Lynn:
Okay! Here's the plan
Folding chair on the sidelines with us
You, uniform, pompoms!
We still need our captain after all
What do you think?

Courtney:
I love you for the idea
But I'm going to skip
the game tonight

Lynn:
😕 Are you sure?

Courtney:
Yeah but I know the squad
is  safe with you

Lynn:
Are you okay?

Courtney:
Yup
Just taking Coach's
advice for once 😁

Lynn:
😂 She would be so proud

Squad Goals🏅
Rosa:
Lynn said you aren't
coming tonight
If you don't want to be on the sidelines you can sit with my family
You know my mom brings the best snack

Squad Goals🏅
Courtney:
Your mom does bring the best snacks
And thanks but maybe next week

Squad Goals🏅
Aubrey:
Oh! But you have to come!
Nathan needs someone to explain the finer points of the game to him

Squad Goals🏅
Kimber:
You sure you can't make it? 🥺

Squad Goals🏅
Jennifer:
We could specialize the cheer for you

Squad Goals🏅
Ashton:
It's not going to be the same without you there! 😢

Squad Goals🏅
Kiki:
You can't come? 😢😭

Squad Goals🏅
Lizzie:
Aw really? 😕🥺

Squad Goals🏅
Rosa:
We need you to cheer us on.
Can you please come? 😣🙏

Courtney raised her head off her closet floor, looking to her uniform, to her ankle brace, to her crutches, and flopped back down. She held her phone, hesitating.

Squad Goals🏅
Lynn:
Cory is doing what's best
We'll survive and make her proud 💪

Courtney let out a relieved sigh.

Squad Goals🏅
Courtney:
I know you all will! 🥳
Dang! There really needs to be a pompom emoji 😟

Squad Goals🏅
Rosa:
I know right! 🙄

Squad Goals🏅
Kimber:
It's a disregard for a very specialized sport!

Squad Goals🏅
Lizzie:
And one that should be represented

Squad Goals🏅
Kiki:
Let's face it we work harder than most football players

Squad Goals🏅
Lynn:
We're getting off topic

Squad Goals🏅
Courtney:
But a topic that should have more awareness! Awareness for cheerleading emoji representation ✊

Squad Goals🏅
Kimber:
😹😹😹

Squad Goals🏅
Rosa:
🤣😂

Squad Goals🏅
Lizzie:
😅😅

Squad Goals🏅
Aubrey:
🤣😂🤣
Hey Cory if you're not gonna make it do you want us to stop by afterwards?

Squad Goals🏅
Rosa:
Oh yes! We could cheer for you on your lawn

Squad Goals🏅
Kimber:
Or we could bring you something to eat

Squad Goals🏅
Jennifer:
The team talked about going to get
In and Out afterwards

Squad Goals🏅
Kiki:
We could bring you something!

Squad Goals🏅
Lizzie:
A milkshake! Milkshakes make everything better!

Squad Goals🏅
Ashton:
And fries! Fries are life! 🍟

Squad Goals🏅
Rosa:
Yes! We'll bring you fries and a milkshake!

Lynn:
Hey, we don't have to come over if you don't want to. It will be late

Courtney:
I could go for some fries
and a milkshake

Squad Goals🏅
Courtney:
Yes! Bring on the feast!

Squad Goals🏅
Lynn:
Alrighty! Your squad will deliver the goods as soon as the game is done

Squad Goals🏅
Aubrey:
Yeah the team can eat by themselves
Girls gotta stick with their captain!

Squad Goals🏅
Rosa:
🙌🙌🙌

Squad Goals🏅
Kimber:
Till the end! ⚱️

Squad Goals🏅
Lizzie:
An urn? That got dark quick

Squad Goals🏅
Kimber:
Whoops 🤭 meant to put ⚔️

Squad Goals🏅
Courtney:
I support both sentiments
Don't you have a game to cheer on?

Squad Goals🏅
Lynn:
We do. See you afterwards!

Squad Goals🏅
Courtney:
Go shake some pompoms for me! 🥳
Wow still need that pompom emoji!

Aiden:
Hey Lynn told me you won't be at the game tonight
Are you okay?

Courtney:
Staying home to rest my ankle

Aiden:
Okay
Are you doing better than this afternoon?

Courtney:
Yeah

Aiden:
Good
I know we're not together but if you need anything you can tell me and I'll do what I can ❤️

Courtney:
Thanks
Have a good game
Break a football! 🏈🥊

Aiden:
😂😂
I'll do my best

Miguel:
I'm coming to pick you
up for the game

Courtney:
Well that won't go well
I'm not going

Miguel:
Ha! Funny but I'm not bearing through a game without you

Courtney:
You must because I'm not
leaving my house
I hear Nathan, Aubrey's new boy toy could use some help with understanding the finer points of the game. You can sit with him

Miguel:
Not gonna happen
I'm coming over
A night out with you should
satisfy my parents enough

Courtney:
Who said I wanted your
company anyways?!

Miguel:
You have no choice in the matter
I'll bring food

Courtney:
Should have opened with that

Kyle:
CORY! You're not coming
to the game

Courtney:
No Kyle I'm not

Kyle:
But how will we win without you?

Courtney:
Did you win last week's game?

Kyle:
Yes

Courtney:
Then you'll win this one
I didn't watch last week's game

Kyle:
K

Ted:
Heard you weren't coming

Courtney:
You heard correct

Ted:
We'll miss you

Courtney:
Win me the game, ok?

Ted:
🏈💪

Dennie:
Are you seriously not coming?

Courtney:
That was the general decision

Dennie:
It isn't cause you broke up with Aiden, is it?

Courtney:
I'm resting my ankle

Dennie:
You'll come back then?

Courtney:
As soon as I can

Dennie:
Good

Courtney:
Kill it tonight Dennie
De-fense!

Dennie:
I always do 😉

Joan (Aiden's mom):
Sweetie, I just saw Aiden he said you weren't going to be at the game. Are you alright?

Courtney:
No need to worry, I'm fine
I'm just taking the night to
rest my ankle

Joan (Aiden's mom):
Okay. You let me know if you need anything okay, honey?

Courtney:
I will thanks
Have fun tonight!

Camila (Rosa's mom):
Mija, Rosa told me
How are you holding up?

Courtney:
I'm fine
I'm just taking the night
to rest my ankle

Camilla (Rosa's mom):
You let me know if you
need anything.

Courtney:
I will
¡Gracias!
Have fun tonight

Courtney sat up and let out a breath. Her phone buzzed and she nearly threw it across the closet but paused.

Micah:
Are you coming tonight?
Cause I thought you could watch the game in the sound booth with me if you wanted to.

Courtney felt a smile tug at her lips.

Courtney:
Rain check?
I'm gonna stay home tonight

Micah:
Of course.
How are you doing?

Courtney:
Good

Micah:
Now the real answer?

Courtney laughed and sighed.

Courtney:
🤪😞😩😶🥴

Micah:
😕🤗🙃

Courtney:
Thanks ❤️

Micah:
Of course
I'll talk to you later.

Courtney:
I sure hope so!

Micah:
🙃

Courtney stared at Micah's upside-down smiley emoji for longer than she knew was rational. But it said it all: happy but understanding that sometimes life was flipped on its head.

Okay, maybe reading too much into an emoji but it comforted her. She could use all the comfort she could get. Silencing her phone, she clambered to her feet and hopped towards the entrance of her closet and her crutches. But she paused at her cheer uniform and touched it lightly.

Oh yes, all I need now is a single tear to fall from my eye and a cameraman to capture the moment so I can post it with a dramatic caption about loss or something.

Wow, that almost made me throw up.

Courtney dropped her hand and reached for her crutches. With her phone in hand and dressed in comfy clothes with no makeup and her hair in a messy bun, she left her closet, prepared for a night of doing nothing.

As she reached the stairs, she stopped. Still my Everest. Micah said it...or well Felicity did, the simplest things became tiresome tasks. She stared at the stairs wishing they would transform into a slide. But they didn't, to her utter dismay but unsurprise.

"How do I look?"

Courtney shifted around and found her mom striding towards her all dressed up with her arms outstretched. She spun once making the skirt of her dress ripple.

"Amazing," Courtney said. "Who designed that stunning dress? Whoever did must be a genius!"

Her mom beamed and kissed Courtney's cheek. "My brilliant daughter."

It had been Courtney's present to her mother for her last birthday. The silky fabric swooped across her stomach since Courtney knew her mother was insecure about it. And the sleeves were made of lace, again helping with her mother's other insecurity. The result was a dress that made her mother look trim and sophisticated.

"Ah! I think I know her," Courtney said.

Her mother smiled wider but sobered as she inspected Courtney's face.

"I'm so sorry your ankle isn't recovering as fast as you want," she said. "Do you want to get a second opinion? I can make an appointment."

"Coach is trained in sports medicine. I trust her."

Her mother tucked a stray strand of Courtney's hair behind her ear.

"Okay. We don't have to go out tonight," she said. "We could stay in, watch something or just sit around and talk."

"No. Go. Dad hasn't left the house for a week. If he stays any longer he might do something crazy like switch careers or decide we should move."

At that, her mother laughed softly. "That is your father. Always a little dramatic."

Him and me both clearly, I almost let a single tear escape for the sake of drama.

Okay, not really.

"Let us be off!"

Courtney smiled as her father walked down the hallway, looking like someone you'd trust to take over your business in with his hair styled, clean-shaven, and wearing his tailored Hugo Boss suit.

Ah! It was the suit that helped hide his bizarreness! Clothes don't make this man but hide this man's wackiness. Those are some powerful clothes. 

"Want to come along, Sunshine?" her father asked.

"A romantic night out with my parents, sure! I'll just get changed."

"Knew I should have phrased that differently. How about this: do you want to come along as I woo your mother once again like I did when we were teenagers?"

"I would imagine your wooing to be very embarrassing, so yes. Yes, I want to witness this."

"Huh. That backfired."

Courtney grinned and kissed his cheek. "Have fun wooing mom. Don't keep her out too late or I'll have to ground you."

"Ha! I already seem to do that to myself."

"Yes," Courtney's mother said. "So we must leave. Have a good night, sweetheart."

Courtney waved at them from the top of the stairs as they headed out the front door. When it shut, she dropped her hand and sighed. The stairs were still stairs. She looked to the railing and had about the dumbest thought she'd ever had. Or dumbest thought for that day.

How bad could it be?

Really bad. Super duper bad.

Still going to do it?

Obviously.

Pushing her crutches down the stairs, she watched as they bounced and tumbled into the foyer. She swung her leg over the railing, took a breath, and slid down. She grabbed onto the railing's rungs to stop herself and she nearly lost her balance.

"Woah!" she said, half falling and catching herself.

Could've been worse. Slowly, she let go and climbed off the railing. Retrieving her crutches, she took a trip to her sewing room, gathering up scissors, leaf outline, and all the scraps of fabric from the silk shirts. She made an awkward, slow journey to the home theater and settled down on the floor before the screen.

When she glanced at her phone, she saw she had fifteen unread messages. These were from her non-cheerleading and football player friends, wondering when she was arriving at the game. Some were even from friends' parents, having talked to Joan and Camilla and wanting to check-in.

Courtney sat on the floor, staring at her phone. After a minute, she put it back down and hit play on Avengers: Endgame. As the opening filled the screen, she laid out her supplies. She bent forward and began drawing chalk outlines of the leaf on the silk scraps.

"Has the world ended?" Miles asked, coming into the theater with his tablet and stylus in hand.

"Why would the world be ending?" Courtney asked, peering up at him.

"Because you're not at the football game. I can only imagine the outcry."

"Jealous?"

Miles snorted. "Definitely not. The thought of so many people wondering where I am makes me want to throw up."

"It's not that many people," Courtney argued.

He grabbed her phone and turned it to her.

"Twenty-three unread messages. That's disgusting."

Disgusting. Now I know dramatics isn't the trait only I inherited.

Courtney shrugged. "People care."

"Maybe a little too much. It's one game. It's like you live in a fishbowl and people are tapping on the glass."

Well said, brother mine.

Miles plopped down into the chair nearest Courtney and pulled up his latest project.

"Are you going to watch or work?" Courtney asked.

"Both. That's what you're doing."

Fair enough. They settled into a silence that Courtney had grown up with, companionship without conversation. Miles didn't want to talk but he didn't want to be alone for that moment. Definitely not like Micah and his family.

But she had to admit it, with her bum ankle and mood, it was a nice form of companionship.

**********************************************************************
🚨DOUBLE UPDATE ALERT!!🚨 THERE IS ANOTHER CHAPTER WAITING!!🚨🚨
**********************************************************************

My devilish donut!

*jumps in front of you* Quick! Out with your thoughts! *taps your cheeks* come on, I can hear the bursting to be set free, so set them free! 💬💭🗯

At least say something about Cory's dad because let's face it he's slowly earning a rank next to Captain as Best Dad Ever!

Now, I'm sorry

But for today's author's note...

Well this little duck can't quack
Because she's has the flu
And her minds gone wack
Hopefully next chapter
She'll come back

Before you go, vote, comment, follow! But be quick there's more to read!
So hurry, scamper, scurry!