Chapter 368: The Field House

Friday, February 3rd, Afternoon (Eastern Standard Time)

Friday afternoon, game day means after school a quick bite to eat, and the field house. Games days were awkward because they had to wear their cheerleading uniforms all day. Today, they had three as they walked into the gym.

Sawyer looked to Keni and nodded. Keni just rolled her eyes. "Do we really need to add a fourth?" Keni asked.

"She's cool, and well, it's nice to have another point of view," Sawyer said.

"Anyway, it confused old Mrs. Dawkins; she was only expecting two of us," Keni said.

"I wish you'd stop calling her old; she's not that old," Sawyer said.

"Yeah, still," Keni said.

"What are you two whispering about?" Alesha asked.

"Why Keni calls Mrs. Dawkins at the lunch counter old," Sawyer said.

"Well, she kind of is," Alesha said.

"It's just not nice to point it out," Sawyer said.

"That's true," Alesha said.

"That's why I don't point it out to her," Keni said.

"Well, anyway, we're here; we have a game tonight, so let's stretch before Shannon has a cow," Alesha said.

"Aw, you're just scared of Joce," Keni said.

"I'm not," Alesha said.

"Let's stretch out," Sawyer said with an eye roll.

The girl's found spots on the floor and started to stretch out. Sawyer glanced over at Keni; Keni rolled her eyes and gestured to a redhead cheerleader heading their way. Raegan Sullivan, one of the three juniors on this very young cheer squad. For some reason, they had no seniors.

Raegan took a spot on the floor between Sawyer and Keni. She started to stretch out and would casually glance over to Sawyer and then Keni.

"Ready for senior night?" Raegan asked.

Sawyer shrugged, "Maybe," she said.

"I can take it or leave it," Keni said.

"I'd figure you'd be excited, Aunt Keni," Raegan said.

"Aunt Keni?" Alesha asked.

"Never heard of that?" Keni asked.

"I did, but I don't understand it," Alesha said.

"Keni is Brett Pierce-Burke's aunt," Raegan said.

"That's a technicality," Keni said.

"How is that a technicality?" Raegan asked.

"Well, my older sister is her step-mom," Keni said.

"Really?" Raegan asked.

"Yeah, my sister's last name is Burke after all," Keni said.

"I didn't know that, so you're related to Coach Pierce-Scott too?" Raegan asked.

"That would be me," Sawyer said, "She's married to my cousin."

"On another technicality, so am I, as Sawyer's brother is married to my other sister," Keni said.

Raegan looked at the two young women, confused.

"Yeah, we don't have a family tree; we have a family bush," Sawyer said.

"Bush Family?" Alesha asked.

"No, not the Bush Family, a family bush," Sawyer said.

"They're reptilians anyways," Keni said.

"Family Bush, what does that mean?" Alesha asked.

"It's small, tight, and tangled," Sawyer said.

Keni laughed. Raegan shook her head; Alesha just stared at Sawyer. Sawyer smiled and kept stretching. Shannon walked over and looked at the girls and took a space between Alesha and Keni.

"Hi, Shannon," Sawyer said.

"Sawyer," Shannon said.

"Shan," Raegan said.

"Cherry," Shannon said, using Raegan's nickname.

"Shannon," Keni said.

"Kendall," Shannon said.

"Now that we know everyone," Sawyer said, "What's up, Shannon?"

"Just wanting to see how everyone is doing; it's been a big week with that ceremony and senior night," Shannon said.

"Wait, where's Joce?" Keni asked.

"She had a family thing in El Paso, was kind of vague about it," Shannon said.

"That sounds like Joce," Keni said.

"Yeah, you would think she would be more open," Alesha said.

"Not daddy's little angel," Raegan said.

"What does that mean?" Alesha asked.

"Joce's parents are rich, and her dad spoils her," Raegan said.

"Oh," Alesha said.

"She's not that bad," Shannon said.

"Shan, she's a bossy bitch," Raegan said.

"I think it's insecurity," Shannon said.

"Keni comes from money," Alesha said.

Keni rolled her eyes. "My mom has money; I don't have any," she said.

"Alesha, just go with what Keni says; she'll fight you if you disagree," Sawyer said.

"Okay," Alesha said.

"So, let's keep focused tonight," Shannon said.

"Yeah, we'll be on our toes," Sawyer said.

"I'll do my best," Keni said.

"Whatever you need, Shannon," Alesha said.

Shannon nodded, "Cherry, have you thought about what college you want to go to?" she asked.

"I'm thinking of applying to a few," Raegan said.

"Why won't you tell me where you want to go?" Shannon asked.

"'Cause I don't want to go to a school for cheerleading, nor do I know where I want to go," Raegan said.

Shannon nodded.

"Without Joce, what's the plan?" Sawyer asked.

"There's nothing we do that needs Joce," Shannon said.

"That sums up her usefulness," Raegan said.

"Be nice, Cherry," Shannon said.

"I'm nice," Raegan said.

Sawyer smiled and looked at the redhead. She and Raegan had a similar background; Raegan's dad had published a few books. He, like her dad, stopped writing as well. One thing Sawyer noted about Raegan, she had a sardonic way about her.

"What are you thinking about, Sawyer?" Shannon asked.

"Nothing in particular," Sawyer said.

Shannon nodded, "Well, let's have a good game," she said.

"Now, that's something we could all agree on," Raegan said, and all the girls laughed.