Marilyn’s Saturday was filled. Cheerleader practice followed by an 8-hour theater shift. Her morning cup of tea with Alice was her only downtime.

It’d be nicer if Alice was awake for it.

The cheerleader had to be out the door in a few minutes. Alice hadn’t come out of, what would essentially be her room Monday, Star’s room. The least Marilyn could do was knock.

“Hey Mustang, you alive in there?”

The door swung open. The mess Jiji had cleaned up was back. In canned form.

The mini fridge was open with sodas everywhere. The bed hadn’t been made. Neither was Alice’s hair. Both the sheets and her pajamas had root beer stains.

The only thing perfectly clean in that room was Alice’s laptop. With 20 tabs open and a video on werewolves playing. The fans were begging for mercy.

Concerned, “You, uh, all good mustang? Get much sleep?”

Flatly, “I don’t need sleep. I need answers.”

Marilyn shimmied around Alice to get in. Stepped over the cans. And closed the computer.

She didn’t check any of the other tabs. She didn’t ask why Nick’s stats were bookmarked. In fact, Marilyn closed that tab before putting the laptop to sleep. Instead, Marilyn got out of her phone.

“Sorry, love, but you need a break.”

Poof! Jiji’s glittery entrance jump scared the sleep-deprived Alice. It mildly amused Marilyn.

“That was fast,” Marilyn put her phone away.

Jiji stood above the women. Elevated by a gold stage where the bed used to be. Flashing light bulbs all the way around.

Her gold suit, pink tie and blue dress shoes pulled the ladies’ attention over the magic. Marilyn especially loved how it highlighted Jiji’s hourglass figure.

“Marilyn Kamkin! Alice Higu-holy hell! Did you get any sleep last night?!”

“I do not look that bad,” Alice argued.

Marilyn patted Alice’s head. Trying to smooth out her hair.

“You do. You look like,”

“Like what?” Alice interrupted.

Knowing full well she’d lose a word battle with Alice, “So, short-stack. What with the stage?”

Jiji pulled two large envelopes from her small sleeves, “My aunts would like to schedule dinner! Our inaugural plan is next Sunday. Do you two lovely ladies accept?”

They took their golden invitations. Alice had nothing on Sundays. Marilyn just had to schedule that day off from work.

“Sure,” Alice calmly accepted. “As long as I don’t have to dress up.”

Marilyn jumped on stage. Twirling Jiji and her long ponytail. Leading her in a short ballroom dance.

Dramatically, “Why of course I accept! My beautiful babe! I wouldn’t dream of missing this dinner for the world!”

Jiji matched Marilyn’s theatrics, “Why thank you! My magnificent maiden! I hope to see you both there!”

Alice grabbed another soda. She didn’t need to see Marilyn giving her girlfriend a hickey. Or so she thought.

Marilyn’s little whispers couldn’t be understood. Jiji’s eyes shifted to Alice. Alice awaited to be told why they were suddenly smiling at her.

“I don’t dance.”

“Oh, she’s not taking you dancing,” Marilyn confirmed. She gave Jiji a quick kiss goodbye, “Show her a good time.”

“You know I will.”

“What’re you two goons up to?” Alice asked.

Marilyn headed out, “When I get back, Jiji’s all mine. Have fun!”

-Starlight University-

Marilyn had no idea what else she was expecting. For their coach to do more than the bare minimum. For Lana to act like an adult for once.

Her wishful thinking crashed into a 10 car pile up.

Practice took place inside the Comet Stadium. Despite being on a basketball court, away from the rain, the coach wore a scarf. Extra dark sunglasses for the stadium lights. She rubbed her ears every time the girls cheered. Barely raising her voice for instructions.

Lana just refused to be the captain. When she needed to take a position in the front, she stayed put. Forcing Marilyn to lead everyone.

Her ‘kicks’ were closer to ankle rolls. Her cartwheel was so slow, the girl next to her had to hand-stand. Otherwise, crash and deal with a tantrum.

All she had to do was take a pose at the end of the routine. That was still too much to ask. It was too much for most of the team as well.

“Lana,” Megan, the shortest girl on the team called, “Either pull the stick out of your ass, or go home.”

Lana showed her mature side. Responding calmly and firmly.

“At least I have an ass.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Lana pointed to the two men on the team, “It means, I think we have 3 dicks on the team!”

Marilyn got just as angry as Megan did. Those words slipped under her skin. They boiled her blood.

The difference between the two women were their reactions. Marilyn took a second to breathe deeply. To exhale her rage.

Needless to say, Megan did not take that comment kindly. She took her earrings out. Cracked her knuckles. Then got ready to kill Lana.

“Hold on a second,” Marilyn said.

“No! I’m done with her!”

Megan put her hands up. So crazed that she forgot to put her pom poms down. Luckily, she didn’t need to. Marilyn held her back by holding her off the ground. Using her height advantage to keep Megan from going to jail.

Lana egged her on. Flipping Megan off. Insulting her square jaw. Squaring up, knowing Megan couldn’t break past Marilyn.

The others, who weren’t trying to calm Megan, yelled at Lana. Their insults and criticism were lost in the shouting. The ones that made it through, fell on deaf ears.

Marilyn called for the coach. Who was in the middle of beating a high score. The coach’s groan was more over putting her phone away than her team’s fighting.

“Fine, I’m coming,” the coach said, walking over with the speed of a tow truck.

By the time the authority figure showed some authority, Lana & Megan were half a court apart.

“Lana! What the hell is your problem?!” One girl yelled.

The captain flipped her hair. She made sure it hit whoever was next to her.

“Other than you all?” Lana scoffed. “Nothing, I'm perfect.”

Even Marilyn had to ask, “You don’t, like, actually believe that. Right?”

Lana looked Marilyn dead in the eye and said, “I don’t talk to side-hoes.”

Was Marilyn offended? A little. Did she take a breather? Not even.

She set Megan down. Crossed her arms and sighed.

Disappointed, “Lana, I’m trying to be nice here.”

“Why?” Another girl asked.

“Yeah, Marilyn, screw her!”

“Uh, I'm straight. I know y’all worthless side characters have seen my hunk,” Lana mocked.

A chorus of groans and ‘oh my god’ calls followed. Megan was the one to address the coach’s lack of response.

“Are you ok with her acting like this?”

Lana interjected, “You mean, being better than you?”

“I will beat your ass!”

Lana gave the captain big puppy dog eyes. The most corrupt person dawned an ‘innocent little girl’ voice.

“Coach, they’re being mean to me!”

The coach finally spoke up. As if she had just woken up, “Lana’s the captain. Do what she wants or go home.”

Not one person understood the logic. A few waited for a punchline. Lana was the only one amused.

Marilyn was beyond confused, “Coach, are you serious with-”

“Yes,” the coach dragged a hand over her own cheek, “If you don’t like it, then leave.”

Megan heard everything she needed. Put up with a child in power. Or get off the team.

Walking off the court was the easiest decision Megan ever made. So easy in fact that after Lana waved her goodbye, three other cheerleaders saw the reason to leave. 2 more after Lana’s big satisfied smile.

Marilyn had to watch their team of 21 dwindle to 15. Then to 12 when the coach did nothing to stop them. And finally, to 10 despite her calls to try to work things out.

8 women and 1 man who wanted to dance. 9 cheerleaders who wanted to be professional. 9 grown adults. And Lana. Who still couldn’t shut up.

“Good to know I’ve got some loyal pets left.”

Paul, the only man left, clasped his hands, “Shut up. For the love of God. Shut the hell up.”

“Make me,” she giggled.

Marilyn thought about strangling Lana. The idea of punching her smug face until it was unrecognizable was a goal within reach. One charge and she could break Lana in half. It wouldn’t even be hard.

Hard was taking that breath. Difficult was ignoring all off Lana’s comments. Finding the strength to push through the violent urges was a challenge.

“Ok, what did you gain from this,” Marilyn asked.

“Screw you. That’s what.”

Marilyn borrowed from Alice’s playbook. Being nice got them nowhere. So a blunt explanation it was.

“Lana, how can you be a cheerleading captain of 3?”

Lana rolled her eyes, “Because I deserve the spotlight. Duh.”

Marilyn repeated, slowly, “And how can you have a spotlight, if there’s not enough people for the show to even work?”

Lana’s smug smile dripped away. Like slime slowly eroding down. The reality of her petty behavior truly hit her.

3 people were on the court. A number the coach couldn’t ignore. After Lana pointed it out to her.

“I’ll uh,” the coach scratched her scalp, “I’ll figure something out next week. Er, something. Go home everyone.”

Marilyn stayed there. After Lana left without an apology. After Paul closed the door behind him. After the coach dragged her feet across the wood.

Marilyn sat in one of the front row. Head in her hands. Back and shoulders as tight as a wrench. Foot tapping like a jackhammer.

Dealing with Star, Lana, Nick, and Miss. Burns. Her dead end job. Her cheerleading and dancing future. Her college classes. Her dwindling savings. Having not seen her family in years.

The deep breaths weren’t working.

End