“I’m not doing this.”
Erin smiled.
“Of course not.”
Aaliyah turned.
Erin caught the front of her blue jacket.
Aaliyah looked down at the hand.
Then up.
“Let go.”
Erin tightened her grip.
“You don’t tell me what to do.”
Aaliyah grabbed Erin’s wrist and removed it from the fabric.
Not violently.
Enough.
“Stop touching me.”
The crowd made the small collective sound people make when an argument crosses a line.
Erin heard it.
Her face changed.
“You think you’re tough now?”
Aaliyah backed away.
“No.”
“I think you need to stop.”
Erin stepped forward.
“You’ve been waiting all year for this.”
“No.”
“I’ve been waiting all year for you to leave me alone.”
That sentence landed harder than shouting would have.
Erin swung.
Her right hand came high.
Aaliyah leaned away.
The strike missed.
Several girls screamed.
Aaliyah raised both hands.
“Erin, stop.”
Erin came again.
Aaliyah blocked with her forearm.
“Stop!”
Erin grabbed at the front of the blue jacket.
Aaliyah pulled free.
She backed toward the edge of the mat.
Erin followed.
Another swing.
Aaliyah ducked.
Sophie shouted for Erin to back off.
Erin ignored everyone.
For months, she had imagined Aaliyah as someone stealing attention, status, tradition, and the version of Cedar Ridge cheer Erin thought belonged to her.
Now the entire team was watching.
Backing down felt impossible.
So she kept coming.
Aaliyah had taken beginner kickboxing classes with her older brother during middle school.
She had never competed.
Most of what she remembered was simple.
Protect your face.
Stay balanced.
Create distance.
Do not chase.
Those rules returned before conscious thought did.
Erin lunged.
Aaliyah redirected one arm.
Erin stumbled.
Recovered.
Then rushed again.
Aaliyah pushed her backward.
“Enough.”
Erin swung.
Aaliyah moved outside the strike.
Then Erin charged with both arms reaching toward her shoulders.
Aaliyah planted one foot.
She raised her knee and used a controlled front push to create space between them.
The contact caught Erin around the hip and upper thigh.
Erin stumbled backward.
Her heel struck the lowest aluminum bleacher.
She dropped heavily into the seat.