My timing was off. I was late to cheer practice, I was the captain which made it embarrassing, all because I wasn't paying too much attention to my time. Since my mother was at work, sitting at her cramped cubicle, I had to ride my bike to cheer.

When I arrived at the football stadium, where cheer practice was held every day except if the weather wasn't cooperating, I was already in my cheer uniform and rode my bike close to the field, so I could hop off right away. My black gym bag was slung over my shoulder, hair in a high ponytail with our school's signature colors, dark purple, black, white, and silver, in my cheer bow and on my uniform with a giant growling black panther on the front. The other cheer girls were waiting in the middle of the field, talking to each other.

I parked my bike up against the fence, then ran over to the group, "Ok, girls! Sorry I am late!" I dropped my bag on the ground next to me as their voices dampened. "Let's go over our routine for Saturday's competition." The girls nodded their heads and got in their positions for the competition. I then quickly ran up through the stands to the announcer's box to put the music on over the loudspeakers and to spectate.

"Testing, testing." I tapped the microphone to check to see if it was on. Then, I cleared my throat. "Alright, ready?" The girls down below placed their hands on their hips, in their ready position. I walked over to the sound station and started to play the music we would dance to on Saturday, then I walked over to the window to spectate the dance routine.

When the routine ended, I clapped my hands together in excitement then stopped the music to rewind it, "That seriously was the best performance ever, girls!" My voice hitched from the excitement while everyone down below smiled and embraced one another. "There are a few minor tweaks we need to work out like the off timing towards the end of the song. Jamie, Rebecca, Chasity, Amy, and Sandra, I know you're struggling with it the most so try to synchronize the beat of the song to your steps and count in your head. It helps." I said over the loudspeaker.

We ran the song over a few times until we nailed the routine before I went down on to the field to practice the routine with the girls without music. After all the practice runs, the sun had already set and the football stadium lights had turned on, and we went over the basic info on what to do, where to go, what time to be to the competition site by, etc.

While most of the girls got picked up by their parents, I rode my bike home from practice with a baggy grey Adidas sweatshirt over my cheer uniform which made me look like I had a dress on. I pedaled down the street, standing on the pedals, the wind blowing through my light brunette hair. When I turned on to my street, I could see that the lights to our house were on and there was a car in our driveway. When I pulled up, I recognized my mother's Lincoln Grand Marquis Station Wagon sitting in the tiny driveway next to our tiny two-story house. I rode my bike to the back of our house and put it in the shed that sat in the back corner of our yard that matched our house, tiny everything.

Walking back over to the driveway and going up to the side door, I used my keys to the house that I pulled from my pocket to unlock the door, "Mom! I'm home!" I shouted into the house, stepping inside, then closing and locking the door behind me.

When I slipped off my cheer shoes, I could hear faint sobbing coming from the dining room, "Mom?" Slowly I walked through our house to the dining room. The light was on and mother was at the table. Her face was buried in her hands, elbows on the table, and her hair was a mess.

"Mom?" I continued to walk forward towards her. Then I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Vicki," She sniffed. "I got laid off." She looked up at me. My mother was an accountant for a big company in Grand Rapids.

My eyes went wide, "H-how?" My voice stuttered as I pulled out the chair next to her so I could sit down.

"I don't know Vicki. I don't know." She wiped her nose with the side of her hand. I wanted to help her stay positive as much as possible.

"Mom," I rubbed her shoulder. "It's gonna be ok. You'll be able to get a new job," I reassured her. "Right?" My voice dropped as her head dropped.

"That's the thing, Vicki, I already found a job. It's in Minneapolis," She looked back at me with her puffy red eyes. My stomach sank. "I'll still be an accountant but I agreed to my employer we would be there by Monday."

"Monday." I nodded my head not realizing what she said. "Monday!?" I shot up from the chair. "But-but I'll have to miss the cheer competition!"

"I know, I'm sorry Vicki. I know you worked really hard to get to where you are, we have no choice." She frowned. I slowly started backing up and rubbing my temples. "Now since we can't afford to buy a house, or afford to pay for an apartment in Minneapolis, I made a call to an old friend of mine and she agreed to let us stay with them until we can figure everything out." She stood from the chair and placed a hand on the back.

"But mom!" I pleaded. "We can't leave!" My voice became shaky and my throat was hot.

"I'm sorry, darling. We have to." She started walking over to me, but I just sprinted for the stairs and slammed the door shut to my bedroom.