Chapter Text
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃𝐒 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐆 low over Beacon Hills, California, creating a somber mood over the small town. The roads were wet from the day’s scattered showers, making the red, yellow, and green from the stoplights reflect brightly against the dark asphalt. A lone red SUV sped down the highway into town, driving at least twenty miles above the speed limit -- the driver was too anxious to get to her childhood home to drive at a reasonable speed. The car shone under the streetlights as it turned onto residential streets, finally slowing down once a familiar light green two-story home came into view. It pulled to a stop on the curb behind a broken-down black car, the driver suddenly becoming self-aware as she gazed up at the house.
The driver’s side door opened and a pair of beat-up Converse shoes stepped onto the pavement, quickly followed by four large black paws. The dog circled her owner’s legs before running onto the lawn and sniffing around.
“Kota!” The driver hissed, pocketing her keys and shutting the door of her vehicle. She stalked after her dog, a large black Belgian Malinois, scolding her for running off. “Kota, get back here! C’mon, girl.”
The dog trotted back to the girl, panting happily with her tongue hanging out of her mouth almost joyfully. She lapped at her owner’s hand, letting her know that she was just as happy to be away from San Francisco, before turning and prancing up the porch steps. She knew the home all too well and was eager to get back inside. Her owner shared that desire, but she wished she could be as confident about the decision as her dog. The girl followed her dog, her steps less enthused. Her feet were hesitant as she climbed the stairs and stepped up to the front door.
The last time she was on that porch, she was twelve years old (almost thirteen, as she loved to hold over her brother’s head because she was just a couple months older than him). She had a large pink Bobby Jack Brand suitcase beside her and tears running down her puffy and blotchy cheeks. Her arms were locked around her half-brother, crying and soaking his jacket with her tears. Now, she was standing with her dog, her suitcases packed in her car, and her cheeks were dry. But, she was just as nervous and anxious as the last time. She hadn’t thought about her plan. That afternoon when she came home to a note on the refrigerator, she tore it down and stomped upstairs, ready to pack up her room. She already knew what it said. It would be an empty apology from her father, explaining that he was leaving on another work trip and had left two hundred dollars for groceries. He had a ready-made letter that he stamped onto a paper so he could post it and go. Now she was hours from San Francisco, standing on the porch of her childhood home with her beloved dog and the desperate hope of being taken in by the homeowners.
She stared at the door in front of her, trying to psych herself up to actually ring the doorbell. Hundreds of doubts ran through her mind, all stemming from the same fear that she would be rejected.
“Shit, Kat, just do it.” The girl whispered to herself, shaking her hands beside her. She let out a long breath and spastically brought her hand to the doorbell. She barely glanced at it as her pointer finger pressed the bell. The noise echoed in her ears, causing her to squirm slightly as it seemed louder than it should have. Kota barked beside her, earning a rushed ‘shh’ from her owner. She heard a pair of feet clomping down the stairs inside, listening as they slowly marched across the foyer to the door. Her heart pounded in her chest as the door opened and revealed the tired face of Melissa McCall.
Kat hadn’t realized how much she had missed the woman until she saw her. Tears pricked her eyes, and her heart leaped into her throat. Melissa ran a hand down her face as she finally looked at the girl on the other side of the door. She grinned and crossed her arms over her chest, her exhaustion slipping away as she looked at the teen.
Kat’s eyes burned with tears, and her voice caught in her throat, but she somehow managed to get out a few words, “I didn’t know where else to go, Melissa.”
Melissa’s face softened into a motherly smile, and she reached out to pull Kat into her arms, “You look exhausted and hungry. Come on in, I’ll order some Chinese takeout, and we can talk about whatever you need to.”
Melissa opened the door further and let Kat inside. Kat turned and snapped twice, letting her dog know she should follow her, before allowing Melissa to lead her to the kitchen. She felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders as soon as she was inside. She missed the Beacon Hills McCall house more than she cared to admit. It was much more lived-in than the San Francisco McCall house; it felt like an actual home. She followed Melissa to the kitchen and sat at the island counter while Melissa went to the home phone and dialed a number she hadn’t dialed in close to four years. She and her son had a silent agreement to not let any of his father’s tendencies back into their home unless necessary. But, with Kat, it was necessary. She loved the Chinese restaurant House of Food just as much as her father. Kota jumped up onto her hind legs and let her front paws rest on Kat’s thighs. She snuggled her head between her paws, showing she was content and happy to be home.
“Kota’s gotten big, hasn’t she,” Melissa said, putting the phone down and leaning on the island countertop. She reached down and stroked the dog’s head lovingly. “She was just a puppy when you and Rafael left.”
“Correction: When Rafael forced me to move.” Kat sharply said, meeting Melissa’s eyes. She missed their lively brown that could either comfort her or scold her with one glance. They were just as pretty as Kat remembered. “I wanted to stay here.”
Melissa sighed and nodded. “I told him that separating you and Scott would be a bad move. I don’t know why he did, especially in his state. Is he any better?”
Kat shrugged. “He hasn’t had a drop of alcohol since we left, but he’s still a shit father.”
“Language, Kat.” Melissa playfully scolded.
Kat rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. “Sorry. He’s still a crap father.”
“I’m sorry you had to stay with him these past few years,” Melissa said. “Is that why you’re here?”
A sour laugh left Kat’s mouth. “I came home to a letter on the fridge telling me he was on another business trip. So I figure seven times is more than enough to file reckless abandonment against him.”
Melissa’s brows furrowed, confused by her words. “You mean he never calls you to tell you he’s leaving?”
“No.” Kat simply said, letting her hand run down Kota’s head and neck. “The past few notes have been printed off. I think he’s got a draft of the same thing on his computer so he can fill in the blanks of the dates and where he is. The printed ones even have his business logo, like he’s writing to a colleague instead of me.”
Melissa sighed, sliding the notes away from Kat. “You’re right; he still is a shit father. What a prick.” She looked over the letters, shaking her head as her lips pursed angrily before looking at Kat with kind eyes, “Well, we can go to the courthouse tomorrow and start the process to have your custody transferred to me.”
“I’d love that,” Kat smiled, feeling immensely more relieved than before she rang the doorbell. She felt truly happy for the first time in years.
A set of heavy feet stomped down the stairs and into the kitchen. Kat looked towards the archway into the kitchen expectantly, a smile spreading across her face when her half-brother Scott walked in. Scott was a month and a half younger than Kat, but he looked older than she did. He shared the same tanned skin and brown hair as their father, but the only other thing he inherited from him was his eyes, which he shared with Kat.
Scott stopped dead in his tracks, unable to believe his sister was sitting in the kitchen. He was at a loss for words, and all he could muster was a simple question. “Why are you here?”
Kat laughed, taking Kota’s paws off her legs and standing up. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised a brow at Scott. “And here I thought you’d be more glad to see me, Scotty.”
Scott shook his head, “To be honest, I’m happier to see Kota.”
“Oh, shut up,” Kat laughed, crossing the room and hugging her brother. Scott gathered her in his arms so tightly that Kat found it challenging to breathe. Kat returned the grip, relieved to be home with her family again.
･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.
The Beacon Hills mall was nicer than most in San Francisco, filled with expensive boutiques and slightly cheaper chain shops. A custodian was always picking up trash, and employees were constantly straightening out displays. It looked like something out of Gossip Girl , and Kat secretly loved it. Thanks to her childhood friends, she had grown up as the perfect combination of girly and tomboy.
Kat was best friends with Lydia Martin and Lexi West from kindergarten to sixth grade. Lydia was the girliest, whereas Lexi was the sportiest, making Kat the ideal combination of a fashion-loving athlete. The girls spent every weekend at the mall, having mini fashion shows in each boutique and convincing Mrs. Martin and Mr. West to buy them anything they were just dying to have. Because of that, it was no surprise that Kat found Lydia and Lexi in their favorite ‘high school girl’ boutique while she was killing time the Saturday after she arrived in Beacon Hills.
Lydia was just how Kat remembered her. Of course, long strawberry blonde hair trailed down her back, perfectly curled, and expensive clothes hung on her thin frame. Yet, she still held the same confidence she had when they were younger, the confidence that girls envied and boys were intimidated by. Kat knew that Lydia was still at the top of the societal pyramid of Beacon Hills High School by just looking at her.
Lexi, however, was no longer the basketball-short-wearing athlete from sixth grade. Her hair was cut just past her shoulders and was dyed black, and her dark makeup deeply contrasted with Lydia’s natural look. Kat had to smile when she saw the leather jacket that covered her band t-shirt, a few buttons pinned onto the lapels, and accompanied by metal studs. The two girls were complete opposites, but they looked like the perfect pair.
Kat moved around a clothes rack, grabbing a random top and holding it over her chest before walking up behind Lydia and Lexi. “So, I’m looking for a second opinion. Would this be an appropriate top to make a good first impression for the first day of sophomore year?”
The girls looked over their shoulders, examining Kat. It took them mere seconds to recognize her, her bright chocolate brown eyes giving her away instantly. A smile split across Lydia’s face, and she started squealing in excitement while Lexi grinned at the McCall girl.
“Kat!” Lydia dropped whatever article of clothing she was holding and threw her arms around Kat’s neck in a tight hug. Kat laughed and returned the hug, just as excited as Lydia. Lydia pulled back, examining Kat closer than before. She let out a noise of disapproval and pursed her lips. “Sweetie, what are you wearing?”
Kat nervously chuckled and looked down at her outfit. A pair of distressed denim shorts and a music festival t-shirt were accessorized with her very worn high-top Converse. Her outfit contrasted with Lydia’s short floral dress and tall wedge sandals and Lexi’s stern and dark look that Kat almost felt inferior.
“Well, uh,” Kat stuttered, breathily chuckling as she shuffled her feet. “I just packed anything I could grab before leaving San Francisco. Fashion wasn’t really a priority at the time.”
“Hey, Noise Pop was an awesome festival this year, don’t disrespect it, Lyds.” Lexi joined in, stepping around Lydia to hug Kat. “I missed ya, McCall.”
“I missed you too, West.” Kat sighed, relishing in the feeling of being with her best friends again. She hadn’t realized how much she needed them around. Phone calls just weren’t cutting it anymore.
Lydia smiled at Kat as she and Lexi pulled apart, shaking her head. “As a welcome home present, I’m buying you a first-day outfit that will make you the hottest girl at Beacon High Monday morning. Besides us, of course.”
Kat giggled, “Lydia, you don’t have to do that.”
“What kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t?” Lydia asked, looking at Kat as if she had asked one of the stupidest questions ever. “I’ve got full access to my mom’s card today. So, I could buy you a whole new wardrobe if I wanted to. And, by looking at what you’re wearing now, I might have to.”
Lexi chuckled, “You also owe us an explanation for why you didn’t call to let us know you were coming back. So, clear your schedule.”
Kat looked at the girls with a grateful smile before chuckling and linking her arms through Lydia’s and Lexi’s. “Well, if I’ve got some explaining to do, I guess we should get pretzels and iced tea from the food court.”
Minutes later, the girls were seated at their old spots in the food court, a back corner counter where they could see every angle of the court, tucked between Pretzelmaker and a locally owned Italian restaurant named Luigi’s. (“I can’t decide if it’s classic or tragic that they named it Luigi’s . The owner can’t really be named Luigi; it’s too cliche,” Lydia always said). They had the perfect view of every hot guy and girl who couldn’t compete with them who walked through the court. Even back in sixth grade, they would sit there, hiding behind large iced teas and over-buttered-and-salted pretzels, sniggering about what their frenemies were wearing. It was rare for anyone else to be seated with them. Today, however, the topic of conversation was Kat’s return to Beacon Hills. Lydia and Lexi hung onto her every word, and her story ended with a tight group hug and a comfortable silence.
Lydia set her tea down on the counter, leaning in closer to Kat as she divulged what she had become accustomed to talking about when she didn’t think there was anything else of importance to discuss. “So, Kat. Any boyfriends back in San Fran that I need to worry about before setting you up with anyone? I have a few lacrosse players in mind that would be the perfect way for you to make your grand entrance back to Beacon Hills.”
Kat laughed, shaking her head. “No boyfriends, anywhere, period. They’re too much work.”
“Not even Stilinski?” Lexi playfully asked, nudging Kat’s shoulder with hers. Kat groaned and rolled her eyes, a smile stretching onto her face. She felt her cheeks heat up as she remembered her childhood crush Stiles Stilinski. He was one of Scott’s best friends and her middle school on-again-off-again boyfriend. Melissa always teased her about it, telling her that no matter how many times they ‘broke up,’ Stiles would always be back with a floral bouquet picked from his mother’s garden and an apology. Even in middle school, he knew how to treat his girlfriend. Kat wondered if Stiles had found another girl to spoil as he did her all those years ago -- that wasn’t the type of thing they talked about when they had an out-of-the-blue desire to dial one another’s numbers every few months.
“Now I may have to reconsider a boyfriend if it’s Stiles you’re going to set me up with, Lyds.” Kat giggled before sitting up straighter and looking at the two girls, “Since it seems to be almost as important as breathing, who are you guys starting the year off with, then?”
“Jackson Whittemore, of course.” Lydia dreamily said, a soft smile on her face as she twirled the straw around her iced tea. Kat was impressed but not surprised by her choice of boyfriend. A junior and the star of the lacrosse team, Jackson Whittemore was the perfect match for Lydia’s ‘cool-girl’ image.
“Of course,” Kat said, smiling as she turned to Lexi, eyebrows raised as she asked, “What about you, West?”
“As the only gay girl in school, I don’t have any arm candy.” Lexi passively said. Kat could detect the slight longing in her voice and felt for her friend. Since middle school, Lexi had been open about her sexuality, but she seemed to be the only one. There was only one other gay student in Beacon Hills, and his name was Danny Mahealani. He, too, had always been open about his sexuality, and he and Lexi bonded and became great friends when Lydia and Jackson started dating. Kat was glad that Lexi had someone like Danny in her life.
“I’ll be your arm candy; I think we’d make a cute couple,” Kat said, nudging her shoulder with her own as they giggled. “Maybe even cuter than Lydia and Jackson.”
“Oh, no, we could never be cuter than Lydia and Jackson,” Lexi joked, laughing as the Martin girl rolled her eyes and waved her off, addressing Kat with a somehow serious and sarcastic look at the same time.
“It’s not like it would mean anything. He’d just be insurance to ensure that you entered with the right people in case walking in with us didn’t do it.”
“Why wouldn’t walking in with you two be enough?” Kat asked, brows furrowing. There was no such thing as social scenes or a social pyramid at her school in San Francisco. Then again, it was an uber-exclusive private school with an average graduating class of twenty. So it wasn’t hard for rich snobs to get along, despite what shows like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars portrayed. They bonded over their privilege of driving Aston Martins and BMWs and weekend trips to the country clubs. Kat didn’t have to try very hard to fit in, but she never entirely assimilated with the richest of San Francisco with her Mazda SUV and occasional tag-along trips to the not-as-nice country clubs. Nonetheless, she wasn’t very far from the bottom of the pyramid. She wouldn’t admit that she missed the way she could walk down the hallway, and people would trip over themselves to greet her, even if that was just stupid middle school popularity.
“We’re not in fifth grade anymore, Kat.” Lydia chuckled, “People are ruthless here. Maybe we should figure out something else to help you back into our corrupt social hierarchy.”
“You say corrupt while sitting at the top,” Kat laughed but quickly quieted down as she realized that Lydia was right. Beacon Hills kids and teens were mean if you weren’t at the top of the pyramid; she’d heard all about it from Scott and Stiles.
“Oh!” Lydia suddenly gasped, looking at Kat with excitement, “How about cheerleading? You were so good in middle school! And, I know that they’re having a late summer tryout in a couple of days.”
“How do you know that?” Kat asked around a large bite of her pretzel.
“Because, back in June, Annie fell at cheer camp and broke her ankle in four different places. She’s healed now, but no one really liked her in the first place, so we’re looking for a replacement,” Lexi smirked, carefully watching Kat’s expression to see if she had caught the purposeful slip-up in her wording.
“Leigh’s a cheerleader? Gross.” Kat giggled, scrunching her nose at the thought of her former middle school enemy. Growing up, Kat and Annie always seemed to be at each other’s throats, and they weren’t sneaky about it. If Kat and her boyfriend at the time broke up, Annie would always start spreading rumors that it was because he was secretly in love with her. Kat never called Annie by her preferred name, only her most hated nickname Leigh. They went out of their way to do any little thing that would get under the other’s skin. Everyone knew they hated each other, but no one knew why. Eventually, Kat and Annie also forgot, but they were both too stubborn to stop hating one another.
Kat’s eyes suddenly narrowed, and her brows furrowed as she swallowed the pretzel with a sip of tea. “Wait, hold on. Did you say ‘we’ ? As in, you and the cheerleaders? Are you on the cheerleading squad?”
Lydia decided to sarcastically play along, “Wait, Lexi, you never told me that you were the captain of the Beacon Hills Cheerleaders.”
Kat grinned at the West girl, “So, I leave for a few years, and you replace me as captain of our school’s cheerleading squad. I never thought I’d see the day.”
Lexi shrugged, “Well, someone had to do it.”
The girls laughed as Kat’s phone vibrated in her shorts pocket, and she quickly fished it out. Scott’s name flashed across the screen, and the alert that she had a new text. She unlocked her phone and read the text.
ғʀᴏᴍ: sᴄᴏᴛᴛʏ 😎
⤷ ᴍᴏᴍ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴜs ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪɴɴᴇʀ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴀʏ ʜᴏᴍᴇ?
“Shoot, I gotta go,” Kat said, typing a quick response to Scott before looking at her friends again. “I’ll text you guys, though. We’ll do something tomorrow, I promise!”
“What’s your dress size?” Lydia quickly asked, standing up and gathering her things as Kat did.
“Uh, three,” Kat answered, stuffing her phone in her back pocket and throwing away her tea and pretzel remnants. “Bye, guys.”
“Bye, Kat!” Lydia called as Lexi said, “Later, McCall. Cheer tryouts are Wednesday at eight AM!”
Kat watched the girls walk out of the food court with their bags hanging from their elbows and Lydia’s thumbs tapping away at her phone screen. Kat chuckled when she heard her talk into her phone, “I need the cutest size three spring dress you own. I’ll pay well over ticket price; it’s an emergency.”
Kat left the Beacon Hills Mall and made her way back through town to the McCall house. She decided to take a longer route, cutting through residential streets and trying to remember her way through the city. She turned down a random road and immediately saw a familiar baby blue jeep. She had turned down the Stilinski’s street.
The Stilinskis were some of Kat’s favorite people. She had so many great memories with them, and her favorite was how she met their son Stiles. During a recess in kindergarten, the second Kat saw the Stilinski boy, she knew she was in love. She dragged poor Stiles over to her brother and demanded that he marry them under the monkey bars. Kat was a little love-obsessed when she was four. Needless to say, Kat and Stiles were married the day they met, and the three became inseparable until it was discovered that boys and girls had cooties.
The McCalls left for dinner at their favorite diner, a small 50’s themed diner named Penny’s near the highway with the best chocolate malts in town. Melissa used to take Scott and Kat there when Rafael came home from a trip. He was usually cranky and/or drunk when he came home, and Melissa never wanted her children to see that side of their father. They ordered a large basket of French fries and large chocolate malts (Melissa and Scott gave their cherries to Kat just like they used to do) and laughed and talked all evening. Kat missed nights like those; she rarely had the opportunity to revel in pure happiness in San Francisco.
･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.
A few days later, the McCall girl walked into the high school gym in her favorite leggings and sneakers, her hair tied back into a sleek ponytail (with the signature cheerleader poof of teased hair on the top of her head) and her face done up with natural, but noticeable, makeup. She was somewhat exhausted by the attempt to look the part and knew it would get really old, really fast, if she made the team, but realized as soon as she walked in that it would help her odds. While possibly three of the girls trying out remotely resembled cheerleaders, most of them hardly attempted to pull their hair back and out of their faces.
“You come to take your place at the top of the pyramid?”
Kat turned around and came face to face with Lexi. She was taken aback by how different Lexi looked in her cheerleading uniform. Black, white, and maroon, the uniform was tightly fitted and short, exactly how Kat remembered them when she would attend the high school football games in middle school. Her dark hair was tied up in a slick ponytail and had a striped bow sitting atop it, and her makeup was toned down and more natural than when Kat saw her at the mall. She held the confidence a cheerleading captain should, and it almost suited her better than the studded leather jacket. Almost.
“Someone’s gotta do it,” Kat grinned, “That bow is precious.”
“You’d love it,” Lexi joked, gently nudging her shoulder, “Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes to look this preciously badass.”
“Oh, do your worst. They’ll be voting me captain before the tryouts are even over.” Kat teased, watching as Lexi laughed and returned to the table set up in front of the bleachers, where three other cheerleaders were seated.
The West girl loudly clapped, quickly earning the attention of the girls scattered around the gym. “Alright, girls, here’s how this will go down. We have one open spot, and we aren’t too keen on filling it with just anyone. So it’s up to you to make up our minds on whether we will fill it or not. We have a list of stunts and cheers that you need to be able to do, and each tryout will be individual. But, of course, appearance and personality also count, so some of you might want to fix yourselves or drop out now. Questions?”
Kat glanced around at the rest of the girls, somewhat pleased to see that many had closed in on themselves, and started to shuffle their feet, knowing they wouldn’t be returning to the gym for their tryout. Kat wasn’t worried; she was energized. She hadn’t done anything cheer-related in months, but that didn’t concern her. She knew she could do the stunts; she’d just be a little rusty. And luckily for her, what she considered rusty was what others thought their best.
Lexi picked up a stack of papers, and the other three cheerleaders next to her grabbed more papers, pieces of fabric, and safety pins. They moved to the front of the table as Lexi spoke, “Come and grab the requirements, a number, and a form. We’ll call the first number in ten minutes. Come back stretched and prepared.”
Kat was one of the first in line, grabbing the fabric with the number four drawn on it with a glitter pen and the needed papers before swiftly leaving the gym, her number tacked onto her shirt before she even reached the doors. She could feel the envious eyes as she left; she knew she looked like the typical cheerleader, minus the blonde hair, and the rest didn’t. The rest of the girls gathered in the hallway outside of the gym, spreading out to stretch and mentally prepare themselves. Kat kept her head low and tried to focus on stretching and filling out her form, but two girls who couldn’t keep from running their mouths earned her attention and distracted her.
“Can you believe she’s back? I mean, did you see the way Lexi reacted when she walked into the gym? She’s already back in the popular circle. It’s so not fair.”
Kat smirked, knowing they were talking about her.
“She’s been gone for years , and the second she returns, she gets her old spot back? The rest of us have been clawing for her spot since she left.”
It’s called friendship, sweetie , Kat thought, shaking her head as she quietly chuckled. A girl near her looked up, slightly alarmed. Kat narrowed her eyes and snapped, “Stare, much?” She averted her gaze as quickly as she looked up.
“If only Lydia would have forgotten her instead of us. We’re so much more deserving of her spot; at least we’re nice. No one’s forgotten her. What’s so special about her, anyway?”
“Hell, if I know. It’s so annoying that she just gets to return and have her old life back. None of us would be able to.”
Kat couldn’t take it anymore and finally looked up at the girls. They were only a few feet away and weren’t trying to be quiet as they leaned into each other and pretended to whisper. Kat recognized one of them as Annie, her middle school rival. The McCall girl cleared her throat, catching Annie and her friend off guard. She sweetly smiled, batting her lashes in their direction, “Hey, Leigh. I heard about your injury this summer. How’s the ankle?”
Annie’s face paled as she gulped, trying to cover her reaction as best as she could with faux confidence, “Completely healed and ready to get back up on top of the pyramid.”
“You mean supporting the pyramid, I’m sure,” Kat smirked, looking at the gym doors as they opened to reveal a blonde cheerleader struggling to keep it propped open.
“Number four, if you haven’t left yet, like two and three, you’re up.”
Kat gathered her bag, neatly holding onto her form with one hand and making her way towards the gym door with long, confident strides. She looked at the girls gossiping about her, smirking before blowing a kiss their way. “Best of luck, girls.”
Kat followed the blonde back into the gym, setting her bag just inside the door and taking her earbuds out of her shirt to place them and her phone in the bag. She tightened her ponytail and stood up straight again, walking to the table and handing her form to Lexi. She smiled at the rest of the cheerleaders before moving to the gym center, folding her hands behind her back and awaiting their instructions.
Lexi glanced over her form before clasping her hands together on the table, “Alright, Kat, let’s get started. First off, let’s start with a simple toe-touch.”
Kat nodded and performed an impeccable toe-touch, landing with a soft thud. She barely made a noise on the wood flooring.
Lexi nodded, and the cheerleaders all wrote on their notepads. “And, now, let’s see a right herkie, then a left herkie. You can join them or do them separately.”
Once again, Kat prepped and performed exquisite herkies, landing cleanly and confidently. Each stunt Lexi asked for, Kat executed perfectly. She tried to keep the surprise off of her face, but she didn’t think she should have been able to do half of the things she was asked to do with such ease. The stunts should have been too challenging for someone who had taken a couple of months off from cheer. She shouldn’t have been able to execute them as well as she did. However, her shock soon turned into smugness. She would be even better than anyone expected if she could tumble that well after a couple of months off. That spot was hers.
The cheerleaders sat and conversed quietly, sending small glances over their shoulders to Kat. She stood patiently and eagerly, hands wringing on each other behind her back. Then, she could hear a whisper float toward her.
“I’m impressed. Can she shout, though? Would she be good with crowd involvement?”
“She was the loudest cheerleader in the seventh grade; I’m sure she’s still got it,” Lexi said, nodding her head. The girls around her gave her wary glances, and Lexi rolled her eyes before looking at Kat again, “It’s the final quarter of the game, and we need one last score to win. So what’s a classic cheer that you would use to get the team riled up and the crowd involved?”
Kat pursed her lips as she thought. There were many classics that everyone seemed to know, but there was one that she and Lydia loved when they attended high school games. She nodded and quietly cleared her throat before she started shouting and acting as if the bleachers behind the cheerleaders were full of Cyclones fans. “Up, up, on your feet! Whirling Cyclones can’t be beat! Up, up, on your feet! Whirling Cyclones can’t be beat!”
Kat carefully surveyed the cheerleaders before her, relaxing at the encouraging and excited looks on their faces. Lexi spoke first, “I’m impressed. Thank you, Kat.” Lexi smirked, overjoyed by her quick thinking and ability to jump right back into cheerleading as if she had never stopped. She knew that Kat would be the newest addition to the team, and she was extremely excited about it. Lexi nodded, “Alright, Ashley, you can go get the next one.”
Kat visibly deflated. She thought she nailed it, that she had the spot guaranteed. Lexi made sure to catch her eye and wink to let her know she shouldn’t be disappointed. She couldn’t cut the tryouts short after two girls, even if it was clear who their choice would be. Kat felt her chest swell with pride as she nodded in understanding and left the gym. As soon as she stepped into the hallway, Annie’s eyes were on her, and Kat only grinned. She sat on the hallway floor again, tightening her ponytail and letting her shoulders relax against the cool metal of the lockers. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Annie glaring daggers at her, but it only boosted her mood. She felt selfish, but she loved that Annie was making her jealousy of her so public again.
One by one, the girls seated around Kat were called into the gym only to defeatedly walk back out minutes later. Even Annie, who had a smug smile as she entered the gym, came back out with a frown and a glare directed at Kat. The McCall girl was the only one that seemed to have a successful tryout. Finally, when every girl had either chickened out or failed their tryout, they were called back into the gym by Ashley, the classic skinny blonde cheerleader.
Perfectly lined up, Kat stood right in front of Lexi, seated at her designated captain chair with her hands folded on the table and eyes narrowed and carefully surveying the girls. In front of Lexi’s hands were one set of maroon and white pom-poms, one maroon, white, and black bow, and one brand new maroon and black duffel bag that looked full of Kat’s new uniforms.
Lexi stood up and examined the girls in front of her before clearing her throat. “Everyone but number four can leave. So sorry, ladies, please try again next year! Junior varsity is holding tryouts tomorrow afternoon if your confidence hasn’t already been crushed.”
Kat watched as girls started to filter out of the gym, wiping at their eyes and angrily throwing their bags over their shoulders. Finally, only one girl was left, a tall but stout girl with blonde hair and stormy gray eyes. Annie stood beside her, a hideous glare plastered onto her face.
“Are you joking, West?” Annie spit, “I’m healed, I’ve lost the weight, and I deserve to be on top of the pyramid more than she ever will. She shouldn’t just get to come back and be on top; she doesn’t deserve it.”
Lexi’s face was blank as she took a slow breath and looked at Annie, “Give me a triple herkie, either side, double toe touch, end in a roundoff to the knee, arms in a high ‘v.’ ”
Annie’s face paled, and she started shaking her head, “You know I couldn’t do that even before I broke my ankle. I’m a flyer, not a tumbler.”
“Flying and tumbling have always been your weakest points, and we both know that you’re hardly even a shouter.” Lexi’s lips pursed to stop herself from smirking, “We’ve decided to round out the team and make sure anyone can be put wherever we need them. You don’t fit the bill anymore. So keep practicing; there’s always next year.”
Annie scowled and rolled her eyes before leaving the gym, waving around her middle finger as the door slammed shut. Kat didn’t miss the look of pure hatred Annie shot her way before she disappeared from the gym.
“Congratulations, Kat,” Lexi’s voice sounded, earning Kat’s attention. The West girl held the pom-poms out towards Kat with a broad smile as she said, “Welcome to the Beacon Hills Cheerleading Squad.”
･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.
That night, Melissa took Kat out for celebratory burgers and shakes from the hospital cafeteria. Melissa was in the middle of a twelve-hour shift, but she would never miss the opportunity to celebrate her daughter making the cheerleading squad. As much as she loved that Scott was on the lacrosse team, she had always wanted a daughter to follow in her high school footsteps and cheer on the local mascot. Some mothers dreamed their daughter would become a prima ballerina, Melissa dreamed hers would become a cheerleading captain.
The McCall ladies were seated across each other, Kat recounting her tryout to Melissa in great detail. Melissa laughed and nodded, happy to hear Kat was so invested in something, but it didn’t last too long. Soon enough, a teenage boy came running up to their table, stopping just behind Kat’s chair and asking a dragged-out question in one long breath.
“I know that my dad said that you’re not allowed to let me in on investigation details, and I know I’m not even remotely related to the victim of that drug deal case, but can you please tell me how they got their injuries?” The teen was breathless as he leaned on the table, completely disregarding Kat while he stared intently at Melissa with large eyes.
“No,” Melissa simply said, taking a bite of her food utterly unbothered. The teen groaned and slouched on the table before he shot up, an expectant and excited look on his face. Melissa shook her head and shot him down immediately, “No to whatever you’re about to say next. Keep your nose out of police and hospital business, Stiles.”
Kat took in Stiles' defeated demeanor as she chuckled, earning his attention. He was just how she remembered him, down to the adorable trail of freckles that spanned the left side of his jaw and neck. He was still that curious, freckled spaz that she loved.
Kat rested her elbow on the table and smirked, waving her fingers at him as she greeted him. “Hey, Stiles.”
Stiles' jaw was slacked as he took her in. She was even prettier than he remembered. Her Facebook profile doesn’t do her justice, he thought. Stiles lightly scoffed and tried to smoothly recover his shock of seeing the girl he’d been so infatuated with since they were five years old by smirking and nodding his head, “Hey, Kat.”
“So, you said that it was a drug deal victim?” Kat asked, narrowing her eyes at him, “Let me guess. A drug deal gone wrong, someone got shot or stabbed, and won’t give up a name?”
Stiles breathily chuckled, “Yeah, something like that.”
Kat nodded. “Alright. Yeah, what my mom said -- keep your cute little nose out of police and hospital business, Stilinski.”
“You think my nose is cute?” Stiles asked, a look of awe covering his face as he placed his hand over his heart. “God, you just got back, and you’re already finding it hard to not compliment me.”
Kat shrugged her shoulders, “No, I just remembered how easy it was to make you blush and couldn’t help myself.” She grinned up at him, “I missed you, Stiles.”
“Wish I could say the same.” Stiles quipped, starting to turn on his heel and walk away, but Kat quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him into her as she hugged him. He laughed and tightly wrapped his arms around her waist as he welcomed her back. Kat sighed, fighting against the butterflies in her stomach. His grip was firmer and more secure than in eighth grade, as was to be expected, but it felt different than it should have. Almost like the start of something completely new and different between them.