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“Why do you have to be up early tomorrow? It’s Saturday”

“Practice”

“Practice for what?”

Oh god, he’s going to make me say it

I sit up straighter, stiffening my spine “I’m a cheerleader We practice six days out of the week”

I brace myself

Wait for whatever sarcastic, biting re back about airheads or blondes or cheer—but none come

“You e team”

I blush

Golly gee “I guess”

“Why are you being so modest? You should be proud of yourself”

“I am proud of myself”

I am

I’iate cheerleader; I’ve busted h school, cheering on a co And that doesn’t include working out to stay fit and strong

It’s been brutal and certainly hasn’t been easy

Not everyone can do it and not everyone does, but I’ve proven myself over the years

“You look like a dancer,” Roman comments

I look like a dancer? What do dancers look like? Is that a type?

“How can you even tell?” I laugh “It’s dark up here”

“I don’t know—I can just tell” He laughs back

“What dorm are you in?”

“I’m not in the dorms I still live at home”

“How do you still live at home?”

“I’et here, so to savein the dorms”

“Oh” I pause, searching for so out for you?”

“Don’t know yet since school hasn’t started, but I ih school, just have to drive farther”

True Good point

“Why didn’t you go anywhere farther? Did you, like, not have any choices?”

“Yeah, I had plenty of options I got a few scholarship offers, too, but my aunt lives with my parents and she’s kind of old They soo too far Plus, I need tiure out what it is I want to do, you know?”