Bring It On by Jasmine Beller Page A

pet one of those little black-and-white dogs with the big ears one time.
    And that was it.
    Yoo-Hoo is a risky opener, Sammi thought as she walked toward ill papi. She could imagine the convo. Her: I love Yoo-Hoo. They should have Yoo-Hoo in this machine. Him: Yeah . Then nothing.
    Sammi had never played Madden NFL, but she did know football. She’d cheered for a ton of games, and she knew exactly what went down on the field. But how to bring the whole thing up? Her: You might not know this, but I’m a cheerleader and I love football. Do you perhaps love football, maybe of the video game variety? Him: Let me get your sister. You seem to be having some kind of brain malfunction.
    There was no more time for strategy. She was two feet away from him. It was now or never. Sammi pretended to study the soda available in the machine. “I saw that Aqua Teen sticker on your backpack the other day. I love that show,” she said.
    Actually, Sophie loved that show. But Sammi had half watched it while Sophie was watching it. It was about a hamburger, some french fries, and a Coke—she thought it was a Coke—fighting crime. Or solving mysteries. Or something.
    â€œIt’s pretty funny,” ill papi answered. Then he walked off.
    Without even looking at her.

    â€œBecca was looking at me funny in the locker room. I think she thinks that it’s my fault Devane’s out,” Emerson told Sophie as they headed to class. Emerson hesitated outside the door. She wasn’t ready to go in there. “How many other people do you think blame me?”
    â€œI told you. No one is going to think it’s your fault. Becca was probably looking at you weird—if she even was—because she’s trying to figure out how it’s possible for a human to get her hair into such a perfect French braid. She probably wants to know if there’s a special device you use but is feeling embarrassed to ask.”
    Emerson laughed. She couldn’t help it. There was something about Sophie. No matter how bad you were feeling, she could make you feel better . . . just by being Sophie.
    â€œNow come on.” Sophie took her by the arm. “Others need to see the braid. Don’t deny them.” She tugged Emerson into the practice room.
    Max, Chloe, M.J., and Fridge were already inside. And all of them were staring at Emerson. At least that’s how it felt. But maybe she was overreacting. Maybe they’d glanced over at her the way you glance at anyone who enters a room. Just to see who it is.
    But the thing was, glances and stares last a different amount of time. And M.J. and Max were definitely staring now. “Hi,” Emerson said, feeling her face heat up. She had one of those faces that really showed a blush, too. She hated that.
    â€œHey,” Chloe answered with a smile. She stepped forward in a lunge and pressed the heel of her back leg down, stretching out her calf muscle.
    â€œ She clearly hates you,” Sophie joked softly. Then she gave Emerson’s arm a squeeze and released her.
    M.J., Fridge, and Max hadn’t said anything. But it’s not like a quiet little “hi” required some big response. Or any response.
    Gina usually had the class work on the Kanye West number after warm-up, so Emerson headed to her opening position on one side of M.J. As she looked at him, Chloe’s words went through her mind.
    M.J.’s about to explode.
    Doesn’t mean he blames me, Emerson thought.
    She cleared her throat, then made herself speak. “Hey, M.J., I can’t wait to do the Kanye number at Disney World, can you?”
    He turned and stared at her. Full-on, no-mistake stared at her. And didn’t say anything. She’d asked him a question. She hadn’t just spit out a little “hi” that someone could answer or not answer.
    O-kay. M.J. was dissing her. And it could only be about Devane.
    â€œEm,” Sophie called from across the room. “I