her mind. I hope Kayla doesnât take the news too hard.
After Coach tells the team about my award and how Iâll be heading to D.C., all the girls come up to congratulate me and give me hugs.
âDonât forget us when youâre rich and famous,â says Deandra.
âThe little people,â agrees Emily.
Courtney, whoâs almost six feet tall, laughs at that. The others beamâeveryoneâs so happy for me.
âIâd never forget you guys!â I tell them. âOtherwise youâll throw me off the pyramid and wonât catch me!â
âGirl, you got that right,â they say and laugh.
Theyâre all here, except for Kayla. She doesnât come up to hug me or congratulate me. And thatâs how I know sheâs mad.
* * *
After practice, I wait for Kayla to change out of her cheer clothes. Walking out of the bathroom stall, she brushes by me and opens her backpack on the locker room bench.
âWhy didnât you tell me about the scholarship?â She doesnât look up from the floor. âI have to find out with everyone else?â
Right. I never told her about it. Iâd meant to, but then with everything that happened, it just slipped my mind. I feel my cheeks burn. âI donât know. The day I heard the news, I wanted to tell my family first, and then I sort of forgot...â
âBut if youâre going to D.C. this weekend, havenât you known for, like, almost a month already? Did you think Iâd be jealous or something? Thatâs messed up.â
I walk over to her and sit down on the bench next to her backpack. âNo, itâs not that. Iâm sorry. Things have been weird. At home, I mean. I didnât even know I was going to D.C. until a couple days ago.â
Finished stuffing clothes inside her backpack, Kayla zips up the sides. âThings are weird at home for you? At least your parents donât hate each other.â
I gently grab her arm, turning her toward me. âThereâs a lot going on that I havenât told you about. First of all, my mom lost her job at the hospital.â
Her eyes widen. âOh my God, Jas, Iâm so sorry. Is she okay? Why didnât you tell me?â
âI was embarrassed. I know I shouldnât be, but I just... Ugh. And Iâm so sorry I havenât been there for you as much as I should have been. I told myself you were busy with Dylan and you didnât need me. But Iâm here now. Tell me whatâs going on with you too.â
Kayla sighs. Tears are building up in her eyes. âI just thought you didnât care. Youâve been totally MIA for the last few weeks. Things have gotten so bad at home. Dadâs gone, and Mom spends as much time out of the house as possible. And Iâm stuck watching Brian on the weekends. I hate everything. I just want my life to go back to normal.â
I feel the same way, but I donât say anything. Instead, I hug Kayla until sheâs done crying. Then I go to one of the stalls to get a wad of toilet paper so she can wipe her eyes and blow her nose.
âHowâs Dylan?â I ask. Talking about boys always makes Kayla feel better. She instantly lights up.
âHeâs good.â She sniffles. âI really like him. Heâs not like any other guy Iâve dated. Heâs really chill and easy to hang out with. I just...feel like I can totally be myself around him.â
âThatâs amazing,â I say, feeling wistful. Itâs not as if Royce and I have been in contact lately. We sort of lost the threadâokay, fine, I dropped it. Iâll probably never see him again.
âWhat are you going to do on your trip?â Kayla asks.
âThereâs a tour of the Capitol, and thereâs this fancy reception for the National Scholars. And Iâm supposed to meet the president, I guess.â
âThe president ?â She wipes her nose, then throws the tissue away.
Simon Scarrow
Mary Costello
Sherryl Woods
Tianna Xander
Holly Rayner
Lisa Wingate
James Lawless
Madelynne Ellis
Susan Klaus
Molly Bryant