Page 24

CHAPTER 24

ELI

I stand in front of the mirror to look at myself. I don’t know who designed men’s cheer uniforms, but ugh. They’re not flattering like the girls’. The pants are like ‘90s leggings: not quite tight, but narrow. They offer no shape at all.

Glancing at Bea, I huff. “I’m still jealous that you get to wear a cute skirt and I’m in retro pants.”

She laughs as she comes up beside me. No, seriously. She’s adorable in her little pleated skirt and crop top. I don’t even get to wear a crop!

“Just be glad your junk is comfortable,” Courtney says. “Landing your rump on a palm when you’re tucking is awkward as hell.”

Bea and I nod in agreement.

“I’ll give you that one. I don’t envy you possibly landing full weight on your balls.”

“Someday, that won’t be an issue,” Courtney says, sighing.

We nod again. This time with sympathy as well. I can’t imagine living in a body that doesn’t reflect my gender. It makes me wish I could wave my metallic pom-pom and magic her the body she belongs in.

“You nervous?” Friday asks as he comes up on my other side.

I take a breath and nod. “Yeah.” This is the first time we’ll be doing our competition routine in front of an audience. Granted, it’s just halftime for the university football game, but still. There’s usually a thousand or more people there. “Definitely.”

Friday and Bea wander off to finish their makeup or whatever when my brother stops beside me. I wrap my arm around his waist. “I’m going to fuck up,” Zeke grumbles. “I shouldn’t have eaten that hot dog.”

I snort and rest my head against his.

“You’re kidding, right?” Kesley says as she comes up to his other side. Standing in front of the mirror, she checks her reflection to make sure her hair and uniform are perfect. Her fingers dip between the pleats of her skirt, making sure they fall where they should. “You’re the best tumbler, Zeke. You haven’t missed a beat in the last three weeks. You’ll be fine.”

She turns, hair swinging behind her, as she walks away. We watch her reflection in the mirror before looking at each other.

“Did she just compliment you?” Friday asks.

“That’s what it sounded like, but I’m sure that’s not the case,” Zeke says. “She must’ve had a stroke or something.”

Joelle steps into the room and claps to get our attention. “Okay, squad. Let’s keep it simple today with the cheers. Watch your rhythm and stay together. Our strengths are in our ability to stay in sync, so don’t get complacent just because this is a game. Understand?”

There’s a chorus of ‘ yes, captain ’ that fills the room.

“Good. Let’s go show the crowd what we’re made of.”

I grab my pom-poms and water bottle and follow my teammates out. It’s a five o’clock game in November, so the sun is on its way down. We’ll be under the full lights around the stadium by the time the game ends tonight. As soon as we near the field, it’s time to put on a cheer face. Sometimes I feel like a clown with a painted-on smile. It kind of feels like it slits my face.

Still, I smile and jog with my squad to the sidelines, waving my poms in the air as I go. Whooping and yeowing with the rest of them. We stop at our usual spot to the left of the home team’s bench and line up our water bottles against the platform of the raised bleachers. Then we spend the next twenty minutes wooing and cheering, waving our pom-poms and shaking our asses as people file into the stands.

As long as I don’t think about it too much, I can overlook how obnoxious and cheesy it looks to be doing this. Honestly, I don’t give a fuck about cheering on the team or getting the crowd excited. I’m focused on the complicated routines and pushing myself further and further with every new one.

“Hey,” Bea says, knocking my shoulder. When I look at her, she nods her head in the direction of the bleachers.

I look up. It takes me three seconds to spot Edin and Mo in the front. My breaths stop completely as I meet Edin’s eyes. He smiles and I swear to fuck, it’s a little shy as he bows his head slightly. When Mo sees me looking at them, she gets on her feet and waves her hands in the air, screaming my name.

They’re here. They fucking came to my game!

I drop my pom-poms and jog to them. Using my momentum, I jump up the four feet to plant my sneakers on the base and grip the railings. Mo’s there to greet me.

“Eli!” she exclaims and puts her hands on either side of my face. “You’re so pretty.”

I laugh. I rarely wear makeup, but I have eyeliner on and some star glitter at the corners of my eyes. “Thanks, beautiful.”

“We’re so excited to see you cheer,” Mo exclaims. Her eyes flicker beyond me and she adds, “Also to see football.”

Someone snorts behind her, and I glance up. I’d been so focused on Edin and Mo that I hadn’t realized they were surrounded by other Omega frat guys. Mario gives me a wink when I meet his eyes. There’s also Brent and Edin’s teammate and frat brother, Denton.

I’m not one to get choked up easily, but I’m stunned to see them all there. It means more to me than I’d have thought it would. “Thanks for coming,” I say, meeting all their eyes but landing on Edin’s. “I’m really happy you came.”

Another shy smile from Edin as he lowers his head again.

“Eli!”

I look over my shoulder. Joelle points to my position, where I’m definitely not standing. Looking back at Edin and Mo, I say, “I’ll see you in a bit. Make sure you watch halftime—we have something super special to show everyone.”

“Can’t wait!” Mo yells, jumping up with her hands in the air. I wish I had an extra set of pom-poms with me. I bet she’d love them.

I jump down and jog back to my team to get in position. We’re facing the field now, swishing our pom-poms together in preparation for the team to come out. I can’t help myself and glance over my shoulder to look at them in the stands again.

They’re here!

“That your boyfriend?” Friday asks.

“Don’t ever call him that,” I insist, shaking my head. “Definitely not anywhere it can be overheard and repeated.”

Friday gives me a strange look.

Sighing, I nod. “He’s… yeah. A friend.”

Bea snorts. “Friend. Sure.”

“I’m going to make you eat grass, woman,” I hiss.

She laughs. I’ve always loved Bea’s laugh. There’s something melodious about it. Like it has a harmony all its own. Despite my mood, when Bea laughs, I smile. Just like now, when I’d really rather glare at her in warning.

“We are,” Joelle calls. “Go, Zeke.”

Zeke, much to his continuous chagrin, is our point person. He’s always the cue that gets us started. He hates it. It’s far too much pressure, but he’s a good leader.

This time is no different, regardless of the fact this is likely the hundredth time that Joelle has instructed him to do so. He glares at her before getting into position.

His cue is subtle. A slight nod of his head and raise of his shoulders. A count of one from that moment and we begin our simple chant and routine.

“We are the Badgers;

We won’t be beat.

We have the power

To knock you off your feet!”

We end with loud wooo’s, high kicks, and pom-poms rustling in the air. I can’t help myself and glance over my shoulder. Yep, they’re still there. Watching me.

It’s difficult to watch the game. Especially when the first quarter is a wreck. Our defense is on point, which is fortunate. If it weren’t for the strong defense, we’d be getting creamed right now since our offense has turned over the ball half a dozen times already. Two of which were sacks.

The quarterback is not on his game tonight. Something the coach apparently agrees with since he replaces the quarterback with another a third of the way through the second quarter. This new guy—Russel Thornton—saunters onto the field and we make some catcalls to pep him up.

“Look at that ass,” Sarah says.

“One of the best things about football is the tight, thin pants they wear,” Bea agrees. “I mean, look at that. I can see the outline of Russel Thornton’s jock. That’s hot.”

“It is hot,” Courtney agrees. “He’s got the finest ass I’ve seen in a long time.”

I glance back at Edin again. For probably the twentieth time. I’m going to have to disagree with Courtney. Edin has the finest ass.

“Dibs,” Courtney calls after Russel proves to be in a much better place than the previous quarterback. He manages to chuck that ball from our forty-yard line straight into the hands of our wide receiver way down at their ten. The next play is a goal, then the extra point.

“Yep,” Courtney says, nodding. “Dibs for real.”

Bea snorts. “Hopefully he gets your memo.”

When Russel leads us to another score before the end of the second period, Courtney leads us in an impromptu cheer.

“Stronger than steel;

Hotter than the sun.

Russel won’t stop

Until he gets the job done.”

I’m quite confident Russel blushes from where he’s standing in front of his bench. Especially when Courtney winks at him.

That’s all the time we have for fun, though. It’s our turn. Joelle ushers us onto the field as the teams vacate and we get into position. I take my place in front of Jarrod and take a deep breath. This is it. First audience performance.

I allow myself one more peek at Mo, who’s still jumping and cheering, and Edin. A smile touches my lips. My stomach dances with butterflies. I still can’t believe they came to watch me. They’re here for me .

Releasing a breath, I settle into my spot and look at my brother as my squad around me gets ready. A second passes. Another. Zeke turns, making sure we’re all ready. Then his eyes meet mine as they so often do before a big moment. I nod. You got this, brother.

He smiles, returning my nod. Another couple seconds pass before he gives us the cue. The music starts, and the required second passes before we begin. Jarrod’s hands land on my hips and my first launch into the air has me reaching for the stars. There are twenty solid seconds before my feet hit the ground again while I’m performing above everyone’s heads.

Then I come down, do a few ground cheers with the required “Longwood U! Go, Badgers!” shout-out, and then I’m backflipping my way back to Jarrod. This time, I land with my hands on his in a handstand. My eyes are locked with his. He’s my cue now as we turn.

I come down a little as we get ready to adjust into the next hold—the one where I’m only connected to Jarrod by my single hand on his and starfished in the air while he slowly rotates, allowing my teammates to ‘fly’ between my limbs.

It’s unnerving because I can’t watch them. I have to watch Jarrod and trust that the team below will keep me safe. The entire starfish moment lasts fifteen seconds and then Jarrod pushes me up into the air where I do a one-eighty and land on my feet in his hands.

I drop from there into his arms where he doesn’t catch me so much as slow my fall and guide me into the next set where I roll feet over head until I land upright and into another “Go. Badgers.” Head bob.

The rest of the routine isn’t nearly as nerve-racking as the starfish, but I still spend most of the time in the air, meeting my teammates as we play off each other and end together in some strange ass pyramid above their heads that makes my arms shake. Thankfully, we only have to hold it for a few seconds before we break.

We’re panting but cheering as we head off the field. I allow myself to look up and meet Edin’s eyes. He’s beaming at me, cheering with the crowd. No one is louder than Mo, though.

I’m honestly floating at this point. I don’t remember much of the game after that. Just glimpses—most of which are when I’m peeking at Edin and Mo. It still feels so surreal that they’re here.

The Badgers win 21-3 so the team and cheer squad are celebrating. Meanwhile, I’m wondering how long I have to stand here before I can get to Edin and Mo. Thankfully, they’re not filing out and off the field like a lot of the crowd. They’re waiting in front of the bleachers for me.

“Go get him, Court,” Bea says, and I glance their way to see Bea nudging Courtney. Courtney smirks, gives Bea a nod, and saunters her way to the team. More specifically, Russel.

“He’s not going to know what hit him,” Friday says, laughing.

I grin and use Courtney walking away as the signal I need to do the same. With my eyes locked on Edin’s, I head for them. As soon as my gaze drops to Mo, she launches herself at me and wraps her arms around my waist. I freeze and stare at her, completely surprised. Getting my wits about me again, I wrap my arms around her in return.

Knowing that the moment which resulted in Edin shutting me out had to do with a domestic moment between me and Mo, I almost don’t dare look up. But I can’t help it and chance a glance at Edin.

This time, he’s smiling. Small and fond and looking right at me.

Thank fuck.

Mo steps back with a beaming smile. “That was so awesome, Eli. They threw you so high!”

I nod, chuckling.

“Were you scared?” she asks.

“It can be scary,” I admit and shrug. “Flying is all about trust. You have to trust your team to keep you safe.”

“I want to try that.” She turns to look at Edin. “Can I try it, Dad?”

Edin’s relaxed position changes right away, and he gives her a wary look. Then his eyes meet mine.

“How about just some cheers for now?” I suggest. “It takes a lot of years to work up to flying. You have to build your core muscles.” I rest my hand on my stomach.

Mo sighs. “Fine. Can I cheer with your friends?”

“Yeah.” I turn and call for Bea, Friday, and Jarrod. I’m not going to distract Courtney from flirting with her new quarterback. When my friends get to me, I introduce Mo. “Want to show her some cheers?”

Mo’s wide, excited eyes turn on them. She’s bouncing on her feet.

“Sure thing,” Bea says and offers Mo her hand. Mo gives me an excited smile and takes Bea’s hand. They don’t go far. Just to the grass where it’s softer.

“They’re not going to throw her, will they?” Edin asks, coming up beside me.

“Nope, but that’s why I asked Jarrod over. His reflexes are like that of a cat. I can’t tell you how many times he’s caught someone who just trips when walking. He’s that good. A damn ninja.”

Edin sighs. “Thanks.”

We’re quiet for a minute, and my heart stops when I feel his hand slide into mine. I give myself another minute not to look at him with hearts in my eyes before turning. He’s giving me another shy smile. Now, I’m close enough to see the blush on his skin.

“I’m really happy you’re here,” I tell him. “Thank you. It means a lot.”

This time, when he bows his head, he completely hides his expression. However, he only hides for a second before walking into me and wrapping his free arm around my waist. My stopped heart begins racing like we just ran a marathon.

I shouldn’t tell him I love him, right?

It’s hard, but I don’t say the words. I hold him to me but shift our position so we can watch Mo with my squad. More of them have gathered around to cheer with her.

Honestly, there’s probably no more perfect moment than this.