finding my perfEctionS
a novel by ThePeppermintEyeshadowSeries
8

"Avril, my dear, dear little sister- don't play the game you can't win- the game of love!"
"For the first time in my life, I didn't feel worthless. Why, Alyssa?!"
"Because you deserve to feel worthless." she spat.
 

"Oh, look who's here. New girl." Peyton sneered, tapping her pen on the clipboard. "Listen up, girls! We have three tests for you to try out- cheering and enthusiasm, solo stunts, and team cooperation. Coach Allie will be supervising. We only have 13 places since Maddi and myself are already obviously on, so we're going to have to cut down at least 60% of you down! Who's first?"
Maddi, who was obviously on the team too, in a super short, white pleated miniskirt and a navy blue halter neck with the words 'RIDGEMOUNT GRIZZLIES' written on top of it.
She looked down her list, frowning at the first name. "Avril...Summers." Maddi said in distaste.
I felt my heart pounding, but I stepped onto the mat.
"Make up a cheer on the spot as cheerfully as you can without messing it up or looking like a braindead zombie." Peyton snapped.
She blew the whistle, marching back to the table on the grass.
I looked back nervously at Jesse, who seemed to be staring at me intently with his luminous, emerald-green orbs, willing me to go on.
He flashed me a relaxed grin, as I smiled nervously back at him, tucking a loose piece of blonde hair behind my ears.
Thinking up a quick, enthusiastic rhyme, I lifted my arms and chanted out happily;
'Go Grizzlies! Go-go- go Grizzlies!
You can roar, you're the best,
Your football skills beat out the rest!
Go Grizzlies! Go-go- go Grizzlies!
Give me a B!
Gimme a E!
Gimme an A!
Gimme an R!
Gimme an S!
What does that speeellll?!
Grizzly Bears!
Go-go- go Grizzly Bears!
WHOOOOO!!!!'
I bounced up and down before doing a quick cartwheel and smiling.
Already a few football players were smirking in my direction, Looking at me as I cheered.
I think most of them were checking me out, but I didn't care as long as I had showed Peyton.
She jeered back irritatingly to me, "Not bad- for a total b*tch.", although she muttered the last part under her breath.
The other quickly finished their routines too, although I didn't think any of them were as good as mine.
Finally I was called out first again for the solo routine.
The music player blared out an upbeat tune, as I swayed my hips to the rhythm, letting my arms go loose above my head.
I smirked, getting more confidence judging by the sour expression on Peyton's face, and started chanting the cheer I had just made up fifteen minutes ago, before doing a few handstands and backflipping into the  air three times and finishing with three or four back handsprings and finally, a split. 
I smiled, panting at the excited clapping coming from a few of the students as I raised my arms and waved my pom poms before walking back into the crowd and cooling off with a water bottle.
I knew those gruelling hours of push-ups, crunches and pull-ups would finally pay off. I thought to myself.
Even Jesse and Alex had stopped training and were looking at me, impressed.
I wasn't sure if I had imagined it, but Jesse's ears pinkened slightly, before the both of them went back to doing drills.
I smiled, waving and chilling before my name got called out again.