PART 5
"Initiation"
I stood outside the girls' change room. It was time for the final phase of Cheerleader initiation. If I passed, I'd be on the squad. Things work differently now than they did for the past three years. It used to be, you'd audition by performing a routine and then the cheerleading captain would evaluate whether or not she wanted you on the squad. The old captain, who has since graduated, was a total bitch. She only let her friends, or relatives of existing members join the squad. This is why, for the past three years, I've tried to get on the squad, and failed each time. But now, in my last year of high school, I decided to give it one last shot. I was 18 now. And "be on the cheerleading squad" was one of the things I wanted to do before I turned 19 and went off to college. This was my last chance. And, so far, things aren't looking too good. While I was waiting, I'd seen no less than nine girls leave the change room in tears. It seemed like none of them had made the squad.
"Next! Vivian... Eckhart!" came the new cheerleading captain's voice from beyond the closed door.
I took a deep steadying breath and prepared to step forward.
"Come on, Viv," I said to myself, "We've come this far. You can't back down now."
I took the step and pushed the door open. I heard the door creak as it closed behind me, but I was too afraid to care. It was pitch black inside the locker rooms. The lights were off. I tried to reach for the light switch, but as I did so, I felt someone grab my arms. They pulled them behind my back and tied them together. Then I felt something get placed over my head. It was soft... Maybe a pillowcase? Whatever it was, I still couldn't see. But I heard the subtle click of the light switch, which told me that someone had turned the lights off so that I could be tied up and blindfolded more easily.
"Hey Viv!" said a familiar voice.
"Monica!?" I asked.
"Yup. It's me!" said Monica.
Monica, my cousin, is the one who convinced me to try out for the squad one last time. She's four months older than me, and has been on the team since sophomore year.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Don't worry, this is all part of the new initiation," said Monica, "Well, I wish I could stay and chat, but, I've got study date with Mars."
"You tied me up and now you're going to leave me here alone!?" I asked.
"No, you're not alone, the captain is here too. Just stay calm, okay? She won't hurt you." said Monica. I could hear her walk past me and open the door. Her footsteps started to get fainter and fainter until she was gone.
"So, you're the last girl, are you?" said the captain. The cheerleading captain, Hailey Klassen, was Monica's best friend. They both made the team in their sophomore year and have been on the team ever since. "Caucasian, brunette, 5'5, green eyes, B average," said Hailey, "Does that sound right?"
"Y-Yeah?" I said, not really sure why she needed to know that.
"I love brunettes... I wish I was one. But instead, I got stuck with blonde," sighed Hailey, "Brunettes always seem to have the most amazing bodies. Not to mention they know how to have the most fun."
"I-I always thought it was the blondes who were like that." I said.
"Well, I guess it is, unless you are a blonde, like me." said Hailey.
"So what do I have to do get on the team?" I said.
"Have sex." said Hailey, simply.
"WHAT!?" I gasped, completely outraged.
"Not with a guy," said Hailey, "With me..."
"What do you--" I said.
"I'm a lesbian... When I was put in charge of these auditions, I thought, there's no better place to find beautiful, shapely girls than the potential cheerleaders." said Hailey.
"I-I d-don't really..." I stuttered.
"Hey, if you don't want to then you're free to go. You can still make the team, you just won't be a shoe-in." said Hailey.