Karyn awoke with a start. It was 7:00 already? She hit the snooze button for another 20 minutes and sighed, at least it was Friday. All of her instincts weren't looking forward to checking out the school in football action versus Prep later that night too much, but she wanted to humor Jon, who's lack of skill at the sport was matched by his fandom of all things contact. At least this year they had a chance to win.
An hour later, a quick glance at the clock, and Karyn started to panic. She woke up at her usual time, snoozing twice, naturally, but even on her normal routine still wasn't ready for school!
"What's gotten into me?"
For the first time this year, she missed her bus, but oddly for her that day, she just couldn't muster up the conscience to throw something on and run out the door. Karyn just stood at her closet, going through all of her clothes over and over again in a quest for the perfect outfit. And all she could work with were sweatshirts.
Two saddle shoes stepped down from her porch an hour later. Her mom had bought them in an empty-threat to enroll Karyn at the private girl's school down the road, and until now, they sat in the back of her closet. Thankfully, they were just what she was looking for. The cable-knit knee socks that came with them, too. And the plaid skirt. In fact, she probably could've passed for a student from St. Mary's, if it wasn't for the graphic sweatshirt she sliced at the shoulder, the pale pink bow barrette that she had snagged from her mother, and the fact that she rolled the skirt up to three inches above the knee. Where she got the inspiration for the outfit, she didn't know -- but even an hour late was ok if you were going to make a statement when you arrive, so she put on her best smile, and started to walk.
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Jon looked over at Karyn and was equal parts impressed and perplexed. It was so hard to get her to the game, but, with a little friend-power and a lot of guilt, he had done it. Now she was sitting there like she enjoyed it! He couldn't blame her of course, after all, it was the biggest game of the season, but he knew how much work it was to get her there. Not to mention, making her sit in the front row at the 50-yard line. He just couldn't figure it out.
Karyn just couldn't figure it out! She was so against coming to this game earlier in the morning, but now, started to get the feeling that she was happy Jon brought her; she was noticing things. Little details; like the difference in the way the cheerleaders raised their arms after a first down or a touchdown; or the way the cheerleaders used pins to make their skirts a little shorter; or how the cheerleaders used yellow glitter on their faces and arms to match the uniform's trademark color. What was the score again?
A large roar snapped Karyn out of it. Touchdown! "What a huge play!," Jon yelled to her. And without thinking, her arms snapped into a High-V shape for a few seconds to match the squad on the track right before high-fiving Jon. She could get used to this!
They didn't end up winning, like usual, but both Jon and Karyn were still going a mile a minute.
"Did you see that defensive stop?"
"Yeah! What about that killer backflip?"
"That was cool, but that sack on Biff was brutal!"
"How do you think she does it? The cartwheel into the backflip and tuck?"
"I don't know - I can't believe we lost!"
"Yeah, me either, she'd win any competition with that trick!"
Jon looked at her quizzically, as they stopped by the bathrooms for a quick pit stop.
Per usual, there was a lot of post-game traffic in the bathrooms, and Karen had to make her way through twenty people to go wash her hands. She was still wearing the same clothes as earlier, but now they didn't look as great as she had originally thought- she resolved to get some new ones the next day, when her and Jon were going to pick up Halloween costumes.
That's when she saw it. In the reflection of the mirror, two faucets over was a small, yellow-tinted container filled with glitter, and on it, two yellow bows. Bimbo accessories, her and Jon used to call it, because of their association with the mostly peroxided blondes on the cheer squad, but now, she had to just touch them. Just pick them up, and take them to the lost-and-found, Karyn told herself. It was obvious someone had forgotten the items, she'd be doing them a favor.
As Jon drove Karyn back home, she checked to see that the glitter and bows were still secure in her purse pocket. She made sure Jon wasn't looking, and put a little of it on her neck then discreetly checked herself out in the rear-view mirror. What a cool way to show off a little!
Jon asked her to go out for pizza but she declined.
"Have to watch a movie with my parents, Johnny, sorry."
The reality was, Karyn's blonde hair was practically already in loose pigtails, tied together with the yellow ribbons as she bounded up the steps to her house. High v's, low v's, diagonals, windmills, broken t's; she'd try them all in front of the mirror. She thought of herself trying a couple of the chants, too, although she'd have to whisper.
"See you tomorrow Jon!"
Karyn waved him off, and went upstairs.
