Chapter Text
Despite what happened with their mascot and without their coach present, the Gators wound up winning the game under the assistant coach’s guidance with their new battle cry being, “For Gummi!”
No one on the Jesters really understood it at first, particularly with the confusion over the name. Wasn’t their mascot named Snapper? Eventually they figured out Gummi had to be the name of the person who was in the mascot costume.
After their last cheer for the night, a few of the Gators players pulled her aside and thanked Pomni for rushing to help their mascot.
She wanted to ask if he had a history of fainting or if anything like this had happened before but she wasn’t quite sure how. She wondered if that worry was written on her face or if it was getting mistaken for interest as the Quarterback gave her a phone number and told her it was his and that he wouldn’t mind it if she wanted to check on him.
****
She hadn’t really thought about it until after she sent the first text. She couldn’t stop thinking about how awkward she might have made him feel.
That was when she sent the second text apologizing and telling him he didn’t have to respond.
She heard her phone buzz as she changed out of her cheerleader uniform and back into her normal clothes. She glanced at her phone to make sure it wasn’t her roommate needing something and saw he had replied.
“Hey Pomni. I’m doing ok. Docs didn’t find anything wrong with me and I’m headed back to the hotel the team’s staying at to rest. Thanks for coming to help me.”
She walked back to her dorm and heard her phone buzz again as she unlocked her door. She looked and saw he had texted again.
“How did you know to do all that stuff to help me cool off?”
“You mentioned that you fainted before I think? Is that what happened to you?”
Pomni smiled and started texting as she sat down on her bed.
“I’m actually in my school’s nursing program with my roommate.”
She continued typing.
“I didn’t overheat. I wasn’t sleeping enough for a while and I overexerted myself one day and passed out during cheer practice. Doctor forced me on bedrest for a week.”
“That sounds scary. You doing alright?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. That was a year ago. I’m just glad most of the bed rest was over spring break.”
She paused for a moment when the thought hit her that she didn’t really know his name.
“I don’t think I caught your name btw? I think I heard the players on your team calling you Gummi?”
"It's Gummigoo. I know it's silly. Just Gummi is fine."
"It's not any sillier than my name lol"
“My head still kinda hurts. I should go to sleep now.”
“Alright. Rest well. Make sure you speak up if you need to take a break and drink lots of water.”