cheerleader story chapter 3

Max and Taylor are watching videos of competitive cheerleading. Max is impressed but finds it hard to concentrate due to fatigue. Taylor shares a video of a squad that previously stole routines and won trophies. Max and Taylor smoke weed and bond. Max reveals that he used to be a gymnast but faced bullying and a traumatic incident that caused him to lose confidence. Taylor sympathizes with him and asks to see his scars. Max hesitates but eventually allows her to see. I am now about to read Untitled Cheerleader's Story, Chapter 3. Title, Legit Air. See? Taylor's pointing at the screen. Look at that! Look at that air they're getting! It's good, right? It's legit! Max nods. It's not been enough to admit to Taylor that yes, she's an incredible athlete, and yes, cheerleading's legit, and while, no shit, that of the squad does feel impressive, she wants to show him, and beyond summoning the rest of the squad, and running their routines right in front of him, the best way to do that turns out to be to drag him over to her computer desk and call up video after video of competitive cheerleading. Trouble is, he's having trouble concentrating. It's not that the weeds hit him all that hard, because it hasn't, but during it, the takeouts, the exercises this morning, and the lingering fatigue from traveling all the way from New York, a portion of his brain keeps insisting he'd rather just fall face-first into bed, and resents having to squint at a sequence of blocking videos recorded off of ESPN2. He's aware enough, though, to be seriously impressed by what he's seeing. Lots of the shits to girls, and boys, a lot of the squads are mixed, while pulling off is downright incredible. It's legit, he says, passing the joint. Okay, okay, okay, Taylor says, taking it from him, and taking a lengthy drag, last one, I promise, see these guys? She queues up another video, their routine is amazing, just wait until you see the throws at the end. On the computer screen, a squad in green uniforms performs a technically choreographed routine. The more he watches them, the more he can't believe their high school age cheerleader squad. Hey, he says, this shit is ridiculous. She beams at him, he's noticed she likes it when he calls her Tay, almost makes him want a shorter version of his name so they can trade. This is from two or three years ago, she says, landing the end. Sorry, there was an error, I had to reload my program, starting from the top. This is from two or three years ago, she says, grounding the end of the joint into dust in the ashtray. It was a huge controversy, another squad turned out to have been stealing the routines for like years, and winning trophies with them, winning this trophy. The video shows them being announced as winners of the tournament, and Taylor stabs emphatically at the screen. They just never had the money to compete for themselves, but they got the money to get it, and they went all in, and they won. It's like something out of a movie. That's actually really cool. Right, it's inspirational. Yeah. Come on, she says, before fleeing, stretching off the monitor. She puts both feet on the seat, attaches the chair, and pushes him away with enough force that he rolls far enough for the asbestos to trip on the rug, which tips him right off onto the bed. Looking medically on her face, she planned it exactly that way, and it came off perfectly. "'Max!' she exclaims, forming her mouth in a perfect O of shock. "'I thought you were a gymnast, but there you go, falling off her chairs!' "'I would have been fine,' he starts to protest. "'I would have been fine,' he tries again. "'If I wasn't so tired.' "'Just like?' she says. "'No, wait, Carl lacked?' "'I hate cars,' he says, counting on his fingers. "'I hate motels. "'I hate my dad's music. "'I hate how Clay takes up all the space in the backseat.' "'Hey, Taylor,' he adds, shuffling away from her a little. "'I'm on your bed with you. "'Is that okay?' "'Why?' she asks, pretending to be afraid. "'Are you going to molest me, Max Giordano?' "'What? No!' "'He recoiled even farther just at the thought of it, "'but she reaches out and rolls him over, bringing him closer again. "'Then chill!' he says. "'She leans over him. "'Max tries to compress himself into the mattress so she doesn't actually touch him. "'He reaches the remote for a CD player. "'She switches his on and dumps the remote on the floor. "'Something by Alanis Morissette comes on. "'He's only ever heard that one album of hers, "'the one that got really big. "'He doesn't know this.' "'She looks at him, facing up, with her hands clasped on her belly. "'Taylor sighs sympathetically. "'You want another smoke?' she says after a short while. "'Sure.' "'She nods. "'She's obsessed enough to retrieve the baggie of pre-rolled joints "'she stole from Garrett's room and lights one up. "'She passes it to Max. "'He takes a deep drag, and when he looks again, "'she's got another ashtray out from somewhere and places it between them. "'How many of those do you have?' "'Enough,' she says, except the joints off him. "'Mom never cleans in here because I do it myself. "'She can't smell it in here because Garrett's room always stinks of it, so...' "'She shrugs. "'We're to be smoking weed with the cheerleaders,' Max says. "'I always thought they lived on mineral water and pep "'and caught all the other girls' sluts.' "'Max,' Taylor says, passing Max, "'I'm going to say something very rude now, "'and you must promise me it won't leave this room. "'I have a reputation to upkeep.' "'Max crosses his heart. "'Promise.' "'Your New York cheerleaders sound like speckled biatches.' "'Yeah,' he says. "'They kinda were.' "'A little while later, when the second joint is done, "'they line their backs together, "'the top of the scarf stickers on the ceiling, "'and when Max is feeling more relaxed than he has at any point "'in at least the last year, "'Taylor goes and ruins it all, "'or complicates it all, anyway, "'by asking the question she'd been hoping she wouldn't. "'Hey, Max, where did you get those scarves?' "'You saw those, huh?' "'Of course you did. "'You can throw yourself around the way he did this morning "'without your shirt flying all over the place, "'especially when it's too big for you by several sizes. "'You ought to take a leaf out of her book, "'wear a tight crop top. "'The thought of it is Billy sticking out "'of one of Taylor's pink gym tops "'is almost funny enough to make him laugh. "'You don't have to tell me,' she says. "'Really, you don't.' "'He shrugs. "'He's not alive. "'What comes is a secret, "'but I'd like to keep it from her. "'Because it isn't exactly the kind of story "'you tell to make yourself seem cool "'in front of a pretty girl. "'But she's going to be his friend. "'She should know. "'And if she laughs or thinks less of him, "'it's better to know now, right? "'It's better to be rejected by someone you just met "'than by someone you've known for a long time.' "'It was last year,' he says, "'settling his head into the pillow. "'He might be telling this story, "'but he doesn't want to look at her while he does. "'He wants to get a reaction all at once when he's done, "'in case it's bad. "'Rip off the band-aid, etc. "'End of the spring semester. "'I've never been that popular. "'I was never that popular either, you know. "'I was just another kid. "'And I'd been dabbling in gymnastics in middle school. "'But high school was where I really started getting into it. "'Coach thought I had real promise. "'I wasn't as good as Avery. "'She started before me. "'But I was good. "'And Coach said I could be great. "'And I'd never been great at anything before. "'So I let her talk me into getting outside tuition. "'Mom was against it, but Dad talked her around. "'Then school was all about gymnastics. "'Me and Avery and gymnastics. "'It was everything to us. "'Anyway, Coach was right. "'I was great. "'I've seen it,' Taylor says quietly. "'You are. "'And you've seen me after a year doing nothing more "'than backyard stuff,' he says. "'And we didn't even have a big yard back home. "'Since then, since what happened, "'I've lost weight, I've lost muscle. "'I don't have the stamina I used to "'back then. "'I'm... "'Sorry. "'Hard to lose something like that, you know.'" "'What's happened to you, Max?' "'Well, I wasn't just some kid anymore. "'I was a gym fag. "'I had my special fag gym clothes. "'And you know what people like. "'Trigger my locker. "'Guys bump me. "'Like guys bumping into me on the stairs "'and try to get me to trip and fall. "'You've seen it, I bet.' "'Yeah,' she says. "'There's a-holes like that in every school.'" "'So, at the end of the spring semester last year,' he says, briskly, moving the story along as quickly as he can, "'three of the guys corner me. "'I thought they were just going to beat the shit out of me, "'which would have been an escalation, "'but still, something I could deal with.' "'His voice is shaking. "'Huh. "'No, instead, "'two of them held me down in the third. "'He had this beat-up Volvo, "'and he got the cigarette lighter.' "'Oh, no,' Taylor breathes. "'Yeah. "'Pushed it into me three times. "'And he wasn't quick, either. "'He held it there each time. "'If you're wondering, incredibly painful.'" "'What did you do?' "'He can't help it. "'He sits up, laid in bed, "'unable to wait for her judgment, "'but she's just lying there, watching him. "'No cruelty or satisfaction evident on her face. "'She feels for him. "'It's obvious. "'If it weren't, "'the kind of features for his would make it pretty clear. "'Still, he's not done with this story yet.' "'I didn't do anything. "'At first, I was in so much pain. "'And then, they didn't want to get up, "'left me there, and went off. "'And the worst thing was, "'there was no evidence. "'And I didn't tell the cops or the principal or anything, "'because I still had to go to school "'for another two years with those assholes. "'They could have made it even worse for me. "'So I just went home, "'swallowed Tylenol like candy, "'wrapped my chest in gauze. "'Mom eventually saw the bones "'and freaked and took me to, like, "'a gazillion doctors. "'The best they could do by that point "'was to tell me these moisturizers on them. "'I said, "'Help? "'No. "'Not really.' "'Taylor pushes up on her elbows, "'brings her closer, "'lets go of his hand, "'reaches for the hem of his shirt. "'May I?' she says, "'and waits for his nod. "'It's light and airy in Taylor's room, "'and a breeze ripples over his chest "'as Taylor lifts up his shirt, "'expects her to only pull it up enough to see. "'If I raise it higher, "'he gives him a questioning glance "'which he interprets correctly "'as a request to raise his arms. "'She slits his shirt all the way off "'and drops it on the bed. "'I know,' he says. "'I'm skinny.' "'Taylor smiles sadly. "'No, skinnier than me,' she says, "'but she's generous of her, "'and I say toned anyway. "'Um, do they hurt?' "'Not anymore.' "'He knows how they look in the light. "'Three angry, deep-red scars "'burned into the skin of his chest, "'three concentric circles. "'The skinheads worse do they join. "'Each one is a memory, a humiliation. "'Taylor doesn't seem to know "'what to do with herself. "'Just one hand to his chest, "'the other halfway to his mouth. "'He's frozen in place. "'So his eyes searching him "'for the answer to a question "'she seems scared to ask. "'He nods again, and she touches him, "'gently, almost nervously. "'She traces the outline of the scars. "'Then he's too self-conscious, "'not just because of the scars, "'but because his skin is sallow "'after so long without sun, "'because whatever she says "'or how toned he is, "'he can see his weakness in her eyes. "'So he snatches up his shirt, "'slips it back on. "'He breaks his spell. "'I'm so sorry, Max,' she says. "'He struggles to regather "'his usual emotional state "'to find again the unreliable Max persona. "'Taylor doesn't care too much about anything, "'the scars on his ribs "'or the friends he's lost. "'The fact that his one remaining real friend "'is now thousands of miles away. "'We used to know each other. "'Anthony tossing it at her "'like it's a factoid his mom just read "'in the style section of the magazine. "'Newspaper, style section of the newspaper. "'The guy who burned me grew up together. "'He knows he sounds flippant, "'but better that than bail himself again. "'She seems to understand. "'A man needs his emotional space. "'We used to be close like kids are. "'I mean, back in New York, "'there was a room with both of our heights "'boxed into a wall, just like that. "'Him and me. "'It was him and me. "'And then we drift apart. "'And when he came back, "'he did this to me. "'Oh,' Taylor says. "'That's right. "'Oh, that's why you, uh, "'when you lost your height, uh... "'She doesn't seem to want to say it. "'She minds rubbing a tear into her eye. "'Max can feel his cheeks reddening. "'So much for unreliable, emotionalist Max. "'You saw that? "'I see everything, Max. "'That's something you're going to have to get used to. "'Those burns are vicious. "'And that level of bullying is something else. "'Mr. Primavera High has its problems, yes, "'but the worst she's heard of recently "'is freshmen getting dumped in the trash "'or having their lockers vandalized. "'That was done by someone he used to be friends with. "'Max Giordano is going to need good friends from now on. "'That, Taylor is certain. "'It hurt him so much to tell her, too. "'We saw him cram up after. "'And that's so accurate, actually. "'He opened up just a little bit, "'just enough for her to see. "'Then he snapped shut. "'It took her almost an hour to restore "'the innocent, fun, most flirty attitude "'he had out in the yard. "'She wondered if the weed was a bad idea. "'Max seemed like one of those people "'who can smell a collie when they're high. "'It was probably just this story, though. "'He's also moved far too far away from her on the bed. "'He's practically falling off. "'Inevitable, really. "'Honestly, the other boys admit having won emotions, "'and they immediately stopped talking at all. "'No, actually, that's unfair. "'That's not Max she's thinking of. "'It's Gordo, a boy who can't wait to be a man. "'He considers himself to be what a man ought to be. "'And Kayla's not in a rush to spend time socially with people. "'You might know of her father, thank you very much. "'She tried to tell him over and over "'to just talk to her like he used to. "'If he did, maybe she'd even get to the bottom "'of his obsession with sex. "'Hey,' she says. "'Talk to me, Max.' "'I'm okay,' he insists, flying through his teeth. "'Please regain a little of the slight swagger he had before, "'since he knows who he is, what he wants. "'Such a swagger's a lie, or at best, a coping mechanism. "'Makes Kayla feel even more comfortable around him. "'And is that weird? "'Probably. "'She wonders why he does it. "'Tries to live in the world as a sensitive boy, she guesses. "'Dick. "'She wouldn't put up with it, if she were him. "'Are you sure?' "'Yes, it's just I think "'he's the only person I've talked to about what happened, "'apart from my family and others and Avery, obviously. "'He was the first person since her "'I've chosen to talk to about it. "'It's confusing. "'I've known you for, what, "'29 hours?' "'More like 31,' Kayla says. "'She bounces on the mattress, brings her closer. "'Tell me about Avery. "'You miss her already?' "'He laughs, and that's good, right? "'That's a genuine smile on his face. "'Not one of those fake ones he puts on "'when he knows he ought to be smiling at something. "'What do you do? "'Your friend Anna asked me to talk to her online, "'but we don't have internet yet, so... "'Oh! "'Well, there's a good deed she can do. "'I have internet. "'You want to talk to her right now? "'I can set it up. "'It'll be really quick. "'Who should be at home Sunday afternoon?' "'Oh, yes, I think so,' he says, recoiling a little. "'Kayla reveals herself in a bit, "'too much enthusiasm if someone's just finished "'being a huge downer. "'Come on, then,' she says, "'and dresses her way over to the side of the bed, "'her thigh momentarily grazing his, "'just an accident, "'and hopping off onto the floor. "'She rolls his chair back over to the computer desk, "'kicks up hers, "'and boots up her main PC again. "'The fans whir gently into life. "'She spends a whole afternoon "'making sure it doesn't sound like a jet engine, "'like all Garrett's computers. "'By the time Max joins her, "'she's looking at the desktop again. "'Which client? "'Which... "'Uh... "'AIM? "'MSN? "'ICQ? "'Oh, AIM. "'She quickly brings up the appropriate application, "'locks herself out, "'moves herself away so Max can sit in front of the keyboard. "'When he maneuvers himself into position, "'she swings her chair around behind his, "'nurses her forearms on its back, "'with her chin atop them. "'She can see the screen over his shoulder. "'It must be slow Sunday over New York. "'Browse ahead, she remembers. "'Avery's probably gonna be called for dinner "'in the Nazi distance, "'because the AIM window lights up "'almost instantly with the response. "'Maximilian. "'Avery. "'A very nice person. "'Holy shit, you got internet? "'Do you get cable? "'Is it fast? "'We're stuck on DSL, "'and it's not fucking dial-up at least, "'but I hate it. "'Website says it can't get cable again "'to repair cable bills, "'and he is ideally all... "'ideally all... "'I can't speak. "'Ideally... "'illogically opposed to paying cable bills, "'as you know. "'Anyway, so cool you're back online. "'I was dying without you to talk to. "'Max? "'Are you there? "'Maximilian. "'I'm here. "'You just type really fast. "'Chill. "'A very nice person. "'I refuse. "'One of us has to talk. "'I like her already,' "'Taylor says. "'Why does that not surprise me?' "'Max refives. "'Maximilian. "'Anyway, I don't have internet yet. "'I'm at a friend's house. "'A very nice person. "'You made a friend already? "'That rules. "'I have never seen you in front of him yet. "'At least you're in a delicate game-to-know-you phase. "'Circling the cave and grunting at each other. "'Guess that was a firm enough masculine bond "'to roast me to dead stag "'with trying to kill each other. "'I think that's how it works with boys anyway. "'Maximilian. "'When have I ever grunted? "'A very nice person. "'I think he could grunt. "'I'm not saying it wouldn't underdress, "'but I am saying it would be adorable. "'Maximilian. "'Well, Avery, you'll be happy to know "'you've already embarrassed me in front of her. "'A very nice person. "'Raffle. "'Sorry, Max's friend, if you can see this, "'but I'm about to get even worse. "'Depress. "'What's her name? "'Is she pretty? "'Is she prettier than me? "'And if she does, and if she is, "'does she like girls? "'Is she open to a long-distance relationship? "'Maximilian. "'Do you have a girlfriend, Avery? "'A very nice person. "'She doesn't know that. "'Taylor, borrow us a keyboard. "'Hi, Max's friend here. "'Avery, I'm sorry, "'but I very much do know that now. "'You blew it. "'Sorry. "'A very nice person. "'Hey, Max, your friend likes punctuation. "'Max. "'Taylor says, "'I'll have you know I have a 4.3 average. "'I love punctuation. "'A very nice person. "'Holy shit, Max, a 4.3? "'Get your wagon to Disco. "'They'll take you places. "'Taylor. "'Okay, it's me again. "'I'm doing fine. "'Thank you, Avery. "'Actually, no, it's Maximilian. "'I'm sorry. "'Okay, this one. "'No. "'Ugh. "'Don't you love these recordings? "'I'm fucking up more and more as time goes on. "'Anyway, Max types. "'Okay, it's me again. "'I'm doing fine. "'Thank you, Avery. "'I'll keep my wagon where it belongs. "'You're minutes,' Max tells Taylor. "'You've been with him this round. "'Get out of her chair. "'I'll give you two minutes,' she says. "'You want something to drink? "'We have iced tea or water or... "'Iced tea is fine. "'But do you have anything like Dr. Pepper? "'I think we might actually have Dr. Pepper. "'You won't? "'Okay. "'Be right back.' "'She sings the last words as she skips out of the room. "'She's down the stairs in a flash. "'She can't resist putting low floors into it "'as she rounds the bend of the bottom of the stairs. "'She's scared in the living room. "'It annoys him to see her spending so much excess energy "'on moving fast, like a dog. "'Yes, and there he is, "'wasting whole days away on the couch. "'As usual. "'On the way back up,' he barks her. "'Make sure you put the baggie back in my room.' "'Yes,' she says. "'Duh. "'Make sure you re-seal it. "'Obviously. "'And make sure you air out your... "'I know, Garrett.' "'Okay, Jesus, I'm just trying to help.' "'With Dr. Pepper in each hand, "'Philip pauses at the curl of the wall "'to devise a living room for the rest of the downstairs of the house. "'You're starting to get cranky, Garrett,' she says. "'Maybe you should smoke some more.' "'On the way back up the stairs,' she adds, yelling. "'And then maybe you'll get terrible cancer and die!' "'I'm your big brother, Taylor!' "'He shouts after her. "'I'm looking out for you!' "'You're a big pain in my ass!' "'She shouts back, leaning over the railing "'so her voice echoes properly. "'She swoops back into her room, "'ignoring the grumbling from downstairs. "'Then she closes the door with her butt. "'She delights the max, laughing at something on the screen. "'Philip, mostly delighted. "'It would have been nice if it had been her "'to restore his mood, not Miss Avery, though. "'But it's still good to see him laugh.' "'Stand up,' she says, placing the can in front of him. "'Diet?' he asks, opening it and taking a swig. "'I'm an athlete!' "'She opens hers, grips the cold can against his bare forearms, "'making it wince and pull away. "'And so are you!' "'Thanks, Tay,' he says, grinning at her. "'So, how she's doing?' "'Avery? She's good. "'Same as normal.' "'Same as normal.' "'She points to the screen. "'Philip swings the chair around behind again. "'She can look properly as she drinks. "'Max goes back to typing. "'A very nice person. "'It's going to be weird going back to school without you. "'I'm going to have to get a new best friend. "'Maximillian. "'At least you won't have to have the locker "'next to the one that always has fag on it anymore. "'A very nice person. "'What if I befriend a new fag?' "'Oh, shit! Am I allowed to say that?' "'Maximillian. "'No, but neither am I.' "'Taylor hides her smile behind a Dr. Pepper "'in case Max can't see it on the monitor screen. "'If we're not gay, then. "'Just checking.' "'Oh, Taylor. "'A very nice person. "'Have you seen your new school yet?' "'Maximillian. "'No, but I figure any school is like any other school, right? "'Pink-collar metal detectives, maybe. "'A very nice person.' "'Ruffled dressing. "'Rolling on the floor, sobbing my eyes out. "'Leave New York to see the sightings of sunny California. "'Violated by entirely new rental cops.' "'It's not too bad, actually,' Taylor says, "'having trained with Dr. Pepper already. "'We've got a couple security guys, but no metal detectives. "'Keep saying they're gonna beef up security, "'but so far...' "'She crosses her fingers. "'Maximillian.' "'Taylor says, no metal detectives.' "'Taylor borrows the keyboard again. "'Taylor here. "'Metal security guys have cute little name tags, "'and they get fired if they get too handsy, "'which has happened, so that's not great. "'At least they got fired.' "'A very nice person. "'Still leading the nation. "'Also, hey, Taylor. "'Max won't say if you're prettier than me. "'Taylor, just a second, Avery. "'We can solve that conundrum. "'Taylor's turned the keyboard to Max. "'We can type anything else.' "'She cleans her mouth and loads her webcam application. "'Checking. "'Low camera is still positioning on top of the monitor, "'pointing down. "''Say cheese,' she says, "'putting on a most peppy smile, "'pressing her cheek against Max's. "'In the preview, he looks adorably startled, "'and she looks great, "'so she saves the picture, "'drags it onto the A window. "'A very nice person. "'Oh, shit, she is prettier than me. "'How depressing. "'You see, it's right, Max. "'How is she prettier than me? "'Max, a million. "'Avery, you realize I'm stuck now, don't you? "'I can't say you're prettier than Taylor "'because she's right here. "'I can't say the opposite, either. "'Whatever I say, I'm doomed.' "'Uh,' Avery says, giggling. "'You say we're both beautiful. "'A very nice person. "'Repeat after me, Maxie. "'You're both pretty.' "'She makes a good point,' Taylor says. "'Max, a million. "'It's an echo in here. "'Taylor says the exact same thing. "'A very nice person. "'Well, yeah. "'All of us have talked about this as children. "'How to make boys comfortable. "'It's our main weapon in the battle of the sexes. "'That and mace. "'I have some mace,' Taylor whispers. "'If you ever need some. "'I have spare, I mean. "'Why would I need mace? "'I don't know, but just in case, "'I'll bring some over. "'I'll bring me mace, Taylor. "'Just in case.' "'Max, Ethan and Beckley are late for dinner. "'We need to shower first "'to get rid of the weed smell. "'Guest has set the table. "'He's going to be cutting it really fine. "'So he barges in through the front door at full speed. "'He'll doubt he's here. "'That he'll be down in a minute. "'That he needs a shower. "'That makes it to the stairs "'so that all of his parents get a chance to intercept him. "'And yell at him about timekeeping. "'About the watch his Aunt Gabriel got him. "'About how it keeps perfect time. "'About how he should wear it more. "'About how he knows when dinner is "'and when to get home for it. "'See? "'He doesn't even need to yell that. "'He's got the script memorized. "'He doesn't make it to his bedroom "'entirely unscathed, though. "'Clay's in his room with his door open. "'He calls out as Max passes. "'I think Max stops in the doorway, "'laying on the frame with both hands. "'Yeah?' Max says. "'Nice girl, is she?' "'Yeah.' "'Girlfriend?' "'What? "'No, no, Clay. "'We've been here a day.' "'He moved on avery pretty quick back home. "'Well, never mind. "'I need a shower.' "'Idea. "'Clay bluffs the hair in the front of his nose. "'And wash those clothes yourself.' "'Uh, yeah, I will.' "'Nice scrunchie, Max.' "'What? "'Oh, shit. "'You wearing it to dinner? "'So Mom and Dad can get a good look at it?' "'Uh, no, definitely not.' "'Okay, then.' "'Max makes his escape. "'It's annoying to have to wash his hair twice in one day. "'Wear pairs of worthy clothes, retain your weed stink. "'As much as he could try to pass it off as being from Taylor's stoner brother, "'he doesn't want to take the risk. "'Mom'd probably go over there to claim her dad's corrupting influence, "'and the shower gives him the opportunity to think too. "'About Taylor. "'He left her scrunchie scars, and something about that felt... "'Right? "'Like it demystified them somehow. "'But Taylor claimed them, and in doing so, released their hold on him just a little. "'He's not going to start going to practice, "'but maybe by bringing them so completely into his new life, "'into the new friendship, she severed the connection to his past. "'Yeah, he kinda likes that. "'He also likes that Taylor and Avery get along. "'He'll give Avery her aim, "'and for us, noting down his phone number, "'so she can get in touch with him without having to show up at his door. "'Then Avery had to go to dinner, "'which left Max and Taylor watching TV again, "'talking about everything and nothing. "'He's relaxing to be around. "'He's a lot smarter than he assumes he was. "'It was on him, making assumptions. "'A good girl can't be bubbly, and peppy, and testosterone. "'He smiles as he soaks himself up, "'has words in her voice. "'Prince Avery's simply cues at the opposite points of the feminine, female vocal range, "'but not shrill and whining like he always expects cheerleaders' voices to be. "'Wow,' he says to himself, "'try to imitate Taylor. "'Prejudice much?' "'He talks about birthdays. "'She gets one coming up. "'He is, of course, invited to her 18th on September 13th. "'He told her he had a birthday recently, "'but he didn't really celebrate it. "'She comes to Avery as usual. "'Confession. "'She's about to move down again. "'It didn't last, though. "'He had to change the subject. "'She showed him her hand-in-ear copy of the squad routine book, "'taught him through what the cheerleaders do, that gymnasts don't. "'When it was finally time for him to go home for dinner, "'it was worth the knowledge of what flyers, bases, and spotters are. "'If it were his second day in California, it could have gone a lot worse. "'It's weird that Taylor hasn't mentioned her boyfriend. "'Good one.' "'He's so dumb. "'So adorably annoying dumb. "'He wants to do gymnastics. "'He's desperate to get back to it. "'She could see it anyway. "'He humbly watched the cheer routine she played for him, "'and in the rapt attention he paid when she was showing him the cheer book, "'but he won't do anything about it. "'And okay, "'vis-à-primavera high doesn't have a gymnastics team, "'so he can't do it at school, "'but he can take classes or something. "'He can do it on his own time. "'But no, "'instead he's just going to keep all the gymnastics in the backyard, "'or in hers, "'and leave it at that. "'He's also not dumb, "'that's why. "'He doesn't want to be the gym F-A-G at another school. "'He wants to keep his head down, "'and graduate, "'and go to college. "'But eventually, "'when done said, "'he'll become more like his brother, "'because he will. "'Taylor's wishful thinking notwithstanding. "'He'll either have to learn everything again from scratch, "'and never be, "'never again be as good as he was, "'or he'll be a bit of a pervert. "'He has an itching at the end of his tongue in the afternoon. "'Join the squad. "'He wanted so much to say it. "'He'd be amazing. "'He's better than her at the technical stuff. "'If she's fitter, "'he can last longer. "'The other stuff, "'the peer-specific stuff, "'he could teach him, "'no trouble. "'Eddie could teach him the boys' role in the squad, "'and he'd make them better in turn, "'to learn so much from each other. "'But they didn't say it, "'because she can't. "'He's the wrong size, "'and shape. "'Routines, "'the very squad, "'assume a certain size and shape of a boy. "'Eddie is six-foot-one. "'The other boys in the squad are similar. "'There's no role for Max there. "'And while, in theory, "'he could take up the same role as one of the girl bases, "'or even be a fly if he starts working on his core again, "'since he can already land like a champ, "'he'd never agree to it. "'Being a boy doing tough stuff on the cheer squad "'is probably much worse than being a gym F.A.T. "'Shoot! "'It'd be so close to the solution that helps them both, "'but there's no way she can make it work. "'Taylor shakes her head and jumps up from her bed. "'It's called for take-outs "'for a guaranteed chance to order the greasiest "'and most disgusting food you can find "'in the big pile menus in the kitchen. "'On her way past the computer desk, "'she picks up her and Max. "'Once she tucks their webcam in, "'Sister Avery catches her eye. "'It makes her smile, "'warms her stomach, "'because they look like such good friends already. "'What's weird is that "'with the low resolution of the webcam, "'with the fat pixels obscuring the final details of his face, "'with the angle the picture was taken from, "'he looks kinda like a girl. "'He looks kinda like a pretty girl.' "'Taylor stares. "'Like a really pretty... "'Taylor!' "'Garrett calls from downstairs. "'I'm ordering food!' "'Shoot!' "'She shakes her head and runs to the door. "'Oh no you don't!' "'She yells. "'It's also on the stairs. "'Flex your fingers. "'Prepare to rip the phone "'right off its stupid stoner hands "'and kick him if that doesn't seem like enough.' "'Monday goes by quickly. "'Max showers, "'dresses in loose clothes and can move in. "'Goes over to Taylor's. "'They exercise together. "'Taylor shows them all for cheerleader moves. "'Tries to give him an idea of how they work "'with more than one person in them, "'but it's difficult to imagine. "'She says she'll get her friend Willow over "'because she's on the squad. "'She can help Taylor show him if he's interested. "'He says he's fine, just imagining for now. "'Back upstairs to chat and watch TV. "'She will take him shopping one day, she says, "'but she's going to give him more time to get acclimated "'before she subjects him to the malls here. "'They hang out. "'They talk to Avery a little together. "'Taylor still doesn't mention that she has a boyfriend. "'He's been noticing more and more "'how she doesn't talk about him. "'Then it's dinner time and he's got to go home. "'And just when he's getting excited "'to start doing it all over again tomorrow "'and reveling in the feeling of actually looking forward "'to something for once, "'his mom drops the bombshell on Tuesday. "'They're having a family day. "'They're going to go out together "'and look around the stores, "'have a nice lunch somewhere, "'seem to get a sunscreen, some nice clothes, "'be ready to go out at nine in the morning sharp. "'As Taylor would say, "'Ick!' "'He's got the cable TV "'and internet connected while he was out, "'so after dinner he sets up his aging computer "'and messes Taylor's name "'to tell her he can't come over tomorrow. "'She's sad and annoyed "'that it's not going to be her who introduced him "'to shopping here. "'But she gets over it "'and they end up talking well into the night. "'Eck! "'He can't come over today. "'His parents want a family day. "'Basically means they've kidnapped him "'and his enormous brother. "'They're going to drive all over town "'and go shopping and eat out. "'And because they're from New York, "'they're probably going to die of heat stroke "'on the steps of the Springfield Mall, "'twenty feet away from safety and air conditioning. "'And I'm bored, Willa!' "'Whoa! "'Okay. "'Take it easy, Tay. "'Start again. "'Who is Max?' "'Taylor runs the phone cord "'around her little finger. "'He's his boy.' "'No, no, I understand that part. "'I mean, why are you so into him?' "'I'm not into him. "'He's just... "'He's nice, Willa. "'He's a nice boy. "'Do you know any nice boys? "'Apart from Eddie, I mean.' "'Apart from Eddie? "'No, I know plenty of only "'mildly off-putting boys. "'Does that help?' "'It extremely does not.' "'Says,' Willa says. "'Willa, he's super sweet, "'and you have to meet him. "'So what I was thinking is "'he had his 18th like a week ago, "'just over, "'and he didn't even do anything for it. "'I thought about a surprise party. "'You know how much I love surprises, "'but he's kind of dumb, Tay. "'So then I thought, "'what about us, like the four of us, "'you and Eddie and me and Max, "'tomorrow night, over here, "'so he can get us drinks "'and we'll have a little "'birthday party for Max?' "'Uh-huh.' "'What do you mean, uh-huh?' "'Me and my boyfriend and you and... "'Me and Max, yes. "'You have a boyfriend, Taylor, "'you have a bordo, big guy, "'linebacker, a straight nose, "'over the line, Willa giggles, "'a very straight guy in general. "'Max isn't like that.' "'Didn't you say he's not gay?' "'He's not. He said so. "'But I don't think he's, you know, "'a boyfriend kind of guy. "'He's just kind of... "'He's Max, Willa. Max. "'He's not saying his name "'like you think it's helping your case. "'Is it?' "'You're lusting, Tay.' "'Am not.' "'Does he know he's got no chance?' "'No.' "'Yes.' "'Maybe. "'But I don't want that from him, Willa. "'I want a friend. "'I want to be more like how you are with me. "'Not like how bordo is with me, I think. "'Stop asking confusing questions.' "'Fine.' "'Fine.' "'I'll come to your party, Tay. "'I'll wear something nice. "'I'll bring Eddie. "'I'll meet your new best friend. "'We can do the birthday thing. "'Just promise me it won't be weird. "'Zero weirdness, I promise, Willa. "'You're the best.' "'I know, and... "'Oh, shoot, doorbell. "'Gotta go.' She could probably have made it to the front door without having to hang up, because the kitchen's gone, it's a really long corridor. But she kept Willa on the line, she's going to keep having to answer those uncomfortable questions. That's not something Taylor wants to address right now. Because she's on the fourth day of her friendship with Max, she still doesn't know exactly what she wants from him, only that she wants something. Specifically not what she wants from bordo. She's still frowning at the start of it, then the doorbell goes again, reminding her why she hung up in the first place. Eventually, she rushes to the door, and then gets open. "'Oh, shoot. "'Bordo!' "'Hey, babe.' He yanks her into embrace, she has no chance of getting out of, but she wants to get violent, so she waits for him to get done before she says anything else. She plans to kiss on her mouth as he releases her, so she has to wait that out, too. "'What are you doing here?' She asks when she can. "'I thought football camp was—' "'It's not football camp, Tay, I keep telling you.'" He starts taking the stairs, two at a time, Taylor has to admit that for all that he can be, well, annoying and persistent, he has a great body, and it's a reactive body, too. He moves a muscle in his arm, it's like a butterfly flapping its wings. Somewhere on the other end of his body, another muscle moves with it. It's an intensive, week-long training regimen, overseen by— "'If it's so intensive,' she says, Clem just stares at him. "'Then why are you here?' "'I missed you, Tay.'" She can't read her name, but she rings open the door to her room. She follows him inside, allows him to shut the door, and when he sits down at the end of her bed, she chooses one of the commuter chairs, rolling it into the center of the room. "'No, seriously,' she says, "'why are you here?' "'Coach gave us the afternoon off, "'it's only 60 miles, "'I wanted to surprise you, Tay.'" She reaches forward to scratch him on the knee, "'Gordo, you know I hate surprises.'" "'I know, I know,' he says, "'you like everything to be organized in its place.'" He mimes typing on an invisible typewriter, "'Depends how Gordo thinks you organize yourself. "'But you're not doing anything today, are you?' "'No,' she admits. "'So?' "'Fine,' she says, stepping up from her chair, over to him. "'Rises to meet her, "'looks all around her waist and boobs her, "'and the shiver that involuntarily passes through her "'isn't entirely unwelcome. "'Not that when she comes up flushed, "'she's ready for more, "'but she has to set the ground rules first. "'But no sex stuff. "'She holds her finger up to his face, "'which is tricky because of how close he's holding her. "'Okay?' He kisses her again and releases her. "'Yeah, Tay, I got it. "'I can wait a month. "'Hey, you wanna go out on your birthday, "'just the two of us and celebrate?' "'I have a party on my birthday, Gordo. "'You know that.' "'Okay, day after.' "'That's a Sunday, and we have school the next day. "'We'll do something the Friday after, okay?' "'Gordo nods, grinning expansively. "'Perfect, Tay, just perfect. "'I can't wait, I mean, I can wait. "'And I will wait, but I can't. "'Understood, Gordo?' "'And, hey, what's this?' "'What's what?' "'That's when Taylor realizes "'she should have been so much more careful, "'shouldn't have let Gordo come up here, "'that she had more chance of stopping him, "'and maybe she should start trying to stay "'in Bruce's organization and forward planning "'she uses for school cheerleading "'and Gordo's rest of her personal life. "'Then he's over at the door, "'looking at the latest addition "'to the height marks carved into the frame. "'Tay,' he says. "'Who's Max? "'Is he a guy? "'Did you have another guy in your room?' "'Strangely, he doesn't sound mad. "'At least, he doesn't sound like "'he usually sounds when he's mad. "'His voice is too steady. "'Somehow, it's even scarier. "'No guys, Gordo,' she says quickly, "'because it's what he needs to hear. "'Promise!' "'So, who is he?' "'Looking quickly around her room for inspiration, "'Taylor's eyes flinch briefly on the computer, "'remembers the weapons she took, "'has a low quality, basically, "'wispy, dark hairs on Max's face, "'insulted features, made him look different, "'made him look... "'Max is a girl!' "'She says. "'Maxine! "'She's a friend, and she was visiting. "'We were just messing around!' "'I don't know, Maxine,' "'Gordo says, still frowning. "'Taylor quickly reaches for some facts "'she can use to anchor the lie. "'He just moved here. "'She's talking about school in the fall. "'She's nice, Gordo.' "'School,' he says. "'He says, nodding. "'School.' "'And then his grin returns, "'as if it had never left. "'Is she hot?' "'Yes,' Taylor says. "'She's hot, but you're aching, you idiot!' "'He holds up his hand to fake surrender, "'inches around the room, "'seems to walk away from her. "'I did it! I did it! "'Don't attack me!' "'Gordo, still backing away, "'he bumps into the computer desk, "'knocking him out, "'deactivating his screensaver, "'and Taylor wishes desperately for a do-over "'the last few days, "'or at the very least, "'the last few minutes. "'She left a webcam picture up on the screen. "'She had it up last night "'when they were talking. "'She never turned it off, "'her stupid computer, "'because she was too tired. "'She couldn't even hear it "'when she woke up. "'She held on, quiet. "'And Gordo's looking at Max, and... "'Oh, hey,' he says. "'Is that Maxine? "'She is hot!' And that concludes Chapter 3 of Unsettled Cheerleader Story. I hope you enjoy. Sorry for the stuttering and pauses and not my best recording effort, but you know what? Next time I'll do better. Hope you enjoy.