Three hours, twenty-two minutes and forty-six seconds later, the bus rolled onto the campus of Central Valley University, our home for the next six days. The school had multiple dorm rooms, a massive amount of building including a gym and a stadium that most likely had more money sunken into it than the town could really afford. I kind of thought about putting in an application to attend.
The bus lurched to a halt as everyone picked up trash and the stuff they brought with them. Melissa took the empty water from me and tossed it in a trash bag that was making its way to the back of the bus. Mrs. Humphrey stood up at the front of the bus.
“Everyone listen up!”
We all stopped what we were doing and looked to her.
“Girls, you have been assigned to Rasche Hall. And guys,” she looked at me for a moment and her eyes kind of widened, but then looked beyond me to Chad and Mike. “You will be in Brown Hall. Now we’re going to calmly get off the bus and go to registration. Your bags will be unloaded and locked in a designated area.”
I walked off the bus with Melissa walking behind me.
“Maybe you should be in Rasche Hall with me.”
“You’re hilarious, more so than usual.”
“Who would know?” She asked with a shrug.
“Everyone on this bus, for one.”
“Psssh, like that matters.”
I stepped off of the bus, hoisted my backpack up and stood next to the rest of the group.
“What the hell are you wearing?” Chad asked.
Mike and Chad stood next to us on the sidewalk. They’re expressions were not a ‘hey, look at the crazy guy’ but more of puzzlement.
“I’m trying to figure that out myself,” I replied.
“Are you planning on wearing a skirt or shorts?” Mike asked.
“Don’t you think it looks good?” Melissa held my free hand out to show them the nail polish.
Yes, I had the feeling to once again to either faint dead away or to run for the literal hills, which were just a few miles away.
Chad nodded. “You do you.”
Mike shook his head and sighed as our group marched forward to a large building with a large banner reading “World Cheerleading Council” stretching over the doors.
“Are you wearing lipstick?” Mike asked.
I nodded.
“Melissa, is he your personal make-up model?”
“Do you want to be my next artistic marvel?” Melissa asked with a subtle flirty hint to her voice.
“I could use a little hair work, maybe.”
“Oh, I can do a lot more.”
“We noticed,” Chad replied as we stepped into the building.
The hallway was crowded with cheerleaders, advisors, coaches and administrators.
Two guys, each wearing a shirt that read ‘WCC’ came over and motioned to Mike and Chad. “What school are you from?”
“Roosevelt.”
“Awesome. Great to see you here!” The first one said.
“Once you are checked in, we need all of the guys to meet on the far side of the gymnasium.” The second guy said.
“Just two from your school?”
Melissa grabbed my arm and hustled me forward. “Let’s see if we have our room assignments, Lin.”
“You guys ready for this week?”
“It’s going to be…interesting,” Chad replied.
I looked back for a second but then turned to face Melissa.
“Don’t worry, I have a plan.”
“I’m worried about whatever your plan is.”
“My plan is for you to realize who you are.”
“I know who I am, Melissa.”
“You sure?”

We walked into the sprawling gymnasium and I had to squint to see the other side. It was mor like a stadium than a simple gym. We could all take the field and there would be room for a band, football team, perhaps a LaCrosse and a doubles tennis match.
“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You will learn, young Padawan.”
You can’t say that unless—”
“It’s from “Star Wars”. So, ha!”

“I think I’ll go with the guys.”
“And explain all or this?” Melissa asked as she raised one of my hands up.
“Yeah, I’ll blame you for it.”
“Just hang out here for a bit. At least until Mrs. Humphrey says something.”
“Or Andrea,” I sighed as I looked around for her.
“If you can do anything at all that will get us high marks at the end of the week, then she won’t care.”
“Wait a minute, what do you mean high marks?”
“It’s a cheer camp, there will always be some kind of competition. You know that.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen!” A voice boomed over the PA system.
Everyone turned to a young man, maybe in his early twenties, who stood on top of a platform in the middle of the gym. “My name is Zachary and welcome to the WCC—World Cheerleader Council—cheer camp!”
There was an eruption of applause and giggles from most of the crowd of girls. I sighed as I should have standing with Mike and Chad; but if I was, then I would have been thinking I wanted to stand with Melissa and the other girls.
“Each school will be given a name tag and a colored lanyard to identify your school. Now, let me introduce you my fellow staff members!”
“He does cute, in a small guy kind of way. What do you think, Lin?”
“I don’t have any opinion about him.”
“Is Tony better looking?’
‘I’m not answering that.”
“I think the guy on the right looks good. Muscular legs and arms…probably a few other areas, am I right?”
“Melissa,” I whispered through gritted teeth.
“Does Tony have a lot of muscles?”
“I wasn’t looking at his body.”
“Oh, but you were looking at him, right?”

I could feel the blood rush to my face for the eighth time that day as I tried to ignore Melissa’s commentary about each staff member who walked, jumped, ran and yelled at the podium in order to get a reaction from the crowd. There were eight women and four men, counting Zachary and each of them riled the crowd to a crescendoed frenzy one would think we were at a NIN concert.

Ten minutes later, Mrs Humphrey gathered us together and handed out lanyards and badges. The badges had our room assignments and also appeared to be the key to gain entry to our dorm rooms.
“Let’s unload the bus!”

Our group followed the crowd out the door once again.
Mike and Chad met up with us before we arrived at the front door.
Mike made a gesture of “after you” to Melissa and she grabbed onto both of our hands.
“I think this is going to be a great week!”
“I’m sure it will be,” Mike replied with a smile.
I wanted to let go of Melissa’s hand and just blend into the crowd, but she held onto my hand like she was ready to crush it.
I didn’t reply but Mike smiled at her as we walked to the bus.

A lot of the squad ran ahead to be the first to grab their things so all of the bays were open.
Chad threw two large duffel bags out and onto the ground.
“What if I had something breakable in there?” Mike asked.
Chad shrugged as he picked up one of tossed large bags.
There was one bag remaining. I looked at Melissa and then at the other bays—all of them were empty.
Melissa reached in, pulled the bag out and opened the zipper.
“This one’s yours,” she replied and then zipped it up.
“It looks more like yours.”
”No, mine has a broken zipper. Take it. Mrs. Humphery, we’re missing a bag.”
“What?” Mrs. Humphery barked as she took off her sunglasses and looked into the now entry bay. “Who’s missing a bag?”
“Mine,” Melissa replied and raised her hand.
“I’ll need to call the school and we’ll need to see what we need to do.”
“I’m sure it will all come together,” Melissa said with a shrug.
I stared at her with my jaw hanging open. Melissa, the one who always wanted to have just the right outfit, right down to the underwear, available if she needed it. Melissa, the one who would pack a curling iron and a regular iron with her, just in case.
“I mean if I gotta was this and wear it again, then I’ll okay.”
“Did you forget it on the bus?”
“No, I just took my backpack onto the bus,” Melissa replied as she hoisted said backpack onto her shoulders.
“Everyone’s supposed to get a t-shirt and a pair of shorts for the week. We’ll have to see about getting you a few extra ones.’
‘That will work, Mrs. H.”
I still looked at her dumb founded.
“I’m good. I’m fine. It will be like getting to wear a new uniform each day.”
“But all of your stuff?” I asked.
“Pssh, I’m good.”
“Alright, you guys are in Richards Hall, which is down this path and to the right. Melissa, come with me.”
I picked up my bag and walked next to Chad and Mike.
“Your friend is a character,” Chad said with a whistle.
“She sure is,” I replied,
“Tell me about it,” Mike said with a grin.
“Dude, there is almost a 1:100 ratio here.” Chad raised his hands and pointed around as we walked into the quad area. There were multiple buildings with six of them marked with WCC banners,
“Yeah, but I’m kind of liking her. She’s growing on me.”
“Careful, or you may turn into one her projects, like Lin.”
“Did you let her do that to you?”
“I was asleep,” I replied as he we walked up to the door to Richards Hall.
Two guys with black lanyards stood next to the door.
“Dudes, welcome to the dorm. I’m Rick and this is Bryan.” Rick then turned his attention to me and pointed to his left. ‘Your dorm is over there with the girls.”
“I’m Chad, this is Mike and Lin.’
‘Seriously? You’re a guy?” Bryan asked.