The Sun Loves The Stars Like Misery Loves Company.

The gym buzzed with energy, a whirlwind of excited voices and squeaking sneakers as the cheerleading tryouts kicked into full swing. Reina stood by the sidelines, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her pleated skirt, heart pounding in her chest. She glanced at Pandora, who looked relaxed and carefree, as usual, her dreamy gaze wandering around the gym as though she wasn’t even the slightest bit nervous.

Reina, on the other hand, was all nerves. Her stomach twisted, her head a little dizzy. It didn’t matter how many times she reminded herself that she’d done this before—more intense, more grueling routines from when her mother had forced her into gymnastics, ballet, and figure skating as a child. All that practice, the perfection her mother had demanded, had made her technically excellent.

But the pressure to perform was something that had never really left her. No matter how much skill she had, the fear of not being enough still gnawed at her every time she stepped into a competitive space.

“You okay?” Pandora asked softly, giving her a gentle nudge.

Reina nodded, her breath a little shaky. “Yeah. I just...want to get it over with.”

Pandora smiled, ever the optimist. “You’re going to crush it. I’ve seen you practice, and you move like a pro.”

Reina didn’t respond. She knew Pandora was right—she had the moves down, muscle memory from years of grueling lessons. But the nerves gnawed at her, twisting her stomach tighter with every second that passed. Her mother’s voice echoed in her mind, crisp and demanding, reminding her that anything less than perfect wasn’t good enough.

Dorcas stood in the middle of the gym floor, her long  braids bouncing as she directed the tryouts with sharp, focused energy. She looked intimidating, her gaze piercing as she watched each girl perform.

“Next group!” Dorcas called out, her voice commanding.

Reina’s stomach flipped as she realized it was her turn. The other girls in her group were nervous too, but they hadn’t grown up with a mother like Reina’s, who pushed her to excel at everything. She had learned to swallow down her fear and perform, to be perfect even when she was breaking inside.

As she stepped forward, Reina caught a glimpse of James standing by the gym doors, watching with a grin on his face. His hazel eyes met hers, and he gave her a thumbs-up, his easy confidence radiating toward her. It gave her a sliver of reassurance, but it wasn’t enough to banish the knot in her stomach.

Pandora gave her a quick squeeze of the hand before Reina stepped forward, taking her place in the center of the gym. Dorcas nodded at her, clipboard in hand, her eyes sharp.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Dorcas said, her tone professional and direct.

Reina closed her eyes for a second, pushing back the anxiety that clawed at her insides. She could do this. She had done it a thousand times before. She knew the routine like the back of her hand. Her mother had made sure of that.

When she opened her eyes, she straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. Then she launched into the routine.

Every move was sharp, precise, and controlled. Her jumps were high, her landings perfect. She spun through the motions, executing each flip and tumble with the grace of a trained gymnast, her body moving fluidly as if she had been born to do this. The cheer was as loud as she could, her voice just about cutting through the chatter of the gym.

Her body knew exactly what to do, and she trusted it. Years of dance, figure skating, and gymnastics had trained her to be this exact, this flawless. She hit every beat, her jumps soaring higher than most of the other girls, her spins as tight and clean as they could be.

But as she crushed each move, each flip and jump, the nerves remained, twisting in her gut. The perfection of her routine did nothing to soothe the anxiety crawling under her skin. She could feel the weight of eyes on her—the girls trying out, Dorcas, and James, all watching her. But most of all, she could feel her mother’s critical gaze in the back of her mind, as if she were standing there in the gym, ready to point out any tiny mistake Reina might make.

Her final jump came, and she executed it flawlessly, landing with a soft, controlled thud that echoed in the now-silent gym. She stood there for a moment, her chest heaving, a perfect smile plastered on her face. The room erupted into applause, Pandora cheering loudly, but Reina could only hear the pounding of her heart in her ears.

Dorcas studied her for a moment before nodding. “Excellent work. Strong technique, confident movements. I could see the nerves a bit, but it didn’t affect your performance. Keep that energy up.”

Reina forced a smile and nodded, stepping back to join Pandora. Her stomach churned, and her limbs felt weak, despite how well she’d done. The praise meant nothing when the anxiety still clung to her insides, refusing to let go.

“You crushed it!” Pandora said excitedly, throwing her arms around Reina in a quick hug. “I knew you would.”

Reina managed a small smile, though her hands were still trembling slightly. “Thanks. I just...I don’t know. It’s hard to feel good about it.”

Pandora tilted her head. “But you were perfect! Dorcas was impressed, and so was everyone else. What’s not to feel good about?”

Before Reina could respond, James appeared at her side, his grin wide and his eyes full of pride. “Holy crap, Reina. You were amazing! I’ve never seen someone move like that.”

Reina shrugged, her smile tight. “It’s nothing. I’ve just...done this before.”

James raised an eyebrow, sensing her unease. “That wasn’t nothing. You blew everyone away.” His tone softened as he leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “You okay? You still seem...off.”

Reina avoided his gaze, the nerves still clawing at her chest. “I’m fine. Just...I don’t know. I get like this sometimes.”

James frowned but didn’t press her further. He knew better than to push when she wasn’t ready to talk. “Well, just so you know, you were amazing. And hey, when you make the team, you’re gonna be the coolest cheerleader out there. We’ll be the dream team—you cheering, me scoring .”

Reina let out a small laugh despite herself. “We’ll see about that.”

James bumped her shoulder lightly. “Trust me, you’ve got this in the bag.”

As they left the gym, the weight of the tryout still lingered on Reina’s shoulders. The applause, the praise—it didn’t erase the anxiety gnawing at her. She had done what her mother had trained her to do, but it hadn’t made her feel any better. Still, as James and Pandora chatted beside her, their easygoing energy helped keep her grounded, even if the nerves wouldn’t fully leave.

Maybe she had crushed the tryout, but the fight with herself? That was far from over.