Second Skin (15 page)

It took me a minute to realize that I wasn't the one shouting in pain. I scrambled to my feet and glanced across the room, where Adrienne was hopping up and down, rubbing her head. Kylie Frank stood next to her on the mat, looking apologetic.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just-I guess I lost my balance."

Adrienne scowled. "How can you lose your balance doing a backbend?"

Easily,
I thought, though I bit my lip and kept quiet.

Adrienne turned to address the room. "She rolled into me and knocked me down." She pointed an accusing finger at Kylie. "On purpose."

"I did not!" Kylie cried. "I told you. I lost my balance." Her eyes met mine and narrowed slightly. "I was just having a little trouble focusing."

Gina placed her hands on her hips. "Maybe you should sit this one out," she said to Kylie.

Kylie shook her head. "But it was an accident," she insisted.

Jules snorted. "Right. Like your Peeping Tom episode was an accident, too."

"You know what?" Ella said lightly, stepping forward to stand next to Kylie. "I've always hated pep squad." She smiled. "So I guess I quit too."

Together, they turned and walked out of the room.

"I can't believe they just
deserted
the team like that," Jules said after they were gone. "I mean, it's midseason."

"Whatever. Ella pretty much sucked anyway," Gina said. "And as far as I'm concerned, Kylie's totally let herself go. I'm not surprised she fell. I mean, I don't think she works out at all anymore."

A horrified shudder swept the room.

"Okay, people," Gina shouted, stamping her foot. "Let's get back to work! Show me how you bend those backs!"

I stretched out on the mat, placed my hands on either side of my head and pushed myself up. It wasn't exactly a backbend-my spine was still straight and I was fairly certain I looked like a coffee table-but at least I was up.

"Great work, Sam!" Gina shouted. "Fantastic!"

"You're doing great," she whispered, then moved away to lead the squad in a rousing rendition of
Hustle hustle, use your muscle!

I stared after her as her lean, tanned legs moved away. She actually meant it? How was that even possible?

I glanced down at my aching body. It was the Skin, of course. If I closed my eyes I could feel it working, tingling and powerful against my overtaxed limbs.

Or maybe that was just another muscle spasm.

"Uh, Sam? Need some help?"

I blinked. Jules was hovering over me, arm extended. Loud, atonal music filled the room as the rest of the squad stood, twisting and turning like windmills.

"No thanks," I said, heaving myself up. "I got it."

"You're such a natural," she said.
"So
much better than Kylie."

I found that hard-okay, impossible-to believe, but after my failed backbend I needed all the support I could get.

"Thanks," I said.

I spent the next twenty minutes trying to

They're definitely trying to kill me,
I thought as I mimed a slam dunk that barely would've reached the top of a Little Tikes hoop.

"Nice work, ladies!" Gina shouted, turning off the techno music. "Looking good! Let's hit those showers!"

I bit my lip and waited for someone-anyone-to faint onto the mat. I didn't want to be the first. After a few seconds, I noticed that nobody else in the room looked like they were in desperate need of a stretcher and some CPR. Several of the girls, like Adrienne and Heidi, had actually opted to extend the workout and were jogging in place.

"Uh, Sam?" Gina said. Her face was serious and completely sweat-free. "Can you hang back for a few minutes?"

Great. Cut from the team after only one

As the rest of the squad made their way to the lockers I hobbled to the front of the room where Gina was waiting.

"How'd you like practice?" Gina asked brightly, clearly choosing to ignore the pained expression on my face and the fact that I'd sweated through my uniform.

"Uh, it was great," I said carefully. I didn't want to sound too enthusiastic, considering I was about to be axed.

"So listen, I know it's early," Gina said. "But with Kylie gone, there's an opening for co-captain and I was thinking you'd be great."

I stared at Gina for several seconds to be absolutely sure this was real and not some sort of endorphin-induced hallucination. "Wow...but I don't think I'm really ready-"

"You'll be
great,"
Gina said. She waved her hand through the air as if wiping away my anxiety. "We'll have so much fun too! Of course, I have to clear the nomination with the rest of the squad, but I really don't think that'll be a problem."

I smiled weakly.

"And we're always looking for new cheers,"

I opened my mouth, but the words froze in my throat. The thought fell away, replaced by images of me, front and center in the Woodlawn yearbook. And on the field at games, smiling and waving to an admiring crowd. And in friendship collages, like the ones that lined Kylie's walls.

Why
can't
this be me?
I wondered. Everything came at a price. Sure, I'd never imagined popularity's price tag included house music and a bare midriff, but some things are out of our hands.

Have some faith in yourself,
I thought.
Or in the Skin.

Was there even a difference anymore? "Sounds great," I told Gina, though my voice sounded as wobbly as my legs. "I can't wait."

Thad lifted his tomato-stained face out of the bowl and turned to Tanner Mullins. "Dude. You owe me ten bucks."

Tanner made a big show of snapping open his wallet and pulling out the bill. "Here ya go, man. That's some hard-earned cash."

I laughed along with everyone else, but I really wasn't paying attention. For the first time ever, I was eating lunch at the A-list table. They were all there: Jules, Gina and the rest of pep

It was pretty thrilling.

I hadn't done it on purpose. Until today, I'd always sat with Gwen and Alex. But when the bell rang for lunch, Gina and Jules were perched by my locker door, waiting for me. We walked to the cafeteria together, and after that it just seemed like the natural thing to do.

I was having a great time too. I know the words
cafeteria
and
glamour
don't really go together, but that was how it felt. My eyes swept the room, knowing that almost everyone was wondering what was going on at my table. I'd wondered myself, just a few weeks ago.

Of course, ever since I'd sat down I could feel Gwen and Alex watching me. Without even looking at them, I could see the expressions on their faces: hers was harsh and critical, his was baffled.

I made a mental note to call Gwen that night.

"Hey, Sam," Tanner said, snapping me back to reality. "You coming to the game tomorrow?"

He really is so cute,
I thought. "Wouldn't miss it," I squeaked.

He stood and grabbed his tray. The entire row

I watched him walk away. I wasn't sure what a swoon was exactly, but I was pretty sure I was on the verge.

"Oh wow, he's
so
into you," Jules informed me as she patted her curls. "It's awesome."

"Who knows," I said. But the whole nonchalance thing was hard to pull off when all I really wanted to do was scream.

I rubbed the Skin through my shirt.
Thank you,
I thought.
Thank you so much.

I woke up the next morning with a smile on my face and the Skin stuck to my body. When I tried to slip it off for my usual lightning-fast shower, I couldn't.

At first, I thought I was just sore from another merciless pep squad practice. After three hours of jumping, kicking and twirling, every single one of my muscles had rebelled to the point of civil war. Even my elbows hurt. I'd barely been able to climb into bed the night before.

Anyone who's ever made fun of cheerleading has obviously never tried to do a left Herkie (and

I reached up behind my back and tried again, tugging at the zipper. This time it slid grudgingly down my back. But when I tried to slip my arms out, the Skin wouldn't move. It had sealed somehow while I was sleeping. I'd been laminated overnight.

Okay,
don't panic,
I ordered myself.

I tugged at my arms.

"Ouch," I said. The Skin was definitely coming off, but-ow-it felt like a giant Band-Aid was being ripped from my body. My whole body. Slowly and with maximum hair-stickage.

This wasn't right. The Skin had gone from smooth as silk to extreme control-top in less than twenty-four hours. How was that even possible? It definitely wasn't a weight-gain thing. After last night's torture session, I couldn't have gained an ounce. A quick visit with my bathroom scale confirmed as much. I'd actually lost half a pound, thank you very much.

Still, there had to be some sort of explanation. The Skin had felt fine yesterday, even during prime pep hours. Or maybe that was the problem. Maybe the Skin was as out of shape as I was.

I wrenched my body with one final and