Chapter 4

Jolene 

A few minutes later, my dad's bmw arrived. 

I sat in the front seat and was greeted with the same pair of blue eyes and a warm smile. 

"Hello darling. How was school and tryouts" he asked as he drove off the school grounds. 

"I think I dislocated my hips. And classes were boring as always. I can't believe you are a lawyer, how can you sit in all these boring classes and even more boring college classes" I asked . 

"I don't know it myself but it gets easier with time" he laughs. 

This is how I love my dad and why we click so much. He is fun and goofy with his kids and very professional with his workers. He is the pack's lawyer and owns his own lawyer firm and employees. He is also a warrior. 

"Can we get ice cream before we get home" I asked baiting my eyes lashes at him. 

He groans and throws his head back. 

"You know I can't say no but your mom is going to kill me when she finds out you ate ice cream before dinner"he said 

" Well she is your wife, and you are the man of the house, you can decide and take the blame, she can't do anything "

" Well I'm scared of her when she gets angry. You don't want an angered wife" he eyes widen as if he is reliving the future. 

... 

The next morning, I woke up before my alarm.

Which never happens. Never. Ever.

I sat straight up in bed, immediately remembering why today is important.

Final recruitment results. My future lies in the hands of some bitchy cheerleaders

Oh goddess.

I jumped out of bed so fast I nearly tripped over my rug.

" Jo?" Ma calls from downstairs.

"Why are you running this early?"

" I’m not running!" 

"You sound like a stampede!" 

I ignored her and rushed through getting dressed, putting my shirt on backwards in my panic.

What if I didn’t get in?

No.

Don’t think like that.

Stay positive.

"Jolene!" Ma yells again.

"I’m coming!"

I ran downstairs, grabbed toast from the kitchen and kissed her cheek quickly. She was already dressed for work.

"You are awfully energetic this morning. Anything exciting," she says suspiciously.

"Cheer results."

"Ohhhh. I see now. Well your dad and I won't be home for dinner,we are having dinner outside,so I've made something simple to microwave and eat" 

"Okay ma. Just nervous. What if I don't make it . Don't make it a thing"

"I’m your mother. Everything is a thing. You are going to make it" 

I groaned and hurried out before she could say anything else.

The bus ride felt ten times longer than usual. I was just itching to get off the bus.

Jessica kept talking but I barely heard half of it.

This is almost as important as my 16th birthday.

The second we reached school, everyone was already crowding around the notice boards near the main office.

My heart jumped and throbbed against my chest.

" Oh my goddess," Jessica whispered. " 

"This is terrifying. It is as if I am getting a cardiac arrest" she says 

We pushed through the crowd together.

I scanned the paper quickly.

Then my eyes landed on it.

Jolene Falls. Just right before the last person.

For a second, I couldn't breathe. It's as if the air has been sucked out of my lungs.

“JO!” Jessica screamed beside me. “WE GOT IN!”

I turned toward her in shock and she threw herself at me so hard we almost fell over.

“Oh my goddess,” I laughed breathlessly. “Oh my goddess.”

We actually did it.

We made it.

Before I could fully process it, movement near the hallway caught my attention.

Seth.

He stood with his friends a few feet away, hands shoved into his pockets.

His eyes met mine.

And like usual,he looks away immediately.

"Come on. We need to celebrate. Seth" Jessica yells her brother's name and pulled me twords Seth group.

I probably look like a tomato when we got to them .

"Seth. I got into the cheer team!" She beams at he brother and then hugs him.

I awkward stand there,not knowing what to look.

"Well, congratulations baby sis. We need to celebrate. Do you have a class this morning,or do you want to ditch" he asked. I couldn't even look up.

"We don't have class today, it's the club day." Jessica answered.

"Okay,then let's go. I know this place downtown,were they serve good food."Seth says

"Okay" Jessica said and started to walk with other boys.

I stand there awkwardly,not knowing if I should go and follow them.

"Are you coming?" Seth voice reaches my ears and I looked up. My heart skipping a beat.

He was standing just a few feet away from me. I swallowed heard,my voice suddenly not seeming to work.

He looks at me with a raised eyebrow, expecting answer. 

I nodded profusely since my voice wasn't working.

"Come on" he started walking and I followed,his scent filling my nostrils.