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this. Once again, I feel embarrassed for sitting on this table, seating around the people making such foolish jokes, taunting one of their friends, not caring how much they hurt him. The kind of table I’ve always found myself in, for which I blame my brother. He’s always been a jock surrounded by other jocks whether he liked it or not. Being a great athlete, handsome and tall often made him one of the hottest boys in the school. That automatically led to me joining the popular crowd, because the most popular girls would befriend me in hopes of getting in good terms with my brother. My status as a cheerleader only fuelled it. I’m an athlete too, but no particular sport has ever caught my eye besides gymnastics, and dad was adamant in that I never was to join gymnastics- spend my whole youth on an intensive discipline that’d affect my social life, my body and eating habits. Cheerleading was the closest thing to gymnastics that he was okay with. So for as long as Tony has been playing basketball in a team, I have been a cheerleader in the squad cheering his team.
    “The games this Saturday shall be quite something,” Mandy says. “I think we shall win, now that Tony joined the team,” she says coquettishly. She’s back to flirting with Tony again, now that any of her attempts to raise the new guy’s interest in her have not worked. I hope my brother does not fall for her antics, for he deserves way better.
    “And with Sophia as a new member of our cheerleading squad, we’ll be unstoppable,” she finishes, giving me her beautiful smile that I know often knocks back boys.
    “You don’t even know if I’ll pass the tryouts,” I tell her quietly, as she’s seated beside me on my right.
    “What are you talking about!” She answers me much loudly than I’d have liked her to. “You’ll be great!”
     

Chapter 6
    “Sophia!” I look up, curious as to who would call me out so loudly while in the middle of cheerleading practice.
    I wave back nervously at Gauthier who is waving at me from the bleachers. When I turn away, the whole squad is looking at me curiously, and I don’t miss Tony’s frown from behind Coach Murray’s head who’s drilling the basketballers on warmups.
    “You know the new guy?” Aiki, a bright eyed First Nation’s girl asks wide eyed, but I just shrug before turning back to Emily, the cheerleading squad captain, who then calls out another routine that the girls show me, and I’m expected to learn.
    “It’s good to see you cheering again,” Tony says about an hour later, settling himself beside me on the bleachers as I tie my laces. I am glad for the distraction, as I am trying my best to ignore Gauthier who is still seating a few bleachers above, where he’s been throughout practice, boring a hole through my head with his intense gaze.
    “I think I like being back at it too,” I answer him with a small smile. “Looks like once again I shall be cheering you on as you destroy opposing teams.”
    “The formidable duo!” He says laughing lightly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he tells me, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing lightly.
    “I think we should celebrate!” Jennifer says, interrupting my intimate moment with my brother by coming to plop herself beside me.
    “Great idea,” Gauthier’s voice sounds, right before he moves to sit on the bleacher below us, and once again I fight the familiar constricting of my throat whenever he is in the vicinity.
    “What’s a great idea?” Mandy asks as she walks over.
    Soon the whole basketball and cheerleading team think the idea of celebrating their new members is brilliant, and they agree that meeting up at the court in West Road Park will be a great idea. Of course Gauthier is invited, being that he is the hottest topic on everyone’s lips in school.
    So I find myself being marshalled into Collin’s jeep, sitting between Jennifer and Mandy while Tony sits at the front passenger seat as we drive to the