The start of something new

You watch as Sonya Xie leads her girls to the centre of the field. Casting your glance to your surroundings, you see hundreds of eyes are also watching them from the bleachers, some with admiration, some with envy, others, lust. After all, it's the graduation day of your cohort. The graduation ceremony has ended, closed with a speech from the head cheerleader herself, who also was the valedictorian of your cohort, not surprising though. After all, you've spent some time as her.

From the bleacher, you could see Ashley White and a bit further, standing with the rest of the teachers, Ms. Martinez. There are a few other familiar faces that you notice.

''Where's, Jimmy?'' your girlfriend gives you a nudge that breaks you away from your thoughts, ''It's not like him to miss something like this.''

Taking in the sight of the assemblage of cheerleaders who are getting into position, you recognize a lot of their faces, after all, with the pens' aid you were able to get to know them, some more intimately than others. Sonya, Leah, Lindsey, Kelly, Meghan, you rattle off the names in your head as one by one, they take their position. There are a few others that you don't really remember and there are some new faces, no doubt new recruits to replace the old guards.

But you shrug as you really have no idea where Jimmy is,''He didn't say anything.'' you say a bit louder as the crowd has suddenly begin to get noisy, ''Trish?'' you ask Trish who's standing in the row behind. The last time you saw him was during group photos, before the speech by the principal. You are puzzled however, as Jimmy sent you a text message the night before, telling you to clear your schedule on graduation day.

Trish shrugs, ''Knowing Jimmy, he probably is somewhere down there taking video,'' she laughs. Your girlfriend giggles and you chuckle at that. But your attention and several hundred others of students in your school are quickly distracted back to the cheerleaders who have begun their routine.

Just as all of the students start chanting in tune with the cheerleaders' routine, you find yourself joining them.

***

''Where were you dude?'', you plop down on a bean bag in Jimmy's room while your best friend struggles to improve his kill **** ratio on a console. It's quite late in the afternoon when you got a text from Jimmy telling you to come over.

''I was there, don't worry,'' Jimmy says without taking his eyes off the telly. You crane your neck to look at the screen, but can't help but to snicker as you see his character gets himself killed by a camper.

''Oh, for the love of-, Jimmy swears and rage quit.

''So what did you want me here for?''

A knowing smile appears on Jimmy's face and he produces a cloth bag from underneath his bed. ''Anna's holding a party, and we're invited.''

''Wait, which- oh, Marquez?'' you pull a mental image of the brunette cheerleader. You remembered reading one of Ashley's articles that the Hispanic-American junior is a strong candidate to be the next head cheerleader, aside from Lindsey and Leah. You don't remember having worn her before, but she has a pleasant face, framed by her long hair that extends to a few inches below her shoulders.

Jimmy pulls out a skin, much to your surprise, you recognize the person, ''So you were - ,''

''Yep,'' Jimmy smirks as he lays the skin down on the floor, letting you see the features more clearly now. Jet black hair that is usually kept neat in a ponytail is freed. You imagine her high cheekbones, her taut body and the brown eyes. Sonya Xie's skin lies in front of you.

''When did you-?''

''Before her big speech,'' Jimmy cuts you again ,''You know, the one about diligence, friendship, fun, and blah blah blah. Boring stuff, there's a lot that she doesn't tell us.''

''So that was you!''

A knowing grin spread on Jimmy's face, ''And a few days ago I made arrangement for our little party too, as her.'' Jimmy points to the skin laid out in front of you. ''See, I told Anna it's customary for more realistic candidates of next year's head cheerleader to give a small party.''

''And she bought it?''

''Hook, line and sinker, thought I told her not to tell anyone.'' Jimmy rummages inside the bag again and pulls out another skin. ''Girls are obsessed with secrets.''

''Isn't that Kelly Miller?'', you grab the skin from Jimmy's hand and examine her features. Short platinum blonde hair covers her deflated face.

''Yep, but anyway. They got a party tonight at her place.'' Jimmy grins and takes two more skins out from the bag,'' Leah, Lindsey, and maybe a few more girls.'' He tosses the skin of Leah and Lindsey to you, ''They didn't want to come, jealousy I suppose. I still don't get girls,'' a smirk appears on Jimmy's face as he brandishes the two pens that have changed your lives forever, ''But they might just change their mind.''

You chuckle at what Jimmy is suggesting.

''Go on then,'' he tosses Sonya's skin near you, ''I'll let you choose first.''

You look at the assemblage of skins in front of you. After a short moment of thought you pick up a skin and get ready to change for the party.