Beautiful Mess by Jennifer Preston Page A

It scared her to think that things between her and Cole might not be
the same in a few days.
    “Why
would you think that?” he asked warily.
    “Come
on, you have a life and friends outside of me.  We’ll have practices, and
homework, and other commitments.  Our little bubble we’ve been living in
is about to pop.  I’m just a little sad, is all.”  She stopped
walking and turned to face him.  “If I ask you, will you promise me
something?”
    Cole
lifted her hand, still entwined in his, and kissed her knuckles.  “If I can.”
    “Will
you promise me that no matter what happens next week, or in the coming weeks,
this, you and me,” she motioned between them, “won’t change?”
    He
suddenly looked heartbroken.  Bri didn’t understand what she’d said that
would make him so sad.  She squeezed his hand reassuringly. 
“Please?”
    “Yes,”
he replied softly.  “I promise you that I will always care about you, no
matter what happens.  Will you promise me you’ll believe that? 
Please?”
    “I
promise,” she whispered.
    “Good,”
he replied with a sad smile.
    Nothing
would come between them.  They were friends, on their way to becoming much
more.  They had a connection that would not be easily broken.  Bri
reassured herself, over and over, that she had nothing to worry about as they
continued walking, hand in hand, down the beach, neither one willing to let go
just yet.
    As
Bri lay in her bed that night, she was finally able to admit to herself that
she had fallen for Cole.  Hard.  And even though she was nervous, and
a little scared, about what that meant, for the first time in a long time, it
didn’t seem like such a bad thing.
     

Chapter 7
     
    Monday
morning dawned bright and early.  Bri knew this for a fact because she was
up well before dawn, and she wasn’t thrilled about it.  She walked through
the dark, cool summer morning into the school gym.  This six a.m. thing
was going to get old, fast.  As she entered, she was immediately accosted
by Belinda, the team advisor.
    “Bri! 
So good to see you this morning!”  The woman was way too chipper for how early
it was.  “I have been thinking.  After seeing the routine you
performed at your tryout, I was wondering if you’d be willing to teach it to
the team for our competition dance routine?”
    It
took Bri a moment to wrap her still half asleep brain around what Belinda was
saying.
    “Um,
yeah, I guess, but isn’t that like dance plagiarism or something?  
I’m not sure how my old team would feel about that.”
    “Don’t
worry about that,” Belinda waved it off.  “We only compete against
in-state teams.  There’s no way your team could possibly know.  So,
will you do it?  Please?  I think with your routine we have a great
shot at State!”
    Bri
sighed.  “Sure, why not.” 
    “Wonderful!,”
Belinda beamed.  “Let’s introduce you to the team, and tell them the great
news!”  Belinda pulled her in front of the now assembled team. 
Getting the girls attention, she began.  “Ladies, this is Ambria Donnelly,
the newest member of our team.  You all remember how impressed we were
with her at her audition.”
    Judging
from the glares she received from at least half the team, Bri doubted they had
been impressed.
    “Bri,
why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?” Belinda motioned for her to
continue.
    “Okay,
I’m Bri, and I just moved here this summer from Dallas.  I was a junior
captain on my team last year, and a head captain before I had to move. 
I’ve been dancing since I was three, and taught at my studio for the past few
years.”  Bri noticed her speech wasn’t helping to eliminate the glares she
was still receiving.  Deciding a little brown nosing never hurt, she
changed tactics.
    “Look,
I know I wasn’t here to practice with you all summer.  And I missed the
chance you all had to get to know each other and bond as a team.  But I
promise you that I will work my butt off