“Glad the Dream Machine could make it for lunch,” sneered Josh. “We noticed you missed group practice this morning.”
Maryam and Kiley set their trays down at the table next to Robert. He was already eating and trying very hard to ignore Josh.
Madison tossed her ponytail. Robert noticed that she had taken out her braids and tied a giant bow around her ponytail, just like Coach Amber.
“Because you weren’t there, we got the prime spot in the pyramid,” said Madison. “Get used to being off to the side!”
Ellie laughed and flipped her head, even though she had short hair and no ponytail to toss.
Robert finally looked up. “So is that why you played that prank?”
Josh looked puzzled. “What prank?” he asked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Kiley piped up. “Locking Maryam in the bathroom and making us miss practice.”
“That’s the worst prank ever,” said Madison. “If we wanted to prank you, we would come up with something much better than that.” The Destroyers laughed.
Coach Amber walked up and set her tray next to Robert. “Where were you this morning?”
Maryam gave the Destroyers the stink eye. “Someone locked me in the bathroom. Robert managed to get me out.”
Coach Amber ate a bite of her salad. “You know that there’s mandatory attendance for all group practice. Being late or absent without a good reason could get you kicked out of camp.”
“Isn’t being locked in a room with no windows a good excuse for being absent?” asked Robert. He could feel his cheeks starting to get hot.
“If that’s the reason,” said Ellie. She pushed her glasses up on her nose. “Sounds a little fishy, if you ask me.”
Josh took a big gulp of milk and burped. “Now you’re probably going to blame Heather the ghost,” he said. “Maybe she locked the door.”
“There are no ghosts,” said Coach Amber. “Look, I covered for you today, but I came back to Oak Manor and no one was there. So I don’t know where you were or what you were doing. But I’m not going to get in trouble with Head Coach Jennifer just because you didn’t show up for mandatory practice. I need this job to pay for school.”
Robert was scared. Coach Amber had been really nice to them so far. But now he was worried she was going to kick them all out. He was not going to leave. He saved up all year so he could go to camp. He wasn’t about to be sent home on the second day.
What would my parents think? he thought. And my cheer coach back home?
They ate the rest of lunch in silence. When Kiley set her fork on the tray, Coach Amber said, “Let’s bus our table and head back to Oak Manor for rest period. Afterward, we’ll start working on our small group routines.”
During rest period Robert tried to take a nap, but his mind kept spinning with thoughts. Who would want to get them in trouble? Obviously, the Destroyers. Robert vowed to keep a close eye on Josh. He didn’t trust him.
Robert must have finally fallen asleep, as the next thing he heard was Coach Amber shouting into that terrible megaphone.
“Five minutes to practice. Come to the main room,” she called.
Robert’s head hurt, but he still rolled out of bed and climbed down the ladder. He was here to become a better cheerleader.
Coach Amber stood in the main room, handing sheets of paper out to everyone. “We’re going to work together on a cheer first, before we split up into our two teams.”
Josh waved around his arms and made a ghost sound, and Kiley stuck her tongue out at him.
“That is enough,” said Coach Amber. “Josh, you, Maryam, and Madison line up here. You’re the three tallest, so you’ll be in the back. Ellie, Robert, and Kiley, you’ll be in the front. But space out so that the three in the back can stand in your windows.”
With a little grumbling, everyone got into place.
“Okay,” said Coach Amber. “We’re going to read the cheer on the paper together. I’ll help you with the rhythm.”
“Everybody got it?” asked Coach Amber.
The group nodded.
“You can take this cheer back to your schools and make changes as needed,” she continued. “Depending on your squad’s size and particular skills, you might want to use different moves. But this is how we’ll choreograph it today.”
Coach Amber showed them the arm and leg motions and how to clap to make the most noise. She encouraged them to make up their own groove movements for the end.
“Now let’s see it all together,” she called after the group had learned the choreography.
“Hey, all you football fans … ,” the cheerleaders began as Coach Amber watched closely.
“Kiley, keep those arms straight!” Coach Amber yelled. “Josh, stay on the beat! Maryam, love that grooving! Woo!”
Robert was having so much fun that he almost forgot about earlier.
When they finished, he raised his hand. “I’ve got an idea!” he said.
Coach Amber smiled. “Let’s hear it.”
“How about during the claps we switch rows? And then on the stomps we switch back?” Robert asked. “And during the dance we move to the end of the mat for some tumbling?”
Madison looked impressed. “That’s not bad,” she said, nodding.
“Let’s try it!” said Ellie.
The group did the cheer again, moving back and forth, and ending at the corner of the mat. Everyone then did their own moves. Maryam turned several cartwheels and ended with a tuck jump. Kiley and Robert did diving somersaults over each other. Josh performed a walking handstand. Madison turned a back tuck into the splits. And Ellie stepped into a roundoff double back handspring.
Coach Amber clapped. “Nice work! I like it! Let’s take a five-minute break and keep working on it.”
Madison scowled. “Can’t we move on to something else?”
Coach Amber shook her head. “Cheerleading is all about practice. And practice. And more practice. You’ll never be perfect, but practice gets you as close as you possibly can be.”