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“Damn, girl. It’s hammer time. Work it. Hammer that bitch. Hammer it!”

"Kim does seem to know her way around one of those things," Regina Grell remarked. Together with her fellow Babybee, Lemon, they stood with Zita, watching the progress of the additional float platform's construction.

“She’s definitely dressed for it,” Lemon commented. Several girls had snickered when Kimberly arrived in overalls, but the quiet platinum blonde had already shown the usefulness of those pockets.

“Yeah, pound that shit. Work it. Show no mercy, Kimmy. No mercy!” Zita continued to cheer.

“What the hell is with all the screaming?” Annette asked, walking over to join the three teens.

If Kimberly had dressed for the occasion appropriately and practically, Annette countered by dressing for the fantasy version of today. The busty brunette wore what she thought a farm girl should wear: a pair of super short cutoff jean shorts and a red and white checkered button-up top. Of course, Annette left several of the top bottoms undone to flash her red bra and tied the bottom of the shirt together just below her bust. The only parts missing were the cowboy boots, as Tinny pointed out. Once alerted to the absent footwear, Annette stormed off for thirty minutes in anger at herself.

Today's standard outfit for the two cheer squads appeared to be various tank tops and khaki shorts. Besides Kimberly, only Rain and Cassandra considered the work they had to perform and wore pants. Although, Posey carried on her eccentric ways by sporting a pair of knee pads.

“We’re just admiring Kimberly's carpentry skills,” Lemon responded. “You can tell that she grew up on a farm.”

“The girl is showing off some hidden aggression as well,” Zita commented. “Did we know about this built-up anger bubbling inside her?”

"Blame Bridget," the current cheer rebel replied, gesturing to the cheer captain with her chin.

Zita held her tongue but rolled her eyes at the two sophomores over Annette’s ongoing feud with the varsity captain. Glancing over in the direction of Bridget, she saw the blonde wince while kneeling. The teen bombshell muttered a curse before wiping her left knee. Then, looking up, Bridget noticed a pair of eyes laser-focused on the cleavage her royal blue spaghetti-strap top exposed.

“Teddy, don’t stare at my boobs!” Bridget ordered the twelve-year-old.

Teddy Day responded by sputtering a denial while his eyes kept flickering at his neighbor's fantastic pair of tits.

"I can't say I blame him. Or did you not wear that top for attention?" Graham Diamond asked with a cheeky grin, stopping beside the crouched girl.

“Not from Tinny’s little brother!” Bridget squealed, gesturing for the boy to join his friends on the other side of the float. “And if I were you, I wouldn’t want to get caught talking about my boobs. Haley’s bound to pitch a fit.”

“I just left Haley. So I have nothing to fear,” Graham cracked, sounding surprisingly confident around his longtime crush for once.

“Annie’s itching to snitch on me about something to gain allies. So I’d thank you not to give her ammunition,” Bridget responded. “So you came to drop Frida off?”

“Yep, I just handed her off to Miranda,” the blond teen relayed before an awkward expression formed. “Honestly, I’m not sure how this is going to go. Frida’s been back and forth about wanting to try this and refusing to go. I pretty much had to plead for her to give it a chance this morning.”

“Definitely the opposite of my morning. Brandy **** me out of bed to get here.”

“I’ll check back in after lunch. I need to stop and check on our float for a little bit,” Graham explained.

“Our float?” Bridget arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah, the team’s float,” Graham replied.

“The baseball team? You guys don’t even have a team for like another six months.”

"Fine! It's some of the guys from last year's squad, along with a few potential prospects. I swear, nobody takes us seriously this time of the year," the younger Diamond brother complained.

“I think you never win the float competition because you always have the smallest,” Bridget pointed out, finally standing up.

“Be thankful for our limited work. I might bring a few guys back with me to lend a hand. You’re way behind schedule,” Graham noted, shaking his head at the partially constructed float.

“We had a change of plans,” Bridget defended. “And I don’t know if we want your help. Perhaps it’s a ploy to sabotage our float so that you don’t finish last for once.”

“You know the rule about sabotage is strict as hell. I promise no ulterior motives behind my offer to help. I’m not Harvey.”

“Oh, so you aren’t doing this to impress pretty girls? Funny, that sounds a whole lot like your brother,” Bridget pointed out. She added a finger push against his shoulder for emphasis. “I don’t think Haley needs further buttering up, but I bet some of your friends could use the brownie points.”

"I'll make sure they get the hint," he replied, leaving.

“Jesus, I don’t know why I came early or came even at all,” Monty Rusk muttered to himself.

“I guess what you said makes some sense. The additional support beam being put in place will help initially. However, I still have serious concerns over the long-term stability of this additional level,” Wrenn continued to list her negative views of the float.

“Who else is talking about the long-term structural integrity? Homecoming is next weekend. We only need the float to last through the parade,” Monty countered.

“That’s your shoddy defense? That appears to be nothing but a smokescreen for a lack of safety,” Wrenn stated dismissively. “I wonder if that same minuscule level of concern about safety carries over to your family’s used automobile business. Is your business model slapping paint over issues? Why worry about what happens two months down the line if you can just get a sale off the lot, right? Perhaps I should have a word with The Daily Flyer. Maybe an investigative piece about the deathtraps Rusk's Used Cars sold would interest Mr. Swift.”

“For fuck’s sake! How old are you? Why would I care about your opinion?” Monty challenged. His head swiveled around as he searched for the person he’d rather deal with. “Where the hell did Rain go? Seriously, does anyone know where Rain went? I can’t deal with this little girl.”

“Sorry, sorry!” Cassandra apologized, rushing over with a bespectacled blonde girl. “Rain and Maura went to ask the Howells for a hose.”

“Okay, but I didn’t sign up to be anyone’s babysitter,” Monty said.

“A babysitter? I’m eight-years-old, huckster. I do not need a babysitter. If anything, you’re the one that–”

“Hey, Wrenn, Fawn was about to go check up on Brandy. How about you go with her? Fawn might need your help as you know how Brandy gets,” Cassie interrupted.

“Yes, I am familiar with my friend’s behavior,” Wrenn stated, not before turning back toward Monty. “Very well, Mr. Rusk. You have achieved a reprieve for the moment. However, I shall make inquiries with the Better Business Bureau concerning your family business.”

“Seriously, who the fuck is that kid?” Monty questioned, waiting for the two girls to leave the barn.

“Bridget’s little sister’s friend,” Cassie explained.

Monty nodded as if that made complete sense.

After gingerly placing a blanket on a hay bale, Annette now sat and watched her cheermates at work. Occasionally, she caught Teddy or Rhett drooling over her before she told them to fuck off. The only thing that kept the bitter brunette from snapping on Bridget came from reminding herself to remain patient. Her plan to win the crown at homecoming had already begun.

“Bunch of backstabbers,” she muttered to herself. “Dragging Audra into this shitshow. As if that legitimatizes the stealing of my float. I’m the one that came up with a great idea. Me! But, oh, no, Bridget can’t have her spotlight stolen.

Scanning the barn, Annette shook her head at the lack of men. Only Monty Rusk and three kids? What the fuck has happened to us under Bridget’s leadership? We should have a swarm of guys here helping us. Hell, they should be glad to build it for us.

Spotting Kimberly walking over to a rickety workbench, Annette spoke louder.

“Where are our helpers?”

“Huh?” the platinum blonde replied.

“We should have a line of guys wanting to help us. Not everyone is on the football or basketball team. This is all Bridget’s fault.”

“Oh, yeah…Well, hey, I heard that Graham said he’d stop back after lunch. He offered to bring some of the baseball team with him to help,” Kimberly relayed. “It also sounds like Elliot and Kirk are expected. They want to take pictures for The Buzzy Bee.”

“Baseball players, huh? I wouldn’t mind playing ball with a few of them,” Annette declared saucily. “You ever hear of a grand slam, Kimmy?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Sweetie, I’m not talking about one in the game. I’m talking about the one in life,” Annette clarified slightly with a wink.

“Oh!” Kimberly exclaimed, throwing her hand to her mouth in shock as a blush spread across her face.

“Stop trying to corrupt Kim,” Miranda ordered as she joined her best friend. “And keep in mind that the hottest baseball player is now my boyfriend.”

“Congratulations, Miranda!” Kimberly gushed. “Thane’s a great catch.”

Annette rolled her eyes.

“Don’t wish her well or feel envious, Kim. Dating merely one guy is a waste of a good life,” Annette announced. “Remember, we only live once. So make sure you make the most of it. For me, that means never enough lovers.”

Miranda responded by rolling her eyes and laughing at her BFF’s piece of wisdom. She knew the day would come when a guy would sweep Annie off her feet, and she planned to bring up all these dumb sayings on that wedding day.

However, neither Miranda nor Annette noticed Kimberly’s fascination with the advice.

“Well, it looks like I need to get back to work. It’d be nice if you could lend a hand once in a while,” Miranda said in parting with Annette.

The blonde cheerleader with the red tank top joined Bridget just as Tinsley entered the barn. The cheer captain acknowledged Miranda with a nod and smile, but she continued discussing the color scheme with Posey. Finally, Bridget gave up and agreed with Posey's odd color selection.

“Fine. Just go with what you want, Wednesday,” Bridget said, stressing the first name that Posey disliked on certain days of the week. Then, she turned toward Miranda. “Hey, what’s up?”

“We’re taking a water break. Boy, it’s getting hot out there.”

“Dusty, too,” Tinny said, joining them.

"Yes, a few of the younger ones are worried it might get jungle hot out there, if you can believe it," Miranda chuckled.

“I wouldn’t laugh. Crazy, strange things happen when it gets hot. El Diablo comes. Only in the hottest years, this happens. And this year, it grows hot. We begin finding our men. We found them sometimes without their skin... and sometimes much, much worst,” Tinny stated.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Miranda challenged. She glanced at Bridget, who merely shook her head.

“Duh, it’s from Predator! I keep on telling you that this place is creepy, and some of you are going to die!” Tinny insisted.

“Some of us, Tin? What about you?” Bridget questioned. “And when did you start watching nerdy movies?”

“Well, I’m the only self-aware person in this crew. So when I start noticing shit, I’m getting the fuck out of here,” Tinny declared. “And Teddy made me sit through it like five times this summer.”

“See? I’m rubbing off on you,” Teddy yelled over.

“Dude, I totally rub off to your hot sister. I just didn’t think you did, too,” Rhett joked.

“I warned you, Rhett!” Tinny shouted. Then, she took three steps over, leaned down to pick up a hammer, and threw it at her brother’s friend. Fortunately, it missed his head.

“Dammit, Tin, I don’t need to take a kid to the ER!” Bridget scolded her co-BFF. “Now, how are the mini-cheerleader tryouts going?”

“So-so. I guess I shouldn’t have expected much from some of the girls,” Miranda admitted. “Oh, your sister bitch-slapped Audra’s friend, Calista.”

“Oh, gawd,” Bridget moaned. “Why?”

“It was hilarious,” Tinny remarked. “Most of the older girls kept ignoring Brandy while she showed them our moves.”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve seen it coming. Brandy was getting very upset that none of the junior high school cheerleaders would take her seriously,” Miranda recounted.

“Hell, they barely listened to her,” Tinny added.

“How bad was it?” Bridget asked, already cringing at the answer.

“Calista was the most dismissive of her. So Brandy marched over and asked her to lean down,” Miranda continued recounting.

“Then, blam, Brandy hauled off and backhanded her. Seriously, Bee, she gave a good one,” Tinny laughed. “Miranda and Shayla both nearly had heart attacks. And when Haley asked why she did that, Brandy declared that she had to exert her dominance. Something about taking out the biggest talker to show everyone who the top dog is around these parts.”

“Great,” Bridget groaned, bringing her hand to her forehead. “Why does it have to be my sister who uses prison tactics at a cheer practice?”

“Beats me, but Brandy is awesome,” Tinny stated.

Suddenly, a commotion sounded just outside the barn.

“What the fuck now?” Bridget nearly yelled, clenching her hands.

Luckily for Bridget, the noise hadn’t been caused by her sister. It came from Sela’s arrival. Well, not necessarily for Sela, but for the handsome cousin that accompanied her.

“Damn, this thing is cool as hell!” River Sandberry gushed, running his hand along part of the float. “I love the different platforms. Man, I wish I had a camera. I bet some of the guys back at Zurbrugg would like to see it, especially Rusty and the boys from here.”

“Don’t worry. Elliot and Kirk are coming later to take pictures. I’ll tell Elliot to send some pictures to his brother,” Cassie promised. “Don’t you have floats in Hawaii?”

"Some schools have ones like this, but mine built ones that actually floated on the water for our homecoming," River revealed. That set off a round of oohs and ahhs from the girls surrounding the attractive surfer.

“I knew this would happen,” Sela grumbled.

The haughty blonde stood with Bridget several feet behind the onlookers. Sela hadn’t been impressed with this year’s float or what she saw as a lack of progress concerning its construction. Annoyed, Bridget **** herself to explain the theme shift patiently again.

Sela also added several digs about her family's donation and Bridget's need to spend it wisely. Yet, the icy blonde did say that the contribution was worth it if the new theme kept Fiona out of trouble for a week.

“What did you expect? Your cousin is good-looking…really good-looking,” Bridget commented as Zita nudged Kimberly aside to take credit for the platinum blonde’s previous work.

“I didn’t expect a lack of guys around here. How did you screw that up?”

“Me? Don’t blame this on me. You know most guys are working on their team or club floats. Your old group poached a lot of guys this year to help,” Bridget revealed.

“Don’t put me in with this year’s Bumble Girls. I can’t stand Midge,” Sela snarled about her successor as lead Bumble Girl.

Although Sela led the high society group last year, she did it primarily out of a sense of obligation to her family's legacy. The Wynwicks were often the leaders, and despite not caring for many of her club peers, Sela would be damned if one of them held the prestigious position her senior year. Still, Sela used her position as cheer co-captain as an excuse to spend as little time as necessary with the club.

“If you stick around, a few baseball players are going to show up,” Bridget mentioned while watching Annette move in on River. The captain did fail to mention on purpose that Graham would be the person bringing them. It was better to spring a Diamond on a Wynwick rather than listen to Sela bitch about the Diamond until Graham arrived.

"We had planned to stay for an hour or two. River is very curious about Honey Hollow, and I want to ensure Fiona behaves," Sela stated.

“Well, she hasn’t slapped anyone yet,” Bridget remarked, but the new arrival didn’t get the reason behind the comment.

“However, I don’t know if I wish to watch the girls paw my cousin for the whole time. Perhaps you could assert your authority,” Sela suggested. “It does appear the squad needs to work harder and faster.”

The final words fit in perfectly with Bridget’s new thoughts. While Sela was talking, River accepted the suggestion that he join in and help with the float. Upon agreeing, the nineteen-year-old had whipped off his shirt to reveal a tanned and toned chest. Kimberly had fallen against the float in shock, with Lemon one-upping her by fainting.

“Dramatic attention-seeker,” Sela complained about Lemon. “Who is she?”

Bridget failed to reply as she felt an electric bolt shoot through her body as River lifted a piece of wood in place. Her body shuddered at the way his back muscles tightened with the effort. And her gaze dropped down to the surfer’s shorts, wishing they were tighter.

In fact, rather than answer Sela’s question, Bridget had her own question to ask. One she was dying to know.

"So, are you fucking him?"