Chapter 15.1

“If you ask them, they say yes,” Nick said.

Behind the players came the cheerleaders, leaping and kicking and cheering. They stopped right in front of the park, and Shannon and Nick,

and performed one of their cheers, stirring up the crowd with school spirit.

Shannon took pictures while she cringed. “Why the face?” Nick asked.

“I read an article. Cheerleading injuries have more than doubled in the last decade. I wish they wouldn’t do those flips. And on pavement.” But she snapped more shots.

“I take it you weren’t a cheerleader.”

“Me? Ha. I was a geek. School newspaper, year-book committee, that kind of stuff.”

“A geek, huh?” He grinned. “I’ll have to think about that.” “I wish you wouldn’t,” she muttered.

“I can see you with a set of pom-poms.”

“Watch out, Carlucci, you’re bigger than I am, but I can still hurt you.” “Woman’s got no sense of humor,” he grumbled.

The cheerleaders finished their yell and flipped and tumbled their way down the street. The pep squad followed, marching in