Pride Kills

I stared into the mirror brushing my long, lush hair. It's 6:30 on a Friday Morning, and my Cheer Squad and I have a Pep Rally after school, so we're wearing our uniforms today. I'm Kailey Ryant, and I'm the most popular girl at Middle Bridge High School, and I'm the Head Cheerleader.

I put my stick straight hair up in a ponytail, and curled it. All of Squad had to have their hair the same, down and straight, except for me. I tugged on my tiny booty shorts, tied the mini bra top, and put the vest on with it. I looked hot and I knew it. Unfortunately we have to where this cover up because the vice prez. Say's its too 'showy', until the rally.

I bet you're wondering how the hell we're aloud to wear those in the first place though. My mom is the Principal and I'm her 'sweet' little girl. I get whatever I want, and with her also being the cheer coach, I control practice. This is my high school. With my dad working for the president, we are the richest people in town.

No one messes with me or my squad. Being the richest, prettiest, and most popular girl at school, gives me the things some people couldn't even dream off plus I have the quarterback of the football team.

Once my hair is perfect, I put on my make-up and walk down stairs. I grab the keys to my car. My mom's already left, but I kiss my Dad on the cheek goodbye and drive off to pick up my boyfriend, Jason.

Once I pick him up, I drive to school and find my girls. We all match, perfect. At lunch time we get to have a pre-rally, we pretty much go up on stage and do a routine. Finally we get to show off our Ah-Mazing outfits.

After lunch we have 2 more classes, bore. in my last period I sit next to this total dweeb. Crazy, wild, dark brown hair, and dresses like...well a 13 year old. She has no friends, I mean who would want to be friends with her? She never gets anything less than an A and I bet all she does is studies, I mean where is that going to get us? I can read, if I wanted to study I would. But partying is so much more fun.

"What is the answer to question #17, Riley?," Mr......something, asked, I never really paid attention enough to know their names, the only one I know is my Art teacher, her name is Mrs. Kenzie, she let's me pass her class without doing anything, our parents are old friends.

"It's the square root of pie, 1.77245..." Riley answered.

"Perfect! You guys should all be more like Riley, and learn these things, because I'm positive when I get your papers back, they won't have any where near the care of her's, good job!"

I snickered and she looked at me, she was totally red from embarrassment. "Wow, Riley your a genius! Riley your soooo smart...." My friends and I went on taunting her, she looked like she was on the verge of tears when she raised her hand and asked to go off to the bathroom, she never came back that class period.

That's normal though, she should be used to it now, she does that like everyday. I mean, come on, is she a little baby? Can't deal with the truth, whatever.

Finally, the bell rang, and I took off my cover, and found my girls. We walked off into the cheerleading room, yeah, we have our own room. The rally was going to be held in here in 20 minutes and we needed to get stretched and warmed up.

"Lacy, come here." I yelled.

"Yeah, Girl?"

"We're doing the fliers today, so let your group know that, and they better not set a foot out of spot, and if ANYone is dropped, our practice tomorrow is going to be strictly fitness, I mean the hard core stuff, not wimpy Junior sprints. Got it?" She nodded and ran over to her girls and let them know.

We are cheerleaders, but also dancers, so we do both types of competitions, so today its going to be a mix. Which is my favorite, because I love the dances how it shows our talents, but stunts show our strengths, unless done wrong, then they show our worst weaknesses.

Exactly 3 minutes before the Rally, and when people start walking in we do our quick 2-minute warm up route, just some flips, kicks, and simple dance moves.

*~*~*~*

We we're perfect, and there was nobody that could deny it. I walked outside to my car, with Jason. Summer was just coming so it was nice and hot during the day, but it was really could during the nights, I knew that I probably should of brought sweats to wear, but I love showing off my body and I was still warm from our routine.

I had dropped off Jason, declining to stay, knowing my mom would be expecting me home at a decent hour. I was less the 5 minutes from my house when i saw someone in shorts and a small, thin hoodie, that I could recognize anywhere. It was Riley from math class.

I wonder why she was walking in that this late, it was already 9:00 because Jason and I had stopped with some friends to get Pizza and Ice Cream. She looked freezing, but it never crossed my mind why she was out here this late. I just drove by not thinking twice about her, and cranking up the music to my favorite song.

The same song they would play at her funeral, next Sunday, because she jumped our in front of a car, killing herself, not even instantly, but a hit and run, she layed in the street for hours before she died, and not even being found until 4 AM when the paper man did his routes.

If I Die Young by The Band Perry

*~*~*~*

No one knew why she killed her self, until they found a note in her pocket.

Elizabeth:

I couldn't take it anymore, I'm sorry. It was the last straw, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make you come back Elizabeth, just like I promised I did my best, but big sis, I snapped. After you died, dad and I had to move to California to support ourselves, he was killed last month over a game of poker, that he won, but they we're all drunk. If only he wouldn't of gone, if only I would of stayed home, and not gone to the library to study. He would still be here, and I wouldn't be all alone. Just like if I would of asked you a question, anything, just made you stay home for 5 more minutes, you and Mom wouldn't of gotten in that car crash, and you would still be here. Even when I tried in school all it did was hurt me, I got made fun of constantly. Popular people hurt when they knock you down, even if they don't know it. I just can't take it anymore, I'm coming to be with you. Before I kill anyone else

<3 Riley.

I read it over and over the day the put it in the paper, I couldn't stop crying. It was me that killed her, because if it had been her family that died, she would of killed herself long ago. It was all my fault, and now she is gone.

I could of saved her that night, but I didn't even care. Now I can't even say I'm sorry because now she is gone, now, she has no chance to live, so why should I?

I was glad I was home I ran into my dad's room, and grabbed the hand gun out of my dad's closet that he thought I didn't know was there, and I slowly walked up to my room, thinking, I should leave something. After I did, I took the gun in my mouth. Slowly I pulled the trigger.

I was gone, and all that was left of me where a few words on a scrap of paper that fluttered out of my hands as I hit the floor.

Pride Kills. RIP Riley, I'm coming to say I'm sorry. -Kailey