could set their clocks by. Instead, we’re going to shake things up with a mashup of samba, belly dance, and jazz. It’s a big gamble. An unconventional aesthetic in the production line of their carefully curated lives.
“Alright, ladies.” Coach Lopez tucks her clipboard against her side and scans our uniforms, checking for consistency. “One last rundown. Let’s make it count.”
Leading the charge, I break down the moves we’ve practiced all week while the rest of the team follows along fluidly. For a few blissful moments, we are united. A strong, synchronized machine. But the devious smirk on Audrey’s face as we prep is eating at me. She’s up to something. I just don’t know what it is.
There isn’t time to think about it. A few minutes later, Coach is leading us onto the dead center of the field under the glare of the lights and bleachers packed with fans. The energy in the air is potent as the announcer introduces the Cougarettes dance team. That same energy is vibrating through my veins as I repeat the mantra in my head.
I’ve got this.
Nothing can take this moment away. Across the field, I catch Landon staring at me. His uniform stained with grass, eyes colder than ever as his helmet dangles from his fingers. I suck in a breath when I notice the purple and blue bruises on his face. Five feet away, Jared is covered in bruises too. I’m trying to unpack the reason for it when Jared glances at Landon, and then swings his gaze back to me, blowing me an overexaggerated kiss. I force my face into a smile as the microphone crackles to life, and the announcer informs the crowd the Cougarettes will be performing a Black Mountain classic.
Coach looks at me, and Audrey doesn’t bother to hide her snickering beside me. She did this. Of course, she did. She wants to force me into a routine I haven’t even practiced, yet they all know by heart.
“What do we do?” Megan, the girl on my right, whispers.
“We’re sticking with our routine.” I meet Audrey’s gaze. “They’ll figure it out soon enough.”
She smiles up at the crowd, and the music starts to play. It’s all wrong. It isn’t just the routine they flipped. It’s the song too. The beat is off, and it becomes painfully obvious as we begin to dance with grimaces on our faces. Within seconds, our unity begins to crack and shatter like shards of glass. Two of the girls collide mid-turn, while another one screeches when Megan steps on her foot. We look like a bunch of drunken toddlers under my direction, and it’s all I can do to hold on through the performance.
“Just keep going,” I grit out as Misty bumps into me.
The rest of the team is as humiliated as I am. But I can bet it won’t be Audrey who takes the rap for it. The crowd is dead silent, watching us fumble through the moves as if we haven’t practiced all week. When the song finally comes to an end, there’s nothing but static. Tears prick my eyes as the girls behind me start to hiss under their breath.
“What a hot mess!”
“Can you believe this shit?”
“Uh, please give it up for the Cougarettes!” the announcer urges over the mic.
There are a few slow claps, but all I can feel is the heat of everyone’s attention on me. It was my job to lead. I should have accounted for this. I should have double-checked everything myself.
I’m already on the verge of a very public meltdown when the mascot bounds across the field, dancing in the wake of our grand failure. He’s throwing up his arms, trying to rev up the crowd and get them pumped again. And then he weaves through the dancers, winding his way toward me. He squeezes me in his arms and picks me up, much to my dismay.
“Demon slut,” he hisses into my ear.
In slow motion horror, I watch as he produces a hefty balloon from his pocket and squashes it on top of my head, splattering my hair and face with red paint. The girls around me burst into a fit of laughter as I try to wipe it from my eyes, choking back a silent howl when I realize I can’t. There’s too much. Beside me, Courtney is practically hissing at them as she drags me from the field.
“It’s okay,” she says. “I’ve got you.”
Someone calls out my name, and in my shock, I could almost