Karyn did some quick math in her head. Seventy-five names. About five hundred girls. She had a fifteen percent chance of being picked, and she did not like those odds. The thought of refusing came to mind, but if this was because of a wish, could she even refuse?
Sarah pulled out a name. "Laura Melendez."
Karyn didn't know Laura well, but she didn't think Laura was really the cheerleader type. Nonetheless, the girl got up from her seat and approached the stage.
Another name. "Tanya Coolidge."
Tanya was a gymnast, but never seemed to cross the line into cheerleading. She did so now.
Name after name was called, and girl after girl joined the cheerleaders onstage under both Sarah McMillan's and Rebecca Fine's watchful eyes. Freshmen to seniors, popular girls to social outcasts, athletes to couch potatoes, one by one a name was called and someone stood up and added their number to those before the gathered student body. Girls who had never associated with one another before, even girls who actively disliked one another, found themselves shoulder-to-shoulder, as teammates, and did not seem to complain.
Karyn's concerns did not abate.
Soon seventy new girls were standing on stage, and it looked like there was barely enough room for them. But somehow they made room.
"Emma Frye," Sarah called, and there were seventy-one new girls on stage. Karyn did not want to let up her guard, but she could see the finish line. Just a few more names and she wouldn't have to worry.
"Gladys Brewer." Seventy two girls on stage. Closer and closer to the end.
"Michelle Winslow." Seventy three girls. Just two more.
"Andi Litwak." Seventy four. Last one.
"Karyn Black."
No.
A block of ice formed in the middle of Karyn's chest. She couldn't breathe. Nonetheless, she stood up.
Had she wanted to stand up? It didn't matter, she was now standing. Her head turned to face the stage, and her body followed. Step after step, she navigated between the tables. Step after step, moving past her classmates. Almost ascending past her classmates? Closer and closer to the stage. To the cheerleaders. To her team.
A drop of acid fell down Karyn's throat as that thought entered her head. But she couldn't stop walking forward. She didn't want to. But she did it anyway. And she reached the stage, and she walked up the three steps, and she squeezed her way into the corner next to Andi Litwak. And she took her place among the cheerleaders.
"And that's the last one!" Sarah called from the podium. "So with that all finished, let me introduce everyone to your new and improved Lake Point High School Cheerleaders!"
A rumble passed through Karyn's body. It broke up the ice in her chest, it soothed the acid in her throat, it cleansed her mind of any doubt. She could sense this rumble passing through every girl who stood beside her. It only took an instant, but it was like Karyn could feel it touching every individual molecule within her.
And, as one, with Sarah in the lead, all eighty-nine girls behind her put their very own beauty pageant smiles on their faces and cried "Go Lake Point High!" in unison, before all shooting their right hands above their heads, hands splayed, and lowering them with jazz hands all in unison, like the twinkling afterglow of a firework.
After an applause, Miss Fine re-joined Sarah at the podium and took over the microphone: "Thank you, everyone. Second period starts in," she looked at her watch, "ten minutes. You have free time until then, but I expect you all to attend the rest of your classes today. All boys will be assigned a Saturday night host cheerleader by your homeroom teachers tomorrow." She was about to leave the stage, but then had one final thought. "Let's give another round of applause for your Lake Point High School Cheerleaders!"
Once again, Karyn felt swept up in the moment. But then it passed, and everyone left the stage, and she could feel herself returning to normal.
No, it turned out. The wish was not going to let her refuse.
