#bergen_county

May blushes. "yeah.. "

"Looking forward to it. Man if they don't put you three on first team this year, they are NUTS ,sophomore or not." He says "And thanks, Sam, but it's ok. I Got called a lot worse last year..and no shame in it right? But I can lift now and I got steady hands and that's what spirit leaders need."

"Steady Hands" May's head bobs in a nod

"Agreed. Kick ass at tryouts, yeah?"

"I'm gonna have to protect you from getting your ass kicked from some jerks when this gets out" Lupita says.

He laughs "Yeah, well, I can take care of myself now, but if more than one comes at me, sure. For old times sake. I appreciate how you girls looked after me last year. OH, see you around. Mike is flagging me down to eat with him and we're almost out of time so.. yeah. And thanks, Sam. I plan to! Nice seeing you all again" And he walks off.

He's..got nice gluts

"Well. Wow."

"Could you two stop staring at my dorky cousins' ass? It's disturbing" Lupita says

May yanks her eyes away red

"I... i was just .. imagine the discipline it took him to do that?"

"Not so dorky now."

Lupita says "He can't be attractive.. he's my cousin, and he's Juan Carlos... "

"Well, he can't be attractive to you."

"He's fair game for May."

May coughs and points to the cheer leader table. Like a group of Lionesses evaluating an antilope, they seem to be licking their chops "I think he's going to have a better.. selection than me" She coughs again

Snort. "No way."

"YOU were nice to him, THEY were bitches."

May ..smiles "That's.. true."

And a seed of hope...

(End lunch)

-------------

Gym class... phys ed...

Miss Grey is teaching this year..

as she did last

Miss Grey is a favorite.

And Miss Grey doesn't give Sam grief for changing in the bathroom stalls, not the locker room

Certainly not. "Okay folks. I know you're all gonna complain but I need a few laps to see how in shape we still are after the summer break. SKyrim or whats it is a lot of fun, I hear but Not sure it builds up the legs"

"Skyrim IS fun!" Sam is happy to do laps! She's not the fastest, though she is still athlete-fast.

Lupita is deceptively fast for someone with such short legs. May has gotten faster since last year. And the three girls take the lead compared to most.

Physical stuff is always easier than, say, math

And here, her self-consciousness falls away.

Yup.. She doesn't have to worry about screwing up or being judged...she's just DOING.

Welcome relief!

As she moves she notices chimera are restored... new ones this year, old ones revived.

Some are dangerous, pre nervousa that might feed on the negative. A few might be positively helpful, but most are just whimsies

Like the chimerical pair of sneakers running side by side with her right now... just sneakers.

Well, par for the course...

Miss Grey treis not to laugh at something.

Hey..wait... holy shit she's enchanted!

Sam stumbles, just a bit.

...Which might be more obvious at 7'4" than 5'10"...

"Watch your feet, Sam" Her teacher says

And she looks her in the eyes, her ACTUAL eyes... the ones a foot up from where most folks might think

"Um. Yes'm."

"GOnna have to hustle if you wanna hang with me, too tall" Sam grins increasing the distance ahead of the girl

"Whatever, Speedy Gonzales!"

"Ohoooo" Gonzlalez says "You just finally had to didn't you?"

May is TRYING very hard not to snicker

"Andale!"