Sunday, March 17, 2013

Cheeriously

It’s the day the big day. Early morning 6 am. It’s a Saturday. Cayleigh hasjust woken up. She is tired and barely responsive. She hears her phone buzz. Sheimmediately opens her text. It’s from her best friend Lexi. Cayleigh was veryhappy that her best friend texted her. As cayleigh and Lexi got ready they textedback and forth. Soon it was time to leave. They meet up at the high school. Thiswas a very important day for both of the girls.They were traveling to Florida with their cheer squad to go to the semifinals. Their goal for this trip to Florida is to beat their arch rivals the Ludlowlions. As they loaded onto the bus to go to the bus cayleigh had realized that sheforgot her knee brace. She figured that it would be fine and she could dealwithout it. The bus ride was a total of 2 hours. Once the team had arrived at theairport it took what seemed like forever to get through security and to make it tothe actual plane. Cayleigh and Lexi sat on the plane together and we're thrilledabout going. They talked about cheer the entire plane ride. Their longestconversation was about their cheer idols. Cayleigh’s idol is Jamie andreas lexi’sidol is Natalie soler. The plane ride was 4 hours long.The girls loaded off very anxious and excited. They headed for the hotel. It was avery nice and clean hotel. It was 4 girls to room. Of course the best friends Lexiand cayleigh were in a room together. The other two girls that joined them werekarley and Kate. They unpacked their luggage and headed down go the pool forsome fun before practice. After they enjoyed the pool they were exashted.All the girls went right to bed and slept till there 6 am practice. When the teamarrived to the gym they had 1 hour to perfect everything because each teamneeded to practice. They got right to work. They did the routine 3 times through.The girls felt reedy. They then had the day to themselves to do what they wantedas long s it was in the hotel or the gym. Cayleigh karley Lexi and Kate heeded up to their room to hangout. The girls had ablast. They did their nails played card games watched moves eat junk food andalso took lots of pictures. That night the team went out for dinner. They went to avery fancy place that the hotel had recommended. All of them enjoyed it much.They were in the hotel by 8 and there coach sent them all to their rooms and saidlights out by 9. It was reassonable time for them all seeing as it was a big day thenext day also that they were getting up at 5 am. Beep there alarm went off. The girls sprung out of bed and into their warm ups.The team meets up in the lobby. As they made their way to the bus the girls werejumping with enthusiasm. They pulled into the parking lot a stopped at the door.The team loaded off the bus holding hands and nervous. The tigers walked intothe school building. There locker room was 2 doors down to the right. There archrivals were already in there changing to go down to the warm up mats. All thegirls politely said hello and walked past each other.The tigers dropped their stuff and ran o the warm up center. After warm upscoach said a few words or encouragement. She also said to stick together and torespect the other teams and behave. The girls watched as the other teamspreformed. Each and every one hit their stunts. This was a very big competionand the girls knew it.Kate karley Lexi and cayleigh went back to the locker room to grab some waterand a snack. After that it was time they headed to the area that the team wasmeting up in. once the whole team was there it was time to get in line to perform.Ludlow was right behind us in line. Secretly cayleigh was happy they were behindthem because they maybe we could sike them out and make them scared toperform agaist us. Waconna went before them and the tigers were on deck.The waiting area was quiet and the team had a pump up talk. The time came forthe tigers to perform. They took the mats. The cheer was going and the crowdwas roaring. Cayleigh and Lexi locked eyes for a moment on the way to thepyrimid and they knew it was all or nothing. As they through Sam up me thatrelease move they knew it was going to hit. Next was tumbling Lexi through herback handspring then Morgan then gabby and before up knew t cayleigh wastaking off round off back handspring layout. As cayleigh came down from herlayout she felt a pop. Her knee was out of place but she couldn’t surrender shekept running while she was crying in pain. Her stunt group has asked what happen but she didn’t care. Throwing her up inthe basket toss. The dance was last and most of cayleighs moves were on theground. They finished the routine and Lexi ran to cayleigh as fast as she could.Cayleigh was bawling her eyes out. Her knee was completely shifted. They movedher off the mat for the next performance and cayleigh was taken care of. Sheeffused to go to the hospital she knew she needs to stay with her team. Theywrapped it up and gave her some crutches. She knew she had just saved herteam from losing but she had no clue if it would bet Ludlow.The awards came and the girls were so scared. It came down o division 2 whichthe tigers and Ludlow were in. they announce 3e place and t went to waconnaregional high school. Then the room want silent the tigers griped each othereshands firmly a held onto each other tightly. The man announced in second placenot advancing to the finals… Ludlow high school the girls from Ludlow werecrying and very sad and disappointed but they tired there hardest the tigers knewthey had done it they had beat Ludlow but they couldn’t show emotion until theywere announced.Once more the room was silent he said first place with a bid to finals is the SouthHadley tigers. The girls got up screaming in excitement. They had done it cayleighsaved the team. The headed back to ht hotel and cayleigh got cheeked out. Herknee was popped out of place and they popped it back in. She was fine. She andLexi enjoyed the plane ride home together and they did was great. They wenthome exhausted tired and most of all proud. Cayleigh knew that she has just facethe toughest challenge of all.By: Lexi Bogalhas