Where we last left the Cheerleaders…

***

Xandi is filled with uncertainty as she gets ready for school the next day. I can tell by the way she rakes her lower lip between her teeth, and how she keeps shaking her head as she mumbles her thoughts to herself. She’s processing, and there is a lot to process. Mainly, she is asking herself: “Where am I going to find a team to help me?” Literally, those words keep coming out of her mouth. They are the only true coherent thought I can pick out.

“Maybe I could…no…but maybe…” She sighs and adjusts her cheerleading uniform accordingly. It’s game day, so the uniform is a requirement to boost the morale of the players and fellow students.

High school is not Xandi’s favorite place to be. There, she goes by the name of Candy, which is the correct pronunciation of her name, but not the correct spelling. It is not a name that is thought of highly, it seems. There are stigmas involving stupidity to overcome. Her blonde hair doesn’t help matters in that department. Well, her blonde hair streaked with color. Xandi still maintains all of her gifts.

She holds a strand of vibrant blue hair that’s fallen out of her ponytail in front of her eyes to admire. “I’m going to miss you. I’m going to miss all of you. But…it’s time.”

Xandi still has all of her colors, and my heart hurts for her, but she’s right. It’s time to let go of them all. Giving up one’s colors is an incredibly personal choice, and I imagine it’s painful. When we get our colors, it’s such a beautiful bonding experience! They become a part of our soul, keep us company when we’re all alone. Taking on the responsibility of the colors has always come with the caveat that they are only temporary. They are gifts we are supposed to keep giving, uniting the giver with their chosen team.

Poor Xandi might feel sad because she’s about to lose her connection, but I feel sorry for her for other reasons. Now she has the difficult task of figuring out who to trust with her gift in the first place. It isn’t an honor she can pass on to just anyone.

She lets out a heavy sigh and gathers up her things for school. “It’ll be fine.”

Always so good at giving herself pep talks. Too bad all of this is so much easier said than done.