gathered in the gym to run through the routine again. All the cheerleaders got into position in the triangle as they practiced back handsprings.

Colleen stood at the point of the triangle and flung herself over backward with the rest of the girls, but she wasn’t really paying attention. She couldn’t stop thinking about how Meredith would react when she saw what Colleen and the squad had planned for All-Stars.

Suddenly, Colleen realized the music had stopped. She glanced up and looked around in confusion.

Dani was standing next to the MP3 player and speakers. She looked irritated. “Colleen!” she said. “What is the matter with you? You’re moving in slow motion.”

Colleen’s mouth fell open. She glanced around at the rest of the squad. Everyone else looked upset too.

Dani kept talking. “You’ve been acting totally out of it ever since we decided on the new routine,” she continued. “It’s like you’re not even awake half the time. How are we supposed to win at All-Stars if we have a captain who’s barely paying attention?”

Colleen felt her face grow hot with embarrassment. Dani’s right, she thought. The squad is depending on me. I can’t let my problems get in the way. I have to find a way to fix things.

Just then, Coach Ryan stuck her head out of the office. “What’s going on?” the coach asked the squad. “I heard the music stop. Did you girls run through the basket toss already?”

Colleen stepped forward. “Everything’s fine, Coach Ryan,” she said. Her voice echoed in the gym. “But could I talk to you for a second?”

Coach Ryan looked surprised. She stepped back and motioned for Colleen to come into her office. She turned to the rest of the squad. “Why don’t you girls take a quick water break?” she said.

Colleen closed the door behind her. “Coach, I need to talk to you about something pretty serious,” she said. “It’s about the routine.”

“It’s looking great!” the coach interrupted. “I can’t wait for you girls to show it off on Sunday.”

Colleen shifted nervously in her seat. “Actually . . .” she said. “There’s something you don’t know about the routine.”

Briefly, she explained what had happened — how she and

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