The Real Dilemma(s)

The opening of the two car doors alerted the girl lying in the backseat of the return of her friends. If that noise hadn’t, then the loud shutting of the ancient Volkswagen Beetle’s doors surely would’ve. Still, the petite brunette didn’t move an inch.

“You think she’s alive?” Bridget asked from the passenger seat.

“Should we grab a stick to poke her? People can die from fear,” Cassandra stated, placing the key in the ignition but not starting her orange car.

“Screw the stick. I’m just going to kick her,” Bridget replied.

“Good luck trying. You know your boobs are too big for this deathtrap,” Tinsley responded, finally opening her eyes as she rolled over to face the front of the vehicle.

Behind the wheel, Cassie giggled softly. When her parents gifted her this car in tenth grade, her two best friends constantly fought over the shotgun position. Eventually, Bridget’s large breasts proved too cumbersome for getting in and out of the tiny backseat. That **** Tinny into sitting as the regular backseat occupant, a **** role that led to nearly a year of constant complaining.

Yet, by last autumn, Tinny mostly gave up on her attempts to wrangle the passenger seat. Instead, she boasted about naming the Beetle. Bridget had gone through several combinations referencing the color orange and the words bug or beetle. Finally, Tinny won out after repeatedly grumbling about sharing the small backseat with all of Cassie's books. Thus, the Book Bug was born.

“Deathtrap? That’s funny since you hid out in the Book Bug for safety,” the buxom blonde pointed out.

“I was not hiding in here. I’m tired and need to rest my eyes,” the petite brunette insisted.

“Resting your eyes? Sure. It had nothing to do with your comments about the barn being creepy,” Bridget continued.

“I believe Tin’s precise comparison was to the farm from Cujo,” Cassie recalled from a couple of weeks ago.

“Didn’t she mention The Texas Chainsaw Massacre?”

“No, she brought up Children of the Corn,” the bookish redhead corrected.

“That’s right. Some vow to get the fuck out of here if she sees any creepy kids coming out of the fields,” Bridget said, laughing heartily.

“Oh, fuck off,” Tinny responded, flipping the finger before sitting up and issuing an order. “What are you waiting for, Cass? Get us the hell out of here.”

Cassie started her car and swiftly backed it up before heading down the dirt drive until she reached the county road. With Sela Wynwick off at college, the cheer captains had to get creative and find a safe and secure location to build their float. While a successful case of sabotage hadn’t occurred in nearly six years, the various teams and clubs still made attempts.

Fortunately, Kimberly’s ties to her old small town out in the county came in handy. She hooked the squad up with an abandoned barn on a family friend’s farm. While the drive took longer than anyone wanted, it gave them top-level privacy besides the farmer’s curious son.

“How did it go?” Tinny inquired once they pulled onto a main county highway, and she felt safe again. It also helped that another of their friends drove in front of them.

“Relatively good. Monty said there won’t be any issues with our proposed changes,” Bridget reported. “He’s even got a few pieces down at their little junkyard behind the car lot that could help.”

“Although Monty was being his usual self, and Rain had no patience for it,” Cassie added. “However, Posey has some wonderful ideas for the color design. I think the float is going to pop.”

“Pop? We all use gold and black. How’s she going to make it stand out?” Tinsley challenged.

“Posey might not be the best cheerleader, but she’s got awesome ideas,” Bridget defended. “Just wait.”

“So why the long face, Bee?” Tinny asked.

“Money. Rain worked her usual magic and saved us a bunch, but we were already pushing it before the changes. Now, we’re broke,” Bridget revealed.

“Shit! As much as Sela could be a pain in the ass, having her on the squad had its benefits,” Tinny admitted. “You think we could still hit her up for a donation?”

“It’s possible, but we’re going to need to raise funds,” Cassie answered.

“So you know what that means,” Bridget announced ominously. “A bake sale.”

“Another one? Another one!” Tinny grumbled in frustration, slamming her palm against the seat. "Noooo!!!"

“Don’t start whining. You know your mom loves helping,” Cassie reminded.

“That’s the point!”

“Goddamn school. You hold one car wash fundraiser that brings the cops and allegations of indecency–”

“Don’t forget corrupting minors,” Cassie interjected.

“--and they ban you from using your best fundraising event,” Tinny said, continuing her grumbling. “It’s the Sugarbitches’ fault. We all know they called the cops.”

"And I think we need to do it quick. Like this Friday for the game," Bridget declared, ignoring her co-BFF. Replacing the moneymaking car washes had been a dilemma that she'd wracked her brains out over the last two months. They had to use bake sales until they could find a solid replacement. "Who knows if we're going to need even more money."

“Friday? This Friday?! That means we need to make the stuff tomorrow.”

“Not to mention, we don’t know if Annette will help,” Cassie said with a loud sigh.

“Don’t even get me started about her again,” Tinny responded, checking her anger. “Well, at least that one Babybee–what’s her name?--enjoys baking.”

“You know her name. It’s Lemon,” Bridget replied with a sigh of her own. “And she doesn’t just love baking; she’s damn good at it.”

The trio of best friends settled into discussing what to bake while they drove back into Honey Hollow. Cassie rattled off what items sold and didn’t sell well during the previous two sales. She had also flashed her brights to get Rain to pull over momentarily. Hopping out of the Book Bug, Cassie ran over to the brainy cheerleader's car to ask which baked goods and treats were their most profitable.

Satisfied that Rain already had a list at home, Cassie resumed driving them home. During this stretch, the topic shifted to another major issue hovering over the cheer squad.

“So, are we going to ignore the real dilemma here?” Tinny started it off.

“Tin, not now with Annette,” Bridget muttered wearily.

“I’m not talking about that slutty rebel; I’m talking about your lack of a homecoming date. The dance is ten days away! All the best guys are almost all taken.”

“It’s rare, I’ll admit, but Tin does make a solid point,” Cassie stated, glancing over at the blonde captain. In the passenger seat, she saw her friend frown.

“Thank you, Cass–wait…aw, forget it. I’ll let that dig pass,” the petite brunette said, waving her hand. “Almost the whole squad has settled on their dates.”

“Heck, even I have a date before you, Bee,” Cass said, sounding surprised.

“Yeah, it doesn’t count when you pick the wrong guy to say yes to,” Tinny countered.

“Artie Kolek is a nice boy!”

“He’s boring.”

“Art is on the basketball team,” Cass pointed out.

“Art the Fart is a benchwarmer,” Tinny shot back.

“What the–No one has ever called him that.”

“I’m starting a new trend.”

“Tin does have a point, Cass. No, no, not about the nickname,” Bridget hurriedly clarified. “She means that if you had shown any interest, Kirk Langley would’ve asked you. He’s been waiting years for you to say yes.”

“Oh, not this again,” Cassie moaned, sounding upset. “Why do the two of you keep playing this joke? Kirk isn’t interested in me like that. We’ve been friends since grade school.”

“He’s had a crush on you since then,” Tinny mumbled.

“If that’s the case, then why didn’t you kick Elliot into asking you? Everyone suspects that your prank wars are covering for your true feelings.” Cassie yelled over her shoulder.

“How dare you?! I am not at all interested in that good-for-nothing Ridge. He teamed up with Didi at Shelly’s party for the chickenfight, remember? He did that just to piss me off,” Tinny fumed. “Besides, Steve is a fine date.”

“Steve Gorman is a walking pile of hormones,” Cassie scoffed.

“I know. He should be a fun afterparty,” Tinny tittered.

“Gross!”

“Alright, alright, that’s enough,” Bridget interrupted. “Art is an okay backup selection, but Kirk looked sad when he heard you said yes to him.”

“Kirk’s going with Rain.”

“He’d choose you every time,” Tinny insisted but quieted down after a glare from Bridget. “Okay, okay, let’s figure out who’s still available for our future two-time queen. Jerry Yegge, Shakir Wright, and Pierre ‘Don’t call me Pete anymore’ Chaumont are available.”

“Nope. Pete asked Danika today in World History, and she accepted,” Cassie relayed.

“Jerry and Shakir are both good options. Danilo Carrillo, Duke Hager, and Brock Beal are all available, right?” Tinny double-checked.

“I believe so, but I doubt Bee wants to go with Duke or Brock for obvious reasons,” Cassie stated, watching her friend’s face.

"Obviously," Tinny remarked sarcastically. "Well, Graham Diamond could've been a younger option if you didn't have that weird issue with his family."

"I don't have any issues with the Diamonds. It's just uncomfortable because of how Bev's still acting about The Breakup," Bridget replied. "Also, I don't need Mom, Dad, and Brandy getting excited about possibly seeing Harvey again."

“Fine!” Tinsley sighed dramatically. “Let’s move on to the less desirable options. We got Rick Trask, Hoyt Magruder–”

“Don’t even consider Rick. He’s nothing but a player,” Cassie interrupted to point out needlessly.

“And Hoyt’s got the strange obsession with wanting girls to perform stripteases for him. Dude is so going to live his life in a strip club,” Tinny cracked.

"It feels as if we're forgetting a guy, doesn't it, Tin?"

"I also feel like we are, Cassandra. I can't place the name. It's on the tip of my tongue. Hmm?" the brunette sounded, tapping her chin in fake contemplation.

“Haha. Very funny,” Bridger finally responded, breaking her silence.

“Bee, you can’t wait forever to see what Coy does,” Tinny said, meaning McCoy Quarry, Honey Hollow High’s starting quarterback.

“And you don’t even know if he can take a date to the dance. Not with his dad’s rules about not dating during the football season,” Cassie added.

“Stupid ass rule,” Tinny muttered.

“Look, I’m not waiting on Coy’s decision,” Bridget lied, and her friends knew it.

“Gemma’s the one waiting on him, and I don’t want to leave her as his remaining option.”

“Okay, if you say so,” her next-door neighbor mocked in a goofy voice before shifting back to her normal one. “It’s either you make your move now to show guys you’re available, or you’re gonna end up scrambling for a date. The junior selections are drying up. And holy shit, you can’t end up taking a sophomore!”

“Well, let’s not panic yet,” Cass remarked. “That’s the route if you can’t get a last-minute date to drive over from Zurbrugg or Breakwater.”

“Great call, Cass! I say fuck it, and bring a college stud to show up Gemma and show Coy what he missed out on.”

“Well, look at that. We’re home, Tin,” Bridget announced after waiting twenty seconds to say anything. “Too bad. We’ll have to redo this discussion another day.”

“I knew you’d call,” Lauren Caputo said as her way of answering her dorm phone.

“Is that your way of answering for a special boy?” Bridget teased.

“No, I knew a certain busty blonde would call me tonight,” Lauren chuckled.

While Rachel McCracken had the experience as a former cheer captain, she also shared a dorm room with Gabriela Ariza. Last night’s effort to talk to Rachel about the Sugarbees’ plans had shown how hard it could be to hold a conversation with Gabby prying the phone away from her best friend to talk to her little cheersister.

So Bridget called another old friend from her junior high and high school cheer squads. Having moved all the way to the Northeast to attend Doxton College, Lauren wouldn’t have anyone badgering her as Rachel had. Lauren had also served as a wise advice-giver in the past.

“I take it you heard about Carmella’s plans,” Bridget guessed.

“Carmella’s what? I heard about the blow-up with Annette. What the hell did Carmella do? She’s down at Breakwater,” Lauren responded.

Bridget spent the next fifteen minutes filling in her friend about the Sugarbees’ efforts to get a JV squad before moving on to Annette’s outburst.

"I'd say I'm surprised, but then I'd be lying. Annie's always felt somewhat inferior and overshadowed by others, and especially by you," Lauren started off. As Miranda's big cheersister for two years, she'd spent considerable time around Annette.

“I do feel awful about changing our float theme. Annie worked really hard on the idea, and I was thrilled to see her stepping up.”

“However, you need to do what’s best for the cheer squad–both of them–and for the future. Captaincy brings responsibilities and pressure. That’s why I never wanted it,” Lauren admitted. “What did Rachel have to say about it?”

Bridget revealed that she hadn’t called Rachel about Annette and the reason why.

“Oh, I didn’t think I’d miss that about Gabby, but I do,” the older brunette laughed. “So, are you both really going to run?”

“I offered not to. Annette told me I better as she wants to kick my ass. I know how this turns out,” Bridget admitted.

“With Gemma or one of the others winning the crown. Wait, who’s the head Bumble this year?”

“Midge Milligan.”

“I don’t know if she or Gemma winning is the worst outcome,” Lauren commented. “So Paula Reedy would be the best non-cheer option. That assumes having two cheerleaders in the mix doesn’t drop more than one girl from last spring’s prom court.”

“I wouldn’t have a problem with Paula winning. I just don’t know how to fix things with Annie. I wanted Audra and her friends to be some of the future cheerleaders, but she warned me to stay away from her sister.”

“I’ll call Miranda tomorrow. She can either get Annie to relent or talk to Audra directly. I bet her best friend, Calista, would join her. Who else do you have in mind?” Lauren asked.

"I want a few from each junior high grade. However, we'll probably have to stick to Harborside and Meadowmilk to keep the Sugarbees from discovering our new theme."

“Hmm, anyone I know?” the coed teased.

“Damn right, I want Lisa in this,” Bridget laughed, referring to Lauren’s fifteen-year-old sister.

“Don’t worry. She’s going to jump at the chance. Anyone else in mind?”

“Maura’s sister, Marielle, is on the Harborside squad too. After that, I’m not sure. Tin thinks we should hold some kind of a tryout,” Bridget revealed.

“That’s not a bad idea. Just don’t tell her I said it!”

“I won’t,” Bridget promised, laughing.

“You’re going to have to move fast,” Lauren commented, knowing that wasn’t what her friend wanted to hear.

“I know. We also need to raise money. Gawd, this next week is going to be insane,” Bridget moaned. “Building the float, rushing out another bake sale, finding girls, and then teaching them some moves for the parade.”

“Hmm, isn’t there something else you need to do for homecoming? That other big event.”

“Not you, too, Ren!” Bridget cried. “Tin and Cass went on about it on the way home.”

"If they told you not to keep waiting on McCoy, I completely agree. I assume that pickings are slim at this point. I'd go with Elliot."

“Paula landed him.”

“Ooh! I like that pairing. I like him and Tin more, but you know her stubbornness,” Lauren remarked.

“Hey, what about you? Any hot college guys catch your eye yet?” Bridget inquired.

“Not really. Things are different here,” Lauren replied, hinting at trouble. Bridget immediately picked up the change in her voice. “Status and your family’s bank account mean the world to many people around campus. Others view outsiders as playthings to have fun with until they settle down with the proper kind of woman as they get closer to graduation.”

"What about friends? Or your roommate? Has she thawed out yet?" Bridget asked, hoping for good news. She knew Lauren to be one of the easiest people to like, so it came as a shock when Rachel mentioned that she was having trouble making friends at her new school.

“She’s one of those obsessed with social status. The good thing is that she has an older boyfriend with his own apartment, so I rarely see her.”

“If they want flash, you should make up a story about your life back here. Claim you’re related to the Nobles, Wynwicks, or Diamonds. Yes, I see it now, Lauren Caputo, heiress to the Noble Honey fortune,” Bridget joked.

“Too late for that. My roommate outed me as a scholarship student,” Lauren revealed.

“What? Why the fuck did she do that? And who cares if you are?”

“At this place, it’s a big deal. The majority here are rich kids who couldn’t get into an Ivy League school. So they come to Doxton and want to stand out. Scholarship students tend to worry them as we’re smart and might show them up.”

“Fuck ‘em. If somebody has a problem with you, then I say you form your own clique with other scholarship students. Show them they don’t get to mess with a Honey Hollow girl!”

“I’ll keep that option in mind,” Lauren said with a laugh.

That Bridget could tell it was a **** laugh was the part that worried her.

“Great to talk to you, but I need to finish my work for class tomorrow,” Lauren continued. “I’ll call Miranda and Lisa tomorrow. Keep me updated if you need anything else. Love ya, Bee.”

“Love ya too, Ren, and thanks,” Bridget said, ending the call.

Rather than cheer herself up, the call left Bridget more out of sorts. She knew Lauren to be one of the most positive and energetic people in her life. Maybe she was dealing with the usual early college homesickness, but Bridget didn't like the sad tone she heard. Lauren's old friends would need to do something if it didn't change.

“Cheersisters stick together,” she said aloud as an idea about Annette took shape.