Chapter 189 - Back on the Mat
Roxie returned to school the next morning.
Coach Miller had told the attendance office that she had a family matter. He had also warned the cheer team that she might miss several practices.
Roxie entered the gym before anyone could decide she needed more time.
Coach Miller stood near the sound system with his clipboard tucked beneath one arm. His eyes found her immediately.
"You’re here."
"I said I would be."
"I remember."
He looked like he wanted to continue.
Roxie walked toward the locker room before he could.
Karen and Angela were already changing.
Angela stopped pulling her practice shirt over her head when she saw Roxie.
"You came back."
Roxie placed her bag on the bench. "That’s usually how school works."
Angela lowered her shirt. "Coach said you had a family matter."
"It’s handled."
The lie came out too quickly.
Angela watched her for a moment.
Roxie opened her locker and started changing.
Karen finished tying her ponytail, then walked over.
She looked at Roxie’s face without asking anything.
Her hand settled briefly against Roxie’s shoulder.
Karen gave one small nod.
Roxie nodded back.
Karen removed her hand and returned to her locker.
Angela stepped closer.
"You can tell us when you’re ready."
Roxie pulled her practice shirt down. "There’s nothing to tell."
Angela’s expression stayed soft.
"Okay."
She accepted the answer without believing it.
Roxie appreciated that.
Coach Miller blew his whistle from the gym.
Karen grabbed her water bottle. "He gave us seven days off, then spent the next week punishing us for enjoying them."
"Maybe he missed you," Roxie said.
"He has a strange way of showing affection. I like it."
Angela followed them out. "You complained when he gave us the break too."
"I like consistency."
The familiar argument helped.
Roxie walked between them onto the mat and held on to the sound of their voices.
Coach Miller called the team together.
The girls gathered around him.
He waited until the talking stopped.
"State is at VCU," he said. "Every team there qualified because they can hit under pressure. Placing third at regionals got us through the door. It will carry us no farther."
He shifted the clipboard beneath his arm.
"Our transitions need to be cleaner. Our timing needs to match from the first count to the last. We also need more difficulty, but increased difficulty means nothing if we lose control."
His attention moved toward the flyers.
"Several heel stretches were unstable yesterday. I saw supporting legs bend, hips open, and arms move while bases tried to correct underneath you."
One of the younger flyers shifted.
"A heel stretch needs to hit and stay there. Adding a transition to an unstable stunt only gives you another place to fall."
Roxie looked down at the mat.
Coach Miller had addressed every flyer.
She still felt responsible.
She was captain.
She had missed two practices and returned expecting herself to know everything the team had changed.
"Groups," Coach Miller called. "Second stunt sequence."
Roxie moved into position with Karen, Angela, and Kendall.
Kendall stood at the front.
Karen and Angela set beneath Roxie.
"Ready?" Angela asked.
Roxie nodded.
They loaded in.
Roxie rose into the extension, locked her supporting leg, and pulled her other foot into the heel stretch.
The first count held.
Her ankle shifted on the second.
Karen adjusted beneath her foot.
"Center," Kendall called.
Roxie pulled higher.
Her hip opened slightly.
Coach Miller’s whistle cut through the music.
"Down."
Karen and Angela lowered her.
Roxie landed and stepped away before anyone could steady her.
Coach Miller crossed the mat.
"You moved as soon as you hit the position."
"I felt it."
"Then correct it."
Roxie’s face warmed.
Coach Miller looked toward the rest of the flyers.
"This applies to everyone. Height comes after control. I would rather see a lower position that holds than a high one your bases have to rescue."
He stepped back.
"Again."
Roxie returned to Karen and Angela.
They built the stunt again.
Her supporting leg stayed straighter this time.
The group dismounted.
Coach Miller called for the routine from the transition before the stunt.
The music started.
Roxie moved through the first eight count.
She turned on seven instead of eight.
Kendall stopped.
"Eight."
Roxie continued into the next position.
"You moved early," Kendall said.
"I heard you."
"We need to reset."
Roxie exhaled sharply and returned to her mark.
The music started again.
She moved on the correct count, but her arm reached its position late.
"Your arm is behind," Kendall said.
"I know."
"If you know, fix it."
Roxie looked at her. "I’m trying."
"So is everyone else."
Roxie stepped closer. "Then worry about yourself."
Kendall’s face tightened.
"It’s not only you. There are three people underneath you every time you go up. When you miss, the whole group adjusts."
"I know how a stunt works."
"You aren’t acting like it."
Roxie’s jaw tightened.
Kendall looked ready to continue.
Then she studied Roxie’s face.
Her shoulders lowered slightly.
"You moved on seven," she said more quietly. "That’s all."
Roxie looked away.
Coach Miller blew his whistle from across the mat.
"Is that group ready?"
"Yes," Kendall answered.
Roxie returned to her mark.
The music restarted.
She hit the turn on eight.
They loaded into the stunt.
Roxie rose and pulled the heel stretch.
Karen’s hands remained steady beneath her foot.
Angela held her ankle.
Kendall stood in front, watching Roxie’s position.
"Lift your chin."
Roxie raised it.
"Your arm is too far forward."
Kendall reached up.
Her hand moved toward Roxie’s face.
Claire’s palm flashed across the park.
The slap.
Claire calling Roxie’s name after she walked away.
Roxie jerked back.
Her supporting foot shifted inside Karen and Angela’s hands.
Karen stepped forward.
Angela tightened her grip.
Kendall caught Roxie’s shin before the stunt tilted farther.
"Down," Karen called.
They lowered Roxie quickly.
Her feet struck the mat harder than they should have.
Coach Miller’s whistle sounded.
"What happened?"
"I lost my balance."
Karen stared at her. "You pulled away."
"My foot moved."
"Kendall barely touched you."
"I said I lost my balance."
Her heart beat too quickly.
Roxie rubbed both palms against her leggings.
Coach Miller watched her.
"Take five."
"I’m fine."
"That wasn’t a question."
Roxie walked toward her water bottle.
Angela followed but left several feet between them.
Roxie drank without looking at her.
"You scared me," Angela said softly.
"I slipped."
Angela sat beside her.
Roxie twisted the cap back onto the bottle.
"I’m fine."
"You keep saying that."
"Because everyone keeps looking at me."
Angela lowered her eyes to the mat.
"I can sit here without looking."
Roxie glanced at her.
Angela faced the stunt groups and stayed quiet.
That was better than another question.
After several minutes, Roxie stood.
"My break is over."
Coach Miller watched her return.
He allowed her to rejoin the group.
Practice continued.
They repeated the sequence until Roxie’s counts stopped slipping. Her final heel stretch held, though her leg shook before the dismount.
Coach Miller called the last correction, then ended practice.
The team began collecting bags and water bottles.
Kendall lifted her bag from the floor and stopped beside Roxie.
"Your last heel stretch held, but it still wasn’t stable. Ava can take the position until you catch up."
Roxie faced her. "I can do it."
"Then prove it tomorrow. We’re running out of time."
Kendall walked toward the locker room.
Roxie waited until the gym emptied.
Then she returned to her position on the mat.
"Five, six, seven, eight."
Turn.
Step.
Arm.
She reset.
"Five, six, seven, eight."
Her arm came up late.
She started again.
Coach Miller came out of his office.
"Practice ended."
"I know."
Roxie returned to her mark.
"Five, six, seven, eight."
She hit the turn correctly.
She repeated it.
"Roxie."
"I need to fix it."
"You missed a count."
"I missed more than one."
"You were gone."
"For two practices."
"You still missed them."
"I’m captain."
Coach Miller walked onto the mat.
Roxie started again.
He stepped into her path.
She stopped before walking into him.
"The routine will still be here tomorrow."
"I need to fix it."
"I need my captain tomorrow. Right now, I need you to stop."
Roxie’s fingers curled against her palms.
Coach Miller picked up her jacket from the bench and held it out.
"Tomorrow."
Roxie stared at him.
Then she took the jacket.
Zac waited just inside the cemetery gate, behind the old stone wall, instead of their usual place beside Margaret’s tomb.
He stood with both hands inside the pocket of his hoodie.
Relief moved through Roxie as soon as she saw him.
His eyes found hers.
He straightened.
"No Margaret today?" she asked.
"She mentioned a lover coming to visit, so here I am."
Despite herself, Roxie almost smiled.
Zac took her bag.
"How bad was practice?"
"Bad."
The honest answer surprised both of them.
"What happened?"
"I missed counts. My stunt almost fell."
His hand tightened around the strap of her bag.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Was coming back today smart?"
The relief inside her disappeared.
Roxie stopped walking.
"There it is."
"What?"
"You deciding I made the wrong choice."
"I asked whether it was smart."
"That means you think it wasn’t."
"You almost fell."
"I didn’t."
"That isn’t the point."
"Then what is?"
"You haven’t slept. You barely ate before yesterday. You’re trying to act like everything is normal."
"I wanted to practice."
"I know."
"You sound like Coach Miller."
"He might be right."
"Then spend the evening with him."
Zac stared at her.
"He’s too controlling."
"So are you."
"I’m worried."
"I’m tired of people worrying at me. Please..." Roxie looked away. "Please," she said. "Just act normal."
Zac watched her for a moment.
Then he adjusted her bag on his shoulder and started walking.
"Did Kendall insult you yet?"
Roxie released a breath and followed him.
"She threatened to replace me."
"Want me to slash her tires?"
"She also corrected my heel stretch."
"I can slash all four. I’m generous."
Roxie looked at him. "You’re terrible at normal."
"I’m trying."
He walked beside her through the cemetery, carrying her bag as they headed toward the bungalow.