All day, Camilla received question after question, each one weaved in with the rest.
"Did you hear what happened to Tiffany?"
"Did she kill herself or did someone kill her?"
And, of course, the classic:
"Did you do it?"
She ensured that her responses were consistent. She informed them where she was and what the police asked her about, while sprinkling in occasional hints that Amy was suspicious.
By the time the football game was only a few hours away and her fellow cheerleaders were preparing in the dressing rooms, Camilla was drained. She lugged herself into the bathroom, exhausted, and as the door creaked shut, she scanned the stalls, ensuring her isolation.
Upon confirming that she was alone, Camilla leaned against the wall across from the mirrors and gradually sunk to the tiled floor, releasing an exasperated sigh. She was tired of the suspicion on her. There was no evidence left and only one supposed witness, yet her peers continued to be skeptical of her.
The bathroom door flung open, and Michelle entered. She noticed Camilla instantly and scurried to her close friend's side.
As the door thudded closed, Michelle whispered, "What's wrong?"
"You know what's wrong," Camilla insisted.
"Yeah, I know," she admitted, "but you shouldn't worry about it. You have a lot of friends that are backing you up, and rumors like this pass after a week or so anyway."
"It's not just that!" Camilla snapped, frustrated. "The entire school thinks I'm a murderer! That's not just some rumor that's gonna pass by soon."
She let out another sigh, attempting to calm her restless mind. Michelle plopped herself down on the floor beside her, remaining silent.
"People don't understand that I'm not just worried about my reputation, though," Camilla continued. "Tiffany was my friend. I cared about her. She mattered to me, but now she's gone. I cared about Amanda too, even though we were only acquaintances. Whether she's alive or not, I'm worried about her and her family. But Tiffany really is gone, and she was my friend."
Michelle's concerned gaze shifted to Camilla, but Camilla kept her eyes trained on her fidgety hands. Michelle reached her arms around Camilla's shoulders, pulling her best friend into a comforting embrace.
Camilla just hoped that her act was enough to convince Michelle to fight for her. She already knew that Michelle was on her side, but she wanted to recruit people to argue her innocence for her, since her claims alone wouldn't be enough.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, seeming unsure of what to say. "You know, I'm here for you. I believe you, and I'm trying to make sure everyone else does too."
Relieved, Camilla looked up at her, asking, "Really?"
"Of course. I'm your best friend, and I'm not the only person willing to back you up. I know things look bad right now, but not everyone is against you. People who don't know you or Amy are just suspicious because they've heard the rumors, but they aren't completely against you. I'll make sure that they realize the truth."
"Thanks." Camilla smiles warmly, shielding a triumphant grin.
"Of course. It's pretty much my job as a friend, and as a good person in general."
Moments later, they were back with the cheerleaders. Luckily, all of them were supporting and defending Camilla too. Some of the new recruits that didn't know her well were skeptical at first, but after being influenced by their teammates, they eventually converted.
The next hours passed in a blur, and after a while, the team carried their duffle bags, pompoms, and flags to the stadium, setting them down on the track against the fence. Groups of people were scattered throughout the bleachers, but they weren't anywhere near as full as they tended to get once the games started, but those that were already there were decked out with orange, black, and/or white tiger spiritwear.
After hanging out on the track for a while, the game was less than half an hour away from kicking off. The girls chatted with each other and some of the players that weren't stretching, those that wouldn't play that night. Camilla stuck with her group of girl friends since her only friends on the football team were busy preparing for the upcoming challenge.
The other team, Belleville West High School, was also busy stretching on the opposite end of the field, wearing basic white tops with maroon bottoms. Their cheerleaders wore mainly black uniforms, sectioned off with white and maroon lines. In the center of their tops was a bold, maroon letter "W" lined in white, surrounded by the name of their mascot, "Maroons," in black with a white outline as well.
The Edwardsville cheerleaders always got jealous of other teams' uniforms, and the BW uniforms were one of their most envied. After all, the Edwardsville cheer uniforms looked plain comparison, with a black base and orange trim. The only redeeming factor was the signature cursive letter "E" made to look like a paw print, the same orange symbol in the center of our field.
The Edwardsville football team's uniforms were just as plain, with a black base, bold orange number on the front and shoulders, their last names in orange below that, and two orange stripes on the sleeves and helmets. They looked like a typical high school football team, but don't be fooled; they were ruthless on the field.
But considering the recent events, Camilla could feel the lack of spirit this game. It wasn't looking good for the Tigers, despite their consistent victories over the Maroons for the past several years.
The teams left the field moments before the announcer got started, calling out the teacher and their student of the week. It was all the same as usual. The "Tiger Spirit Team," as they liked to call themselves, were calling out to the cheerleaders every so often, cracking random jokes or trying to annoy them. Most of the people in that group were close to the cheerleaders, so it was friendly teasing, but nobody directed any attention to Camilla.
She was completely out of it, not just to make people think she was upset, but because she was genuinely stressed. Though her problems had practically been disposed of, suspicion on her still remained. Camilla wasn't out of the water yet, and she feared it would be a long time before she would be.
Camilla's thoughts were interrupted when the cheer coach approached them with some bags, full of what looked like black fabric, in her hand. She spoke with Morgan and Avery, the two senior cheer captains, handing them the bags before returning to the bench by the fence.
Morgan and Avery began handing out the fabric in the bags, and once they got to Michelle and Camilla, she was able to identify the items. They were black ribbons with white trim that had the name "Tiffany Stewart" written in white.
Camilla's head suddenly began pounding. Her head snapped up to check if anyone else had them, only to see the Spirit Team pinning the same ribbons onto their outfits. Now that she was paying attention, it was obvious that their theme today was to wear black. Even the crowd had dedicated themselves to that theme, though a lot of their school spiritwear was mainly black anyway.
Camilla had no choice but to pin hers on as well. Her name had clearly been handwritten by someone who practiced calligraphy because there was no other way to have made them in one day.
The next moment, the band gathered onto the field, setting themselves up to play the national anthem just like normal. But from behind them, a microphone stand was being set up by Cierra Adcock, a senior in choir.
Within minutes, the announcer declared, "Please rise for the national anthem, performed by the Edwardsville Tiger Marching Band, and please remain standing for the performance of 'Amazing Grace' by Sierra Adcock in remembrance of Tiffany Stewart."
Camilla's heart dropped with shock. This must have been arranged last minute or kept a secret because somebody surely would've told her about that sooner.
She caught people in the band sneaking glances her way, but she tried to ignore them. What else was she going to do? And she had no idea how she was supposed to react to "Amazing Grace."
'Maybe start crying?' Camilla thought. 'It would draw so much attention to me, though. If I do it discreetly, maybe only the band and my team will notice, and they've both already picked their sides.'
The band kicked off the national anthem, and everyone faced the flag with hands over their hearts. Camilla, though maintaining a calm expression, was internally panicking. Ordinarily, she was cool under pressure, but the recent events had thrown her off entirely.
The moment the band finished, Sierra retrieved the microphone and held it inches from her mouth, preparing for her performance.
As soon as she began singing, tears built in Camilla's eyes. Sierra's clear voice penetrated the cool October air, leaving a subtle ring throughout the stadium. Photos of Tiffany flashed on the giant screen across the field. A select few band members shook violently while standing at attention, tears streaming down their cheeks.
But Camilla wasn't crying for those reasons, nor was she forcing herself to cry. She was crying from frustration. Her face was contorted into grief to conceal the true source of her breakdown, but the tears were uncontrollable.
Yet they had to remain standing for an agonizing length of time. Her final note pierced the night, lingering in everyone's ears even after she cut her pure voice off.
Immediately, Michelle rushed to embrace Camilla, followed by the rest of the team. Despite the secrets kept hidden from them, they were like family to her.
The rest of the night passed in a blur. Touchdown after touchdown, cheer after cheer, song after song. Five touchdowns and one field goal from the Tigers, and one touchdown from the Maroons. The crowd cheering much less than usual, despite the absolute domination on the field. Camilla's mind was so foggy that she couldn't retain any memories as they passed her.
The game ended 37-6, with seemingly unmotivated applause from the crowd. Everyone packed up and left the stadium abruptly, regardless of the victory.
Though she was disoriented, Camilla still left the stadium earliest, not bothering to wait on her fellow teammates. As she was zoning out again, someone firmly gripped her arm, snapping her attention back into the moment.
"Hey, Camilla," Jared Acker greeted with concern. "You alright?"
"Yeah," she responded instinctively, avoiding eye contact with him not only because she was spacing out, but because he was her ex-boyfriend. Still one of the football players she was closest to, but it was awkward for him to be openly worried about her.
"Hey, look at me," he continued, tugging her arm closer to him. "It's gonna be okay."
Camilla nodded, only glancing at him momentarily before staring at the ground again.
Jared leaned down to her ear and mumbled, "Meet me in the parking lot when you're done changing."
Then, he released her arm, grinned at her, and left. Camilla had no other option but to submit to his request in order to keep her peers on her good side, so she rushed to the dressing rooms an changed briskly, leaving not long after most everyone else had arrived. Nobody bothered to question her departure since they understood that she was upset.
In the parking lot, there were still several students messing around and speeding when no pedestrians blocked their paths. Camilla spotted Jared in a huddle with some other players, Shane Hyland and Justin Townsend. As she made her way over there, she caught Jared's eye and he wandered towards her.
They met halfway, in an open parking space, and he grabbed her hand to drag her to his car.
Once they arrived, he began, "Camilla, please tell me what's wrong."
"You know what's wrong," she muttered, feeling deja vu from her conversation with Michelle earlier.
He sighed, finally releasing Camilla's hand, which she forgot was still in his. "Look, I'm here for you. I know our relationship isn't the same as it was last year, but I'm still gonna support you through this."
Camilla nodded, not willing to speak. For a while, neither did he, and they stood beside each other in an awkward silence.
"Alexis and I broke up," Jared confessed randomly, grasping her attention.
Alexis was Jared's girlfriend after Camilla. She went to another school but was apparently a gorgeous, redheaded cheerleader. Camilla had never met her, but she didn't care to. After all, they just got together in the past few months, and Camilla had long since moved on.
"Just thought I'd let you know that we didn't work out."
"Why are you telling me?" Camilla asked, shifting gazes to meet his baby blue eyes.
"Well, because..." he broke eye contact, seeming embarrassed.
Before he could continue, Camilla barrelled against him, burying her face into his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist. After a brief pause, he enveloped her with his arms.
"I'm just so stressed about all of this," she admitted, feeling the lump rise in her throat again. It was an odd experience because she almost never cried.
"I know," he whispered in reply, rubbing her back. "I'm here for you, and it's not just me either. All of your friends are."
She nodded, nestling herself deeper into his warm embrace. Once they finally parted, Camilla entered her car and started the engine.
A plan was in order. All she had to do was recruit her friends to debunk all the rumors about her, since they were the only people that fully trusted her. She'd have to keep a close eye on some of Amy's friends and watch for her next move. Maybe she would move far away? That would be helpful. Or maybe she was planning on finding evidence to expose Camilla? That would make her job a lot harder, but she had to he prepared for it.
And her plan was to manipulate people into doing as she pleased.