Rapunzel pulled back her long blond hair, then admired her reflection in the locker room mirror. It was the big game against Camelot and she wanted to make sure she was completely decked out in Andalasia's school colors: black and purple. She had used some temporary purple spray in her hair and pulled it back with a black ribbon. She was wearing both black and purple eye shadow. She had a purple A painted on one cheek, and 'Dragons' painted on the other cheek in alternating black and purple letters. She also had alternating black and purple nail polish. Her cheerleading uniform with purple and black sneakers completed the look.
Rapunzel and the other cheerleaders gathered in the center of the locker room for Helga's pep talk.
"All right girls, I don't have to tell you that this is a big game. We're playing our rivals, Camelot, and we're gonna need to double the enthusiasm," Helga said.
The girls let out a cheer.
Helga smiled. "That's what I like to hear. Now, let's get out there and put Camelot to shame!"
As they walked across the hall to the gym, they ran into a couple of the Camelot cheerleaders. The head cheerleader was Fiona. She was pretty with long red hair and green eyes, but she was very much a tomboy. Rapunzel didn't understand why Fiona was a cheerleader; she wasn't particularly perky or enthusiastic. There was also Kayley. Kayley always gave it all she had, but you could tell she didn't want to be there. Crysta and Thumbelina were always energetic and perky and friendly. Rapunzel thought she could actually be friends with them, if they weren't from Camelot. Anastasia was a great cheerleader, but outside of cheerleading she was more withdrawn and didn't say much. In Rapunzel's opinion, Odette was the prettiest of all the Camelot cheerleaders. She was also one of the sweetest people Rapunzel had ever met.
"You're all going down tonight," Fiona said.
Helga laughed. "Camelot has never beaten Andalsia in the four years I've been a cheerleader."
"That's all going to change tonight," Fiona said.
"You say that every time," Tinker Bell stated.
Fiona narrowed her eyes. "You better just watch it."
"Are you threatening us?" Charlotte asked.
"You bet," Fiona said. "Our sports teams may not be that great, but we're still the undefeated cheerleading and dance champions."
With that the Camelot cheerleaders went into the gym. Of course, they were right. Towards the end of every school year, there was a local cheerleading and dance competition. Only about fifteen or twenty schools participated. The cheerleading squads and dance teams were joined together to form one team from each school. Camelot has won the last five years in a row, and Andalasia always came in second. In the past, the captain of the dance team has always choreographed the routine for Andalasia. This year, for the first time ever, the captain is a junior and not a senior. Helga had her doubts about Jasmine and was not hopeful. Rapunzel didn't really know Jasmine that well, but she tried to believe in her. But, really, second place wasn't that bad…
XXX
Ariel sat in the bleachers with her older sister, Andrina, waiting for Aurora and Philip to join them; it was a typical Friday night for them. Andrina was a senior now and decided she was going to all of the games. Ariel went to every game to support Charlotte. Philip came to cheer on his best friend, Eric. Aurora always came to hang out with Philip. It usually didn't take long for Aurora to get bored, and she and Andrina would stop watching the game and start talking. They were both in drama club, and that was usually all they would talk about.
Aurora and Philip sat down next to Ariel and Andrina.
"Congratulations on getting the role of Sandy," Andrina said to Aurora.
Aurora smiled. "Thank you. What part did you get?"
"Marty."
"That's a good role for you," Aurora said. "You're very pretty and I bet guys really like you."
Andrina blushed, but didn't say anything. The cheerleaders came out then and did a couple cheers. Ariel stood up with the rest of the crowd and cheered along with them. When they were done, Charlotte blew Ariel a kiss. Ariel blew one back and waved as she ran off the court. Charlotte tried out for the cheerleading squad freshman year and Ariel had gone with her for moral support. At the end of her try-out, Charlotte was so happy about how it went that she got caught up in the moment and had blown Ariel a kiss. Ariel had laughed, but blew her one back. Charlotte made the squad and said that them blowing kisses at each other had been luck, so every game since then they did it after the pre-game cheers.
"Hey, guys," Philip said, leaning over Aurora. Ariel and Andrina turned to look at him. "Eric sent me a text saying him and a couple of the other guys are going to Mickey's after the game for a little bit before the party and asked us to meet them there. You wanna come?"
Ariel and Andrina nodded.
"Great!"
As the team ran out onto the court, everyone stood up and cheered.
XXX
Meg watched everyone cheering for the team. Why did Dr. Doppler have to assign going to the game as the extra credit? She thought. In order to get the extra credit, she had to check in with him at the beginning and end of the game and she had to wear the school colors. But it was worth forty points and, as much as Meg hated going to the games, she was in no position to pass up forty points of extra credit.
Meg pressed herself against the corner of the bleachers, to avoid being close to anyone, then put in her headphones and turned on her iPod. Meg couldn't even get through one song before someone approached her. She paused the song and looked up. It was Jim. He was wearing a black t-shirt and had a purple A painted on his right cheek. He must be here for the extra credit, Meg thought. She removed her headphones and motioned for him to sit down next to her.
"I didn't know you were so full of school spirit," Meg said, pointing at the A on his cheek.
Jim frowned. "I'm not."
"It's all in the name of extra credit?" Meg laughed.
Jim let out a small laugh. "Not entirely. My best friend, Wendy, drags me to all the games and always makes me wear the A."
Meg gave him a sympathetic look. "You're a good friend."
Wendy joined them then. She was holding two bags of popcorn and handed one to Jim as she sat down. She had a matching A painted on her cheek.
"Wendy, this is Meg. She's my lab partner," Jim said.
"Oh!" Wendy had just popped in a couple pieces of popcorn. She wiped her hand on her jeans then stuck out her hand. "It's so nice to meet you."
Meg shook her hand. "Likewise."
"I didn't realize we were gonna be sitting with someone else, so I only got two bags of popcorn. I'm so sorry. I'll go get you one." Wendy jumped up.
"Oh, no. You don't have to I'm-"
"I'll be right back!" Wendy interrupted.
"Really, I'm fine," Meg said. But, Wendy was already out of ear shot. "Okay."
Jim laughed. "She has the best intentions."
Meg nodded. "No offense or anything, but you two seem really different. How did you become best friends?"
Jim shrugged. "No offense taken. We are different. My dad and her mom are best friends and they were always setting us up on play dates and making us hang out all the time. When I was a kid, I hated it. But, as we got older we eventually became good friends. So, now we're best friends just like my dad and her mom. I think they're hoping we're gonna end up dating. But, that's not gonna happen. I just see her as a sister."
Meg raised an eyebrow at him. She hadn't been expecting his and Wendy's life story. Fortunately, Wendy came back then and Meg didn't have to continue that conversation. Wendy handed Meg a bag of popcorn and Meg thanked her. When the game started, Wendy started cheering. Jim slouched down and rested his head back against the wall. Meg put her iPod back on and turned up the volume.