44 || Cheer Nationals Pt. 2

Early the next morning we wake up, shower, get dressed, and head down to have their continental breakfast. And when I say continental I mean continental.

"I think I'm in heaven," I'm practically salivating as I eye the large buffet spread out for us.

Chanel doesn't even wait until we're sitting down to start eating. She stuffs some bacon in her mouth while loading waffles onto her plate and drowning them in syrup and whip cream. Then she places a strawberry on top.

We head over to our team table and sit down to dig into our food.

"Plan for today?" Nikole asks shoving a forkful of eggs into her mouth.

I stab an entire waffle and take a bite. "The kingdom park remember?"

"Anything else?"

"I'm pretty sure the park will take us all day, or at least until practice time."

We finish up eating before heading out. Magic kingdom park is overwhelming to say the least. There's so much to do we're not sure where to start. We all come to an agreement to go clockwise around the park going on as many rides and doing as many activities as we could.

"Hurry up," I tapped my foot impatiently as Nikole played a game of ring toss. "Splash mountain is next."

"I think we're almost to the tower of terror," Chanel says looking at the map. Ivy peers over her shoulder. "Yeah we are. Hurry up Nikole."

"Hold on," she replies, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "I want to win something for Ryan."

After she finally wins a Disney hat we leave for splash mountain. It's fun, although we get a little wet.

Next is the tower of terror.

It's definitely a thrill to say the least. I'm pretty sure half the time I was screaming was for pure fun and the other half was actually fright.

"Never again," Nikole says as we get off the ride. Chanel laughs.

"Are you sure? Maybe we should go again," she teases lightly elbowing Nikole and Ivy laughs.

We continue on playing this Buzz Lightyear game where you're in a sort of vehicle thing with a laser gun shooting at targets. Then we go on a Cars ride. By the time practice rolls around we're too tired. But of course we o because tomorrow is the big day.

"Alright listen up ladies," Coach Brown booms after our hour of practice time is up. "Tomorrow is the real deal. You guys have been working hard for this and I expect you to go out there and blow the competition out of the water. Remember, we're in this to win it."

"Shouldn't you be telling us that it's okay if we don't win as long as we give it our best shot?" Ashlyn asks.

Coach Brown rolls her eyes. "That's what losers say. Winners keep their eye on the prize."

"That's right," Britney chimes. "Now everyone get a good nights sleep because you'll all be getting up bright and early tomorrow. And look camera ready because ESPN will be arriving."

We're dismissed and the girls and I head up to our room. We get change into our pajamas, brush our teeth, then climb into bed. Nikole flicks off the lights.

"I'm so nervous," I spoke, my stomach already churning.

"Me too," Chanel says. "I really hope we win."

"Let's try and get some sleep," Ivy rolls over next to me. "Night girls."

"Goodnight."

🎀🎀🎀

Britney was not kidding.

She's banging on our room door at five am yelling at us to get up. I groan and roll over covering my head with my pillow.

Only Ivy gets up and she has to drag us all out of bed.

"Everyone get changed into our cheer team jacket and sweats!" Britney yells. "We're all meeting outside the resort!"

"It's way too early for this," I mumble making my way to the bathroom, only half awake.

It takes us a total of thirty minutes to get ready before we're getting on the elevator and making our way down to floor level. There's a number of girls streaming outside. I can already see the large vans and equipment being brought in.

"Welcome to ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports. Thanks for tuning in and I'm Mark Stanberg. Right now we're live from Walt Disney World Resort for the National high school cheerleading competition."

There's cheering and the camera man land around to capture all of us. When it passes by the girls and I we smile and wave before continuing on to where Britney and the rest of the team is standing.

"There you guys are," she snaps. "You're late."

"Actually-"

"Don't wanna here it," Britney cuts Chanel off. "Tardiness will not be tolerated. Now smile and look pretty, the cameras are coming back around."

Nikole rolls her eyes and I resist the urge to do the same. Then we turn on our mega-watt smiles.

Mark Stanberg continues his long spiel. "There are over fifty teams competing today for the top three places and of course the chance for national honor. Right now we're-"

I tune him out and look around. There are so many hopeful, excited faces, everyone wanting to win. There are also faces men's mugging each other, trying to psych out the competition.

I really feel like I'm in a bring it on movie.

Soon it's time to head back inside and start preparing for the competition. We have one more allotted practice hour. Some people go back up to their rooms to wait while others linger down in the lobby area. There are even girls who go for a swim, although I know Britney wouldn't allow us to do that.

Nikole, Ivy, Chanel, and I wait in the dining hall, nibbling on our breakfast. Another continental spread has been set up but not many people are eating, probably due to nerves. However Britney instructs us to force food down if we have to sob we can have energy for the competition. At the moment we're the only ones inside besides a couple stragglers that come in to grab something quickly.

"I really think I'm going to throw up," I stir my spoon around in my cereal bowl. It's my favorite, Honey Bunches of Oats, but I can't seem to take more than a couple bites.

"Do you need a barf bag?" Nikole asks. Ivy raises a brow.

"Why do you have barf bags?" She asks. Nikole smiles sheepishly.

"From the plane. Better safe than sorry."

Chanel lays her head on the table, stretching her arms out and pouting. "You know what I wish?"

I let go of my spoon and it falls back against the bowl with a clink. "What?"

"That the guys were here. I miss Trevor."

"Ditto," Nikole agrees. "Well I miss Ryan actually, not that I don't miss Trevor too but-"

Chanel laughs. "I get it."

I sigh. "Yeah. Even Carter's extreme sarcasm would be welcome right now."

"Glad to know you appreciate my sarcasm love."

We all whip around in our seats. I blink and rub my eyes. Then I blink again.

Is it my imagination or are Trevor, Ryan, and Carter standing right in front of us?

"Did someone order a helping of sexiness?" Trevor questions grinning. Ryan shakes his head.

"Dude, no."

Trevor shrugs. "I've always wanted to say that."

Chanel shot out of her seat like a rocket. "You're here!" She squealed and he opened his arms to hug her.

Nikole ran over to Ryan and I followed, but instead of running I walked because that's just how lazy I am.

"Wow Aubrey, don't rush or anything," Carter says smirking.

I smile and reply dryly. "There's that sarcasm I just love."

"Whose being sarcastic now?"

"Not that I'm not happy to see you," Ivy spoke. "Cause I am. But I'm just wondering how the heck you guys are here right now?"

"That would be because of me," Trevor grins. "My mom bought us all tickets."

"All of you?" Ivy raises an eyebrow. "That's awfully expensive."

"You forget my mom works at the airport. She got us discounts."

"That makes sense," I muse. "Who else is here with you guys?"

"Just us. Carter's mom couldn't leave because of the twins, Ryan's mom has work, and my mom has work."

"Can I just say this place is amazing," Trevor adds. "They're not kidding when they call this the happiest place on earth. I've been smiling since we walked in. My cheeks hurt."

Chanel laughs and pinches his cheeks before giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Well I'm glad your here," Nikole says. "So when we crash and burn you guys can pick up the pieces."

"You're not gonna crash and burn," Ryan reassures her.

"Right because performing live on national television with millions of people watching isn't completely nerve racking," I say.

"It could be worse," Carter shrugs.

"How worse?"

"Well-"

"Ah ah ah I don't wanna hear it," Ivy stands. "You guys are gonna go out there and you're gonna kick butt. You're gonna go and cheer your little hearts out. And you're gonna win."

"Cause we're in it to win it," I strike a pose.

I fall from my pose when the loudspeakers crackle to life.

"Santa Cruz Cardinals please make your way to the practice room for your allotted practice hour."

"That's us," Chanel rubs her hands.

"Break a leg," Carter jokes and I punch his shoulder.

"You know what, I don't miss your sarcasm."

He winks.

🎀🎀🎀

It. Is. Packed.

The auditorium where we'll be performing is brimming with people. There are wires everywhere, connecting speakers, the large overhead, screens, and the tv crews equipment. I see them hauling around huge cameras and filming everything.

I think I'll be needing that barf bag.

Ivy yanks me back inside our dressing room. "What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to give yourself a nervous breakdown?"

"Yes, maybe, I don't know," I bounce on the soles of my cheer shoes and pull my skirt down. "Is it me or is this skirt really tight? Because it feels really tight and I feel like I can't breathe-"

"Aubrey," Ivy places both hands on my shoulder and I stop bouncing. "Relax. Breathe with me. In. Out."

I suck in a deep breathe and blow it out. I repeat the process until my heart rate slows.

Chanel runs over to us near tears. "My shirt ripped!" She screeches showing us the side where there is in fact a father large tear.

"Alright come with me, I've brought my emergency sewing kit," Ivy leads a hysterical Chanel away. I walk over to Nikole who is concentrating on creating the perfect liquid eyeliner wing. Her hand is steady and I think she's holding her breath.

"Got it," she releases a breath and blinks.

"It looks perfect," I compliment her.

"Thanks," she caps her eyeliner.

I examine myself in the mirror. My hair is in a straight high ponytail with a pompadour and cheer bow attached, just like the rest of the team. My makeup however, is of course pink. Dark pink lipstick, highlight, pink eyeliner and pink eyeshadow with my signature pink glitter sprinkled on my face.

I bend over to dab on a little clear gloss over my lips so their shiny and my lips don't dry up. It is matte lipstick after all.

"Five minutes to showtime!" Britney announces through her megaphone. I can hear the competition already starting and there's loud cheering. I gulp.

Ivy comes back with a much calmer Chanel who is now patched up.

"Everything good?" I ask.

She nods. "I don't know what I'd do without Ivy."

"Be completely and hopelessly lost," she teases.

"Team meeting!" Britney yells. "Gather around!"

We all form a huge circle and the room falls silent.

"This is it girls. We're in the big leagues. I could lie and say it doesn't matter if we win, that all that matters is we tried out best, but if we don't win, I'll be very upset. We're winners girls. Nothing less. And we're not gonna try our best. We're gonna do our best. We are going to the extremes. Go big, or go home."

She looks at all of us.

"So who's with me?" She sticks her hand out in the middle of the circle. One by one we follow.

"Cardinals, cardinals, cardinals!" We whoop and throw our hands up.

My body is humming with nerves and excitement. We all zip up our jackets and wait to be announced so we can make our way to our seats. The teams are being announced in alphabetical order and that's also how we'll perform.

"We have the San Juan Spartans!" The announcer exclaims and they tear through their paper flipping and cheering.

"We're next," Britney hisses.

"We have the Santa Cruz Cardinals!"

I decide to be extra and backflip out with Nikole and Chanel while everyone else runs out. I spot a couple girls doing front flips and there's more cheering. Ivy goes to sit with the guys. I decide not to look for them among he stands. It'll only increase my nerves.

Soon the competition is under way. I'm not gonna lie the cheer teams are really good. They did make it to finals after all. I clap along with everyone else when each team finishes, my heart rate increasing the closer we get to S.

I see the judges, who have kept poker faces the entire time. All they do after each team is finished is whisper to one another for a few seconds then scribble stuff down on their paper. Who knows if it's good or bad. After a while I stop paying attention and mentally go over each aspect of our routine in my head.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I realize we're up next. I catch the end of the announces sentence.

"-Cruz Cardinals!"

"That's us!" Chanel squeezes my hand.

I feel like my heart is about to beat out of my chest. I unzip my jacket and toss it aside, completely over taken with nerves. My eyes scan the seats. Maybe I need some reassure after all.

It doesn't take me long to find the guys and Ivy, who are holding up posters and waving them wildly while screaming. Trevor is doing his ridiculous whip and I laugh. When I catch Carter's eye he gives me a thumbs up and winks.

Feeling better I run out onto the floor with a smile on my face, adding in an extra flip. Quickly we all get into position and the lights dim. I put my body and mind on autopilot. When the music starts I don't even think, just let my body move on it's own.

After our performance is over there's thunderous applause and we all kick our legs out screaming Cardinals. Then we head back to our seats.

"What a spectacular performance!" The announcer says and there's more clapping.

The rest of the competition passes by in a blur. Finally it's time to announce the winners. All the cheer teams gather out onto the floor.

Third place goes to some school in Washington. The team screams and jumps up hugging each other.

"And for second place we have...." I squeeze my eyes shut, my heart beating rapidly.

"Cypress high school!"

I can't believe it. They stand up cheering and shoot us smug looks. Britney glowers at them as they accept their trophy.

Now I'm really scared. A hush falls over the room as we all wait with bated breath for first place to be announced.

"And finally, first place, the winner of the national high school cheerleading competition goes to..."

Nikole takes my hand and I take Chanel's hand. We don't dare breathe or move another muscle.

"The Santa Cruz Cardinals!"

I'm screaming. I'm screaming so loud I think my lungs will burst. Britney is jumping up and down like a kangaroo.

I can't believe we won.

"We won, we won!" Chanel screeches. Nikole is actually crying. Together and holding hands we walk up as a team to accept our trophy and a one thousand dollar check. Everyone is standing and clapping. There are whistles and some people even stomp their feet.

"Cardinals, cardinals, cardinals!"

Soon everyone is pouring down from the bleachers. I push my way through the crowd to find Carter. As soon as I see him I jump him, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I'm so happy I don't even give him a chance to speak before I'm kissing him.

"We won!" I finally pull back breathless. He's grinning.

"Congrats. You guys were great out there."

I smile and hug him again. Ryan and Trevor come up to us followed by Ivy, Nikole, and Chanel.

"Come here girl!" Ivy opens her arms and I let go of Carter to hug her. "I'm so freaking proud! I knew you guys were gonna win!"

"This calls for celebration!" Trevor pumps his fist in the air. "To the Tower of Terror!"

"Not so fast!" Britney barks seeming to appear out of thin air. "We have pictures to take and interviews to attend. Your little celebration will have to wait."

I think Britney will always be a ruthless dictator, even in victory.

"Go," Ryan encourages us. "Meet us at the tower?"

We all nod and follow Britney.

I couldn't have asked for a better vacation.

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