Best Friends Forever?

We were thirteen years old when Anna and I met at our first cheer lesson. It was clear from the start that she was a natural, with such poise she made it look easy. I, on the other hand, was more of a singer. I could shout the chants solo with gusto, but as soon as the group joined in, I turned it into a melody. My command was not as strong as Anna’s. The coaches didn’t take me seriously. In middle school, Anna made the Varsity Squad, while I only made the Junior Varsity Team. Due to boundary lines, Anna and I were destined for different high schools. She went to Jefferson High School, while I was enrolled at Franklin High School.  I kept pushing myself physically, and Anna helped me turn my songs into sharp recitation. She helped me make the Varsity Cheer Squad at my school. Sometimes we would joke about rivalries at opposing games, but our friendship became more like a sisterhood.

Years passed and Anna and I were finally eighteen. We had been cheering consistently for five years. Over the past two years we had begun competing in the cheerleading circuit, and Anna had outshone my abilities, earning a few trophies with her team here and there. I wanted to excel, but always fell short. 

Now that we were adults, we could prepare to try out for the bigger, more professional teams, like our college squads, and eventually make it to the National Football League (NFL). My area of expertise had become a base. Anna, with her petite frame, was of course a master of flying. I had dabbled in the art of flying, but decided to change direction when I noticed it was not fitting for my talents. 

The practices were more frequent and intense. If we weren’t in university classes, then we were with our teams, perfecting our skills. The regimen was quite daunting, but true to form for prospective professional athletes. If we wanted a chance at making the big teams, we had to eat, sleep, and breathe our athletic habits until it was second nature. 

Days, weeks, and months of preparation finally lead up to one of the two qualifying events. At the NFL Cheerleading Auditions, few would earn a spot in the upcoming season. Due to the advice of my coach, Tony, I had been practicing for both base and flier disciplines. He said “It’s better to have a wider skill set in order to increase your chances of making it into the bigger arenas.” When my time slot for the audition arrived I felt sick. I wasn’t sure if it was my nerves or something more. Needless to say my performance was subpar. I was so disappointed in myself. Tony tried to encourage me by stating “At least you still have a shot in the callbacks. Good thing I made you practice for both!” 

With all the training I had been undergoing, I had not seen Anna in weeks. Then came the call.

“Hello, this is Melanie.” I answered.

“Hello, this is the Head Cheer Coach for the Arizona Cardinals, Brenda. I will be sending out an email soon with the official list of the lucky girls who made our team this upcoming season. I am calling because one of our candidates has you listed as an emergency contact. Have you heard from Anna Smith recently?”

“Oh, unfortunately, I haven’t spoken to her in weeks.”

“We wanted to offer her a position, but she didn’t respond to our emails or phone calls. Do you know another way we can contact her?”

I hesitated and wondered what had happened to Anna. 

“Yeah, let me give you her parent’s phone number.”

“Great! Thank you!!! Have a great day.” 

Immediately after hanging up with Brenda, I called Anna. It went straight to voicemail. Knowing that Anna never listened to them, I didn’t bother leaving a message. I became worried!

“Hello?” Mrs. Smith replied.

“Hello. This is Melanie. I’ve been having trouble getting a hold of Anna. Have you heard from her recently?” I asked as I called her parent’s house. 

“No, dear. Is everything all right?” Mrs. Smith responded. 

“The Head Coach for the Arizona Cardinals just called and said they haven’t been able to reach her either. It’s not like her to not answer her phone. Especially since we are both expecting big news!” I tried my best to not sound fake, but with that last breath my voice cracked. 

“Thank you for letting us know Melanie. I will try to find her. Please let us know if you hear from her.” requested Mrs. Smith.

“Likewise,” I was able to muster out as my voice trembled. As I hung up the call, I felt a tight knot in my stomach. Where was Anna? Was she okay? What had happened to her since our auditions just a few days prior? 

While sitting in a daze, I heard the alert on my phone. A new email had been received. Hoping it was Anna, I jumped to look, only to find that it was from Brenda, subject line: Arizona Cardinals Upcoming Season Cheer Squad Announcement. It read “Congratulations Melanie, you have made it as one of the cheerleaders for the National Football League Cheerleading, supporting the Arizona Cardinals. Our welcome ceremony will be followed by our practices starting…” My mind trailed off. I was torn between excitement and concern. At the bottom of the email, it listed the Cheerleading Team Members in alphabetical order. Unfortunately, Anna Smith was not listed. Melanie Johnson was among the other names. How could Anna have not made it? 

Contemplating the possibilities made my head spin. My phone rang, and the caller ID read Anna Banana. I picked up.

“Anna?!?!” I exclaimed.

“This is Joe from the bar on Mill Avenue.”

“Where’s Anna?”

“I found her in the women's restroom while cleaning up before close this morning.”

“What? How is she?”

“She’s going to be okay. I called 9-1-1 immediately after I found her. She had quite the bender. Had to have her stomach pumped.”

“Oh my God!!!” I gasped. 

“I found her phone separately. You were the last person she tried to call,” Joe said.

“I never got that call!” I yelled.

“Anyway, are you able to come get her phone?” Joe continued.

“Yeah, I’ll be there this evening,” I responded. 

“Great, I open at 6 o’clock. See you later.” Click.

The knot in my stomach grew into a hot ball and I couldn’t hold it down. While walking to my car, the heat rose to my face and I vomited in the driveway. Once I regained composure, I dialed Anna’s parents again. 

“Mrs. Smith? It’s Melanie. I heard about Anna.” I said.

“We got the call from the hospital shortly after you called the house,” Mrs. Smith said and continued, “We are on our way there now.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I replied “Please let me know if there is anything I can do.”

“Thanks dear. Best if she just rests as she recovers.” Then Mrs. Smith hung up.

I was going to send Anna flowers, and eventually go visit, but I got caught up in the Cheerleading practice schedule and time got away from me. It would be difficult to face Anna now that I had made the team and she had not. 

Plus, I wasn’t sure if Anna’s memory from that night was clear or not. With the amount of alcohol we drank, I didn’t know how much she could recall. It was probably better if I never found out. Better to play dumb and keep quiet.