A Non-Blonde Cheerleader in Love by Kieran Scott Read Free Book Online

in.
     
     
    “That’s all I’m saying,” Daniel added.
     
     
    “Way to have squad pride,” I said grumpily, grabbing a fry.
     
     
    “No! It’s not like that,” Daniel said. “It’s like if you . . . I don’t know . . . what if you tried out for the wrestling team? Would you walk around advertising that you were a girl wrestler?”
     
     
    “Yeah! I would!” Jaimee and I said in unison.
     
     
    “I would be proud of myself for breaking down barriers,” I said resolutely.
     
     
    “Okay, well, I am proud of myself,” Daniel said, munching on a fry. “I just . . . don’t feel the need to shove my pride in everyone’s faces.”
     
     
    My brow creased in consternation. I was definitely missing something here. I mean, I knew he was going to have a hard time with some of the guys thanks to his cheerleader status, but why participate in a sport if you were then going to try to hide the fact that you were on the team? I mean, he couldn’t pretend that he wasn’t a cheerleader any more than I could pretend I wasn’t a brunette.
     
     
    “I don’t under—”
     
     
    “Yo! Healy! Get your butt over here!” Terrell shouted from the corner. “I just beat your high score!”
     
     
    “You did not, you loser!” Daniel shouted back. “Excuse me. I gotta go over there,” he told us.
     
     
    As I slid out of the booth to let him out, I could tell he was relieved to be out of the conversation. Personally, I would have rather gotten to the bottom of that one. But I supposed it could wait for another time.
     
     
    “Sit down, Annisa. Relax,” Steven said, draping both arms along the back of his seat. “It’s supposed to be a party.”
     
     
    “Yeah. I know,” I said. “So are you psyched for your first practice?” I asked with a mischievous smile.
     
     
    “Beyond,” Steven replied. “I can’t wait to start throwing you ladies around.”
     
     
    “Me neither,” I replied, sliding back into my seat. “It’s gonna be so cool having that extra power on the team.”
     
     
    “You know it,” Steven said, flexing his arms.
     
     
    I laughed and was just about to snag another fry when Tara Timothy dropped down next to me.
     
     
    “So. This sucks,” she said.
     
     
    So much for the relaxing thing.
     
     
    “What?” Jaimee asked.
     
     
    Tara glared at Steven, who was still flexing.
     
     
    “And that’s my cue,” Steven said, dropping his arms and grabbing one last fry as he jumped up.
     
     
    “What’s the matter?” I asked Tara. “We have a great new squad, everyone’s having fun. Get on board the happy train already.”
     
     
    “Yeah. You see a great new squad. I see disaster waiting to happen.”
     
     
    “You know, you are way too negative to be a cheerleader,” I said.
     
     
    Phoebe slid into the seat across from Tara and blew out a sigh. “No, she’s right,” she said. “Check this out.” She lifted her chin toward the corner and Tara and I turned around to look.
     
     
    Joe and Lindsey were standing by the wall near the pinball machine and Lindsey was clearly flirting—touching Joe’s arm, looking up at him with wide eyes, flipping her long blonde hair. His expression was, as usual, impassive, but she just kept right on working it, testing out her best material. Then Karianna came over, hips swaying, and handed Joe a strawberry shake. She slipped right in between him and Lindsey, totally commandeering his attention. And by that I mean he actually looked at her. Lindsey leaned back against the wall in a huff and shot a look of death at Karianna’s back. Meanwhile, over by the pinball machine, Veronica and Kimberly were gazing at Terrell like he was the second coming of Taye Diggs.
     
     
    “I think it’s safe to say that cheerleading is not going to be anyone’s top priority this season,” Tara said, facing forward again.
     
     
    “It’ll be mine,” Jaimee protested earnestly.
     
     
    Just then, K. C. Lawrence and a couple of his