Shana slowly put her math book and binder into her backpack. Simon also did as well, and shot her a glare as they both watched Amber and Gordo.
"Gordo, promise me you will come see the results," Amber pleaded. "Because you love me so much."
"Of course I will," Gordo said, acting like a spineless jellyfish.
"I got to go," Amber said. "I'll see you when I make it!"
Suddenly, Shana was sickened, and took off after Amber as she left the classroom.
"I know what you're doing," she said to Amber angrily, backing her into a corner. "Simon told me all about you, and I'm going to tell Brynn that Colin doesn't really care for her."
Amber raised one eyebrow.
"Oh really? And who are you?" she asked condescendingly.
"It doesn't matter. Stop trying to mess with me and my friends. It isn't cool."
"I'm not doing anything, so just chill," Amber replied, slipping away from Shana. "Ta-ta"
Lizzie unfolded her t-shirt out of her duffel bag. She pulled her blouse over her head slowly, and started to change for the cheerleading auditions. She wore her "lucky"" outfit to school, the one that Paolo first saw her in, and convinced her to become Isabella. Lizzie usually didn't have a "lucky" anything, but she wanted all the luck that she could get for the tryouts.
She gave herself the one-over in the mirror. Her mom was buzzing with excitement last night as Lizzie told her the news, and took her out to buy a whole new outfit to try out in.
Kate walked into the locker room, clipboard in hand.
"Good, you're here. We're about to start," she said, very businesslike. "You are so gonna make it. You have nothing to worry about."
As Kate strutted out of the room, Lizzie tightened her ponytail once again. She really did hope that she would make it, not just for herself, but for the whole squad. She wouldn't wish Amber on her worst enemy.
Speak of the devil herself, Amber strolled casually into the locker room.
"Oh hi, Elizabeth," she said coldly. "Are you prepared?"
Her question inflamed Lizzie's anger, making her think of new comebacks like never before.
"I think the true question is, are you prepared?"
"Cute," Amber answered while spritzing perfume all over herself.
Kate stuck her head into the locker room.
"Lizzie? You're first. Are you ready?"
Lizzie stood up, and looked into the mirror one last time.
"Yeah," she replied to Kate, and then turned to Amber. "May the best person win."
"Oh, don't worry blondie," Amber replied. "I will."
Lizzie followed Kate into the dance studio, and they instructed her to stand in front of the judging table. She didn't know any of the judges, but they smiled at her, and asked her name.
"Lizzie McGuire," she replied, trying to act as perky as she possibly could.
Lizzie glanced to the side of the room, where the entire junior varsity squad was sitting. Nora, Kate, and Claire, among with the other three girls, smiled at Lizzie.
"Okay," the coach of the squad, who was sitting in the middle of the judging table, said. "Can we sit your routine?"
Lizzie gave a confident smile as she nodded, and Nora pressed play on the sterio.
Her routine went flawless, including the amazing gymnastics section. Everyone could see that the judges were visibly impressed of her choreography, with the short amount of time.
She stuck her ending pose, and the coach, trying to sound impartial, told her that she did a great job. Lizzie looked over to the cheerleaders, who were eagerly clapping silently for her.
"Send the next person in, and after she is done, we will give you the results"
Amber confidently walked into the room, bringing her prop, a folding chair, with her. She told the judges her name, and waited for her music to start.
The judges tried hard not to show the horror on their faces. Amber's dance could only be described as not school appropriate. She blew kisses, and winked her way through the numerous times where she slithered across the judge table, and her "strip tease" in the middle.
She landed in her ending pose, wearing nothing but a sport's bra, and a short pair of shorts. The judges tried not to laugh, and the coach told her that she did good.
They sent her into the hallway, as they did with Lizzie, and waited until they saw that she went into the locker room to change.
"I guess it's obvious who we want," the coach said, sarcastically. "Kate, bring in whoever is in the hallway to hear the announcement."
Kate walked out into the hallway, and found that a large crowd of people had shown up to hear the audition results.
"Everybody, come on in," she yelled, and the crowd cheered. She was almost run over by a stampede of baloons, flowers, and congrats signs, all made for Lizzie.
They all sat down at the back of the studio, and Lizzie and Amber stood nervously by the judges table. Lizzie scanned the crowd, and saw all of her best friends. Including Gordo, who was carrying a bouquet of flowers, definately not for Lizzie.
"Both of the candidates did a very good job, but unfortunately, we could only choose one. The new member of the junior varsity squad is," the coach announced, pausing for a dramatic effect, "Lizzie Mcguire!"
Amber stormed out of the room, grabbing Gordo's hand as she stormed out. However, her exit went largely unnoticed by the large group of people. Lizzie's mom ran up to Lizzie, who was almost in tears, and gave her a huge hug.
"I'm so proud of you, honey!"
This was the general sentiment of the room. Allie, who was waiting for dance team practice to start, ran to Lizzie.
"OMIGOSH!!! You did it!" she exclaimed, almost knocking Lizzie over. "You really deserved it."
The excitement died down a little, as Lizzie's good friends separated from the crowd, the rest were just curious. Miranda gave Lizzie some daisies, and Madison and Shana were truly excited as well.
As Brynn and Colin were released from detention, they both were equally surprised by the number of freshmen still at the school. But then, Brynn remembered that it was the day of cheerleading tryouts.
Colin had to go to football practice, so he promised Brynn that he would call her later. As he ran into the boy's locker room, Brynn noticed Amber, her eyes puffy and bloodshot as if she had been crying.
"Hi Brynn," Amber stammered out, and Brynn instantly knew that Lizzie made the cheerleading squad. "How was detention?"
"Crappy," Brynn answered. "But what could I expect? At least Colin was there with me."
"I bet. Listen...I have something to tell you," Amber said, with an edge of urgency. "You know your friend Shana?"
Amber sighed, trying to look like this confession was going to kill her.
"I can't tell you."
"What?" Brynn prodded her. "I need to know if it's about my friend!"
"Your so-called, back-stabbing friend?"
"What are you talking about?" Brynn asked, very confused.
"She's in my math class, and we had some free time....and all she could talk about with Lizzie was Colin this and Colin that," Amber said, looking down at the ground. "She's majorly jealous."
"I don't believe you. She wanted us to get together."
"See for yourself. She told Lizzie that if she could make something up to break you guys up, she would. I think she's gonna try to tell you that he doesn't really care about you or something."
"He does....doesn't he?" Brynn asked, suddenly feeling very vulnerable.
"Of course he does....I have known him for the LONGEST time, and he has never acted the way he does with you for anyone else," Amber reassured Brynn. "Here they come....gotta go."
Amber rushed off, as Brynn's large group of friends started to come her way.
"I made it!" Lizzie exclaimed, still high on her buzz of excitement.
"That's great!" Brynn exclaimed. "Sorry I couldn't come...I had detention."
"What were you doing?" Miranda asked.
"She and Colin got caught making out in the "fornication" hallway," Allie said, cracking up.
The group laughed for the longest time, and Brynn did notice something a little off about Shana. She wasn't even laughing with the group.
They all made small talk for a little while, until everyone dispersed into their regular after-school activities. Except Shana, who was lingering around Brynn.
After everyone left, Shana walked closely to Brynn.
"I need to tell you something," she said to Brynn, with a sense of dread in her voice. "It's about Colin. He.....doesn't really care about you."
Brynn stood with her mouth open wide as everything Amber said began to come true.
"I can't believe you!" Brynn yelled. "You whore!"
Shana was taken aback, and tried to put the pieces together.
"I can't believe that you would want to take away my new boyfriend," Brynn continued with her rage. "Amber told me that you were jealous of me."
With that, she stormed out the door, leaving Shana no time for explanation. Tears were slowly rolling down Shana's face, and she sat on a bench as she tried to gather her thoughts. One of her best friends was being taken advantage of, and there was nothing she could do. Amber was truly ruining lives, one friendship at a time.