Zed and Vanessa are excited for their first day at Seabrook High. While Zed is hoping to make the football team, Vanessa is squealing with excitement for her cheer squad audition, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her older sister, Addison. The u...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Nessa was squealing with excitement as she brushed her teeth in the bathroom, staring at her complexion in the mirror. This was going to be her year. Not Addison's. Hers. She quickly rushed to place the streak of blonde in her brunette hair back with a clip, trying to hide it as best she could. Addison was born with a full head of white hair. Nessa however, was only born with a streak of it on her left side. It made her feel special though, a bit like the sister of an ice queen.
Nessa sprinted down the stairs and into the kitchen ready for the day. It had just gone 7:30 and as a shock to her, Addison hadn't even put her wig on yet.
"Come on Addy!" Nessa expressed in a whiny tone. "We need to get to school."
Addison turned around while sitting on her chair and gave her a tired look. "Relax Nessa. School gates don't even open 'till 8:15. How are you ready this quickly?"
"Oh you know, cheer try-outs today." Her dad suddenly turned to face them and whispered away from his phone "Cheer try-outs today!" with a punch of his fist in the air.
"It's the most important day of the whole year!" Nessa exclaimed, staring up into the ceiling like she was under a spell. Nessa had crushed cheer camp every single year. Well, nearly. Addison usually came 1st until she gave up to work as Assistant Captain of the cheer squad at school. This was her biggest dream. Not to follow Addison that is, but to succeed in the eyes of her mother whose opinion mattered most to her.
Speaking of, the harsh sound of her mother's heels came closer and closer. "Vanessa. This year is the most special year of all. Do you know why darling?"
Nessa paused for a moment. "Is it because I'm trying out for the cheer squad?"
A shrill laugh came from the woman opposite her as she looked at Addison to laugh with her too. "Why absolutely not buttercup! It's the next year of the championship. And as mayor, I beseech you. You make that squad and win that cheer championship!"
The room went silent. Addison, Nessa and their dad all look at her wide-eyed until Addison starts giggling at her. "Beseech her? Really mom?"
"Yeah Missy that was a bit much." Her dad agreed.
Her mother finally realised what she said and casually laughed it off while muttering "Sorry, sorry."
No matter what she did, her mother was never going to be proud of her. Three years ago she beat Addison in summer cheer camp and she only congratulated her, not Vanessa. However, this year was going to be different. This was her year, and no one was going to take it away from her.
~~~~~
"Point your toes, keep your back straight, head up and remember to stretch before try-outs!" Addison coached Nessa, much to her displeasure.
"Shut up Addison. You're making me nervous. I appreciate it but I want to make it on my own this year."
"Okay." She agreed with a sigh. "Just don't mess it up or you know how mom will react. Just so you know, if you don't get in, I won't be the one telling her."
Nessa sighed and looked away, only to see a group of zombies walking past. The one leading the group caught her eye and she followed his every movement. He was very tall and had a fairly muscular build. Football, she thought. He was hyping up his friends about the first day of school. Seems like she wasn't the only one excited. Zombies had always intrigued her and how just a spilt bottle of lime soda could create such an incredible species. Not that they weren't just like humans, they are in Nessa's eyes, they are just so different to the rest of the Seabrook citizens.
In Seabrook, be like everyone else, and you fit in. If there is something off about you, like braces or glasses, you're basically an outcast. Nessa would know, she has been hiding her hair since junior year.
The time of the try-outs came and Nessa was practically shaking with nerves. Her cousin Bucky was captain of the cheer squad and a favourite to all Seabrook students. He could probably chuck her out at any moment, which made her extremely nervous. Especially since they have such a different view on zombies.
After what felt like hours of practising, they were given a break. Unlike a few years ago, Bucky now creates a list of people who made the squad and posts it up on the notice board in the hall. To Nessa, it felt a little like High School Musical. She was like Gabriella but was secretly trying to be Sharpay. You need confidence if you want to make the cheer squad.
Nessa walked through the hall alone, scanning all of the posters on the wall as she passed. There were many shelves full of textbooks and papers which caught her attention, especially the ones about cheer.
All of a sudden, an alarm started to blare and it rung in her ears. She ran to the nearest 'zombie safe room' not knowing she had been followed. She allowed a big, deep breath to escape from her lips and the alarm sounds started to slowly fade away. In the corner of her eye, she saw a sudden movement which ensued boxes falling down from the tall shelves.
"Uh, hello?" she asked cautiously.
"Hello!" The voice replied in a funny tone.
Nessa was not amused. "Hello!"
"Why, hello!" He said again in the same tone
"Don't get any ideas, buster. The only thing more dangerous than my high kick is my low kick. Anyway, I'm just hiding away from whatever caused that damn alarm to go off."
He chuckled, "Yeah, I hear ya. Must be hard having to walk around school with monsters everywhere."
"Well not in my opinion. They aren't that bad, except the one that tried to bite my grandpa's ear off." Nessa smiled at the thought. "Anyways, I hope we get out here soon. The cheer try-out list will be up soon."
"You're a cheerleader huh? I'm trying out for the football team but I doubt I'll make it. They aren't really looking for someone like me."
"What do you mean?" She heard the footsteps of the stranger suddenly come closer to her and her breath hitched in her throat. Suddenly, the lights flickered on.
"ZOMBIE!" She screeched and slapped him around the face. It must have been a pretty hard slap as it left Nessa's hand stinging.
She saw the zombie crouch down in pain, clutching his face.
"What the hell did you do that for?"
"I am so sorry, my cousin taught me to do that from a young age. It's instinct I guess when you are faced with hideous people." He looked up at her. "But... you're not hideous at all." She continued, breathless.
He laughed a little at her. "Thanks, I'll take it." They stared into each other's eyes for about half a minute until the door flung open without warning and Bucky ran through. He had Addison clutching to his arm in fear. Bucky's entourage squealed, panicked and ran around in terror attempting to hide from the 'monster'. He reached out to Nessa and tugged her away. She tried to pull away from him but he persisted and didn't let her go.
One of his gang members sprayed his hands with hand sanitiser and Bucky emphasised rubbing them together in his face. With a click of his fingers, he swivelled on his heel and strutted out of the door with his posse and left Nessa alone in the room with the zombie. He said to her "It's good they didn't take you away with them or I might not have had a chance to ask your name."
"It's Vanessa, I let my friends call me Nessa."
"Well it's nice to meet you Vanessa. I'm Zed."
Bucky's arm suddenly stretched into the room and caught her wrist. He aggressively yanked her out causing her to gasp slightly.
She managed to say before she disappeared "Nice to meet you Zed. And please, call me Nessa." Five seconds later, she was gone. Zed was left to his lonesome in the safe room with a wide grin plastered onto his face. Nessa, he thought and ran out when he heard the bell ring.
