Sandra was a cheerleader. Me, I was just a regular guy who happened to be in some of the same courses as her. We'd been in work groups occasionally but, although we hit if off OK and were friendly, we had never dated. Either I had a current girl or she had a current boy, the time never seeming quite right.
Today was slightly different. I'd recently broken up with my steady (she dumped me) and I'd heard that Sandra had also broken up with her current steady. I ran into her at a friendly match the school was playing.
Because it was a friendly match the coach was giving the wannabes a run to see how they went. In the same spirit, several of the senior cheerleaders had stood down, giving cheerleader wannabes a go. Sandra, at nearly nineteen, was as about as senior as a cheerleader could get without graduating and no longer being a cheerleader. She was one of those who'd volunteered to sit out the game.
It was not one of the more interesting games I'd attended. The next exciting bit of play would also be the first, but I couldn't see it happening anytime soon. I was wandering around the outskirts of the crowd, wondering if I'd be lacking in school spirit if I went home, when I found Sandra also wandering around, looking bored.
"Not enjoying the game?" I asked.
"Let's say I'm glad I won't be here next year if this is the team they're going to field. To really cheer for someone you need some hope of winning, otherwise you only go through the motions. It can be a bit dispiriting."
"Hey, they could win," I insisted. "The team they're playing isn't exactly crash hot."
She gave me a disbelieving look. I had to admit she had a point. Neither side looked like winning. It would be sheer chance as to which team would be ahead at full time.
"Well, if you're not watching the game and I'm not watching the cheerleaders, why don't we go for a walk so I can watch my favourite cheerleader?"