vi. pop locking
Thenewschoolyearhadstartedandwhenmymotherdropped meoff...Danawasrighttherewaitingonme.Overthesummernew musiccameoutwithanewdance,everyonewaspop-locking. Dana couldn'twaittotellmeJaneWhitegotintoafightoverthe summeroversomeboy...•
Theyearstartedoff;great...Ilikedallmyteachers...some how Danahadchangedalittle,shedidn'thavethesamefireas sheoncedidforboys.Herbreastswerealsoalotbiggerthan normal....
Thefootballteamgotofftoaslowstart...nowalotofthe boyswasstartingtospeaktomeandIreallydidn'tknowhowto handleit,butIwouldjustsmileandspeakback.
IhadheardElizbethgotpregnantoverthesummer...butIwasstill avirginandwaitingformyBoaz.Godwasn'tgoingtosendhim anytimesoon...Ihadschoolandcollegetofinishfirst,besides RuthwouldkillmeifIcrossedthatline,IJustwasn'tina
rush.
DanaandIwaswalkingtoclasswhensheaskedhowwasmy summer?OfcourseItoldhereverythingmeandTessdid...and shecouldn'twaittoaskifIwasstillavirgin?Ijustlaughed andsaid, "Whatdoyou thing!"Shecouldn'twaittotellmeabout hernewboyfriendwhowasoutofschool....andIjustlookedatherlikeshewascrazy...callingherhottiewhileshesmiledback.
Whileinphysicaleducationourteacheraskediftherewas anyonegoingtotryoutforthevolleyballteamthisyear Dana, TiaandJanesaidyes....thecoachJustlookedatmeandIsaidI wasn'tdecidedyet.Thenthegirl'sstartedlookingateachother andwalkofftalkingamong themselves...aftertheycamebackDanasaidtherewasonlythreespotsleftonthevolleyball
teamandshe knewmymomwouldn'tletmeplay.SowhydidItellthecoachthat becausehesaidearlythatheneededtallplayersandIwouldbe spoilingherchancesofplayingvolleyballthisyear?Iwasata lostforwords.
BradwalkedupwithafewotherguysandaskedifIwasgoing totryoutforthecheer leadersquad...and jokedthattheywould probablywinmoregamesifImadetheteam,Isimply shookmy head noandtheywalkedoff.
Classstartedandended....inthemiddleofthedayatlunch
Danaandtheothergirl'sdecidedtositby themselves.Elizbeth walkedupandsatbyme....and askedwhatwasupwithmyfriendssoItoldheraboutthevolleyballtryouts.Shesaidiftheywere reallymyfriendstheywouldwelcomethecompetition, besidesthe volleyballteamneededheight.
SoIgotup...andwalkedovertotheirtableandsaidIdecided totryoutfortheteam...theyallgavemeawarninglook,before Danafacelitwithbittertriumph!Shesaid, "shewantedmetotryoutanddidn'tknowwhathadgottenintoher."
Afewweekspassed butthingswasn'tthesamethen
tryoutswasuponus.WeallmadetheteamexceptJaneWhitebecause shecouldn'tpassthephysicalandDanawaspickedasanalternate. Wepracticedprettyhardevery day....andwewentontowinalot
ofgames.Theplayoffswasapproaching,ourteamhadonefootin andonefootoutandweneededanotherwintogetintotheplay offs.Danawasalwaystalkingtothecoachaboutplayingtime,God knowsshehadearntoplay,IoverheardhertellingTiaherboy friendwasgoingtobeatthatgameandshewantedtobeonthe floorplayingwhenhegotthere.Butthatwasafewdaysaway... shehadstartedcallingmorewhichwasgood,and
JaneWhitehad madethecheerleader squadsoeverythingwasworkingoutpretty good.
Every timeIseenBradIwouldsmileandheseemedtodothe samethingwhichreallymademydaysseemspecial.Hedidn'tnotice memyninthgradeyear...butno ;he wasstartingtolookharder rightalongwiththe otherguysthatwantedmetotryout
forthe. fcheerleader squad.
Danagotherchancetoshine...she playedtenminutesand
helpedgetusintotheplayoffs,shewashappytoseeherboyfriend sittingintheaudiencecheeringheron.
Aweekbeforethechampionship game...Danafeltlikeshe
Shouldbeabletostartthegame,butthecoachwasn'thavingit,
evenaftertheteamtriedtalkingtohim.Shestoppedhaving
conversations withtheteam...andtalkedtomeaboutassorted
thingsbutnothing thatmadesense,sheknewtheone thingthatwould
getmyattention talkingaboutBrad.Ourclassesendedandweboth
leftforhomeDanasaid, "shewouldcallthatnight.''Wedeparted.