“Woo-hoo! Shake what your momma gav

“Woo-hoo! Shake what your momma gave ya, girl!” Cass hollered from the stands of Bryant-Denny as I finished cheering the Crimson Tide Fight Song. She was sitting with Ally and a very embarrassed Molly. I couldn’t help but smile at Cass as she danced around Molly’s seat, whooping and hollering, blowing kisses at her. Rome Prince had just kissed her in public, mid-game, shocking us all to hell, making Molly the focus of the Jumbotron, and having the entire stadium believe she was his good luck charm. He played like friggin’ Peyton Manning after that kiss.
I think it was safe to say that Cass was right; something was definitely going on between those two.
The Tide was playing the Georgia State Panthers and only had three minutes left in the fourth quarter. They would take the win with ease.
“There, he’s doing it again,” Lyle said, an annoyed tone threading his voice as he nudged my arm, flicking his chin in Austin Carrillo’s direction. Carillo sat on the bench while the defense took the field. I’d seen him staring at me, in anger, most of the game.
I froze at Lyle’s words but didn’t look over. I’d managed to avoid Austin for two weeks. The Tide had been away in Arkansas, and I’d pretty much kept myself hidden, well away from Denny Chimes in the quad. I didn’t want to see any more drug dealing, was too afraid of the consequences if I did.
“Hey, are you listening to me!” Lyle asked.
“Yes! I can hear you. I’m just choosing to ignore it. I don’t care if he’s glaring at me. It doesn’t concern me,” I said firmly.
The band began their next song, a four-rhythm beat, and Shelly called for the squad to dance routine eighteen. Jumping from side to side, clapping our pompoms in unison with the drums, Lyle shouted, “Well, you should be concerned! D’you not know his background?”
That almost made me falter, and I glanced at Lyle. “No. Why? What do you know?”
Stepping forward, we kicked a right-legged high kick and chanted a loud, “GO, TIDE, GO.” We quickly fell back into a side-to-side motion to repeat the routine once more.
Lyle leaned in again to whisper, “Well, as you know, I’ve been on this squad since freshman year, and, well, you hear things.”
“What things?”
I was desperate to know Austin’s background. I’d heard he was bad news, of course. The rumor mill was rife with that. Had no specifics, though.
“You heard of the Westside Height’s gang?”
My eyes widened and my feet faltered, causing me to stumble. I looked through the lines of cheerleaders in embarrassment, only to see Shelly glaring at me. I grimaced as she narrowed her eyes at me and mouthed, “Focus!”
As soon as she turned back around, I faced Lyle. “The gang from West Tuscaloosa that’s always on the evening news for drive-by shootings and drugs? That Westside Height’s gang? The Italians?”
Lyle nodded, eyes wide. “Yeah, the one and only.”
“You mean…?” I trailed off and almost missed the cue for the double front hurdler jump.
When we landed, Lyle continued as if he hadn’t had to take a break. “Yeah. Carillo’s a total gangbanger. His family’s in deep. Brother did time in juvie, Shelby County, I think. Heard Austin’s been arrested a few times too, Lexi babe. Carillo’s brother’s dangerous as all hell, and, honestly, I think Austin may be just as bad.”
This time I did stop. I completely stopped dancing.
Austin and his brother were Heighters? That meant… Lord! His brother was dealing… for the Heighters! My heart boomed like a canon in my chest, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
Why did I have to walk past them that night? Why couldn’t I have stayed clear of the quad? I already had too much on my mind. I didn’t need this mega threat too. I’d been a nervous wreck for weeks!
After a perfectly polished hand back spring, Lyle realized I wasn’t moving and took me by my arm, pulling me from the center line and off the field. “Lexi babe, you okay? You’ve gone all white.”
I tried to nod my head to say I was fine, but I was still trying to breathe through the memory of Austin’s threat. It made a whole lot more sense now… You forget what you seen here tonight. If you do, we’ll be good, no consequences. But if you even speak a word of this to anyone, and I mean anyone, you won’t like the ton of fuckin’ bad shit that comes your way. You have no idea what you’d be screwing with. With people who will do anything to keep you quiet. And I mean anything.
“Lexi! You feeling faint or something?” Lyle asked, pulling the attention from some of the other girls in the squad who began to eye me weird. I slowly shook my head and felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
It was like a pull, a magnetic force, as I found myself drawn to face the Tide players’ bench. And immediately, I wished I hadn’t. Austin Carillo, on seeing my horrified face, left the bench, only to stand on the sideline, glaring at me, dark-brown eyes narrowed and his fists clenching at his sides. He was big, muscled, imposing… He was fear and threat incarnate.
It was like Austin was communicating his warning just by his severe expression alone. Lyle’s hand froze on my arm, and he hissed, “Seriously, why does Carillo look like he wants to kill you? I’m getting real nervous.”
Austin was watching Lyle talk to me in worry and Austin slowly shook his head. I understood his warning. If you even speak a word of this to anyone, and I mean anyone, you won’t like the ton of fuckin’ bad shit that comes your way.
Pulling myself together, I turned to Lyle. “It’s nothing, Lyle.”
He scoffed. “It sure don’t look like noth—”
Gripping both of Lyle’s arms in my shaking hands, I snapped, “I said leave it!”
I instantly felt guilty. I’d hurt my only real friend on the squad. Lyle went to turn away, but I reached for his hand. He stopped and turned to me, his freckled face flushed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so harsh. But—”
A whistle blew, signaling the end of the game, cutting me off.
Lyle’s shoulders slumped. “Lexi, I get that you don’t wanna say, but believe me when I say stay the hell away from that guy. He’s trouble with a capital T. Whatever you did, whatever got his attention, just pray he forgets it pretty damn quick.”
With that, Lyle ran into the throng of fans storming the field to celebrate the win. I turned to hightail it into the tunnel leading to the locker rooms. I needed space. But when I set off to run, I caught sight of Carillo still staring at me, his expression like stone, the rest of the players sprinting past him in victory.
Ducking my head and swallowing my fear, I weaved through the heaving mass of elated fans and headed to the locker room to hide out.