CHAPTER 1 - I discover that I am an illegal alien
The moment that I stepped out of the University sports facility changing room showers I sensed that something was amiss.
Chloe and three other girls from the cheerleading squad were around my locker, trying to force it open.
One of her companions saw me and nudged Chloe. The pretty brunette turned to face me.
"Well, well," she said, "If it isn't our sweet little Cherri Pye. You were quicker in the shower than usual."
"That's my locker. What are you doing?" I asked as indignantly as I could. Chloe rather scared me, and she was squad captain.
"We're just setting up your 'squad dare', bitch."
"But Coach Lafitte says we're not to do squad dares any more," I said, feeling the colour rise to my cheeks.
"Bullshit! It's a Bayton tradition. Every new cheergirl has to do one, even Goodie Two Shoes Coach's pet, blue-eyed English bitches like you."
She smirked, unpleasantly.
I wasn't really surprised at the name calling. Chloe had seemed to resent me from the moment that I had arrived in Bayton, and I had heard her claim that simply by being on the squad I was denying an opportunity to a local girl. The fact that I had obtained a scholarship seemed irrelevant to her.
"Coach Lafitte says we mustn't," I reiterated, pouting somewhat.
"Coach Lafitte says...Coach Lafitte says..." mocked Chloe, mimicking my English accent. She suddenly went quiet, and I sensed that there was someone behind me.
"Cherri Pye," said a peremptory voice, "Come to my office immediately."
I turned to see Coach Lafitte himself.
"Sir, I...I'm getting dressed, Sir. Could you please give me a moment or two, Sir?"
"I said immediately, Miss Pye, come along now."
"Sir, yes, Sir," I responded, immediately and deferentially.
I pulled my towel around me as best I could. It was quite small and it was all that I could do to tuck it in, just below my left shoulder. Even so, most of my left flank was exposed and I hadn't had a chance to dry myself. I was still dripping wet.
I could hear the other girls snickering behind me as I walked out of the changing room. I meekly tailed Coach Lafitte, my bare feet leaving high arched footsteps in the hallway, my long blonde hair sticking to my face and shoulders. It seemed unjust that I couldn't have been given five minutes to change, but I knew that it did not do to argue with Coach Lafitte.
I followed him into his office, and he sat down at his desk. He didn't offer me a seat. I stood in front of him, clutching the small towel about me as best I could, dripping water onto his office floor.
"Now, Miss Pye," said Coach Lafitte, "What's this that I hear about your visa application?"
"Sir, my visa application, Sir?" I replied uneasily.
Coach Lafitte had a slight accent, and apparently was not originally from America, but he had been in the army or something, and demanded to be addressed in what he called the military manner. This involved putting a "Sir" at the beginning and end of sentences when talking to him. I must admit that I found it quite exciting to address a man in such a fashion. Especially a strong, powerful, black man like Coach Lafitte.
"I have been informed that there is a problem with it."
"Sir, I...I didn't know, Sir."
He looked at me sternly. I'm sure that I blushed from tip to toe. I colour easily, and under male scrutiny, my curves only partially concealed by the small towel. I could feel the blood rushing to my face.
"You can confirm that you are Miss 'Cherry Pye'?"
"Sir. Yes, Sir."
"Spelt C-H-E-R-R-Y-P-."
"Sir, no, Sir," I interrupted him, "'Cherri' is spelt with an 'I', Sir."
Coach Lafitte grunted disapprovingly. He looked me up and down, his fierce eyes taking all of me in.
"What a ridiculous way to spell it. Did you not notice that the spelling was incorrect on the student visa application that was provided for you?"
"Sir, no, Sir," I responded, quietly.
In truth I had paid little attention to the application, having been so thrilled to have obtained a cheerleading scholarship that I had, wrongly as it turned out, assumed that the University Admissions Office would not make such a basic error.
"So you can't even spell your own name?" he chuckled, "And they say all cheerleaders are blonde bimbos."
Despite his jocular tone, I felt myself blush even redder. Was he insinuating that I was a blonde bimbo, or was he merely being sarcastic? Or even ironic? I am a blonde, it is true, but I had, after all, been awarded a scholarship to study "Hospitality Management" , even if this was contingent upon me making University cheerleading squad.
"Sir, I'm very sorry, Sir," I said.
"Well, it is certainly a regrettable slip-up on your part," he went on, "You could of course be sent back to England immediately. We wouldn't want that now, would we, Miss Pye?"
"Sir, no, Sir," I answered swiftly.
I could feel tears begin to prick my eyes. Obtaining this cheerleading scholarship was probably the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I could hardly bear to think what it would be like if it simply came to an abrupt end after a week or two.
"Well, Miss Pye," said Coach Lafitte, "The good news for you is that I have a blank replacement visa application here. But how do you propose to persuade me to sign it and make it official?"
"Sir, persuade you, Sir?" I looked at him perplexed. What did he mean?
"Yes, Miss Pye. Why should I expend time and effort in my busy schedule to sort out your self-inflicted problems? What do I get out of it? It would be simpler to send you back where you came from. There are plenty of local girls only too eager to take your spot on the squad."
"Oh...oh no, Sir. P...please, don't do that, Sir" I stammered. I knew that all of my dreams of becoming a professional cheerleader were in danger of being crushed.
"Well," he said, looking at me sternly, "You'd best start persuading me then, hadn't you, Miss Pye?"
With that he got up from his chair and walked casually around his desk towards me.