There, You're Perfect

There was already a little rivalry going on between JV and Freshmen squads. Of course the older girls started it but why? They were prettier - right now anyway- a lot more popular and they all had super cute fitted tees from last year and matching bows in their hair compared to the fish with their mix of shirts from their middle schools and a lot of them, Blossom included, with their hair just tied back or braided and without bows. When the Freshmen squad ended and clapped, the JV girls clapped louder and whooed more. When the Freshmen did a herkie, JV popped out toe touches. Freshmen showed off with a side hurdler, the JV girls with their longer legs and generally more developed bodies showed them up with pikes and double nines. It was infuriating.

"We should stunt," one girl said as they stood in formation, fists on their hips at the ready.

"That's too dangerous. We haven't even worked out on mats yet and picked positions."

"They're doing them."

Blossom and the other girls turned their eyes only, heads still forward and the best fake smiles on their lips as they lightly sweated but stayed still in formation. The JV girls were doing stunts, nothing fancy, but they were definitely stunting. Closer to the middle of the crowd, almost up on the varsity squad, the JV girls were enjoying a ton of attention. Funny how the Freshmen went from being shy and nervous to wanting their share of the crowd's eyes and approval.

"They were a team last year, like we're trying to be," Blossom pointed out. "They know who is a good base and who is a good back. Their flyers trust them."

"Scared of falling?" The challenge came from behind her, a voice Blossom couldn't quite put with a name.

Another girl spoke up to defend her. "That's not fair. It won't be you taking a tumble. Leave her alone."

"Coach is coming. Shh." At the warning all of the girls fell silent and tightened up their stances a little bit. Coach went down each line, giving each girl a hard look. Her hands reached out and corrected form, Blossom's included. "I know you don't have any hips but your fist goes here," she moved Blossom's hand a fraction of an inch. Blossom flushed, face going splotchy red from more than the heat and exertion.

Moving down the line Callahan moved to stand behind another girl, hands running down her arms and across her much more pronounced hips, she was pretty enough and developed enough to be mistaken for a JV girl for sure, and gave the only bit of praise the squad earned. "There, you're perfect," Callahan said and Blossom saw the Coach lean in a little bit, hands on the girl's waist as she delivered the comment.

"Alright, five minutes. Hydrate and be back on time," Coach clapped once, sharp and loud and the girls scattered.

Most of them anyway. Coach held the one girl in place with her hands and started talking quietly to her. Blossom saw a really uncomfortable look on the girl's face but left her as did everyone else.

"Blossom?"

"Huh, yeah?" she looked over at the girl who had called her name. There were three of them.

"Come on. Let's jog and show Coach we've got what it takes."

"Yeah, come on, Blossom. We aren't leaving our flyer behind."

"Your flyer?" she asked the other three.

"We're adopting you," they said and laughed. "This is our first way of showing you we're not going to drop you. Now move it, short butt."

Laughing the quartet of girls formed an ever shifting group as they jogged down one end zone and began to make a lap of the field while everyone else rested. It felt nice and their chatter and spirit made the workout easy.