The Edensville High Series: Eve Book #2

By J&M Irwin

High school sophomore Eve St. Clair has accomplished what no other cheerleader has done in the history of Edensville High; she's been elected the next captain of the cheerleading squad and she will only be a junior! So what's the big deal? Hello?! It's a position that is usually held by a senior. The squad voted and she is ready to take over, but will it prove to be more than what she can handle? Will the pressures of being captain, her status in her social network and the fact that she is dating the new guy that transferred in from Palestine High be her undoing?

How long will her friends stand by and watch as the once lighthearted and good girl image begins to take a turn when Eve finds herself being introduced to a lifestyle that is darker than she has ever known. She soon longs for a way out, but will it come before she loses her selfworth and indentity entirely to the dark forces that seek to destroy her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: J&M Irwin
• Release date: May 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310583568

J&M Irwin

The Edensville High Series is the brainchild of husband and wife writing team, Jackie and Mike Irwin. This couple may come from separate parts of the United States, but they are united in tandem storytelling. The first book of the Edensville High Series has been on Jackie's heart to write for many years, but it took the encouragement of her best friend, Mike, to write it down and write it down she did! When working with your best friend its not like work at all!Jackie is also a published author of a self help book under the pseudonym Jackie Tramel called Shelved: Waiting on God, Waiting on You. Through the EHS work, the couple hope to reach the young people (and adults) that think they must first be clean before they come to Jesus.The two reside in their beloved south just outside of Nashville, Tn where they enjoy the love and encouragement of not only each other, but their family, friends and granddaughter whom they call LoVeY.

Book preview

The Edensville High Series

by J&M Irwin

EVE

High school doesn't last forever but the choices we make can…

Custom Cover Design by Jackie Irwin

Cover Photography by Irwin Hills Photography

Editing by Brendan Martel

[e-mail]

http://edensvillehighseries.wix.com/edensvillehighseries

Copyright May 2015

Published by Irwin Hills Publishing

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, place and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

The Edensville High Series

by J&M Irwin

Book #1 Adam

Book #2 Eve

COMING SOON

to

The Edensville High Series

Book #3 Miriam

Book #4 Samson & Delilah

Book #5 Joseph

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One- Jealousy is not a good color on you

Chapter Two- Sexting and cheerleading do not mix

Chapter Three- Harmless fun

Chapter Four- Casanova drives a Camaro, who knew?

Chapter Five- Just what do you call excessive?

Chapter Six- The morning after is no way to start the day

Chapter Seven- The Peace that passes all understanding

From Us to You

Acknowledgements

About the Authors

Chapter One

Jealousy is not a good color on you

State Cheerleading Championship

April, Sophomore Year

"........oh my, are you serious?" The first judge was in disbelief.

Uh yeah, completely..... The youngest of the three exacerbated.

....we counted it three times! The other holding the microphone gushed.

The state judges discussed the vote right there in front of the entire cheerleading ensemble, all the while holding a hot microphone. The one holding the mic finally turned her attention back to the gymnasium filled with anticipated and hopeful cheerleading squads from various counties.

Well ladies and gentlemen, cheerleaders, captains, supporters, friends and families it seems we have new State Champions by mere fractions of a point, and that new squad is none other than…Edensville High School!!

Cheers erupted from all over center stage and the arena. The Edensville team jumped and down hugging each other and celebrating like never before. They had worked so hard to just get to be among the 75 schools that had qualified for the State Cheerleading Finals this year and out of the 75 teams competing, Edensville High had just won! Miriam and Eve were among the few that were trying to lift the 6 foot tall trophy to show their excitement. Coach Deborah Jordan made her way to the stage to join in their enthusiasm and celebration and started the chant that they were famous for now:

You don't know our name- What? Er'body knows our name-Yeah?

'Cuz the Eagles don't come to play- NO! Now er'body knows our name!-Yeah!

As the weekend had progressed throughout the competition, supporters and fans alike had began chanting the cheer showing their support for the Edensville team. The girls kicked, jumped, somersaulted, tumbled and shouted with backhand springs all over the stage! Eve and Miriam found each other again through the chaos of excitement, music and confetti falling from the ceiling and hugged just as Sarah Walker, the head cheerleader, grabbed Eve and turned her around.

"Ahhhhh!!! I can’t believe it, we did it!" Sarah gave her a playful shake and yelled over the noise.

Me either! Eve was in total awe of the moment. "I mean we actually did it!" Eve exclaimed.

Sarah shook her head. "No, girl, you did it, do you hear me? This was because of your persistence and drive. We could not have done this without YOU!"

Suddenly the moment was broken as the two were lifted high upon the shoulders of a couple of the other cheerleaders and paraded around the stage in celebration, but for Miriam Marah the excitement had just turned to bitterness when she overheard the exchange between Sarah and Eve. The rest of the squad may think little Miss Golden Haired Sunshine might have been the one to pull this off, but it wasn't her doing. It was Miriam's. She had been the one to choreograph, teach and execute the dance that had won them the competition. She rolled her eyes as Eve waved to everyone like she was on a friggin' beauty pageant float.

The rest of the day turned into a blur as they took photos with the trophy, did interviews for the newspapers and television. It was like nothing any of them had ever experienced before and Eve was right there in the midst of it all. She was front and center like little Miss Popular. Miriam was nauseous, but for Eve St. Clair it was a great day to be an Edensville High Cheerleader.

********************

Back in the hotel as Eve and Miriam were getting ready for the celebratory meal at the expense of the State Cheerleading Association, Eve ventured in her thinking aloud.

You know we vote for the new cheer captain tonight, right? She stopped putting on the lip gloss that she had borrowed from Miriam to look at her.

Yeah, I know. So? Miriam gave her a sarcastic look.

So? Awe come on, M. Who do you think is gonna get it?

I don’t know. You know I'm only on this squad to keep up my dancing skills. I really don't give a flying….

Meeting in the coach’s room in five ladies! Sarah Walker stuck her head in the door and called out. Both girls jumped and exited their shared room to follow Sarah down the hallway to the coach's room where she and a few other girls were already waiting.

Come on in, we'll wait until everyone is here. Press on in around the room 'til there's no more room if you have too. Within five minutes the room was completely full. "Alright, everybody in or are there stragglers? No? Okay good. Well ladies, what you all did this weekend was ah-mazing and I am so proud of you!"

The room erupted with applause for their hard work. Alright, alright...settle down... Coach Jordan smiled with great pleasure as her team celebrated their win. She didn't fuss when they didn't settle right away. They had earned this win so she let it go for once. When the room eventually settled, which took a few minutes, she continued.

...okay, so now that we are finished with this school year and our exiting seniors are leaving us... Several girls hugged Sarah and a few more of their graduating seniors. ...we want you girls to know that while we are going to miss you so very much and as you all move on to college, vocations and families that does leaves us here without leadership. So once again here we are at the fork in the road that is the departing and beginning of another road to travel. Where we must say a very sad goodbye to those leaving us, but decide with great joy who is going to be our leader for the next year!

The applauded was a little less than enthusiastic as the first one. "So without further adieus, I’ll open the floor for nominees in our election for our new cheerleading captain, and when we get back to school on Monday we will take a vote!" The team's excitement increased as a show of united claps they began to chant one name.

St. Clair! St. Clair! St. Clair! Eve blushed and shook her head.

No, I’ll only be a junior next year! No really! She tried to dissuade them with the aid of Coach Jordan. Coach, you have to tell them I can’t be Cheer Captain, I’m not a senior! She called out over their chants of her last name, but the cheerleading coach shook her head and shrugged.

I’m afraid there's nothing that says you must be a senior to be the Captain of the Edensville Cheerleading team, Eve. It seems the qualifications of those that have been picked in the past showed signs of maturity and great leadership ability, just so happens they were seniors. There is nothing written in the bylaws that you have to be a graduating senior only that you have served on the team for two years and your grades are exceptional.

With that being said she made a mocking frown. So I guess that means your team has nominated you! She held up her hands as if it were out of her hands and in the team's now.

Eve smiled and waved her hands in the air. Okay! Okay! I accept the nomination!

One of the other girls called out. "No, we want you as our Captain, there is no other nominee. We’ve already decided hands down that YOU are next year's Cheerleading Captain!"

The girls went wild with excitement. Eve blushed and covered her face. It embarrassed her that the team had obviously been talking about her behind her back, in a good way though. Coach Jordan held her hands up.

Alright, alright I need a little less cheer for a moment. That was her way of telling the girls that she needed them to be quiet and out of respect they did. So what you are telling me is that you all have already made your decision and you want Eve St. Clair as your new Cheerleading Captain for the upcoming school year? What about other nominees? Some of the girls shook their heads in agreement, all but one in particular that is, Miriam.

Coach Jordan waited for a response. So there are no other nominees this year?

Sarah Walker spoke up. No, Coach, I took a vote this afternoon in my room after the competition and it would seem that everyone agrees that Eve St. Clair should be the one that takes my place.

That explained why Miriam didn't vote. She was Eve's roommate so they didn't even invite her or Eve would have known about the vote. They must have just assumed that she would be for the vote. Wrong.

Okay, okay, well…Eve St. Clair…I guess your team has spoken and since you have no one else to run against you… She paused and waited for someone to speak up when no one did she continued. Well I guess it's unanimous then…Eve St. Clair, do you accept the position that your fellow team mates have bestowed upon you?

Eve looked at the faces of her squad and was overwhelmed. Yes! I accept! I accept!

The Edensville High cheerleading squad broke loose in cheer, chanting her name over and over again. St. Clair! St. Clair! St. Clair!

All but one that is. Miriam stood just far enough behind the rest of the team and against the wall that no one noticed that she wasn't quite as enthusiastic as the rest of her team mates about Eve's nomination and election. They were too busy congratulating Eve and too dumb to remember that Miriam was the one that had choreographed the routine and taught it to them for the dance portion of the competition and it had been the dance that had given them that fraction of a point advantage over the other squad that they beat out for the win.

‘Ugh…..why were some people such sheep?’

Edensville High School

Down to Zero News Channel One

…and last, but definitely not the least of our morning announcements, is that we would like to congratulate all of the ladies on our Edensville High School cheer squad who won the State’s Cheerleading Finals this weekend! Congratulations ladies! Applause and catcalls seem to explode from all over the school, spilling out of classrooms into every hall way. The student body was celebrating with the Edensville High cheerleading squad on their win.

The camera pulled out from its focus on head anchorman, Elijah Walls, to incorporate the cheerleading Coach Deborah Jordan and Sarah Walker, graduating senior and current cheerleading captain, into the frame. I’d like to welcome the cheerleading coach Ms. Deborah Jordan and this year's head cheerleader, Valedictorian and graduation senior Sarah Walker to the set today. Cheers resounded off camera, Coach Jordan waved, as Sarah smiled graciously. Elijah paused for the cheering throughout the school to die down before he could continue with his reporting.

Welcome ladies.

Thank you, Elijah. Coach Jordan spoke up.

Coach, you have had some pretty awesome wins over your career here at EHS, but the win this weekend nearly seemed to elude you and your team. Why do you think that is? He was going for the jugular right away.

Deborah Jordan smiled. Well, it's not because the team hasn't worked hard for it every year. It's just been unfortunate for them that the title of State Champs had yet to be put in their repertoire of wins, but not any longer! She high fived Sarah Walker sitting right next to her.

That's right Coach!

So Sarah you have been on this squad for the past four years, leading it this last, how does it make you feel to have to rely on a sophomore to help a veteran as yourself win the biggest prize? He was nothing if not tenacious in his questioning.

Sarah smiled and sighed before answering. Elijah, we are a team and in spite of sounding cliché I'm going to say it. There is no I in team.

Yes, but my sources reveal that you didn't even have a plan for this win. That it wasn't even your routine that you used this year. How does that make you feel? You're a graduating senior, shouldn't the winning routine have come from you?

Coach Jordan was getting riled up. Elijah, it's called a TEAM for a reason. It takes a village to raise a child. Haven't you ever heard that?

"Yes Coach, I have, but that term is primarily used in raising a child. This is the winning routine in a cheerleading competition, and as I heard it your chosen leadership choked and had to go to two lower classmen to get the job done. How does that make you feel as the Coach?"

Sarah opened her mouth and closed it several times. Never in all her life had she been so insulted. Elijah, you are just being mean. Yes, the routine that we used came from a sophomore, but it was the team that used it to win the competition, collectively.

So what you are saying is that all of you had an input in the win? He was being relentless.

Everyone worked their tails off for this win. There is no single person responsible. The cheerleading coach answered.

So the voting of incoming junior Eve St. Clair was just because she is the best? Come on coach, you have three seniors on the squad next year and you chose a junior to lead it? What's up with that?

The team chooses its own captain, Elijah. We take a vote and let them decide.

Yeah? Well the way I heard it is that you usually vote the first day back after you all go to the competition, but there wasn't even a traditional vote this year. There was just a selection by Sarah and a few other graduating seniors who won't even be here next year, and of course it was all given with a kiss of approval by you, Coach. Can you tell us why there's not going to be a vote today after school by the squad?

You are making more out of this than it is, Elijah, and I suggest you get back to the reporting at hand, the State win and our newly elected captain for next year. The Coach was more than irritated at the student anchorman.

Ever the reporter, he didn't miss a beat nor let a guest's demeanor rattle him. No wonder he had received a scholarship in communications to NYU. He turned to look directly into the camera. Well students and faculty of Edensville High, most of you are hearing it here first. We already have a new cheer captain for next year and for the first time in EHS history my sources tell me it's not a graduating senior. So without further adieu Sarah Walker would you kindly divulge who it is that is to replace you next year?

Sarah looked up into the camera and spoke directly. Congratulations Edensville High, your new Cheerleading Captain for next year is none other than Eve St. Clair! The school went wild with applause. Even teachers were taking a moment to applaud.

So my sources were correct, you did already vote. Can you explain why you didn't wait to vote as you usually do? Elijah kept probing as he talked to his guest over the applause.

We normally do nominate then decide on the Monday after, but his year was different. Sarah explained with a shrug.

Yeah? How so? Elijah pressed.

Because there were no other nominations. Coach Jordan answered. It was unanimous. Eve St. Clair won fair and square because there were no one else nominated.

But Eve St. Clair is a junior in the fall and as I said before, never has there been anyone other than a senior voted team captain of the Edensville Cheerleading Team.

Sarah shrugged. There has been now.

Elijah turned back toward the camera. Well, students of EHS you’ve heard it here first. Eve St. Clair, incoming junior for the fall semester is your new Cheerleading Captain. So if you see her today, congratulate her and the rest of the squad on their big win! He turned back toward Coach Jordan and Sarah. Ladies, thank you for coming into Down to Zero News today and giving us the details. This has been your very own, Elijah Walls your informative guide through the halls of Edensville High. Have a great day!

And cut! Ezra, the morning producer called out as the little red light on top of the camera went out. Great job everyone.

You were reaching, Elijah. Coach Jordan retorted.

"Coach, you have to see it from our perspective. You let a sophomore…incoming junior…become the cheerleading captain without a vote. We might not have a lot of stuff that's news worthy around here, but we all know that is big news."

Well it's not. She deserves it, has worked hard and is the captain, nothing more, nothing less and you would do well in stop trying to make more of it than it is. The Coach waited until the sound guy, Nathan Profits, removed the microphone from her jacket