“Alright girls, today we are going to put you in groups of three. Each group will perform the cheer, dance, and jumps. You may choose your own tumbling pass,” Coach Nikita explains to all the nervous girls in her gym.
Briah begins to warm-up her tumbling and jumps. She is very nervous, not sure if she will have exactly what it takes to be a Riverside All-Star Cheerleader. It’s much different than the cheer team at her high school. All-Star Cheer is very hard. But it is even more fun, especially if the Coach is good at what they do. There is no worrying about being ineligible to compete, it has nothing to do with sideline cheer, and the teammates are there to do what they love.
“Does anyone need to review the dance or cheer? We can all do it together before Coach starts choosing our groups,” Marissa offers the group of girls. She was the captain last year and most-likely to be this year as well. As Marissa begins the music, she looks to everyone for approval.
Within seconds, the mat is filled with cheerleaders of all sizes, ages, and races. They begin to dance with great enthusiasm. All focusing on killer facials and sharp, yet smooth motions.
“All I need is one more night with you…” the song blasts through the speakers. Briah channels her inner Beyonce, with enthusiasm and an edgy groovy. Move after move, she keeps going, hitting every motion with rhythm and technique. Facials feeling stupid, but looking bomb. Briah was definitely killing the dance.
“I want it all…” Briah sings the words to herself, causing her to get into the dance even more. Aware of her killer moves, Briah is comfortable with her dancing. She is able to have fun with it, resulting in an even better performance.
“Yass Briah!”, “Kill it girl!”, “Those facials though!”, “Work Briah!”, “Wow, goals!” All the girls able to watch her cheered for their friend. Soaking in all the praise, Briah winks at the girls. Even though it seemed pretty impossible, Briah gets better and better as she continues dancing. The dance ends and Briah laughs as she realizes just how many people were watching the girls perform their tryout dance. Briah high fives and hugs her teammates, bidding them great jobs.
“Goodness gracious Briah, you do realize that was only practice right? You don’t have to kill the game like that!” Taylor comes up to Briah, telling her how good she looked.
“I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. It wasn’t even that good, I messed up like five times!” Briah laughs at her friend’s reaction.
“Briah, I’m gonna slap the stupid out of you! You killed that dance and you know it!” Taylor scoffs at Briah in disbelief at her statement.
All of the girls disperse into their small groups, practicing what they want. Briah warms up her tumbling with a couple of handsprings to tucks. Today she is trying to land her full solid. She has been getting extra help at private tumbling classes in order to hit it. She is excited to finally get to do it on a dead mat. This is a level 5 all-star team, so Briah has to be able to do a full in order to up her chances to making it on. Briah calls over Coach Nikita.
“Hey Coach, could you please spot my standing full. I don’t think I need a heavy spot, just some assurance,” Briah politely asks.
“Yeah, no problem. Which way are you turning?”
“Thank you! I turn right, is that fine?” Briah begins getting anxious.
“Yeah, need a count?” Nikita asks, seeing Briah’s sudden nervousness. Briah nods, prepping herself for this flip.
“5-6-7-8-1-2…” Nikita begins counting. A full 360 degree. Briah sets, flips, and lands. Afterwards she jumps up and down, hugging Coach Nikita. All of her friends clap for her, Nikita begins counting again. Briah preps again, same result.
“Okay, girl. You don’t need a spot at all. Want to do it alone now?” Nikita looks to Briah
with a hopeful face, smiling. Briah just preps and nods to signal her agreeance. Coach Nikita begins to count.
“Mmmph!” Briah lands her solid, standing full. After realizing she hit it, she is
ecstatic. Jumping up and down as she claps for herself. Unable to wipe the bright, gigantic smile on her face.
“Good job! I’m glad you are trying out, you’ll make a great new edition to the team,” Nikita
congratulates Briah, as she hugs her and walks away smiling.
The rest of tryouts is just as great. Briah hits every move to her dance with just enough sass. She works her facials and engages the judges. For jumps, she chooses to do a right hurdler, three toe touches to follow through, and a tuck to finish it off. As her tumbling sequence, Briah decides to do front walkover, round-off, tuck, two handsprings, and a full to top it off. The judges clap, telling her they will contact her later.
Briah drives home to shower and eat with her mom.
“Rrrrring” Briah looks at her screen and answers the phone through bluetooth.
“Hello... Hey Mom… Yeah, I’m actually pulling up right now. Talk to you in a few... I love you too!” Briah hangs the phone up, as she parks the car. She turns the ignition off, gathers her practice gear, and heads inside up to her room.
After showering, Briah and her mom drive to 3 Margaritas for a mexican dinner.
“So how was tryouts, Briah? Did you hit everything well? Think you’ll make it?” Valerie, Briah’s mom, begins to ask all the expected questions.
“Tryouts was fun, very successful. I landed my full on my own, standing and running! I think I have a good chance of making the team, the judges seemed pretty pleased by my performance. I just hope they liked it,” Briah laughs as she tells her mom about her day.
“Sounds great! I have no doubt you’ll make it, you have only gotten better throughout these past years. I’m proud of you baby girl,” Valerie turns the radio up and the two begin singing and dancing as they drive to 3 Margaritas.
“Buenos Dias, Senoritas. What will you be having today?” The waiter,
Paul, takes their orders.
“I’ll have a fajita salad, please,” Valerie says to the waiter.
“As for me, I’d like rolled tacos with refried beans and rice, por favor,” Briah smiles at the waiter.
“Suena bien! ¿Qué pasa con las bebidas?”
“I think we will both take Horchatas,” Briah looks to her mom for acceptance, Valerie nods. They hand the menus to Paul.
“Oh, Paul! ¿Puede usted por favor traiga la salsa tabasco más caliente para nuestros chips de tortilla? ¡Gracias!” Valerie asks Paul before he leaves. Nodding and walking off, Paul goes to get their drinks and sauces.
A few minutes later, Paul brings back the salsas and Horchatas for Briah and Valerie.
“Your food should be ready in a short while, Senoritas. Is everything good here for now?” He checks in on the pair.
“It’s all good here, Paul. Thank you,” Valerie responds with a bright, big smile. Paul nods and dismisses himself. Valerie and Briah begin to drink their Horchatas and eat the tortilla chips as they wait. Briah begins to crack jokes with her mom, making them both laugh. Five minutes pass by and the food arrives.
The smell of the fajitas fills Valerie’s nostrils with pure delight as her mouth begins to water. Her taste buds begin to dance in celebration of the great experience they can already taste. Valerie breaks into an even larger grin as Paul sets the plate in front of her.
Briah’s content with her meals entrance as well. The rolled tacos’ meat is still smoky hot from the kitchen. You can hear it continuing to cook. Briah rubs her hands together as she prepares to eat the delicious food Paul sets in front of her. He refills their Horchatas and leaves them to enjoy their entrees.
For seven minutes, the two sit quietly eating their food. Every now and then they laugh at how passionate they are in devouring the meal. After completing the dinner, Paul brings their receipt. Valerie pays, giving him a $10 tip. They leave the restaurant, pleased of the service provided. Getting into the car, Briah turns the radio on. ‘Again’ is playing. Valerie, instantly turns the volume up to max. The two jam out to Fetty Wap, singing and dancing with each other. Valerie tries to whip while driving, Briah just does her little head swing.
“And I want you to be mine again baby! I know my lifestyle is driving you crazy! But, I cannot see myself without you. We call them fans though girl, you know how we do. I go out of my way to please you. I go out of the way to see you. I ain’t playin’ no games I need you!” The two break out in the last chorus of the song.
Chris Brown comes on, then Sam Smith following. The entire car ride consists of the two having a karaoke session. Passengers in neighboring cars look at them as if they have seven heads. Uncertain if they are permitted to drive, or if they are two naive teenagers sneaking the car out for the night.
As they pull up to their home, Briah notices the lights flicker off in the living room. Cautiously, she gets out the car, quieting her mother. Valerie giggles a bit, but contains herself in order to keep safe from the ‘danger’ in her home. Briah opens the back sliding door, tiptoes in, and grabs the bat next to her dining room table. She hears shuffling and hushed breaths in her kitchen. Unaware of what might be lurking in the shadows, she decides to turn the light on and face the intruders.
“SURPRISE!!” Out pops all the cheerleaders a part of the Riverside All-Star Level 5 Cheer Squad. Nearly dying from laughter, Briah snuffs out a ‘Thank You’ as she drops the bat.
“Congratulations, baby! You made the cut!” Valerie embraces Briah. They all celebrate.