The weekend was quiet. Since Steven had told her that
he wanted her to perform the program she had for the cheerleaders at the pep rally on Monday, Lizzie decided for some extra practice. Even though the girls didnt like it in the end, Lizzie knew she was doing the right
thing. If she wanted to keep this job, she wanted to
make a good impression on the school at large. The
pep rally was a chance to do it.
However, with all the extra work she put in with the girls, she got sick with a 24 hour bug and had to stay home on Monday. Tuesday no one went into school because of the nasty storm they had Monday night going into Tuesday morning. She was thankful for the extra day off.
Now it was Wednesday. The day for the pep rally was here
and Lizzie was confident her girls were ready for the
challenge.
But today was strange, she noticed, as she walked in the door of the school. The first thing she noticed was Harry and Lauren looking at her. They kind of had an odd look in there eyes, like the knew something she didn't. She suddenly felt like she was having a weird dream, like showing up to school naked. She looked at them as she passed them by. Something was up, but she had no idea what.
But she couldn't worry about that now. She decided. It was time to set up Cheryl Holt for her little revenge. Now all she had to do was bait the trap.
Meanwhile
Harry and Lauren stopped talking once Lizzie passed. She looked at them rather oddly. For a minute there it almost felt like she could read both of their minds. Then she shook her head and passed. Lauren let out a big sigh of relief.
"Phew." She said.
"Do you think she knows?" Harry asked.
"Knows what? That we know who saw her in the shower?" Lauren asked. "I don't think she knows that we know. We almost gave it away."
"I don't think she knows who saw her yet either." Harry said. "With the video all over Holts website, the guilty party will soon fess up."
"I know." Lauren said. "Then what will happen?"
"We'll just have to wait and see." He said. "Unless..you want to turn in you-know-who into Holt and get the fifty dollars?"
"Harry!" Lauren said.
"I know, but fifty bucks is alot of moola. Itws even more than what the pool got last week." Harry said.
"We're not gonna turn him in." Lauren said. "Maybe he will come forward, like you said."
He sighed. First bell rang. "It would have been nice to
have a dinner that wasnt from the msg food group for a change."
"We will, someday." Lauren promised as she went to her first class.
"Yeah, but by then I might be better preserved than a mummy!"
Lunchtime
Lizzie was looking for Cheryl, and Cheryl knew it. Once one of her spies had told her that Lizzie had been asking about her, Cheryl arranged to meet Lizzie somewhere. Maybe Lizzie would be open to an exclusive interview with her. Perhaps she would tell her who saw her in the faculty washroom that morning. Then at least she wouldnt have to give fifty dollars fo her own money away.
Cheryl was waiting for Lizzie in the stairwell. She had asked for the somewhat secret location so a certain principal wouldnt stumble upon the mid conversation.
Lizzie came through the door about 12:30. She seemed to be in a hurry, Cheryl noticed. For what she had no idea. Lizzie didnt teach any classes and only oversaw a study hall who didnt care whether she showed up or not.
"You must be Cheryl Holt." Lizzie said.
"I am." She said. "I heard you wanted to see me."
"You're right." Lizzie said. "I thought I would give you an interview fro your website." She said. Cheryl thought her eyeball were going to pop out of her head. An interview? She never thought she would get so lucky!
"An interview you say?" Cheryl said trying to hide her secret joy.
"Yes, I may not be here much longer so I thought it would do both of us good to have a talk. I have many, many secrets to divulge about the teachers who work here." Lizzie said empahising words like secrets and teachers with her eyebrows.
"But you've been here barely a week." Cheryl noted.
"You would be surprised on how much learns when a pitcher of marguritas is involved."
Cheryl barely blinked. "That would be terrific, really." She said. "Would you be able to talk now?" She asked looking for a tape recorder in her large canvas bag.
"No, I cannot talk now." Lizzie said placing her arm over her eyes in a dramatic acting move. "I may be watched. Followed. They might be oooonnn to me." she wailed. "Speak to me just before the pep rally. I will have someone backstage waiting for you." She said.
"All right." Cheryl said closing her bag.
"The pep rally will start at 2:35." Lizzie said. A large metal clanging noise was heard in the hall. "I must go. I will see you then. You have not seen me!" She said disapearing down the stairs.
Cheryl looked down the stairs, but the woman had already vanished.
"Once again," Cheryl said grabbing her tape recorder. She checked the batteries on it. They were good. "proof that high school will drive you insane."
Two floors down Lizzie heard Cheryl faintly talking to herself in her recorder. She then heard her walk away. She then smiled to herself.
"Hook, bait, sinker...gulp!" She laughed to herself. "Now away to my office." She said as she headed to the gym.
The Pep Rally 2:30
Lizzie was talking to Boothby, one of the cheerleaders in the back of the stage. She was one of the cheerleaders but had been out of action for a while due to a broken hand. She had her cast off that week but she still couldnt participate in the state competition. Since Boothby would have nothing better to do than stand and watch, Lizzie decided to make her part of the plan.
"Do you understand?" Lizzie asked while holding a large burlap sack. It was heavy, with the object that was in it but Boothby managed to hold onto it. She had explained the plan to her.
Boothby nodded. "I understand. Believe me, a whole lotta people have been wanting to get back at Cheryl for a lonnnng time. But you're the first to try and do something about it!"
"If anyone like Principal Harper and Guber were to ask, you were not involved!" She instructed. She went to the front of the stage area and looked. Kids were filing in through the doors, and finding their ways to seats. She smiled. Some of the cheerleaders already in uniforms were gathered in their own little cliches on the floor. She waited another five minute before going out on the stage. When she did Steven was up there adjusting the microphone. He tapped it a few times. The feedback squealed in the speakers and echoed across the room. It caught the attention of everyone in the room. Harry had his fingers in his ears and Lauren winched at the sound. The cheerleaders saw their coach and approached the stage. After they bounded onto it, Lizzie gestured to them to circle around her.
"Ok. Do you feel you guys are up to the challenge?" Lizzie asked. They looked at each other and looked at the audience. "If it would help picture the crowd in their underwear."
"Including Mr Senate?" One asked.
Lizzie gave a ha ha face. It didnt sound like a bad idea though.
"Yeah, but if we see Mr Senate in his undies, we would have to see GUBER in his trunks too!" Another pointed out.
"EWWW!" They all went.
"Could be worse, it could be a thong!" Lizzie said.
"When do we go on?" A shorter girl asked.
"Mr Harper wants to give a short speech first." Lizzie said.
"Short means we'll still be here tomorrow when he finishes." A girl in the back said.
"But till then we have to wait till our mascot shows up." Lizzie said.
"What mascot?" The short girl asked. "We havent had a mascot since the last girl got knocked up."
"We have a mascot." Lizzie said as he started to say an inspiring speech. "We have a special guest mascot." She said. "Special all right," She thought. "The best mascot is the one who doesnt know shes a mascot."
Backstage
Boothby spotted Cheryl snooping around backstage.
"Oh its about time you got here!" She said.
"What?" Cheryl said.
"Theres no time to waste." Boothby said as she pulled the costume out of the sack. "You must put this on."
"What?" Cheryl asked. "I am not gonna put some ugly
costume on. I'm here to talk to the new cheerleading coach."
"She said she would talk to you with this on." Boothby explaining as she pulled the outfit on a reluctant Cheryl. "This way no one knows shes talking to you."
The logic seemed sound. "All right. I guess so." She said as Boothby pulled the head on. She stepped forward a few steps in her costume. It was hot and uncomfortable.
"She's right out here." Boothby said giving the slightly disorientated Cheryl out onto the stage. Cheryl felt herself flying onto the main part of the stage. Boothby laughed from behind the curtain. Cheryl looked around, the gym was full of students. Someone started talking on the sound system.
"Ladies and gentleman, teachers and students. Your Winslow High Wildcat Cheerleaders!" Lizzie announced on the microphone. Cheryl watched as she Lizzie started the tape. "We Will Rock You" started to play. Cheryl wobbled around the cheerleaders as they did their dances moves. The longer she was in the ridiculous costume, the more ticked off she was getting.
"I am going to get you Lizzie McCarthy!" She swore to herself. She had to get the stifling costume off. It was getting sweaty and smelled of something dead. Just when she thought she had stumbled her way over to the curtain, she felt a bunch of hands grabbing her.
"Hey, what are you doing?" She asked. No one heard her though, the head of the costume drowned out any noises she could make. They brought her to the center of the class. They grabbed her by the costume and picked her up in the air. They laid her on the back and then threw her up in the air and caught her like a human trampoline. They did it twice more. Cheryl could feel herself getting dizzy. She thought she was going to get sick. She was thrown up once more then caught by the feet and held up in the air. She waved her arms up in an attempt to steady herself. She was put down on the ground. Cheryl steadied herself though she was feeling woozy. The music had stopped. All the students got up in the stands and applauded the cheerleaders and the mascot. Steven nodded at her. The program definately had his approval. Lizzie could stop worrying.
"Ladies and gentleman." Lizzie said on the micrphone again. "Please thank our special school mascot for the day, you all know her. Love her or hate her. She came over to her and pulled the head off. "Cheryl Holt! Webmistress of holt45.com!" She finished while everyone looked at Cheryl. Her glasses had fallen off. Her hair was matted and sweaty. Her eyes seemed to swim in her head. She looked like she was about to be sick. Cheryl looked at Lizzie. She could see the rage in her eyes. Lizzie smirked in response. "Do you have anything to say to our classmates?" She asked.
Cheryl cursed under her breath and left the stage with a hand clamped over her mouth.
"She's shy! How cute." Lizzie said. Lizzie gathered her girls and left the stage. Steven said a few last announcements about finals schedules and students began to file out. Steven came backstage after Lizzie finished hugging the girls.
"You did quite a thing out there." Steven said. "The girls seemed to grow attached to you very quickly."
"Thank you." Lizzie said. "Thats nice to hear."
"I get the feeling however that Ms Holts role in it was not planned." He said looking at her. Lizzie looked at the floor. She then looked over near the stage door where the wildcat costume laid.
"It wasn't." Lizzie said.
"Whatever it was that was going on between you and Ms Holt, make sure that it ends here, understood?" He asked with a hard look in his eyes.
"Understood." Lizzie said nodding.
"Good." Steven said. "I can not have any more animosity between students and teachers. I have too much of that already." He said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes." Lizzie said as Steven turned away. Everyone was gone except a few stray stragglers were in the gym. Lizzie went to her office and found a note on the door.
"We must talk." The note said, with a name at the bottom of it. An address was also included. "7 PM". She folded the yellow note in her hand and placed it in her
pocket.
"What could he possibly want from me?" She asked herself as she went it. "I guess I have to find out."
