Loving Knight: Book One of the Cresswell Series

5. ALIYAH

I stare at the piece of paper taped up the wall outside of the gymnasium, my cheeks starting to hurt from all the smiling. There was my name, printed at the top among the names of the other girls who had made the dance team. I take a picture before sending it to my mom. 

“Congrats, Alicat. I knew you were gonna make it.” 

I turn to see Deion, a small smile on her face. “Thanks, Deion.” 

“I didn’t know that you could dance like that,” he tells me. 

“Maybe you would’ve known if you weren’t always so busy annoying me.” 

Deion chuckles. “You like it when I annoy you.” 

I roll my eyes playfully. “Yeah, I totally like it,” I say sarcastically. 

Another chuckle comes from him just as someone approaches us. I thought it was either Kira or Jennie or even one of Deion’s friends, but it was Brooke. 

“Hey, Aliyah. Congrats on winning a spot on the team,” she says. “You were very…exceptional.” 

Something about her words made a small sour feeling rise up in the pit of my stomach. But I brushed it off as that minor feeling disappeared, giving her a smile. 

“Thanks, Brooke,” I said. “I’m happy to be a part of the team.” 

Brooke turns to Deion, smiling sweetly at him. “So, Deion. I  saw you watching from the bleachers earlier. You must’ve been very impressed.” 

“Yeah. I definitely was impressed,” Deion says, his eyes moving away from Brooke and landing on me. 

Brooke looks at me for a moment before focusing her attention back on Deion. “Well, you’ll be more impressed at the game that’s coming up.” 

“Wait, we’re performing?” I ask. 

Brooke nods, still paying attention to Deion. “Yup. The dance team always performs at the first game of the season during half time every year.” She turns her body towards me, eyeing me up and down a little. “Speaking of which, our first practice is tomorrow at five o’clock, so don’t be late.” 

“I won’t,” I tell her. 

“Good.” Brooke turns back to Deion, her hand on his forearm. “Hopefully you’ll come pop in on our practice, Deion. Just to get a little sneak peek before the game.” She squeezes his bicep, giving him that sweet smile again. 

An unknown feeling washed through me as I watched her squeeze his bicep, my teeth unintentionally grinding a bit. 

Deion moves his arm away subtly. “Yeah. Maybe I’ll stop by after my second practice.” 

“See you there.” Brooke gives him a wave goodbye before heading off. 

I turn to Deion. “You’re really gonna stop by after your practice tomorrow?” 

Deion shrugs. “Depends. Coach always keeps us late.” 

“Well, if you don’t come, then at least you’ll see the performance at the game.” 

“Yeah,” he smiles. “Can’t wait to see you perform, Alicat.” 

“Just make sure y’all win the first game of the season, mister Knight,” I say with a grin. 

“You know we will,” he grins back. 

~*~

Night had finally fallen. 

I walk back into the dorm room, drying my hair with a towel. 

Jennie puts her phone down, sitting up in her bed. “You did really great at tryouts today, Ali.” 

I smile at her compliment. “Thanks, Jen.” I sit down at my desk, plugging in my blow dryer. “I was so nervous, but I’m glad I pulled it off.” 

Kira climbs down from her bunk. “You were? From the looks of it, you didn’t seem nervous at all.” 

“Oh, trust me. I had to stop myself from throwing up before I went into the gym,” I say. “My stomach was in knots.” 

“Even so, you did amazing. You definitely deserved a spot on the team.” 

I turn on the blow dryer and start to dry my hair when my phone’s ringtone sounds throughout the room. Jennie gets up and grabs my phone, handing it to me. “It’s your mom.” 

I turn off the blow dryer, getting up from my desk. “Be right back.” I swipe over the green phone icon, putting the phone to my ear as I step out into the hallway. “Hi, mom.” 

“Hi, honey! How are you?” 

I smile, glad to hear my mom’s voice. “I’m good.” 

“Is everything going okay?” She asks. “You’re not having any trouble, are you?” 

“No, mom. Everything’s fine,” I reassure her. “If it makes you feel better, I made the dance team.” 

I move the phone a few inches away from my ear as my mom loudly squeals on the other end. I wait until she’s done before I put the phone back to my ear. 

“Oh, sweetheart, I am so proud of you!” She exclaims. 

“Thanks, mom,” I say. “We’re also performing at our first football game coming up next week.” 

“That’s amazing, Aliyah!” I could hear the excitement in her voice die down. “But your father and I won’t be able to make it, unfortunately.” 

I was a little upset hearing that come out of her mouth, but I kept my smile on my face. “It’s okay, mom. I’ll just have Kira or Jennie record the performance for you.” 

She sighs. “I know you haven’t been gone for that long, but I miss you already.” 

Her words make me smile more. “I miss you more, mom.” 

I hear another voice yell in the background, causing my mom to giggle. “Your dad says hi.” 

I giggle. “Tell him I say hi back.” 

She tells him before speaking to me again. “I have to go now, sweetheart. Don’t stay up too late and get plenty of rest.” 

“I will, mom. I love you.” 

“I love you, too, Aliyah.” 

She hangs up the phone as I head back into the room, closing the door behind me.

“I am so excited about the football game,” Jennie says as she ties her hair into a messy bun. “I just hope that we don’t lose.” 

“Everyone says that Deion is the best player on the team, so I know he’ll bring home a victory,” says Kira. 

Hearing Deion’s name brought my mind to earlier with Brooke outside of the gymnasium, that unknown feeling coming back. The image of her smiling at him, squeezing his arm. I didn’t know what it was, but the visuals in my head made it feel like someone had started a tiny fire in my stomach. 

“Aliyah?” 

The feeling of a hand on my shoulder caused me to jump a bit. “Huh?” 

“You okay?” Kira asked. “You kinda zoned out for a second.” 

I nod at her. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.” I go back over to my desk and finish blow drying my hair, that tiny burning feeling eventually cooling down.