following Bobbi, moving very close to her.
Bobbi felt herself losing her temper. What right did Kimmy have to do this to her? She was only trying to embarrass Bobbi in front of the other cheerleaders.She was only trying to turn the girls against Bobbi even more.
â Youâre the one who made the mistake,â Bobbi blurted out. âYouâre forgetting one little detail, KimmyâI didnât ask Chip out. He asked me! â
Kimmyâs eyes grew wide. Then, uttering a cry of anger, she lunged at Bobbi, grabbing the sides of her hair with both hands, pulling hard.
Startled, Bobbi gasped. She tried to duck out of Kimmyâs hold. But Kimmy had a firm grasp on her hair. Bobbi yelped in pain and struggled to pull Kimmyâs hands off.
Suddenly a voice was calling, âStop! Girlsâstop! Please! â
And Jennifer wheeled her chair right between the two combatants. âStop itâplease! Kimmy! Bobbi!â
Both girls stumbled backward. Surprised to see Jennifer appear out of nowhere, they hesitated, panting noisily.
Bobbiâs head throbbed. She raised a hand and tried to smooth her hair.
âGirlsâwhat is going on?â Miss Green came trotting out of her office, a look of alarm on her face. âI was on the phone and when I looked upââ
âItâs okay,â Jennifer told her, backing her wheelchair up, her eyes on Bobbi. âA slight disagreement.â
âGood Lord!â Miss Green cried, staring first at Bobbi, then at Kimmy, who had bent down to pick the silver megaphone pendant up off the floor.
Embarrassed and upset, Bobbi stared at the bleachers at the other end of the gym. Taking in big gulps of air, she struggled to catch her breath. Her throat felt as dry as cotton.
Kimmy fiddled with the clasp of the pendant chain, her hands shaking visibly. Her face was crimson, and a damp clump of her hair had fallen over one eye.
âI think you two had better apologize to each other right now,â Miss Green said sternly, talking to them as if they were four-year-olds.
Neither girl replied.
Jennifer backed her wheelchair out of the way.
Kimmy fastened the megaphone pendant around her neck, glaring at Bobbi as she did it.
âThis is very bad timing,â Miss Green said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. âEspecially since you two have to work together so closely on the new routine.â
The new routine.
Bobbi had forgotten they were going to work on the new routine. She sighed. The new routine was long and difficult. And it ended with Kimmy doing a pike, diving off Corkyâs shouldersâand being caught by Bobbi!
âMaybe we should practice something easier today,â Bobbi muttered glumly.
âWeâre not practicing anything until you and Kimmy apologize to each other for acting like spoiled babies,â Miss Green said, frowning.
Bobbi glanced past Miss Green at the other girls. Corky was making funny faces at her. Helpful. Very helpful.
The other girls all looked terribly uncomfortable. Debra and Ronnie had gone back to practicing their splits. They were pretending that the little drama wasnât taking place.
âThereâs nothing to apologize about,â Kimmy said defiantly.
Nothing to apologize about? Bobbi thought, rolling her eyes. She attacked me!
âWell, if you really feel that way,â Miss Green said angrily, her arms still crossed, âIâll have no choice but to suspend both of you from the squad.â
A few of the girls gasped. Ronnie and Debra stopped their exercises.
âWell . . .â Kimmy said slowly, avoiding Bobbiâs eyes.
âIâm willing to apologize,â Bobbi said softly. Even though this is entirely Kimmyâs fault, she added to herself.
âI guess I am too,â Kimmy said grudgingly, her blue eyes flashing.
âI should hope so,â the advisor said, lowering her arms. âAfter all, this is a cheerleading
Doug Beason Kevin J Anderson