Miss Holloway was known for two things, first for being the prettiest teacher at the school, the one all the boys would have a crush on, and also being the hardest. It's not that she ran class all that differently than others, but there was something commanding about her, something bold, like a simmering anger hidden behind a beautiful smile. Nobody ever wanted to find out what that anger was, so nobody ever messed with her, which meant she could do what she wanted with her classes which meant she tended to push the envelope with what she expected of her students, and they would most often comply. She was smart, quick witted, and most of all confident. There were many that didn't like her but almost everyone respected her.
So when she entered the room, half full of the IN crowd and half full of the OUT, the whole of the room went silent.
"It's been a rough year for the Cheerleading program at this school and the people in charge have decided to put me in charge to get it back on track. I was a Cheerleader not too long ago, but not in high school, for my college. I don't like High school cheerleading, I don't like what it's become. It creates barriers and popular people and outcasts." She pointed to the In crowd part of the room. "You girls are not hot shit, you are not better than anyone else at this school." Then she pointed to the other side, full of a hodgepodge of everyone else, though she seemed to be speaking to each of them individually at the same time. "and you girls are not better or worse than those girls either."
I asked you all here because you are leaders in this school, or at least you could be and that's what cheerleaders should be, leaders. There was an idea to get rid of the program all together, but I'm giving it one last shot, and all of you are in, we may add more people but you are my core of the team."
Athena raised her hand.
"and what if we don't want to be cheerleaders?"
"I won't force you into anything, but you will be listed as part of the team, called over the intercom to come to practices, and treated around the school as a member of the squad, and eventually people will start to think of you as a part of this team. You are already a leader Athena, all of you are, now I'm just asking you to cheer a bit too. And there are benefits which come with playing along."
"We won't be cheering simply at school sporting events, though we will do those, we will also cheer, or show support at every major school function, and we will in turn get a say in what functions happen at this school. Athena, you want a goth themed dance, we can make that happen. Karyn, you want off campus lunches and a class on community service, we can make that happen. Kayla, you want us to throw a science fair or a fashion show, we can make that happen. and on each one of these things all of you will involve your friends and social circles. No more cliques, a school."
One of the Cheerleaders (or the in crowd) raised her hand.
"So what's in it for us then?"
"You girls get to prove that you care about more than being the most popular girl in school. You get the chance to keep being a part of the team, and you get to not be excluded from all of these school events. Ask yourselves, Who am I outside of being a Pretty girl? You want to be more than that and add to the team great, you don't See YA, I don't need ya, and good luck on the outside."
The bell declaring classes were about to start rang.
"I expect to see all of you tomorrow after school, so we can go over summer practices and uniforms."
And with that she flashed a brilliant smile, and her eyes gleamed a warm motherly glow, her voice raised an octave and she said sweetly. "I'm very proud and happy for all of you. This is going to be a great year, and we are going to be a great team." Every word came out of her mouth believable as the word of God, and with that she left the room to a crowd of stunned students looking at each other with confusion and indecision on their faces, as the room slowly filled with other students for class.
