Chapter 2 –
Major Harrison entered the hall just as the balding man at the podium started to speak. About ten other people sat on either side of the stage behind him.
'Someone has some explaining to do.' Angie thought as she leered over at Harrison before looking back towards the front of the hall.
"Welcome gentlemen." The man at the podium cleared his throat as he looked towards the Kempsey Academy cadets. "And ladies."
Angie's eyes narrowed as she noticed an apprehensive tone in his voice.
"Welcome to Lake Marshetta. Glad to see everyone made it safely. I am Colonel Davis." He introduced himself, and then waved his hand over to his right side. "Over to my right are the camp's drill instructors Sergeants Thomas, Sanders and Wright and Corporal Miles."
Davis then turned towards the left. "To my left are medical assistants Sharon Perez and Brenda Wilson, camp councillor Nancy Leon, our laundry assistants Pearl Reynolds and Ava West and finally this year's camp leader Connor James." He finished, pointing to the tall boy seated at the end of the stage. Angie couldn't help but notice his tanned, toned arms, accentuated by a black t-shirt. He had short sandy blonde hair and slight stubble on his chin and along his jaw line.
"Before you all go to lunch, after this meeting, in the cafeteria just next to this building, you will each receive your schedules." Davis continued. "You will have weekends free to do whatever you want within the camp grounds. During the last week of camp there will be what we call the Iron Man challenge."
"Each squad will compete in a series of challenges, with the winning squad receiving a trophy and a cash prize for their school."
Angie's ears pricked up at the mention of a cash prize and out of the corner of her eye she could see Ruby sit straight up.
"Also, the captain of the winning squad will be asked to return to Lake Marshetta next year as camp leader."
As Davis began to go over the camp rules and guidelines Angie began to fall into a daze and lose concentration. She looked around the hall to see framed photographs of former attendees of the camp, some photos that had to be from decades ago. Not a single one had a female in the picture.
She started to pay attention to Davis again when it seemed like he was closing the meeting.
"Finally, I would like to introduce each school. Please raise your hands when I call out your school." Davis looked down at his notes on the podium. "First we have Harrington Academy," the boys at the front right side of the hall, dressed in maroon t-shirts and grey pants, raised their hands in perfect unison, "Novo Preparatory School," the squad seated in front of Kempsey Academy, dressed in orange t-shirts and black pants, raised their hands, "Madison Preparatory School," the boys at the back left rows raised their hands. They were dressed in white shirts and navy blue pants.
Angie noted the two older boys kept twitching their heads to face her squad.
"Earl Hatton Military Academy," Davis continued, a squad seated in front of Madison Preparatory, decked out in grey shirts and grey pants, raised their hands, "Wellington Academy," Angie turned her head to see the all-blue squad behind her raise their hands, one of the boys turned to Angie and gave her a not so subtle wink. Angie pursed her lips into a non-genuine smile before turning back around. A disgusted look appeared on her face the moment she looked away.
"And lastly," Davis cleared his throat, "the first all female squad to attend Lake Marshetta, Kempsey Academy." All together every head in the hall turned, some smirking and nodding like a group of bobblehead dolls, as the girls lifted their arms slowly and quickly pulled them down again. Angie had a feeling they didn't need to raise their hands to let people know which school they were.
"I trust that you'll all be professional," Davis spoke slowly, "and that there won't be any funny business." He said causing mischievous chuckles to sound throughout the hall.
'Funny business?' Angie had a hunch that she knew what he meant. She could tell he didn't want to go into detail about what he meant. Angie noticed Ruby had slid back down her chair.
After the meeting finished everyone grabbed their schedules and started to make their way straight towards the cafeteria.
"You guys go ahead," Angie said as she folded her schedule without reading it, "I wanna speak to Harrison." The rest of the squad headed for the next building when Angie spotted the Major.
"Major Harrison," She spotted him just standing casually just outside the hall.
"What's wrong Cadet Moretti?" Harrison immediately recognised the questioning expression on Angie's face.
"You knew that this was a boy's camp, didn't you?" Her expression went from questioning to suspicious as she folded her arms.
"Of course I knew." Angie opened her mouth to speak when Harrison continued. "You think that I would place you in a camp that I knew nothing about?"
"But… why-"
"For four years…" Harrison rubbed his eyes as he spoke, "Kempsey Academy hasn't ranked past third place at the All Female Virginia Military Games."
"Third place isn't so bad. It's better than last place." Angie's voice started to get higher.
"There are only five other squads that you compete against."
"Right." Angie let out a big huff and looked down at the ground.
"Think about this…" Harrison spoke slowly as Angie looked back up at him. "You're going to be practicing with and competing against some of the best male squads in the state. If you guys can beat them, imagine how well you'd do at the games."
"It's a good idea and all in theory. But what makes you think that us competing against boys is going to improve anything?"
"I think it's a great idea, Major Harrison, sir." Angie couldn't hold in a grunt when her heard least favourite squad mate, Nicole Faye, who decided to stick her nose into the conversation.
"I knew you would Cadet Faye." Angie rolled her eyes as Major Harrison's voice rose in praise of Nicole.
"If I were squad leader I would probably have thought of this myself." Said the tall blonde, holding her hands behind her back as she spoke.
'Here we go again.' Angie bit her tongue as she looked back at the ground, trying her hardest not to say what she thought. Since Angie was chosen as squad leader over a year ago Nicole has been doing everything she can think of to take the position from her.
"Of course," Nicole continued, "if I were squad leader we wouldn't have to resort to something like this to get to first place."
"Right." Angie laughed. "But you would sleep with one of the judges to get us to first place." Angie blurted out.
"Excuse me?" Nicole held her hand to her chest. Angie smirked when it seemed Nicole was at a loss for words.
"Cadet Moretti!" Harrison growled. "Faye you may go to lunch."
When Nicole moved out of earshot, Harrison looked back at Angie and started to speak again.
"I'm with Cadet Faye on this one." Angie furrowed her eyebrows. "The squad needs changes to be made."
"I realise that, but…" Angie interrupted before Harrison cut in.
"If the squad loses the games this year I might have Faye replace you as squad leader."
"What?" Angie gasped. "Major, a dog can do a better job as leader than Nicole would ever be able to."
"I stand by what I said. I put a lot of time and effort to get you guys allowed into this place. If this doesn't work, I don't know what will." Harrison held his hand up to stop Angie from speaking. "Go to lunch."
Angie turned around to make her way towards the cafeteria when Harrison spoke once more.
"Oh and Moretti…" He drawled. "I hope you listened to the Colonel. No funny business."
Angie chuckled. "Whatever do you mean Major?" She questioned innocently.
"Oh, don't act like you don't know."
'What's that supposed to mean?' Angie wondered as her eyes narrowed.
"I'm not gonna be running around looking after a bunch of hormonal teenagers. Being from an all-girls school is not an excuse."
"You kinda are already, sir." Angie spoke slowly. "We are a bunch of hormonal…" Her voice trailed off as she saw the unamused look on the Major's face.
"No, you're right." Angie nodded quickly to get on the Major's good side; she knew she was on thin ice. "No funny business."
"Good." Harrison gave an approving look.
"You mean like sex right?" Angie quipped and, before she could see the expression on Harrison's face, almost sprinted towards the lunch hall.