Angie, Scarlett, Ella, and I all stood on the half-court line in the gymnasium, along with at least thirty other girls. We were all wearing a white t-shirt and blue shorts. Everyone's hair had to be pulled back in a high ponytail and glued down, with a sparkly bow on top. I looked like a rip-off version on JoJo Siwa.

The girls at tryouts ranged from the weird outcasted who wanted to finally fit in, to borderline popular kids who just didn't make the cut last time. Though regardless of who they are, they all took it very seriously. My friends and I were just joking around and having fun.

We were only really trying out for the fun of it, but when the girls started stretching, Angie got her leg the highest. She did all her splits and got straight lines in her jumps. I knew she was a gymnast, but I never expected her to be so good.

I was so shocked by Angie already, and we were just warming up. Ava and Sofia walked over to the group of girls, and they all immediately stood up straight and made sure their hair was perfect.

"Hello, wanna-be cheerleaders." Ava Smiled at us with her perfect white teeth. "the condition of these tryouts are rather unusual, considering we had real tryouts in the summer. Of course, ever since Angelica quit, we are shirt one girl. Witch means one spot. That's it." Ava looked straight at me, and I already felt my stomach turn. There was no way I was going to be the one who makes it out if all these girls. "So, my cheer-lings, let's see what you got!" All the girls started screaming and kicking their legs, and I stood there like an idiot as I wondered what I had gotten myself into.

We started with jumps, Pikes, hurries, and toe touches. I never knew how hard it was to fling your legs in the air. Of course, Angie had perfect lines and didn't mind taking every opportunity to tell me.

"You know, if you swing your arms down and back up faster, it will be easier to get your legs up," Angie told me as she demonstrated how to do a toe touch properly. I wasn't sure if she was actually trying to help or just being obnoxious, so I just smiled and nodded.

Angie was good, no scratch that, the best. And I was the worst. I don't think there was a person less flexible and coordinated than I was. I looked like I was a bird trying to learn how to fly when it came to us being judged in our jumps.

I noticed a few girls were whispering when I went. I couldn't know for sure if it was about me or not, but with my regretted recent events, I could only assume.

How priceless must it be to watch me fail so miserably? River, the girl who no one knew, somehow ends up on popular kids' Instagrams with pictures of us at parties. Cute guys were showing me a bit of attention, and now me trying out for the cheer team. It was unthinkable that someone like me could crawl up to the top of the high school food chain. So, of course, there would be some annoying underclassmen laughing at my failer.

I heard some girl whisper about how I'm not the hot shit I thought I was. But I knew I wasn't anyone special; I was only trying out for shits and giggles, so I don't know what these girls' problems were. Did they think I was going to make it in the squad?

When it came time to do cross tumbling, I began to panic for my life. We didn't even have a good mat; it was just an old, resulting mat that was no more than an inch thick.

Regardless, people were doing round-off back handsprings, back tucks, and connections. A few people did just a cartwheel, but I couldn't even do that.

Ella did a cartwheel round-off, Scarlett did a front walker over cartwheel back step out, and the Angie did a round-off back handsprings back full! My jaw dropped along with everyone else's. If you don't know what a back full is, it's a back tuck with a 360 twist in the air. If that doesn't impress you, you should be one of these judges, because their faces were still as still as stone.

After everything stopped clapping for Angie, they all looked at me. I felt the judgment in the air, and I knew people wanted to see me fail. My hands were shaking, and my heart was pounding. I took a deep breath and started running. I didn't know what I was going to do, but before I had a chance to think about it, I tripped on my own feet and tumbled into a ball. I think I did the equivalent of a forward roll; only I didn't land on my feet.

As I fell onto my butt, I heard everyone start laughing. I looked around, and everyone was whispering and pointing to me. Not that I blamed them, but I even saw Angie snicker a little.

I quickly got up and ran off of the mat. I made my way over to the gym doors and ran out.

I was so done with everyone's remarks and thoughts of me. Shocker, I'm not good at cheerleading. I never expected to be. And I sure as hell wasn't going to stand in there and let them all laugh at me for something we all already knew I wasn't good at.

The commons were empty, considering it was after school hours, so I slid down the wall and hugged my knees. I felt my eyes fill up with tears, but I quickly whipped them away when I heard footsteps coming near me. I assumed I was one of my friends who followed me out here to make sure I was okay, but it wasn't. It was nonother than Ava, coming to make fun of me, I'm sure. Why else would she even ask me to try out? This has had to have been her plan all along.

"Hey." She said softly, and she sat down next to me.

"What do you want?" I muttered.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You fell pretty hard."

"Ya." I sniffed and rubbed the tears out of the eyes. "I know. Everyone knows."

Ava laughed a little; witch made my blood boil. "Ya, it was a mess." She mocked. I was just about ready to punch her straight in her perfect face when she said. "Reminds me of when I tried out."

"What?" I've seen Ava tumble all the time; she lived to show off. No way she was as bad as me.

"Ya, I mean when I tried out, I could barely do a cartwheel, but through a lot of practice, I learned." She laughed again and started playing with her hair. "When I think of how I completely faceplanted, it makes your performance look good." She laughed again, and I think this time it was at herself.

"So, what then? You think I should go back in?" I asked. I couldn't believe I was having a real conversation with Ava, and she wasn't a complete bitch.

"Ya, I do."

"But what if everyone laughs at me again?" I know I sound stupid, but it's nerve-racking when everyone is judging you.

"Riv, you let people's opinion of you kill your confidence. I know some people hate me, I know the way they see me, but I don't care. It's not about what people think about you. It's about proving them wrong and carrying yourself with confidence. That's what got me on this cheer squad, and that's what will get you on, too."

I know she was right, which was strange to think about. Why was she so kind to me? "But what if-"

"Stop overthinking!" She laughed and stood up. "We are starting the pyramid soon, and regardless of if you could do a basket toss or not, your coming back in there and giving it your best shot!"

Ava held out her, and I grabbed it. I had to remember why I wanted to do this in the first place, why I wanted to do any of this, not just cheer. I want to bee seen, and now's my chance. I'm going to make my senior year perfect, and I'm not letting some whispers and comments stop me.

I walked back into the gym and saw people laughing at their friends. I rolled eyes at them and went back over to Ella, Scarlett, and Angie.

"That was quite a fall." Angie laughed.

"Ya, it seems like no one will remember anything else. Even the good tumbling, it looks like I'm the only one who is going to stand out." I told her with a cheeky smile. I saw her face drop as she wondered if people really won't remember her back full, or whatever.

I surprisingly wasn't too bad lifting girls in the air. My thunder thighs helped for once. And in the dance/cheer portion, I had a lot more to shake then everyone else. And I let myself have fun with it. Whipping my ponytail around and chanting as loud as I wanted. A saw Ava give me a smile from the side where all the cheerleaders were sitting, and a judge even looked like she didn't hate me.

When it came time to announce who got the best score, we all stood on the line and waiting as the judges conversed. Ava came over to them and nodded as she picked up the winning score sheet. If Ava could pick, I think I would have it in the bag, but it was based on a score. Not just your personality and booty, but your flexibility, tumbling and jumps — everything Angie had, but I didn't.

I noticed the smug look on her face, and for the first time, I questioned why I was friends with Angie. I hate to admit it, but I would rather anyone else get on the squad than Angie.

"Okay, girls!" Ava chirped. "We picked out newest cheerleader based on not only performance," Ava looked at Angie, and I saw Angie smile with satisfaction. "But also heart, potential, and most importantly, passion for the sport."

My heart stopped because she looked at me. And then she said it....

And my heart dropped.

"That's why I am so happy to announce that our newest cheerleader is.....