Chapter 7

We're currently gathered in the 'mastermind' cave a.k.a my dorm room and the brainstorming has only just begun. It was confirmed this morning on an online forum that Zander Wyatt is officially on the market.

He'd ended things with Yoona over the weekend and was now a free radical, ready for the taking. And since free radicals can be highly unstable compounds that never stay free for long, I need to act fast.

"This isn't going to work." Stacy murmurs as she paces the length of my room while chewing on her fingernails.

Daphne, who is still in her pyjamas despite it being early in the afternoon, admonishes her for the bad habit but Stacy is too deep in thought to bother.

"Zander has never had to pursue a girl. Not someone who isn't interested. He's not going to waste time chasing you when there are a hundred other girls who'd date him in a heart beat." She stops walking and shrugs her shoulders helplessly.

Her curly blonde hair is slick with sweat today because she'd hurried over after her morning practice.

I rest my palms on the bed, letting the soft mattress carry my weight. I just don't see the sense of it all. Here we have this guy, a serial offender who changes girlfriends every three months. Everyone knows about it, I mean it's all over the damn forum threads.

So why on Earth are there still people interested in him?

"We just have to take the chance," I reply, because there really isn't much else we can do. Zander has shown interest. He seemed pretty interested last Friday night and he'd added me on instagram over the weekend.

He's been liking all my pictures and commented on the story I posted about the orange flavoured latte I had at The Orange Idiot this morning.

It's pretty obvious the guy is trying his luck. I just have to pray that these steps work out and he doesn't lose interest. It's a gamble with him but one I'm willing to take. 

"Is your team cheering for the game this Thursday?" I ask Stacy, who has begun the unruly task of trying to untangle her mass of curls.

"Of course." She answers distractedly, wincing when her fingers try to smoothen out a large knot. "Why?"

"I'm going to need your help." I say warily, gauging her reaction. She stares at me with those piercing green eyes of hers and I hesitate a beat before continuing. "I need to be on the field. To really get his attention and you know how he likes cheerleaders."

In the movie the Ten Steps to A Man's Heart, the lead actress dresses up as Audrey Hepburn -her bosses biggest celebrity crush-  for their Hollywood themed dinner. In the movie, he stares at her the entire night.

"He'll definitely notice you if you're on the field. He's dated practically the entire squad," Daphne snorts.

Stacy stares at me through the dull mirror on my desk, a sly smile slowing forming on her face. "I should be able to make that happen."

***

There's a familiar tenseness in the air. The smell of fresh cut grass and chatter of a thousand voices fill the stadium with a buzz that I will never ever get used to.

Football is a big, big part of Daltech culture. I would say it's the biggest thing the university is known for and today we'll be going against our old rivals Richmond University from across state.

It's an important game and the stadium is already full even though we have a solid hour before the game starts.

Thankfully, it's an evening game today or we would have had to wake up in the early morning to watch. I never used to be a football fan but joining Daltech has made me follow every single game since freshman year.

It's a part of the university culture here. Everyone is proud of our successful football team and none of us are afraid to show it. That and the fact that Stacy performs a routine before every game and we love cheering for her as well.

During the last game, Daphne, Elizabeth and I had gotten half of our faces painted with the Daltech Wolves logo - a lone white wolf over a blue flag - which is our football team's and university's signature logo.

Today however, I'm dressed in a very tiny blue skirt and a matching crop top. I made a point to join Stacy for her morning runs this week and am currently thanking her for the push. At least my usually soft, borderline flabby stomach looks toned today.

I adjust the blue and white ribbons that have been secured around my high ponytail and look at myself in the bathroom mirror. There's glitter over my eyelids and my lips are a soft pink.

I think this is the first time I've ever cheered or in my case 'fake' cheered for anything my entire life.

"You look...pretty hot." Daphne says, staring at my reflection.

I laugh, feeling a little self conscious. Doubts begin to flit through my mind, wondering if my trick will work or if I'm going too far. I think of Elizabeth and shake my head. Nope, I'm not. Zander is the one who went too far.

Although, I sincerely hope she doesn't watch the after game because she'd most likely see me on the field in this cheer get up.

My phone pings and I catch another insta message from Zander. We've been texting on and off since his reaction to my story but I've managed to keep it light, my answers always vague.

"You headed to the after party later?"

I decide not to answer, unsure of my plans anyway. 

We head outside and take a seat by the front row, reserved for the cheerleaders who perform before and after the match. Some of Stacy's cheer friends are seated there and they wave at us with a friendly smile on their faces.

"Stacy told us about your childhood dream of being a cheerleader. It's really too bad about your ankle. We're so happy you get to live out your dream on the field today though." A very pretty brunette says to me and I stare at her in confusion.

It takes a moment to register the lie and I quickly smile back, thanking them for the opportunity. I bite my lip, resisting the urge to laugh at my friend's vivid imagination. So this is the excuse she used so that I could perform the 'after match' cheer with them?

Daphne also looks like she's about to burst out laughing. She looks away, pretending to study the score board perched over the far left side of the stadium.

The screen has just lighted up and a video highlight of all our past games starts playing. The league table is shown next and the crowd erupts in a fit of cheers when Daltech is shown in the second row.

We're in the top four and that definitely gives us bragging rights.

I can see some of the camera crew making final adjustments to their equipment and a girl from the student paper stands by the field entrance, a microphone in hand as she shifts her foot from side to side.

Music blasts from the speakers and the cheerleaders next to me stand up.

"That's our cue," The brunette says and the enthusiasm on her face is so evident it's like I'm watching a movie scene. She walks past us and squeezes my knee. "See you later."

She stares at my ankle in pity and then proceeds to skip down the stairs with the rest in tow.

It is only then that Daphne and I allow ourselves to laugh.

Stacy joins them in their pregame cheer, standing in the front row and looking gorgeous as ever with her long lithe figure. Their routine today is more gruelling than I remember, with flips and throws that don't seem plausible.

This is a sport in itself and the crowd cheers for them in appreciation. A silence settles over the stadium once they are done and I can feel the nerves build in my chest, except today it's worse.

This is it, the time for the teams to make their entrances before the game starts. The rival team is announced first and students from their side cheer for them when they walk in.

The cameras flash and voices fill the air that currently feels electrified. When the student sportscaster announcers Daltech's line up some people around us stand up, looking on in excitement.

Our quarterback Eric is announced first and then the other first stringers. Our side goes wild, students hooting, cheering and screaming till their voices grow hoarse.

I catch Luke Bradshaw's broad back as he walks out onto the field. The number 10 plastered over his white and blue jersey shirt. More girls cheer when his name is announced and I find myself searching the crowd for his admirers.

The cheers reach a deafening staccato when the most popular player is announced. Zander Wyatt walks out on to the field last, his dark hair splayed messily over his head and helmet tucked firmly under his arm.

He isn't the quarterback, isn't the best player on the field but it's obvious that he's a crowd favourite.

There's commotion over at the VIP booth and I turn around to see some student newscasters trying their best to catch a photo of the VIP who has just arrived. I squint, trying to see through the slightly tinted glass.

Senator Wyatt stands in the comfortable, air conditioned room at the top of the stadium, most likely with our dean and faculty.

I wonder if Zander knows that his father is here today but if he does, he doesn't show it. The team gathers and the boys are so focused, it's like the entire crowd and stadium doesn't exist. It only takes them a few minutes and then the group splits up as the boys walk into position.

For a brief moment Zander looks up and scans the crowd. His eyes land on me in the front row and suddenly my heart stills, like I've been caught doing something wrong.

We both stare at each other and there's a small smirk on his face, making me wonder if he thinks I came here for him. Irritation sparks within me but technically he's not wrong. I'm here in this cheerleading outfit in the front row because of him.

Richmond scores in the first quarter, dampening our mood significantly. Daltech manages to equalise in the second quarter but the game carries on this way, leading us into overtime and overtime in college football has no time limit.

It feels like we've been sitting here for hours and my butt starts to hurt. I turn around to see Senator Wyatt staring at the field with a grim expression on his face, he then turns around and leaves.

I wonder if Zander noticed because he runs the fastest play I've ever seen anyone do and Daltech scores a touch down, finally putting us in the lead and ends the game.

Our side erupts in applause and shouts of praise. I stand up and jump around happily as well, feeling pins and needles in my legs from sitting for so long.

Stacy gestures for me to join the girls in their post celebration cheer, a significantly less challenging routine that requires more jumping and stringing pompoms together.

I swallow my nerves and cast Daphne a terrified smile before joining Stacy on the field.

The sweat laden, happy footballers gather by the track to watch us cheer for them and I realise Zander is watching my every movement.

I stand next to Stacy and swing my hips, hands up in the air as we chant the cheer I'd practiced with her prior to today.

Luke joins Zander in the middle, resting an elbow over his buddy's shoulder. I notice him staring at me too.

It makes it all too easy to smile at Luke instead of Zander. I notice Zander's expression change when I acknowledge his friend instead of him, notice him subtly shift away from Luke.

I turn around when the routine is over and leave with the rest of the girls. We exit the field and I immediately head to the washrooms below.

I have to pause inside a bathroom stall and take a moment to catch my breath. I think about Zander's face when I smiled at Luke and place a palm over my heart. It feels like my heart is galloping a mile a minute, like it's about to burst out of my chest.

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