Note: A new chapter follows. Read it if you want to. (Why did you click if you didn't want to?)
Thanks to all readers and especially to CajunBear 73, gerbilHunter, Jimmy1201, darkenstormy, David Falkayn and MrDrP for reviewing.
Disclaimer: Disney owns the Middleton Cheer Squad. Charlotte Aubrey created by Patrick O'Brian. OCs by author.
Chapter 4
"Mountain Pressure" or "Fast Women"
Senior year was not going as well as Bonnie Rockwaller had hoped.
She admitted that some of her disappointment might conceivably be on herself. Mistakes may have been made. Going after Jessica after the swim race was probably one. The mousy blonde was liked by the rest of the girls; and that sob fest of hers had brought the girl so much sympathy. (Bonnie would have pegged it as a fake, but Freckles wasn't smart enough to come up with the ploy, or a good enough actress to pull it off.) And lashing out at Tara was another unfortunate misstep.
Coming into the year she'd had such high hopes, after Kim Possible had made her squad co-captain at the Mad Dog Picnic during the summer. She'd certainly expected that by this time she'd be dating the quarterback as usual. But first that loser Stoppable had somehow won the job for two games—someday she'd learn the story behind that—and then when the yummy Kyle Monson had inherited the post he seemed immune to the cheerleader's physical charms.
How any guy could prefer that stringbean Megan Hadley, with her goofy face and flat chest, to Bonnie's bounties was simply beyond comprehension.
So here she was. Her dance choreography had turned a very good cheer squad into a great one, and that had given her a certain amount of power. Enough to shrug off the disaster that had been Jason at the Labor Day bikini party at least. Now, however, she was in danger of overplaying her hand. The squad might begin to feel that they could recycle the Bonnie dances she'd already provided and move on without Bonnie.
She needed to dial back the Bonnie-ness if she was going to accomplish her goal.
At the regular morning meeting—which Bonnie attended, surprisingly, though the only thing said about the events of the day before was about the squad's new battle cry—they discussed the race. Jess and Tara ran the trails the most out of all the girls, and it was thought they should run the third and fourth legs.
"Jess is a rocket on those steep sections in that third leg," Tara said. "She flies up them like she's weightless."
"But Tara's sprint in the fourth leg reels me in by the finish," Jess said. "She's Usain Bolt with boobs."
"Great! And I'll run the first leg," Kim said. "Who's for second?"
No one volunteered. They weren't into trail running as much as the blondes. Crystal made a suggestion. "Amber."
"Your sister?" said Bonnie.
"The JV girls are eager to be part of this, and we allowed for it in the rules since there's only eight of us against so many sports girls. Amber was in a running club in middle school, and she excelled at hills. We can use her today."
"She's got the fitness; we've seen that when she's subbed in for someone," Kim observed. "Good idea, Crys!"
Amber was thrilled to be asked, so the squad had a lineup they felt they could win with. But the trail relay required even more planning than the first two events. They'd had to set up the points to hand off to the next runner, and provide people to observe along the way. Luckily Brummer's Overlook, the finish point, was accessible by car, so spectators could drive up there.
Now they had to assign observers for the start and the handover points and for the finish. Between the five not running and the JV squad, plus boyfriends, they had plenty of people.
A lunchtime meeting in the caf settled matters.
Jess told Steve she wanted him to be with her at the start of her leg.
"Okay," he agreed. "And I'll jog along after you so we can come back down together."
"Great. But I think first I'll follow after T and whoever so I can catch the celebration when she wins."
"Whatever, I'll just keep going up until we meet."
"Where do you want me to be, Tara?" Kevin asked. "At the finish waiting for you? Or where Jess hands over to you?"
"Gee, I don't know. I wish there was a way you could be at both places."
"Maybe there is," Kim said. "You're not afraid of heights, are you Kevin?"
Race time approached. The start was back at Mr. Farley's facility, which gave access to the trail. The AV club had worked technological miracles in attaching webcams to trees along the route so everyone could see the action.
There were no volleyball girls competing today; they had a road match with the Lemurs to play. But they had time before their bus left so most of them were among the crowd, except Megan who was at the finish. Today the racers were drawn from the soccer and field hockey teams—girls who could run on a flat, grassy field all day long, but how would they fare on a mountain trail?
The sports girls were also bringing it to the hotness competition by adopting outfits similar to the cheer squad's competition outfit. Other girls not in uniform for their own sports or practices had arranged an homage to the stacked-and-pistol-packin' heroine of the Crypt Looter video game series. They wore olive hiking shorts and clingy, ribbed tank tops that the boys loved on them.
By coincidence the cheerleaders not running had also chosen hiking apparel with an eye toward sex appeal: khaki short shorts, paired with button-down shirts tied off below their breasts. Several had taken Jess's advice to eschew the bra, and had unbuttoned to show varying amounts of eye-catching cleavage. Except freshman Pearl Whately, who was only showing potential.
Judges were calling that event a draw.
Kim was the queen of organization as usual. Although everyone already knew their role, she reviewed the plan one more time. "Okay," she said, consulting her color-coded chart, "Whately sisters all go to handoff point one where I will give over to Amber. Crys, can you and Pearl take this up there for me?" She handed the eldest sister a backpack.
"Liz, you and Charlotte Aubrey go to point two where Jess takes over from Amber. Jess texted me; she and Steve are in place already, warming up." The redhead and the English-born blonde signaled OK.
"Oh, I'll wager things are getting quite warm up there," Charlotte whispered to Liz.
"For point three Hope is driving Charity, Tara, Kevin and Marcella up to the finish; the latter three will walk down to where Tara's leg starts while the Trinhs stay to observe the finish. Charity is bringing the finish line tape. I will also be at the finish.
"And Bonnie is in charge here at the start. Anything you want to add, B?"
The co-captain shook her head. "I think you covered most of it, K. Just remember ladies, there's no tomorrow, and no more posh locker room, if we don't win today."
"So we're set! All right, let's tell our foes what they're in for today." She put out her right hand as did all the other cheerleaders present. "One, two, …"
"Lightning and Claws!" They raised their hands, thumb and two figures arced like claws, and made swiping motions toward the sports girls.
What a lame battle cry, Bonnie thought.
"What a lame battle cry," a field hockey girl named Lexi said to Amanda Pewlative. The two sports girls were at Brummer's Overlook watching the live stream from the start on their phones.
"Everything cheerleaders do is lame," Manni replied.
"This from the crew who shout 'female dogs!'," Hope said from behind the girls. "Ours is from Vietnamese culture. Dragons who control weather." She gave them a three-fingered claw gesture as she passed.
They returned single fingers to her retreating back.
"OMG, Manni, we've committed a microaggression against multiculturalism," Lexi said flippantly. "We must Check Our Privilege or we'll be cancelled."
"Cancel the slut squad," Manni suggested. "I can't wait to shower in that locker room tomorrow. I hear they have heated towel racks."
Lexi said, "I hear there's a huge mirror with hot water pipes behind it so it never fogs up."
"No wonder we never had enough hot water in the gym showers," Manni said bitterly. "Well, they'll be the ones with the frozen assets after today."
Soon all the observers reached their assigned places along the trail. The race would start in a few minutes.
Kim was to start against a speedy soccer forward, a senior named Tina.
The runners took their places at the start, and at a signal they took off. Kim sprinted to an early lead, which she held until they were out of view.
Crystal and Pearl were with their sister at the first handover point.
"I hope I don't let the squad down," a keyed-up Amber fretted.
"You'll do great, sis," Pearl said.
"No pressure, kid," Crystal said reassuringly. "Just do your best; nobody can ask for more than that. Only, Jess and Tara say if you can give Jess a lead it's pretty much in the bag for us. But no pressure."
"I hear them!" one of the sports girl observers announced. They all checked their phone screens. Kim still had a lead, but Tina was hanging on tenaciously. They weren't using batons, so the runners just tagged their successors when they finished a leg.
Amber and her opponent were off.
The teen hero was winded from her exertion, but recovered rapidly.
"Got that backpack I gave you, Crys?"
It was handed over. Kim strapped it on and pulled a cord. Wings and a jet engine sprouted from the pack.
"Okay, I'm off for point three and then the finish. See you two later."
The jet engine spouted flame from its nozzle and Kim flew off.
At handover point two Jess was stretching her long athletic legs and Steve was trying not to drool as he watched his blonde in her skimpy workout wear. (The boys who'd found the webcam feed were also enjoying the show.)
"Sure you don't want me to massage your legs, babe?"
"Want it? Do I ever. Problem is if you start you'll get me all hot and bothered and I won't be able to run when it's time. Plus we'd scandalize Miss Masterpiece Theatre here."
"It would take a lot more than that to scandalise me," Charlotte said with a laugh. "I grew up around horses."
"What's your plan, Jess?" asked Liz.
"If Amber gives me a lead I'll go so fast a wounded tortoise would be able to win it for us. If not I stay on her ass like a pimple. No way can anyone pass safely on this leg. Tara will take it at the finish."
"Not today, Sundstrum," said her opponent Madison, a field hockey player. "You'll be the one getting dropped. You and Monroe both."
Kim landed near point three where Tara, Kevin and Marcella waited. "How are we doing?" she asked the trio, who were glued to screens watching the live steam.
"Amber's still ahead … now they're neck-and-neck … oh no! she just got passed! That sucks, probably the last good place to pass before the finish."
"I need a last-minute pep talk," Tara said, pulling her BF to her.
Kevin took her in his arms and gave her several stimulating kisses. "To be continued after you win," he murmured before he released her.
"Awwww," chorused Kim and Marcella.
The second runners were nearing point two. Jess and Madison readied themselves to take over.
The svelte blonde cheerleader threw her arms around her sweetie's neck and kissed him hard. "See ya later for that massage, stud. These legs will be aching for your nimble fingers." Another quick buss. "And so will the fun parts."
Steve had a markedly Stoppable-esque goofy grin on his face when his honey released him.
Amber had been passed, but was very close behind. Madison and Jess both started.
"Steve!" Liz reminded him. "You were going to follow …?
"Oh yeah," he said, and started after the runners.
Charlotte and Liz started to hike back down along with Amber and the sports girls.
Charlotte sighed. "Why are there no guys like him in my class?"
"Because you're just a sophomore, Char," Liz said. "Your guys need a couple more years to mature."
"Do they? I can't believe there are any Steves-in-waiting among my classmates."
"Just you wait. Only a year ago Steve was the shortest, scrawniest boy in our class. But by junior prom time … hottie city."
"No!" the English blonde gasped. "I don't believe you. You're having me on."
"Cross my heart," Liz swore. "And our second shortest? You know him as 'G-man.' "
Jess was true to her word and stayed as close to Madison as a shadow.
Tara and her opponent, a soccer player called Elena were ready for the final leg. They started as soon as Madison and Jess tagged them.
Madison was gasping for breath, but the Kim-conditioned Jess still had plenty in her tank.
"I'm going to follow them," she told the group.
"Okay, Jess," Kim said. "Kevin! Cheerlead Air flight 2 now boarding. Let's get you to the finish."
She took hold of Tara's boyfriend from behind, her hands under his arms, and fired up her jet pack again. Off they flew for the finish line.
Kim and Kevin landed at Brummer's near the group of observers at the finish line, which included Megan and Manni from the sports girls and Hope from the cheerleaders.
"Hey you two," Meg said. "Looks like we have about three more minutes till Elena and Tara get here."
"I'd better get ready," said Kevin, peeling off his shirt and tossing it on a nearby boulder. "Sorry, ladies, but Tara gave me a very specific dress code for today."
"No need to apologize, G-man," Meg said, her stellar smile adorning her face. "You're an authentic Middleton High hunk now; we like it when you flaunt the beefcake. Don't we, Kim?"
Kim was rolling her eyes. "Someday Middleton guys and girls will learn that muscles don't make a man."
Kevin shrugged. "Yeah, but physical fitness is important."
"True, Kim," Meg noted, "And nice round breasts don't make a woman, either. But those lucky enough to have 'em—for example my co-captain and most girls on your squad …" She paused, with an eye on Kim's very becoming top, but tactfully left the 'including you' unspoken, "… like to show them off anyway. No reason Kevin can't be proud of what he's got. He worked for it."
"Touché, Meg," Kim said wryly. "You got me. Kevin, flex away."
Kevin chuckled.
"Seriously, Kevin," Meg said, "You really are looking good for, what? Two months of lifting?"
He nodded. "About that. Maybe nine weeks."
"Well, if you were my guy I'd sure want to outrun any other girl to that buffness. That Tara … always using the ol' gray matter."
"They're coming!" called the watchers near the final bend.
Kevin took a position right past the finish line which was marked by a tape held taut by Charity Trinh and a sophomore from the tennis team.
Elena came into view around the bend, with Tara on her tail.
"You got this, Elena!" "Go, T!" "Take her, 'Lena!" "C'mon, Tara!" yelled the spectators.
Tara tried to pass Elena, but the soccer player stubbornly held the lead. Closer and closer the sprinters came, feet pounding the dirt of the trail, arms pumping furiously.
Down at the start the sports girls and their fans were poised to party hearty. The cheer squad remained confident.
They all saw Tara focus on her cheering hunk and reach inside herself for one supreme effort. She pulled alongside Elena and at the very last moment she leaned forward and broke the tape with her chest. Victory! The cheerleaders were still alive! They and their supporters celebrated as the sports girl side groaned at the missed opportunity.
Exhausted, Elena collapsed to the ground.
Tara ran right into Kevin's arms and spun him around in circles until her momentum was spent. They were embracing and locking lips before they even stopped.
An AV club boy filming approached Kim and Meg for thoughts. They provided the customary cliches.
"Thanks, Kim, Megan. Can I get a statement from Tara?"
"I'm guessing she'll be a while," Kim said. "Maybe just say she's pleased and satisfied?"
"Or will be soon, from the looks of things," put in Meg.
Jess arrived at the overlook. "Did we win?"
"Don't you see the celebration?" Kim said, indicating the amorous couple.
"What, them? They'd be doing that anyway."
Kim and Meg looked sideways at her.
"Oh come on." She held out one hand, palm up. "Kevin: shirtless. Bronzed. Pumped. Testosterone surging. Crazy about …" She added the other hand. "Tara: Barely dressed. Glistening. Bosom heaving. Totally into bronzed hunk." She clasped her hands together. "At the most popular make-out spot in Middleton no less. What else are they gonna do?"
"The blonde speaks truth," Meg said. "Congrats, girls. See you tomorrow."
"Okay Meg; stomp those Lemurs tonight. Anyone want a lift back down?"
"I'm walking back," said Jess. "Steve's coming this direction and we'll meet up."
"Okay. see ya. So Meg? You game?"
"For a jetpack ride?" the volleyball star said. "You bet I am!"
"Then let's go. Wait, you're not afraid of heights, are you?"
"Very funny, Kim."
In a car driving down from the finish Manni Pewlative was berating her unfortunate teammate Elena.
"You cost us the sweep, you dolt! Why didn't you trip her when no one was watching? We should have won this thing already."
"Trip her?" Elena said. "C'mon, Manni, that would be dangerous. Someone could get hurt bad falling on those rocks next to the trail. Besides, it would be cheating."
"Okay, A– Who gives a fuck? And B– only if you got caught."
"Jeez girl, it's just a fun little spirit week event. Don't get your little panties in a wad."
Manni smacked the girl upside the head. "Fun? FUN?! This is WAR!"
Tara and Kevin had relocated their post-race celebration to a cozy spot sheltered from prying eyes. He was leaning back against a vertical rock face. She was leaning into him. Though the little mountainside aerie offered Kevin a breathtaking vista of the Rocky Mountains, he was blind to its splendors. It was the beauty nearer to hand who was taking his breath away this afternoon.
Kisses and tender caresses were the victor's well-earned spoils, and she was returning them as soon as they were awarded.
"You really were amazing in that sprint," he said during a brief smooch break. "I never doubted for a second you'd pull it off."
"And you'll be amazing when you pull it off," she said, raising both arms high above her head and looking at him expectantly.
They both were amazing.
coming soon: event 'fore!'
Okay, the cheerleaders are on the board. They live another day. Now for golf. I'll bring the chapter, you bring the haggis. Exploding golf balls hopefully not included.