We walk down the maze like hallways of Greener, the high school we're competing at, and wait outside the doors of their auditorium, listening to the sounds of the team inside finishing up. Before Shannon has the chance to start up the subject of my 'admirer', the door opens.
We all follow our coaches in. Katlyn eyes the other passing team apprehensively and in an intimidating way, while everyone else exchanges 'good luck's.
"All right, get in the ending flag feature." Heather says, and we clamber up on stage. "150 drop spins on the right," She shouts and we set down our other stuff. " Ending flag, you guys." She looks right at Melissa who has her black faded flag. "Ending flags." Melissa realizes her mistake and picks up her blue, brown, and black flag, blushing. "Alright, right shoulder. 5, 6, 5, 6, 7, 8," She claps the initiation counts and then the sounds of clapping and the swish of silk fills the air. You sort of go into this daze hile you spinning, where your whole world is centered in on those claps and counts, letting muscle memory take over your limbs.
"140. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 150." We all shout in unison catching on 150. Then the same happens on the left side. After we're done with flag tech we split into weapon blocks and tech that. We then slowly walk out to a small gym were we tech some dance and then work on tosses. In between the tosses everyone chats with each other and before Shannon can bring up the note, I deliberately ask about Jake her 5th boy friend since the beginning of the school year.
"You're toss is too high, Shannon," Heather said, who was going over the saber technique with us. "Release here," She says, putting her arm in a right angle.
"K," Shannon replies. She concentrates for a second then releases. Her angle is better this time, but there isn't enough torque and, though Shannon puts her hands out aggressively to catch the blade, it comes down straight. Shannon is rewarded with a new bruise.
"OW, OW, OW!" She whisper/yells, clutching her hand.
"Suck it up! Be a man!" I say, laughing. "I can't wait to see what you name this one at dinner!"
"I think I'll name it 'pain in the a-'"She starts angrily, but then Ethan interrupts.
"'Pain in the-'what, Shannon?" He says smiling slightly trying to look stern and failing.
"Uh… butt?" She says uncertainly.
"I thought so. What an unfortunate name for your bruise though," We laugh with him, glad he isn't mad.
"Alright," Ethan shouts out to our team. We all clump around him in an awkward half circle. "We are going to wait outside the gym while the guard before us performs. I want complete silence. Is that understood?" We all nod or say yes, completely serious. "When you exit the floor you'll be leaving throught the door on the right, closest to the audience."
"And lighten up you guys," Heather says, "This is your first competition. We got a lot done this morning and yesterday. Just relax. This is your time to shine you guys. Now is the time to perform," With that we walk to the gym and stand in the narrow hallway with a low ceiling, that is crowded with us and parents of other guardies some by the cart that holds the floor, others carry back drops and bits of stairs and platforms.
After what seems like a few seconds, the other team finishes and the parents go to set up our floor as the guard before just finishes folding their floor. Heather pulls us into a group. "What should we say?" She asks us.
"Hmmmm, 'Jello'?" Offers Viviane.
"All for 'Jello'?" Asks Heather. None us can think of anything else, so no one objects. "'Jello' it is. On three," We all put are hands in."1 ,2, 3, JELLOOOOOO!" We all yell as loud as we can. Everyone one of us bursts out laughing. "Now take those beautiful smiles out on the floor with you!" She says, and we all walk though he doors. I clutch Jess and Kim's hands tightly and then let go saying 'Good luck'.
"You, too," They both say and we go set up. I have a solo in the begining were I start on a ramp on the back left corner and everyone faces me. It's a moving flag solo that I learned last practice because Ethan decided that something was wrong with the way it was before. I was happy with it. Not that it matters. It's not like I'm nervous or anything. ME? Nervous? Never.
After setting my saber and end feature flag, I go to my ramp only to see that 'D' is sitting right in the front row, in front of it, looking pleasantly surprised. His make up is still on and his hair isn't undone, making him look exotic even in his jeans, high tops, and white t-shirt. Me, NERVOUS? Not even a little!
... Oh, who am I kidding, kill me now!
This is an author's note. I changed the last two chapters a little because I had a major brainstorm and it didn't go along with it. So there are a few little changes. Just a few. Well, Review soon!
3
-IGuard
