�Road To Nowhere� Chapter 10: I Can Save You

�We are the Panthers of Palo Verde! We are loyal to the gold and blue! We fight with all of our might! P.V.H.S! Go Panthers!� Courtney led the squad through the last verse of the school fight song. They would be performing their routine in front of the entire school on Friday at the pep rally.

�What are we loyal to?� Courtney shouted.

�The gold and blue!� the squad shouted back.

�Who are we?� Courtney screamed.

�The Panthers!� the squad responded.

�Where are we from?� Courtney hyped them up.

�Palo Verde!� the squad replied.

�What are we gonna do?� Courtney asked.

�Fight, fight, fight!� the squad cheered. �Go Panthers!�

�Okay girls, take a breather. We�ll resume in five,� Courtney dismissed the squad.

Courtney and the squad were holding after school practices so that they would be ready for the pep rally on Friday. Their routine was almost flawless and they had awesome music. Homecoming was a big deal at Palo Verde High School.

Coach Summers walked in. �Hey girls. How are the cheers coming?�

�They�re going good, Coach,� Courtney replied with a huge smile on her face. Coach Summers was the varsity cheer coach and she loved Courtney. Courtney had been on varsity cheer since freshman year and she and Coach worked well together.

�That�s great, Court. Keep up the great work. I want to impress the school on Friday,� Coach Summers replied.

�No prob, Coach. We�re gonna kick butt!� Courtney said.

�Okay. I�ll see you later, Courtney,� Coach Summers walked out of the gym.

Courtney got up and got the girls back into formation. �Okay girls, once more through the fight song. Then we�ll put it with the routine and see how it looks.�

* * * *

Dan looked out his bedroom window. �Where am I going to get the money to get a new outfit for the dance?� he asked his empty room.

Dan had looked through his closet seven times already and yes he had counted. He didn�t have anything nice enough for the dance. He knew Courtney would buy a whole new outfit and she would look absolutely fantastic in it. Then she would show up with him and well, it wouldn�t be good.

�What am I going to do?� Dan put his face in his hands. �Argh!�

* * * *

�So Chelsea. Who are you going to the dance with?� Courtney asked Chelsea after cheer practice.

�Josh asked me,� Chelsea said sheepishly.

�And you said yes I hope,� Courtney nudged her best friend. �You did, didn�t you?�

�Yeah. He�s so cute!� Chelsea blushed.

Courtney giggled. �I�m happy for you. There�s your house. See you later!�

Courtney waved at Chelsea as she turned around and drove to her house. She turned off the ignition and got out of the car. Entering the house she heard voices in a back room.

�Hello? Is anyone home?� she asked.

�Courtney? Is that you?� her father�s voice answered from deep inside the house.

�Daddy? Where are you?� Courtney walked through the living room.

�Over here,� her dad said.

Courtney walked around the house not finding her father. �Marco?�

She heard a deep laugh followed by high-pitched giggle. �Polo,� her dad replied.

Courtney entered the bar lounge room that her father had built for parties. She saw her dad serving up drinks and a young woman in a very revealing dress. It was obvious that both had had a few drinks already.

�Courtney, I�d like you to meet Cynthia Porter,� her dad said, his speech slightly slurred.

�Who are you?� Courtney asked bluntly.

�Now that is no way to talk to your father�s girlfriend, is that young lady?� Cynthia giggled uncontrollably.

�How dare you bring her here,� Courtney said to her father, biting her lip. �And how dare you talk to me like that.� Courtney turned to Cynthia.

�Now, now. Let�s not get upset,� Courtney�s dad started to walk toward her. �I just wanted you two to meet each other.�

�I�m leaving,� Courtney turned around and ran through the house to the garage. She got in her BMW and it took her three turns of her key before she could start the car. Tears were already coming to her eyes but she blinked them back.

Courtney sped down the driveway. She took off toward the school. She didn�t know where she was going, but she was going to get there, fast. She didn�t know whether to go to Matt�s or Chelsea�s. She just let the car guide her.

She found herself with her finger poised at the doorbell. She debated whether or not to ring it. She had no idea what she was doing or why she ran from her father. She didn�t want to think about her father or Cynthia for that matter. She just needed something to get her mind off of everything.

She rang the bell. She heard it ring throughout the house. She let out a breath she didn�t know she was holding. She tensed up and put on her best smile when she heard footsteps behind the door. Here goes nothing.

* * * *

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