Author's Note: A shorter chapter this time, but hopefully just as good. Featuring a new character who I think you're gonna love ;) Hope you like it! ~ KennyEchelon

We arrived at camp at 9.00 and my mom registered us.

She kissed my forehead before leaving, then said: "Now, niha, I'm gonna check into the hotel and most likely fall asleep seeing as I've been up since 5am for you guys. Your father will arrive tonight so if you need anything, give one of us a text."

I could tell she was faking her exasperation, seeing as every year I came to cheer camp, the parents would spend a weekend doing god knows what. I don't think I really need to know but dad definitely made sure he got off work.

"Okay, mom" I whined, eyeing the people around us. I didn't them thinking I was a mommy's girl.

As soon as she left, I glared at everyone, determined to reinstate my rep. The girls at the Ohio camp knew well enough to stay away from my rage and let me top the pyramid. The Louisville girls hadn't been introduced to Snix yet.

"Play nice" whispered Britt, but I could tell she was amused. I gave one last stink eye around the room and calmed down, but not before a slightly chunky girl with brunette hair averted her eyes, obviously scared.

I watched her edge towards a taller, blonde girl next to her. I laughed to myself. Someone is obviously the ugly friend.

Me and Britt hung around for a while, waiting for the Opening Rally. This is usually the bit where everyone introduced themselves and made friends but I wasn't up for that pansy-ass crap. I was fine with Brittany.

Britt went round talking to people, but not before checking that I was one hundred percent sure that I didn't want to myself.

I sat down and started scrolling through Facebook on my phone. Well, I was, until I heard a scuffling noise straight ahead of me.

"No, Fran, I don't wanna."

"C'mon Luce, you need to say hello."

The chunky girl from earlier stumbled up to me, most likely pushed by the other girl. "H-hi" she squeaked, then cleared her throat. "Hi, I'm Lucy." She held out her hand for my to shake. I raised my eyebrow at it until she lowered her hand again.

"Santana." I said, kind of sharply.

"Where are you from?" she asked nervously.

I considered telling her a fake place to get her to leave her alone but my eyes flicked to Britt and she gave me a thumbs up so I told the truth.

"Ohio"

"Oh my goodness, I'm from Ohio too!"

Shit.

Luckily, she was interrupted before she could force me to elaborate which area of Ohio I was from. "Luce? I'm gonna go now. Remember you owe me so big for this."

Lucy raised her eyebrow. "Mom made you bring me, it wasn't like you'd say no to her."

"Good job she's paying me for the fuel costs and you'll be driving yourself next year."

"Bye, Frannie" said Lucy and the other girl left.

"Your sister?" I asked. I figured I might as well try to make conversation. "Yeah, she's like 6 years older than me so Mom made her bring me in her car" she replied "Have you got any siblings."

"Nah, only child. I'm special"

Yeah, special enough to be forced into a crappy school to toughen me up. No wonder I started smoking. Dad would kill me if he found out. Being a doctor, he sort of frowns upon anything that has been proven to kill you. He'd lecture me, saying I'd end up like his lung cancer patients.

I wish I'd had a cigarette right then though.

Brittany jumped over to us, excitedly. "Who's your friend?"

"Lucy" she said, smiling.

"Hey. I'm Brittany. Are you from around here?"

"No, I'm from Ohio" replied Lucy.

"Oh my god, so are we!" Britt squealed and I rolled my eyes in mock despair.

Lucy grinned. "It's crazy, the demand was so high for the Ohio camps this year that all the places were gone before I had a chance to book. Then again, I've only just started cheering so I suppose I'm gonna be at a disadvantage."

I forced back a 'no shit' and let her continue talking.

"Did you hear, Coach Sylvester from McKinley High is a guest instructor in Ohio this year? Maybe that's why places were snapped up. I mean, I know I'm a novice but even I know who she is."

"That's why" I replied. Any self-respecting cheerleader wouldn't pass up the opportunity to perform under her tutelage. I should have been disappointed but it was pretty much decided that I was going to McKinley High the next year so there wasn't really much to be upset about.

We talked for a while, discussing what we were going to do over the next few days. Somehow I managed to get myself psyched up for camp without looking totally lame. I still wanted the others thinking I was cool. No-one was taking the top of the pyramid from me. What went down in Lima Heights was what I can only describe as 'cosas malas'. When it came to cheering I didn't know how to play fair. In the dance studio I was calm. In the gymnasium, I was a fully-steaming rage train. I had to try for Brittany though, seeing as she hadn't hit the horrors of high school yet and wasn't a bitch. That totally changed later on.

But for that moment, we sat and had a conversation with the other girl until the Opening Rally began. I remember thinking "This Lucy girl may not be too bad, besides she'll make me look hotter in comparison."