"Jesus, Helen, why'd you have to piss him off like that?"  Jennifer was so mad she wasn't even looking at her cell to see the pictures of herself with James.<br/><br/>"What did I do?  You guys were laughing too.  It was funny," Helen complained in return.  James' words had really hurt.  Really, really hurt.  They shouldn't have, not with as much experience Helen had with being picked on, but they did.  When it was coming from other girls, like the cheerleaders, you could just pretend they were those idiots in Mean Girls and blow them off.  Or give it right back to them.  But coming from a boy it felt different.  And that upset Helen more than the actual dig. Why did it feel different?<br/><br/>"You're not supposed to compete with boys, stupid," Madelyn threw her view in.  "Like, just let them win."<br/><br/>"I can't believe you," Helen said and turned on Madelyn.  "Just let them win?  If coach heard you, she'd pull your ass from the squad for a month."<br/><br/>"This isn't a meet or trials," Jennifer said.  "It's flirting.  You know, like when you want a boy to like you?  God, Helen, sometimes you're so-"<br/><br/>"So what?" she said and turned now to face Jennifer.<br/><br/>"Nothing," Jennifer said after a second.<br/><br/>"No, say it.  I'm so what?"<br/><br/>"Helen," Madelyn said trying to calm things down.  "Look, let's just watch them, okay?  Please?"<br/><br/>"You're so insecure.  Like, we get it.  Your parents don't have any money and ours do.  Oh, look at me, boo hoo hoo, I'm a poor girl.  Whatever.  It gets old," Jennifer said.<br/><br/>"I can't believe I hold your hair back when you throw up after eating," Helen said, tears of anger and hurt in her eyes.<br/><br/>Now Jennifer was equally upset.  Not everyone knew she suffered from bulimia, but Helen had just thrown it out there like it was all over everybody's Facebook.  It probably would be tomorrow.  "You're such a bitch, Helen."  She crossed her arms across her chest and her eyes looked wet now too.<br/><br/>"Just stop it," Madelyn pleaded.  "We're a team.  We're gymnasts, not cheerleaders."<br/><br/>"She wants to be one," Jennifer said.  "She's always hanging out with them and teaching them our moves, like that will make them like her and make her popular."  She smiled when she saw the effect those words had on Helen, at the shattered look she'd caused.<br/><br/>"Stop it!" Madelyn shouted.  "Jennifer, stop!"<br/><br/>"What?  It's true.  They laugh about it.  About how she tries to be all cool with them and watches them while they cheer. Not when they stunt, when they cheer.  Lacey even said she saw Helen trying out one of their dances once time when she came back into the cheer gym to get her bag."  She smiled, the queen triumphant.  "I'm going to go watch.  You can stay here with the cheerleader wannabe, or come watch guys with me."  She flounced off to get a better spot to sit to watch the boys run their course.<br/><br/>"Helen.  She doesn't mean that," Madelyn said.<br/><br/>"Just leave me alone," Helen said and turned around so Helen couldn't see her face.  Helen's arms wrapped tight around herself.<br/><br/>"No."  Madelyn hugged Helen from behind, then held her when Helen turned around and buried her face in Madelyn's chest.  "Shh. It's okay.  She's just being a bitch is all.  You know how Jennifer gets sometimes.  Come on.  Don't cry, Helen."