Chapter thirty-seven

Chapter 37 – Celebrations

Tuesday brought another wave of announcements—this time, the cheerleading squad results. By lunch, word had already spread across the school like wildfire. Savannah burst into the cafeteria with a grin so wide it could light up the whole place.

"I made it!" she shouted, skipping toward the table where Ryan and Ben were already sitting.

Ben looked up, mouth half-full with a bite of his sandwich. "Wait, you serious?"

Savannah beamed. "Check the list if you don't believe me."

"I saw it too," Anna said, stepping in behind her, more composed but no less proud. "We both made it."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "That was fast."

Savannah leaned dramatically over the table. "We're just that good."

Ben nudged Ryan. "Guess it's a day for the underdogs."

"Or the future champions," Savannah added, flipping her hair.

Anna laughed softly. "It's weird... I thought I'd be more nervous about the results. But now it just feels right."

Ben leaned back in his chair. "You guys wanna celebrate? I mean, we all made it. Feels like that deserves something."

Savannah's eyes lit up. "Yes! Pizza, ice cream, something greasy and totally not cafeteria food."

"I'm down," Anna said, glancing at Ryan.

Ryan shrugged, pretending to think it over. "Fine. But I'm not eating pineapple pizza."

Ben clapped his hands. "Deal breaker. No pineapple."

Savannah smirked. "You guys are no fun."

That afternoon, the four of them met outside the school and walked to a cozy little diner on the edge of town, one of the few spots that had become a go-to for students in Rosehill. It had red booths, neon lights that buzzed faintly, and a jukebox that only played songs from the early 2000s.

They grabbed a corner booth, squeezing in as the waitress handed them menus with a warm smile.

"This feels like a movie," Savannah said, eyes scanning the diner. "Cheerleaders, basketball players, greasy food. Next thing you know, someone starts a musical number."

Ben laughed. "If you break into song, I'm walking out."

Anna sat across from Ryan, resting her chin on her hand. "I'm glad we're doing this. Feels nice to just...be."

Ryan met her gaze briefly. "Yeah. Not bad."

The food came quick—burgers, fries, milkshakes in silver cups—and conversation flowed as easily as the laughter. They talked about school, the tryouts, what practices might be like, and all the weird things teachers said in class.

Ben grinned as he wiped ketchup off his face. "Coach seems like the type who's gonna run us into the ground, though. I bet he makes us do drills until we cry."

"Crying builds character," Anna teased.

"Spoken like a true cheerleader," Ryan replied, sipping his soda.

Savannah leaned closer. "We should all go to the first game together—even if we're just on the bench or sidelines. Show some unity."

Ryan nodded. "Agreed. It's a start."

The jukebox started playing a slow acoustic song, and for a moment, the booth quieted. Anna looked at the others and smiled. "Do you ever get the feeling this year might actually be... different?"

Savannah reached for a fry. "Different how?"

Anna shrugged. "I don't know. Like, the kind of year that stays with you. For good reasons."

Ben nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. I was just thinking that."

Ryan looked out the window as the sun began to dip behind the trees of Rosehill. The light hit the side of the diner just right, casting warm glows across their table. He didn't say anything—but deep down, even he could feel it.

This wasn't just about basketball or cheerleading.

It was the beginning of something.