Page 57 of The Cheerleader

The ace bandage is soaked through and the ice has melted, so I unwind it from my ribs and roll it in a ball when I’m finished. On my way back to the locker, Mack sees me and his eyes pop. They’re aimed at my torso and I guess that answers the question about the bruise on my ribs. No need for a mirror.

“Fuck, Bryan. That has to hurt. How are you even walking?”

“My legs are fine.” I don’t point out that I’m walking very slowly because the ribs do hurt like a motherfucker. Whining is for sissies, like my old man would say, but that’s not the reason I keep my mouth shut.

There’s no point in complaining. It’s a waste of energy.

Eldy, all dressed in his street clothes, breaks away from his party-planning groupies and comes over. “What the—you look like you got run over by a steamroller. Jesus.”

“I’ll be fine. As long as you don’t make me lift the kegs.” Or attend the party. But I keep that thought for later. No need to spoil the mood of the locker room with a useless argument.

Chapter Sixteen

Susie

Liz is giddy with excitement, even for her, as we get ready to go to Bryan’s apartment.

“That’s a lot of makeup,” I say, unavoidably looking in the mirror over Liz’s shoulder because the room is so small.

Talk about strategy to win Brya back by making him jealous and who she’ll flirt with.

She sticks her tongue out at me and I wince, realizing I sound like someone’s mother.

“I mean more than usual for you. But you look great.”

“It’s going to be dark and I always wear more makeup at night.”

My mind flashes back to that one night when we were in eighth grade and we were out at night, supposedly going for pizza, and things went awry. Do not think about that night. I thrust the images from my head, shoving them back into the dark recesses where they belong under layers of life and growing up.

She adds another swipe of lipstick. “Besides, it’s the perfect amount for flirting. Tonight I’m going to make sure I get Bryan’s attention. I’ll flirt like mad with some lucky cute guy, and then I’ll give Bryan a chance to win me back.”

“I hope it works.” I don’t bother keeping the skeptical note from my voice.

She smiles. “Don’t forget, I’m determined because this is important to me. If reasoning and direct flirting don’t work, I’ll give the indirect approach everything I have. I can play the slow game. I can be patient. As long as in the end I get Bryan.”

“You’re that sure he’s the one for you?”

She laughs. “Susie, he’s always been the one for me. We’ve always been like this.” She holds up two fingers twisted together to demonstrate their closeness. “I shouldn’t be surprised that he needs some space. I’m not worried.”

Alarm rings inside me, and I’m worried enough for both of us. “What if…” I hate to burst her bubble, but after what Bryan told me, I think I need to somehow slow down her wild horse dreams and ambitions for getting Bryan.

She pauses her examination in the mirror and turns to me. “What if what?”

Shoring up my courage and feeling a mix of sick and guilty because the last thing I want to be is a bubble burster, I need to tell her something. “What if he were to flirt with someone else?” What if he already has flirted with someone else—namely me?

She shrugs. “I almost expect it, but I’m not worried about anyone else having a chance. No one else has a past with him like I do.”

Except maybe me. But that’s crazy thinking. In spite of what Bryan said, I wonder if she’s right about them.

She looks over my outfit, but I don’t get self-conscious like I should. I’m used to her assessing me, although it’s usually for my cheerleading moves.

“What?”

“The jeans are all right, but we should wear UConn shirts for the team. Do you have one?”

“I only have one and it’s not clean.”

She grins. “I have plenty of them.”