From the moment that Karyn left school on Friday, she could feel a little buzz in the back of her head. A nudging, telling her what to do. What route to take to get home as quickly as possible. What to pack into her overnight bag. What to tell her mom.
It wasn't like when she was forced to walk on stage, or when unfamiliar words came out of her mouth around Sarah. It was like when you've left the house and you can't remember whether you've locked the front door. No matter what else you're doing, you're thinking about getting home to make sure the door is locked. You're anxious as long as you aren't sure that you've locked the door.
And Karyn felt anxious until she completed each task that drew her closer and closer to her sleepover with Sarah McMillan. But the closer she got to that sleepover, the more anxious she felt about that. It was a no-win situation.
The entire way as her mom was driving her to the McMillan house, Karyn's hand was gripped tightly around the ceiling handle, her brain sending her signals as though the car was constantly taking tight corners at high speed, even though her mom was driving very reasonably at a conservative speed. The closer she got, the tighter her grip got, the tenser all of her muscles clenched, until it was only the knowledge that she'd feel even worse if she stayed in the car that forced her to grab her overnight bag from the back seat and leave the car to walk up the McMillan driveway. Each step closer and closer to the front door. Each step closer and closer to danger.
The Westminster Chimes played when Karyn pressed the doorbell. Because of course the McMillan doorbell would be the Westminster Chimes. And each bell that played struck deeper and deeper into the depths of Karyn's soul. Until the door opened.
"Karyn! Yay!" The mirth on Sarah's face was genuine.
"I am so glad we're doing this, it's all I've been thinking about all day!" Despite herself, the mirth that was suddenly on Karyn's face was genuine, as well.
"Come inside!"
The two girls squealed like, well, like schoolgirls as Sarah guided Karyn through the foyer, past the living room, up the stairs, down the hall, and into a bedroom that was easily twice the size of her parents' bedroom, decorated exactly as you would imagine a high school cheerleader's bedroom to be.
Off to one side was an assortment of bean bag chairs, where Gladys, Emma, and Michelle already sat, engaged in animated conversation.
Karyn joined them as Sarah left the room, saying she needed to make a few last preparations, but that they would begin as soon as Andi arrived.
"I never would have even considered being a cheerleader before," Emma gushed, "but it's all I've been able to think about this whole week!"
"I know, right?" Gladys tugged at the hem of her top. "Like, me? A cheerleader? I don't think I can even do a cartwheel. But here we are!"
"Here we are!" Karyn found herself joining in, and the conversation continued from there, all of the girls building on one another's energy.
In a few short minutes, they went from mere excitement straight to incomprehensible gushing, where words were no longer necessary for each girl to communicate the simpler and simpler messages of agreement each had with the other, until the bedroom door opened once again, and the whole thing boiled over as the four found themselves turning to Andi in unison and letting out a synchronized squeal, which the girl then returned.
"Okay," Sarah said as Andi found her own bean bag to sit on. "I know we're all excited, but now that everyone's here it's really time to get started."
Five sets of eyes turned to focus on Sarah in rapt attention, as five sets of knees bounced up and down in anticipation.
