Chapter 19: Explode
The atmosphere tonight was electric. From where she was standing near the sidelines, Reina could feel the excited buzz from the San Patricio supporters on the bleachers. Even her toes tucked in her cheerleading shoes were tingling.
The crowd turnout for the football game was amazing. A full house.
And best of all, it was almost half time and Matteo had steered his team to a 3-0 lead. Academia El Pilar was struggling badly, making lots of unnecessary mistakes.
"Wow, look at Matteo go!" Angelina breathed, doing a little hop of joy.
"I don't know anyone else who can make football maneuvers look so sexy," Itzel agreed.
Reina threw Angelina and Itzel a sidelong glance. These two girls were certainly the biggest airheads on her cheerleading team.
It's not like their cheer captain – who happens to be Matteo's girlfriend – is standing right next to them and can hear how they're swooning shamelessly over him, Reina thought, rolling her eyes.
The phone clasped in her hand buzzed, and Reina saw there were text messages from Ander.
Ander: I can't go out there
Ander: I'll look like a fuckin idiot in front of two entire schools
Reina chortled to herself as she typed her reply and got into a quick conversation with Ander.
Reina: Don't worry. The 3 of you gonna be fierce and fabulous
Reina: Remember who you had as a cheer coach? ;)
Ander: I can't remember anything... Especially the cheer moves
Ander: Why did I think we could do this?
Reina: Ander Muñoz the drama queen, as always
Ander: Can I go home?
Reina: I dare you to try
Reina: Don't forget, I know where you live ;)
Ander: Damn
Reina: It's almost time
Reina: Go kick ass!
Ander: Ughhhhh
Another laugh escaped Reina's bright red lips. As she pocketed her phone, she heard the referee's whistle that signaled the game's half time.
Reina watched the San Patricio and Academia El Pilar teams leave the field for their 15-minute break. A moment later, three new boys in light grey shirts and black sports shorts entered the pitch, taking the central spot.
It was showtime.
"And now for our half-time entertainment," a voice blared from the speakers, "We have a very special cheer performance by three students from Las Encinas. Put your hands together for Ander, Guzmán and Polo!"
The thundering start of Demi Lovato's Heart Attack filled the air.
"What's going on? And who are those Las Encinas losers?" Itzel spoke.
"Will you please just shut up and watch," Reina told Itzel with a scowl, making the other girl to immediately close her mouth dutifully.
Ander stepped forward and the crowd quietened down in anticipation.
Ander looked from Guzmán to Polo, who stood to his right and left respectively.
Then Ander gave a terse nod, and simultaneously the three boys pulled up their shirts in one swift movement, revealing their toned torsos.
Itzel and Angelina gasped audibly at the now shirtless boys, and so did many others in the bleachers.
Go boys! Reina silently cheered.
The next minute-and-a-half was pure magic, as the cheer stunt played out exactly as the boys had practiced. Tight, snappy, confident, high energy. They were slaying it, and it didn't hurt that these three boys were easy on the eyes.
"The tall blond one is sooo hot," Angelina cooed to Itzel, giggling as she clutched Itzel's arm.
"Take him. The dark haired one has my heart," Itzel declared, her free arm raised high as she was recording the performance on her phone.
Reina had to refrain from saying something nasty again. Instead, she focused on Ander as he got into the last part of the routine – his hips moving to the catchy beat of the music, his arms doing the right punch up followed by the left punch up.
He stepped back to be in line with Guzmán and Polo once more.
The three of them made a classic hip hop's pop and lock move, a 360-degree twirl and then ended their performance with their arms crossed across their chests.
The crowd stood up and roared in approval, Reina included.
When the excitement died down, Reina took her phone out. She sent Ander a message and received a response instantly.
Reina: Not too bad, Ander Muñoz
Ander: You didn't mention the adrenaline rush that comes from this
Ander: !
Ander: I think the crowd liked us?
Reina: Totally
Reina: The 3 of you are superstars now :):):)
Ander: Couldn't have done it without you, Coach Velásquez
Reina: I won't disagree :P
Ander: Hey hang back a bit after the game, okay?
Reina: Why?
Ander: Surprise
Reina: This better be good
Ander: See you later, Reina
"I never thought cheerleading boys could be sexy," Marcia, a tall redhead cheerleader on the team, quipped with a smirk. "I know better now."
Angelina and Itzel nodded their heads enthusiastically at Marcia.
Reina popped a piece of gum and smiled to herself, never more proud than this moment to have known these three boys from Las Encinas.
When the whistle blew to mark the end of the game, Reina blinked and wondered if she'd been dreaming.
Around her, the other girls on the cheerleading team stood still in shock.
Itzel was the first one to break the silence by blurting out, "3-4?! What kind of bullshit score is that?"
Reina was thinking the same thing.
In the unlikeliest of events, Academia El Pilar had turned the game around in the second half, catching up with San Patricio to even the score at 3-3. Then within minutes before the game was over, one of San Patricio's defenders made an immense foul that earned a penalty kick for El Pilar.
And just like that, the game concluded at 4-3. El Pilar had won.
Rubbing her temples with her fingers, Reina could only imagine how devastated Matteo must be feeling. She watched as the San Patricio football team trudged dejectedly off the pitch, feeling her heart sink.
She had to go and find Matteo. To console him.
Reina made her way toward the school block where the boys' locker room was and waited for Matteo to emerge. She leaned against the wall outside, crossing her arms and sighing.
She hated losing more than anything, but it was ten times worse for Matteo because he was team captain.
"Reina!"
Swiveling her head, she saw Ander walking over to her – and observed with slight regret that he'd put his shirt back on.
"Ander, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I spotted you out there on the sidelines and called you, but you didn't hear. So I had to pull a stalker move and follow you here. Sorry," Ander explained, looking sheepish.
"It's fine." Then Reina looked around them. "But I think you shouldn't stick around. The boys on the team will be done with their showers soon, and they probably won't be in the mood to be friendly to outsiders."
"Right." Ander jammed his hands into the pockets of his shorts. "Well, I just wanted to give you this."
He retracted his right hand from the pocket to reveal a familiar piece of jewelry with a black onyx clover leaf design.
"My ring!" Reina exclaimed.
"I kept forgetting to return it to you before this. My bad."
"Well, thanks for remembering tonight." Reina smiled at Ander as she reached to take the ring from his palm.
"Hey, what's going on here?" A loud voice startled them.
Reina glimpsed Noel barreling down the corridor, his face dark.
"Noel, chill, okay?" she instructed, quickly slipping the ring into her skirt pocket.
Noel ignored her, turning to glare at Ander. "You. Las Encinas scum. What were you doing?"
Ander lifted both hands in mock surrender. "Nothing, man. I was just leaving."
Noel stepped closer to Ander. "Don't bullshit me. I saw you holding Reina's hand. That didn't look like nothing."
"Can you just keep it down, Noel?" Reina hissed furiously, worried that Matteo was going to hear the commotion and appear.
Shifting her focus to Ander, she added, "Ander, just go, please."
"Nobody's going anywhere until I get a straight up explanation of what happened," Noel insisted.
Reina rolled her eyes impatiently. "Ander was just returning my ring to me. Okay? You happy now?"
"Your ring?" Noel threw Reina a suspicious look. "Why did he have your ring on him anyway?"
Reina shrugged, tired of the interrogation.
Noel ran a hand agitatedly through his hair. "Fuck, Reina. Don't tell me something happened between the both of you –"
"Hey.. What's with the shouting?"
Oh this is fucking great.
Reina turned to see Matteo emerging from the locker room, shirtless and with freshly shampooed hair.
"Matteo. Did you know that Reina has been meeting up with this Las Encinas loser?"
When Matteo noticed Ander's presence, pure rage flashed in his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about, Noel?"
"He was giving Reina back her ring." Noel thrusted an accusing finger at Ander. "And he wouldn't say how got the ring in the first place."
Matteo charged up to Ander, banging his chest against Ander's. "I'm giving you three seconds to explain yourself, before –"
"Get away from me," Ander said with a frown.
He made a move to leave but Matteo grabbed his collar and pulled him back so that they were face to face again.
"Are you fucking my girlfriend?! Are you?!" Matteo demanded with a growl.
"Matteo," Reina uttered, her voice cold as steel. He was being ridiculous, causing a spectacle like this. A couple of other boys from the football team had come out to see what was happening.
"You're crazy," Ander spoke evenly, refusing to get angry.
This only made Matteo more furious. "You fucking piece of lowlife shit," he spat. "You dare to touch my girl? And then you show up tonight with your stupid cheer stunt that made us to lose the game! I should kill you!"
"That's enough, Matteo," Reina said sternly, placing a hand on his arm but he swatted it away crossly.
Matteo continued giving Ander the death stare.
"Let go of my shirt," Ander warned Matteo.
"Make me," Matteo challenged.
"You're pathetic," Ander told him, sneering.
A second later, Matteo's fist made contact with Ander's face.
Reina gasped.
Ander retaliated by punching Matteo back, landing a hit on his nose.
Before Reina could do anything, Noel joined in the fight by shoving Ander hard.
"Guys, stop!" Reina shouted.
Guzmán and Polo materialized seemingly out of nowhere, brushing past Reina to attack Matteo and Noel.
And for a moment, Reina could only stare at the explosive scene before her, horrified beyond belief.