Saint Joseph School

between classes Cricket paused to check if the results of the try-outs were posted. she saw some other girls in front of the board some looking disapointed, some looking amused. moving to the front see looks at the flyer...wow she was in! Scanning the rest of the flyer her eyes paused on two names...both Winged Siren and Simon were on also.....Drama bomb set! Cricket smirked as she walked away..."I hope the fall-out won't be too bad", she mumbled.

Pally saw the crowd, and walked over out of curiousity. Goosing another girl, she gave a quizzical look to her, and the other girl told her it was about "the tryouts." Stepping a little closer, the Puerto Rican read what it was, let out an exasperated sigh, and made her own path away from the bulletin board. Why was everyone making such a big deal over a bunch of Barbie and Ken wannabes, anyway? She needed baseball tryouts, that's what she needed!

Siren peeks very hesitantly at the board as soon as she is close enough to read the names. She silently words the names until she reaches hers which she squeals out loud.
"Siren! Siren!! That's me, that's me!!!"
*chipper jumps*

As Jess walked down the hall he couldnt help but look at the board. "Hmm...MAn the chearleading squad is gunna be awsome this year".

"Wow...Simon joined...hmm I never would have knew...this is gunna be most likely the best squad ever"

As he took his last looks at the board he smiled at that Simon was not afraid to join the squad. He admired Simon. "Hmmmm...mabey on the next tryouts...my name will be posted right there"

As he walked away he thought for sure Simon would soon have another member of his gender on the squad in the tryouts to come.

It’s not like crowds in the halls of the SJS were any big deal. Pretty much anything would cause a group to instantly huddle up – somebody sporting a new skirt, juicy gossip, Hloogle remains on the walls. With a weather eye on the floor, she drifted left, intending on a wall hugging slide.

However, like certain squids of her acquaintance, the mass extruded a pseudopod and pulled her in before she had a chance to protest.

“Hey, Stasi! Check it out!”

She knew the voice but couldn’t place the name. Didn’t matter though – suddenly she was rubbing shoulders, being jostled. She swallowed the prickle of panic. She was taller than most which helped. Being able to see always helped.

“Ayuh? What’s up? We having another dance or something?” She tried to smile.

Another dance – this time she’d go with Jai. That helped even more. She lost the next few moments in the thought. He would look so good, and she would dress up. Imagined holding his hand. No dancing, no, but mebbe they could…

“What? Heyla, no pushing!” Somehow she’d ended up right at the front in her distraction. A pink stretch of paper caught her eye.

…Thunder Cricket, Stasis Kiss, Winged Siren, Misericorde…

“Say WHAT?” She blurted it out without thinking, thoughts of kissing Jai immediately hitting the ground to be trampled underfoot.

“You’re gonna make a great cheerleader, Stasis! Go, Flyers!” She wasn’t sure who that was, maybe Sapphire. Somebody got daring and pounded her on the shoulder.

“I am NOT!” But yeah, that was her name on that silly sheet, right next to Mis’. No. Oh no. No way. That was not supposed to happen. Mis was the one who wanted on that silly squad, she’d just been helping! She squinted at the bright paper but it didn’t magically reassemble into something she liked.

Stasis Kiss. Cheerleader. She felt like sinking into the ground.

__

She tracked him down in the cafeteria.

Give the guy credit; he saw her coming and didn’t run. The smile on his face looked a little forced as she stalked up to him in line but he didn’t flinch. He did put the tray down though. No fool, Mis.

“Hey, Stasi! How you been?”

She closed the gap in two strides. His hands looked like they maybe wanted to come up. No problem. She could accommodate.

“Uh. Stasi?”

The only reason she got the drop on him was because he probably didn’t think she’d do it. But what used to be so difficult to do was now instinct. Energy flared and she thrust her fists out in a hammer strike; aimed at solar plexis and soft tissue. The shockwave alone was enough to push him back a few feet, banging his hip into the counter which was satisfying. She didn’t want to hurt him, she didn’t.

Much.

“Go, fight, win, huh? Do I LOOK like a cheerleader? Huh?!” People had already gotten out of the line of fire, clearing a small space. She cocked her fists again, just in case.

“Je-sus, Stasis, don’t be like this. It’s a good thing! We did great and everybody knows it. We like, uh, rock. Go Flyers?”

“But I don’t WANT to be a cheerleader, Mis! I was just doing it to help you!” Plaintive, unhelpful cry.

He had the grace to look a little guilty. He was in better control than she was, as always – his claws were still retracted.

It was hard to let go of the pom poms but she did. She was annoyed, not angry. She blew the hair out of her eyes, trying for small words.

“Look, Mis. You’re getting me out of this. I don’t care what you have to do, all right? Just .. get me off that silly list. I am never going to be any sort of cheer anything. Ever.”

“Comprende, compadre. You want fries with that?”

“Heyla. No joking. Off. That. List. You’re in with Franky, you can swing it. I’ll be on comm waiting for the good news.”

She poked a finger into his chest. Really, he was good. He didn’t even flinch at that.

“Good news, Mis. Got it?”

“Yeah. I got it.”

“Good.”

Pivoted on her heel and got out of there before she said something unfortunate. She’d learned at least that much – always head out on a high note.

He waited until she stalked away to do his version of the "man-pain" dance; his hip wasn't the only thing he'd banged into the counter. He thanked his lucky stars for regen.

Mis exhaled long and slow, grabbed his tray, and tried to walk it off.

"He's in with Franky?" someone mentioned as he headed to a table to eat alone; as usual. He permitted himself a small smile. Now everyone believed they had his motives figured for attending practice, and even trying out in the first place. Suspicion levels just hit zero.

Simon saw Mike almost the moment he had his lunch tray. Getting a big smile, he decided to sit with his roomie. Or, rather, to ask if he could. Some people just liked having alone time with their food.

"Hey, Mike," the georgian exclaimed. "How about it? We both made the cut! Ah'm psyched, man! Do ya mind if I join ya? If you'd rather eat alone, though, I understand."