Page 14 of The Cheerleader

“Time for a break,” Liz announces, and most of the girls head for the field house to the ladies’ room.

“See that guy? The third one from the end?” Liz sounds confident even when she’s whispering. “He’s mine.”

“Really? The guy you were telling us about, Bryan? He’s cute. I’m impressed you’re dating him.” I take another look at him while she laughs.

He has longish dark wavy hair, full lips set in a permanent nonsmile—not exactly a grimace; maybe he looks like he’s about to growl. There’s something moody and intimidating about him, and not just his impressive size and those steely-looking muscles—so many of them all rippling and gleaming with sweat.

In spite of having the body of an Adonis, he looks like he could star in Dark Shadows with that edginess he has about him, like he’s hiding something, possibly a destructive power deep in his soul. It’s in the way he moves, stealthily, and the way he hangs back from the group, not talking or laughing with the others.

“We’re not back together yet,” Liz says, pulling my attention away from her dark crush back to her. “Even though we broke up over the summer, two summers ago technically, we’re still close friends, and I’m sure we’ll end up back in bed together, lovers the way we should be. It’s more than dating—which isn’t a thing around here.”

“Really? No dinner, not even a movie?”

“Is that how it was at Smith?”

“Sure. We’d go to dances or parties mostly, but⁠—”

“Did you have a guy you left behind?”

“No, not really. No one special.” It’s not a total lie. I take a deep breath like I’m about to dive into deep water. “I was seeing someone—Todd. I thought he was special, but after… everything happened with my dad and I had to transfer to UConn, he showed his true colors. He’s a self-centered snob down to the core.”

She takes my hands. “I’m so sorry, Susie. What a jerk. Who needs a guy like that? You’re special, and you deserve someone special.”

“You’re right.” I smile, glad I told her. Whatever embarrassment I thought I’d feel doesn’t materialize.

“You’ll do better here in the romance department. Smith is all girls.” Her nose scrunches. “I don’t know how you found anyone, even a Todd.”

I laugh. “We had mixers with some of the guys from Amherst and sometimes Dartmouth.” I hold my breath and add, “Todd came out to Smith from Harvard.”

“I see. You didn’t party at UMass? I’ve heard it’s a big party school.” She grins.

“Some of the girls partied there.”

She nods. “Did you have sororities?”

I shake my head.

“Same at UConn. There are a few, but… it’s not the thing to do like in the old days.” She scrunches her nose again. “No matter. I’m into the sports scene, and you can’t do better than an athlete. All those muscles.” She wiggles her eyebrows.

I nod. “They can be fun to look at.” I don’t want to judge, and so I don’t tell her I’m not interested in musclebound guys who are into playing games more than real life. Not that it matters to Liz. She always drooled over cute boys. Back in junior high, she was full of talk. Now it seems like more than talk, but we’re adults, so of course.

A cooling breeze cuts across the field, and a big dark cloud blocks the sun. I enjoy the reprieve even if it is starting to look like rain.

Liz and I are different. She can handle cheerleading and classes and boys and probably a dozen other things all at once. Not me.

Boys are the last thing on my mind. Getting a useful degree is front and center for me. I need to get my academic act together so Dad isn’t spending his dwindling supply of money on my college tuition for nothing.

Liz watches the football players and says, “I plan to do a lot more with Bryan Granger than look.”

I laugh and pat her back. “Of course you do. He’s gorgeous and the star running back and the most unapproachable guy I’ve ever laid eyes on. He may as well have DANGER stamped on his forehead.”

“Sister, you have no idea. But I have a head start. We have a shared past.”

“Wow. When should I expect the wedding invitation?”

Smiling, she slaps my arm at the tease, but she can’t be shamed out of her oversized interest, realistic or not. “Don’t you worry, you’ll be a bridesmaid for sure.” She takes me in a hug, her smile brilliant, the way I remember it minus the braces. I feel that affection and warmth trapped in her contagious goodwill and the relentlessly ambitious sunshine of her disposition.

“You know what? I believe you. If you say it will happen, it will. How could anyone resist you?”