Cheerleading Can Be Murder (Horror High #1) by Carissa Ann Lynch Read Free Book Online Page B

and shut out the world again.
    When the final bell rang, I made my way down to the gym. Coach Davis was waiting for us. “Listen, girls. I don’t want what happened yesterday to ever happen again. Make sure you’re using proper dismounting techniques when coming down from a stunt,” she warned all of us.
    But she was looking straight at me as she said it.
    We all nodded our heads in agreement. I felt all hope of making the squad drain out of me. “Now, I want everyone to line up across from each other. We’re going to learn the individual routine.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Fourteen
     
     
    Even though it was raining, Coach Davis made us run outside on the track before releasing us from practice. I assumed that Amanda would still need a ride home, and I felt a little awkward approaching her, considering the fact that I’d done so well at avoiding her all day. No matter how angry I was at her for kissing Ronnie, I wasn’t cruel enough to make her walk six miles home in the rain. Maybe I should just forgive her. Maybe I’m just being silly , I scolded myself.
    That thought quickly dissipated as I saw her climbing in the passenger seat of Ronnie’s Trans Am. He was one of the few freshman boys who already had their license. Probably because he was held back a grade or two , I thought bitterly.
    Amanda saw me approaching, and she smiled apologetically before pulling his passenger door closed behind her. The Trans Am’s tires squealed as they sped off together.
    I turned around and ran to my mom’s Camry. I didn’t want anyone to see the tears forming in the corners of my eyes. I jumped into the back, slamming my backpack down on the floorboard. I held my face in my hands, willing the tears to go away.
    Moments like this, I wished I wasn’t so transparent and my mom couldn’t read my mind. “That girl’s had a hard life.” She looked back at me in the rearview mirror, her eyes soft. I guess she saw what happened.
    “So, since she’s had a hard life, I just have to let her take my boyfriend?” I spat. My mom was quiet for several minutes before saying gently, “Remember, Dakota, he’s not your boyfriend.”
    The words hurt, but they rang true. My mom was right. Ronnie wasn’t my boyfriend—he was Genevieve’s, and when she found out about Amanda, if she hadn’t already, she was going to make Amanda’s life a living hell.
    “When you get older you’ll realize that sometimes having a friend is more important than having a boyfriend,” mom added.
    “I guess you’re right,” I replied sulkily, sinking down in my seat.
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Fifteen
     
     
    When I walked through the doors of Harrow High, I had a little pep in my step. I’d stayed up late practicing the group and individual cheer routines. I felt confident, deciding to convert all of my negative energy into determination to succeed at tryouts. I didn’t need to waste my energy or time worrying about Ronnie, or anyone else for that matter.
    Today would be our last practice before tryouts on Friday, and that was all I was focused on. I aced my Biology and Pre-Algebra exams, and even made a new friend in American History. His name was Andy McGraw, and we ended up getting stuck together for a history project on Joan of Arc after everyone else had already picked partners. He was tall and lanky, with flashy red hair and a patch of freckles on his nose and cheeks. He seemed to turn every little thing into a joke, which was fine because I needed more comedy in my life. I didn’t really see him as a prospect for dating, but considering how poorly things were going for me in the friend department, I could use an extra one of those.
    When lunchtime rolled around, I didn’t even bother looking for my friends. I jumped in the lunch line, selecting random foods that looked appetizing. Skipping lunch yesterday was a terrible idea, and I decided not to do that again. I needed a high energy level for the