Authors note: Last chapter left on a deep and sad note as Sasha's very life comes unraveled and of course the very person she liked happened to be there, don't you hate when that happens? Anyway a month or so has passed since that night and as Senior Year continues on as it does, as so often life does, the two besties find their paths not exactly intersecting. I did warn about ripples and effects, right? I'm pretty sure I did, or had, if not I do apologize...late as it is, if I did manage to warn you, a welcome relief on this writer's part. Moving forward then, oh, and you guys still liking Robin, just checking, also, too soon? If you are still there the time lapse would be a few months since chapter 8.

CH.9: Falling

Sasha was falling. Her entire world upended in one magical night, or, least what was meant to be a magical night. She wound up leaving the party amidst whispers and stares, her legs carrying her out the door before her mind can process the fact she had left Anne and Marcy behind. The drive back to her house was a squeal of rubber on the road and hot blinding tears running down her cheeks and blurring her vision.

How Sasha made it home...remained to be seen. And yet her mother had already gone to sleep so she didn't have to worry about that awkward, how was it, or do you know what time it is. Her door was flung open and the last thing she remembered was crashing, her entire weight of her body landing atop her soft sheets and the pillow she often prided herself on keeping clear of her tears...met it full force.

Time after that just kind of slipped away from her, each passing day she would avoid Anne and Marcy, the only two friends she had at that school. As for how things were between her and Robin...well...cheer was back in full swing but so was the battle for a new Cheer Captain. Naturally she had held that spot for a good amount of time but in her final year...a challenger came.

"Ladies, as you know, Sasha here has won many trophies and has earned acclaim for this team in her time at this school. Much like many of you it is your final year as Cheerleaders, well, least that is true for here...who knows, you may take up cheerleading as a full time career. My point is it is time to compete for the title of Captain, do we have any contenders?"

"I believe I have what it takes!" Sure enough the voice belonged to Robin. Sasha stood there numb, it was like, she just forgot to breathe. Her blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail behind her and she wore her Cheer outfit. It was not lost on many who shared that field what happened that night.

"Robin, well, do you have a routine planned?" Robin looks over at her and Sasha tries to keep the stare, hold it...just a bit...nope can't do it. Sasha looks at her feet and Robin appears victorious.

"I do, and, I really think my routine is going to blow you all away." Robin looks over and someone pushes a button on the boombox they bring to their training.

Robin claps her hands and she begins to move about. Her powerful hips hold gravitas over the other Cheerleaders and she does a cartwheel without breaking a sweat. She turns around pushing her butt out and shaking it like no tomorrow. Each step she makes works with the song she chose and all the while she did this she made sure that she beat away at what strength was left in Sasha.

"Very well done, a bit provocative, but nevertheless you brought your Cheer on. Alright Sasha, can you keep your title?"

Sasha looks around at everyone and feels like they don't believe in her, well, not like they used to. Maybe since she was outed they didn't trust her when she looked at them. It was already awkward enough changing with them and trying to cover themselves. Most of the boys at the school made sick jokes and some were even into the idea of her being into girls...it made her sick to her stomach.

"Uh...sure...piece of cake," Sasha waits for the music to start and right off the bat she trips. Her balance is off, her game is off, everything about this routine which she could do in her sleep was taken from her, taken by Robin.

"Ooh, I don't believe that was in the routine, but nice effort." Robin says. The other girls laugh a little. Sasha wants to stay down but knows she can't go out like this.

"Pfft, that is nothing, I was saving this for the final part to blow you all away," Sasha doesn't worry about the grass stains she might have on her uniform and goes into the final bit. She was going to do a few back springs, that was the plan...but the moment she went into it her hand slipped and suddenly the sky was facing her and she was lying on her back.

"It is kind of sad to see...isn't it? The once proud Cheer Captain, Sasha Waybright, done in by a simple triple back spring. I think it is pretty clear that there is a new change in this formation."

Sasha lay there a bit...afraid to get up and face her peers. After that she quit the team. The very joy she had got out of Cheerleading now as left with a hollow point in her chest. Her grades were held together but mostly through extra credit and some very patient teachers.

Sasha continued to avoid Anne and Marcy and as she lay there on her bed she listened to one of the voicemails left by Anne:

'Hey Sasha, so, not sure you are getting this or not...but...Marcy and I, we're kind of worried and sort of hoping to hear back from you. Senior year is not the same without you and honestly...forget Robin, she is lousy and someone not worth your time or effort. And about the party...I know that isn't the way you wanted things to come out, but, just know Marcy and I...just know that I am here whenever you want to talk. I don't know if what she said could be trusted, but, I'd really like to talk in person when you got the chance. I miss you Sash...'

Sasha looked up at the ceiling wondering if she could even trust herself to call her. She had come close many times already but each time she...she froze up. Closing her eyes she tried to rest some.

Anne was worried for Sasha. It was no longer the three of them against the world but it was just her and Marcy. They sat there at lunch during a very long period of only catching glimpses of Sasha.

"Still nothing from Sasha huh?" Anne nods her head as she just pushes some of her peas on her plate.

"I wish she would just say something, anything, but...what Robin did to her really stunk. I mean, it is like why go and do something that will ruin someone's life? Does she have any idea what this year meant to Sasha?"

"Yeah, it stinks, but all we can do is be there for Sasha when she needs us. I know if someone did this to me I likely would never even come out of my house. However this is Sasha's identity in question and now that everyone knows about her sexuality it means adjusting to it. Still she isn't the only one alone in this."

Anne bites into her sandwich and it takes a bit for her to realize that Marcy is staring right at her. "Oh, right, the whole fact that Sasha told everyone she liked me, not exactly how I wanted it to happen...but...I'm dealing with it."

"Are you?" Marcy pressed. Anne reaches for her water bottle and guzzles about half the contents before setting it down.

"Pfft, like, yeah of course Mar Mar, I am so cool with the fact my best friend after all this time came out of the closet and let my name slip." Anne was far from ok. She was freaking out. Honestly she had been desperate to reach out to Sasha to get some clarification, like, had Robin forced it out or was that a genuine answer.

"You two need to clear the air, and, I may just have to borrow a page from old Sasha's notebook to make it happen. I'll see you later." Marcy rises up leaving Anne confused.

"Marcy, wait...ugh," Anne realizes there are murmurs and whispers surrounding her and she finishes off her food before climbing up on top the table.

"Hey, listen up, you can murmur all you want but vocalizing words is far more concrete and so not the cowards way of going about things. Yeah, you heard me, I dealt with far worse in Amphibia so come on, shout it out, cause if this carries on long as it is...you are really making things worse, not only for me but for yourself...so...who is first?"

Anne waited, her eyes looking out for any takers. Clearly everyone here was caught like a deer in a headlight. However as someone clears their throat she looks over at the entry way spotting the Principal watching her. Welp...not exactly the person she was expecting.

Authors note: Anne seems to be heading to the Principal's office it seems but she may not be the only one. Marcy enacts a plan to get Sasha and Anne in the same room while Sasha attempts to get her life in order.