Chapter 56

Elena didn’t elaborate about what she meant, but what else could she mean but that she knew I had spent the night in Asher’s room? She didn’t seem jealous this time, though, which was odd. If anything she was delighted.

I didn’t dare risk pressing her in front of Coach, so I had to just stand there, stewing in my own perplexed thoughts.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” she said, winking at me, before she returned to her room.

Coach just shook his head. “Be ready at seven,” he said to me and continued down the corridor.

I quickly hid inside of my room.

The cheerleading competition took place in an arena, with mats laid down on the center floor, and the stands littered with family and friends of the contestants. I couldn’t see Asher but I knew he was there. I gained comfort from his presence.

We waited patiently for our turn out on the concourse.

Then the assistants brought us down to the mats and we were set to begin.

Above us, the lights burned bright and hot, shining down directly on us. The music, through the arena’s sound system, carried an echo in the cavernous space. It was difficult to keep the proper beat.

But I pushed myself, and with Lilith’s help, I kept pace with the other cheerleaders. We made it through the first round of eliminations. Then through the second one, too, though my muscles were starting to ache and my feet hurt.

In the third round, however, my fatigued body moved sluggishly. Even Lilith was too tired to help me stretch my body into the necessary positions. Instead, she focused on protecting my stomach.

On my own, I physically couldn’t manage the high kicks or the split I was supposed to hit at the end of the routine.

My performance tanked, and the judges noticed. I watched them look at me and then scribble down some notes.

Somehow, I made it through the entire routine, though once the final move was hit, my legs gave out and I flopped down onto the mat.

Nicole came to help me, but the other girls only glared. They knew I had dragged down their score. They had seen my mistakes. No one else had made any.

In the end, my errors cost our squad the gold medal.

On the drive back to the hotel that night, Coach had given a speech about how proud he was. “Silver is nothing to be ashamed of,” he said, likely feeling the gloom hanging over the bus.

Elena hadn’t invited me to sit with her this time. Instead, I was squished up front with the trainers and equipment.

“With all due respect, Coach,” said one of the girls in the back. “Silver is not gold.”

“Then work harder for the next one,” Coach said. “Let this motivate you, not bring you down.”

Somewhere behind me I heard a harsh whisper, “Only one person needs to work harder, not the whole team.”

She meant me.

Embarrassed and ashamed, I slunk down into the seat.

No one spoke to me when we returned to the hotel, so I felt comfortable changing into my own comfortable pajamas around curfew, certain the party for tonight was canceled.

I was surprised when I opened the door at ten, and the same crowd as the night before pushed their way into my room.

“We need a party now more than ever,” said one of the girls.

“Don’t think you’re getting out of it this time,” Elena said to me. “You have a lot to make up for.”

A pit formed in my stomach.

During the party, the other cheerleaders made me their errand girl, cleaning their messes, making them drinks. They told me to obey the boys too, but I mostly avoided them, pretending not to hear when they called me.

Until one grabbed me around the waist and pulled me onto his lap.

“Let go!” I said at once, loud.

Some of the other cheerleaders laughed.

“What’s wrong, baby?” the boy said.

I elbowed him in the ribs, and he released me with an oof. The laughter only increased.

I ran for the door, but Elena blocked my path. She held up an empty tequila bottle.

“You weren’t planning on leaving before we played our game, were you?” she asked.

I swallowed hard. “What game?”

“Seven Minutes in Heaven, of course.”

While the rest pushed the beds to the side to make room for us all to sit on the floor, I retrieved my phone and quickly texted Asher.

Help.

Exactly twenty seconds later, someone pounded furiously on the door. As I answered it, Asher burst through into the room, murder in his eyes.

“Asher!” Elena called, delighted. “What a pleasant surprise!”

Other girls perked up too. “Oh, God. Invite him to the game.”

“Won’t you join us?” Elena said, motioning to the circle of people with the bottle in between. “Things will be much more fun with you here.”

Asher was still in his day clothes, but he looked at me in my pajamas and his eyes darkened. I thought he might throw me over his shoulder and carry me from the room.

But he couldn’t. Not without giving everyone here the wrong impression. Elena might have suspicions but it was an entirely different matter to actually see the proof with her own eyes.

“What are you playing?” Asher asked, still looking at me.

“Seven Minutes in Heaven,” Elena said, her voice a seductive purr. “Give me one round, Asher, and I promise I’ll make your dreams come true.”

My stomach sunk and my heart ached. If Asher stayed, would he have to play the game?

When that bottle stopped, would I have to sit there and watch Asher go into the closet with another girl? Would I have to go with another guy?

Suddenly, I wished he would throw me over his shoulder and carry me out of here, my reputation be damned.

He wouldn’t though. Protecting me included protecting my reputation.

“Fine,” Asher said to Elena. To me, he whispered, “Trust me.”

The circle made room for us both, and we took spots beside each other, sitting on the floor.

“Now, with that settled,” Elena began. She eyed Asher like she wanted to eat him. “Since this was my idea, I’ll go fir—“

“I’ll go first,” Asher interrupted. His voice left no room for arguments.

Elena’s face twisted in disappointment, but even she did not speak against him.

“Very well,” she said, and motioned for the bottle. “Go ahead, Asher.”

Asher snatched the bottle off the floor. He weighed it in his hand, then placed it on its side in the center of the circle of people.

Many of the girls leaned forward, eager. Elena toyed with the neckline of her blouse, drawing the attention of most of the guys in the room – but not Asher.

Asher looked at me as he flicked his wrist and spun the bottle.

My breath in my throat, I watched it spin, dreaded every long second.

Who would it land on? How would I endure?

Whoever the bottle pointed toward would spend a full seven minutes in a dark, small closet with Asher. Traditionally, the couple locked in there would make out – sometimes more.

Would Asher…?

I knew I couldn’t say a word. Asher didn’t belong to me. He had a right to date, or kiss, or whatever with whoever he wanted.

But my heart would still break. It didn’t listen to reason.

Tears welled in my eyes. I wished I was anywhere but here, until…

When the bottle stopped, it pointed straight at me.