Backlash

Sure enough, by the time I finish my homework, Christian already has 150 friends. That’s when I figure it’s safe for him to send the friend request to Lara.

KELLEY, LARA.

It’s there. My name. On the list of girls who’ve made the cheerleading squad.

I’m on the team. I’m part of the group. It’s official. I’m not Lardo anymore.

I read it again to make sure I’m not seeing things and then let out a shriek of excitement.

“I can’t believe it! I made it!”

“Awesome! I had a feeling you would,” says Ashley.

I can’t believe she’s talking to me. Smiling at me.

“Welcome to the team,” she says.

Being friendly to me. This wouldn’t have happened two years ago. Maybe not even one year ago. But it’s happening now, and I almost have to pinch myself to believe it’s real. That it’s happening to me, Lara Kelley.

“I’m so excited,” I tell her. “But also kind of nervous, to tell you the truth,” I confess.

“Don’t worry,” Ashley says. “Everyone’s nervous at first. You’ll do great.”

She gives me a hug, and for the first time in years it feels like I’m a part of something special. I wish I could take this moment and put it in a bottle to save in my memory box so I can remember it whenever I start feeling like Lardo again.

I smile my thanks back at her.

“Hey, are you busy on Saturday?” Ashley asks. “A few of us are going to the mall.”

“Yes!” I exclaim. And then I realize that came out wrong. “I mean, no, I’m not busy, and yes, I’d love to come.”

We both laugh, and as we do, I glance over and see Bree giving me a death glare. Like, seriously, if looks could kill, I’d be pushing up daisies. I try to ignore her, but I can’t help wondering why she’s mad at me. Then I see her turn and stomp off down the hallway, looking at her phone.

“What’s up with Bree Co

“Oh, she’s probably pissed she didn’t make the team,” Ashley says.

“Wait … she didn’t?”

I’m genuinely surprised. I’d have thought Bree would have made it before I did. She was on JV and has been doing cheerleading way longer than me.

“Nope,” Ashley says. “She’s pretty good technically, but Coach said she didn’t have a great attitude in JV. Like she was going through the motions instead of really putting her heart into it, and it showed.”

“Oh … I just …”

“Don’t let her bother you,” Ashley advises me. “Haters go

Ha! Don’t I know it … But for once, I’m on the inside, not on the outside, being hated on. And I’m loving the way it feels.

“Yeah. I guess so,” I say. “Well, I better run, or I’ll miss the bus.”

“I’ll Facebook you my cell,” Ashley calls down the hall after me. “So we can make plans for Saturday.”

Bree is sitting in the back of the bus, and she gives me another killer glare when I get on before turning her face away and pretending I don’t exist.

I get that she’s pissed she didn’t make the team, but what I don’t understand is why she’s so mad at me. It’s not like I’m the only one who made the team when she didn’t.

Besides, Bree of all people knows how hard things have been for me. I know we aren’t such good friends anymore — well, hardly friends at all anymore, if I’m honest — but that’s not my fault. She’s the one who dumped me, not the other way around. Still, you’d think even if she can’t bring herself to be happy for me, she could at least not be mad that my life is finally taking a turn for the better.

Whatever. Like Ashley said, “Haters go

I get most of my homework done and then go on Facebook. I make my status OMG!!!! I’m A CHEERLEADER!!!!! : ) Then I wonder if it’s too dorky and if I should delete it. But it gets three likes pretty much right away, so I leave it.

Dad brings home takeout from my favorite Chinese restaurant to celebrate me making the squad, although Mom makes a point of measuring my portions, because she wants “to make sure you don’t put the weight back on if you’re going to be wearing those short cheerleading skirts.”

Like I wasn’t already worried about how I was going to look in them.

“So does this mean you’ll get takeout when I get a lead part in the eighth-grade musical?” Syd asks.

“If you get a lead,” I say.

Syd ignores me.

“Well, does it?” she asks Dad again.

“I will buy takeout to celebrate my little Drama Queen, too,” Dad says, smiling at her.

“Good. Because Maddie and Cara and me are already pla

“Maddie, Cara, and I,” Mom corrects her. At least it’s not just me she’s nitpicking tonight.

Syd gives an Oscar-worthy sigh of irritation.

“Maddie, Cara, and I,” she repeats, in what I have to admit is a spot-on imitation of Mom. Maybe she might get a lead after all. “And when I do get a lead, we are not having Chinese. We’re going to have yummy Italian from La Dolce No

“Well, let’s celebrate Lara’s good news while we eat her choice tonight,” Dad says.

“Then she’ll celebrate your good news while she eats your choice when the time comes,” Mom adds.

IF the time comes, I think again but don’t say.

Right before I go upstairs after di

Still, if my parents find out I’ve friended someone I don’t know, it’s a grounding offense. Like I said, total freaks. That’s why I’m not allowed my own laptop, and Syd and I have to share this computer in the living room, which is so a