Hi, Lyla. Missed you at the pep rally." Tami walked up to her, clearly noticing something was amiss with her. Yet, it wasn't hard to miss all the events that had been happening with her lately-the uncomfortable glares students gave her when she walked into the lunch room, and just recently the guy banging on all the lockers around her as they walked by. "What's the matter?" She took the note out of Lyla's hands and read it, crumpling it up as she read the horrible words someone had written about her. For a good time, call Lyla 1-800-SLUT. "Well, that's just bush league. We don't listen to those jackasses. Come on."
When she didn't respond, Tami put an arm around her shoulder and they walked down the hall towards her office. Despite the comforting gesture, Lyla looked down at the floor most of the time, up until Tami shut the door.
"I just thought, let em' talk, you know?" Lyla stated through shaky tears as Tami sat down beside her on the couch. "Let them say what they're gonna say, and I'll just tough it out." She paused, then announced it like she had been thinking about this decision for awhile. "I'm quitting the cheerleading team."
"That's a big move. Sure you want to do that?"
"My parents dressed me up in cheerleader outfits and took me to Panthers games since I was five. Becoming a cheerleader for the Dillon Panthers was like this dream come true. And I bought into it. But you know what? The truth is since Jason's accident, I've been pretending. And I am done pretending, Mrs. Taylor that I care about any of this." Lyla admitted, and it seemed like a huge weight lifted off her shoulders telling her all this.
"You are a smart young woman, Lyla Garrity." Tami put her hand over hers and squeezed her hand in comfort. "They can say all they want about you, but I know the real you."
"How do you know that? I'm not sure I know the real me right now."
"Because I've been lucky to witness all the good things you've done for people."
"I'm not sure the good outweighs the bad in all this." A tear slipped down Lyla's cheek as she stared down at the floor. "I made one mistake and now I feel like I'm paying for it over and over again." Swiping at her cheeks, Lyla couldn't keep the tears from flowing at this point. "I have no idea what to do now."
"You need to know, we all make mistakes. Whether they're big or small, or we want to admit them to ourselves or others, we all make them. You may not find it all blowing over today or tomorrow, but when it does, only you can decide how it will affect you."
"I think I'll take some time to think all of this over." Lyla pointed her finger at the clock. "I should get to my next class."
"Okay." Tami rounded the corner of her desk, scribbling a pass for her just as the bell rang."Lyla?"
"Yeah?"
"Please promise me if things ever get like this again, you'll come and see me." Tami handed her the pass and she nodded appreciatively.
"I will. Thank you, Mrs. Taylor, for everything."
"Of course. Okay, get to class." Tami excused her, then let out a long sigh as she sat back in her chair.