Cheerleading Can Be Murder (Horror High #1) by Carissa Ann Lynch Page B
Authors: Carissa Ann Lynch
Ads: Link
beeline for my locker, eager to catch a glimpse of my new uniform again. I turned the dial back and forth, remembering the combination with ease now that I’d opened it so many times. I swung open the thin metal door, and immediately screamed in horror. My uniform, body suit, and pompoms had been ripped to shreds.
Chapter
Thirty-Six
I wish I could say that I played it cool, but in truth, I bawled like a baby right there in the hall. Amanda was only a few paces away, and she ran to my side, wrapping her arms around me. “What is it, Dakota?” she asked, her voice trembling with fear. I pointed at the locker and she looked for herself.
I couldn’t look again. People in the hallway were forming a crowd, excited to see what all of the commotion was about. Could this get any worse ? I wondered, trying to wipe the tears off my face with the back of my hand.
I couldn’t believe it. Why would somebody do this to me? “It looks like someone sliced through it with a knife, and there’s red sticky stuff all over the pompoms.” Amanda winced.
“Hey, it looks like blood!” a sophomore boy yelled, causing laughter to erupt among several other students. “I think someone is out to get you,” a strange redheaded boy said behind me. Another round of sarcastic “oooooh” noises. I wanted to punch all of their lights out.
I looked around at my classmates. Some of them I knew, but most of them I didn’t. Who would do this to me? It was obviously someone who didn’t want me on the squad. Probably someone who didn’t make it themselves , I realized.
A wall of kids surrounded me, but I could still see Tasha and Mariella toward the back of the crowd. They both looked satisfied, wearing ugly, spiteful smirks on their faces. I stared at them defiantly. Genevieve and Sydney might be involved as well , I considered. I suddenly remembered Coach Davis’s voice, telling us that there were only six sets of uniforms. Without a uniform, how was I going to cheer?
I might have to sit on the sidelines all season , I realized miserably. This could be the end of my dream of being a varsity cheerleader…
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
The first period bell rang, causing the gawkers to scatter in different directions. Sort of like cockroaches , I thought, feeling disgusted. Amanda remained at my side. “Go on to class, I’ll take care of this.” I slammed shut the locker with its hideous contents.
“Are you sure? What are you going to do?” she asked, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“I’m going to see Coach Davis.”
I might get in trouble for not showing up to Biology, but I was past the point of caring. I walked down the east end hallway, locating the door to Coach Davis’s English class. The door was closed, but I could see her through a pane of glass. She was standing up, teaching a room full of students. I didn’t know how she’d react about my uniform. She might even blame me because I left it in my locker , I considered, feeling apprehensive. I raised my fist and knocked anyway.
When Coach Davis opened the door, she could immediately tell something was wrong. She stuck her head back inside the classroom, told her students to read the next section of Beowulf , and followed me out to the hall. “What happened, Dakota? Are you okay?” She was wearing a look of concern on her face.
I blurted out everything. I told her about lying to my mother about having a ride home after the fitting, about putting my uniform in the locker to keep it from getting damaged in the rain, and finding it this morning torn to bits. “I’m sorry, Coach. If you want to kick me off the team, I’ll understand.” Tears were once again streaming down my face.
“Dakota, I would prefer that you didn’t keep your uniform in your locker in the future, but this ultimately was not your fault. Whoever did this to you was obviously jealous about you making the team.
Chapter
Thirty-Six
I wish I could say that I played it cool, but in truth, I bawled like a baby right there in the hall. Amanda was only a few paces away, and she ran to my side, wrapping her arms around me. “What is it, Dakota?” she asked, her voice trembling with fear. I pointed at the locker and she looked for herself.
I couldn’t look again. People in the hallway were forming a crowd, excited to see what all of the commotion was about. Could this get any worse ? I wondered, trying to wipe the tears off my face with the back of my hand.
I couldn’t believe it. Why would somebody do this to me? “It looks like someone sliced through it with a knife, and there’s red sticky stuff all over the pompoms.” Amanda winced.
“Hey, it looks like blood!” a sophomore boy yelled, causing laughter to erupt among several other students. “I think someone is out to get you,” a strange redheaded boy said behind me. Another round of sarcastic “oooooh” noises. I wanted to punch all of their lights out.
I looked around at my classmates. Some of them I knew, but most of them I didn’t. Who would do this to me? It was obviously someone who didn’t want me on the squad. Probably someone who didn’t make it themselves , I realized.
A wall of kids surrounded me, but I could still see Tasha and Mariella toward the back of the crowd. They both looked satisfied, wearing ugly, spiteful smirks on their faces. I stared at them defiantly. Genevieve and Sydney might be involved as well , I considered. I suddenly remembered Coach Davis’s voice, telling us that there were only six sets of uniforms. Without a uniform, how was I going to cheer?
I might have to sit on the sidelines all season , I realized miserably. This could be the end of my dream of being a varsity cheerleader…
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
The first period bell rang, causing the gawkers to scatter in different directions. Sort of like cockroaches , I thought, feeling disgusted. Amanda remained at my side. “Go on to class, I’ll take care of this.” I slammed shut the locker with its hideous contents.
“Are you sure? What are you going to do?” she asked, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“I’m going to see Coach Davis.”
I might get in trouble for not showing up to Biology, but I was past the point of caring. I walked down the east end hallway, locating the door to Coach Davis’s English class. The door was closed, but I could see her through a pane of glass. She was standing up, teaching a room full of students. I didn’t know how she’d react about my uniform. She might even blame me because I left it in my locker , I considered, feeling apprehensive. I raised my fist and knocked anyway.
When Coach Davis opened the door, she could immediately tell something was wrong. She stuck her head back inside the classroom, told her students to read the next section of Beowulf , and followed me out to the hall. “What happened, Dakota? Are you okay?” She was wearing a look of concern on her face.
I blurted out everything. I told her about lying to my mother about having a ride home after the fitting, about putting my uniform in the locker to keep it from getting damaged in the rain, and finding it this morning torn to bits. “I’m sorry, Coach. If you want to kick me off the team, I’ll understand.” Tears were once again streaming down my face.
“Dakota, I would prefer that you didn’t keep your uniform in your locker in the future, but this ultimately was not your fault. Whoever did this to you was obviously jealous about you making the team.
Similar Books
