Boot Camp Blues

by Megan Sparks

  Annie felt a knot of dread in her stomach. This really was goodbye. She’d be seeing Holly again, of course – well, not on the roller derby track any time soon, but at least they could hang out at school. And if her plan to set Sue up with Lauren worked out, she might be seeing her occasionally, too. But Luna was from New Jersey – not exactly a day trip.

  The girls hugged, and made plans to email and Skype regularly.

  Then Sue, Luna, and Annie headed for the door.

  “Annie!” Holly called.

  Annie leaned back into the room, and her heart broke to see the expression of loss on her friend’s face.

  Holly waved her over to the bed. “You’ve got to make the All-Star team,” she said, her voice tight with tears. “You’ve got to.” Then, to Annie’s surprise, she held out the rainbow skate laces and pressed them into Annie’s hand. “Do it for me.”

  Annie nodded, fighting back tears of her own. “I’ll do my best,” she promised.

  Then she tucked the laces into her pocket and hurried down the hallway after the others.

  * * *

  An hour later, Dad’s truck was pulling up to the curb in front of the student centre. Annie sprang up from where she’d been sitting on the top step and ran to greet him, marvelling over the fact that it had been a mere seven days ago that Jesse had dropped her off in that very spot.

  Suddenly, it felt like a lifetime.

  Dad caught her in a hug and squeezed. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

  “Me too.”

  Then he helped her settle her bags in the back of the truck and they were off.

  Annie was aware that something was different, but it took her a moment to realize what it was.

  “The fan belt isn’t screeching any more,” she said, surprised.

  “Your pal Jesse’s mechanic friend fixed it for me. Good as new, now.”

  “Cool,” said Annie, but she frowned. Your pal Jesse. For some reason she wasn’t exactly thrilled by the sound of that.

  “So...” said Dad. “I suppose you don’t need me to tell you what a dangerous stunt you pulled.”

  Annie shook her head.

  “You broke the camp rules, and you put yourself in a very bad situation.”

  “Guilty as charged,” sighed Annie.

  “On the upside, you were smart enough not to drink. You know it’s against the law in this country. We live here now, and it’s important that we stick to the rules. If you are going to drink, Beanie, I want you to promise me you’re going to do it somewhere safe, around people you trust.”

  Annie gave her dad a smile. “I promise.”

  Dad lifted one eyebrow. “Cross your heart?”

  Annie nodded her head emphatically and put her hands over her chest. “Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.”

  “Well you don’t need to go that far,” said Dad with a smile. “Lecture over.”

  Annie was glad. All she wanted to do was put the horrible night behind her.

  Her eyes fell on the pile of CDs she’d left in the truck the week before, when she’d expected to be riding to Great Lakes University in Dad’s pickup.

  Music, she decided. Music would help get the whole ugly incident out of her mind. She shuffled through the bunch and smiled when she found the homemade CD, the one that had been left in the postbox on Valentine’s Day by a so-called secret admirer.

  AKA Dad.

  Only now did Annie realize that she’d never bothered playing it.

  Slipping it out of the sleeve on which her “admirer” had boldly printed “YOU ROCK”, Annie pressed the disc into the truck’s CD player.

  Seconds later, the dreamy rasp of Elvis Costello’s voice filled the cab, as he sang his moody rendition of “My Funny Valentine”.

  “Great song,” said Annie.

  “Who is it by?” asked Dad.

  Annie rolled her eyes. “Duh. You should know. You’re the one who—” She stopped short because she suddenly realized that Dad really didn’t know who was singing the little love song. Dad had never been a big fan of Elvis Costello.

  In fact, as far as Annie knew, her father didn’t own a single Elvis Costello album. Which meant that he probably didn’t burn this CD.

  Heart thudding, she popped the CD out of the player and, for the first time, looked at the playlist on the face of the disc.

  Punk rock love songs, one and all.

  “Dad,” said Annie, “you really didn’t send this to me, did you?”

  Dad shook his head. “I guess the mystery remains.”

  “Maybe,” said Annie, feeling the corners of her mouth turning upward. And maybe not. She couldn’t be sure, but she had a very strong hunch.

  Now Dad reached into the console between the seats and pulled out a white paper bag which Annie recognized immediately.

  It was a Rosie Lee’s bag. And inside were half a dozen shortbread cookies with green shamrocks iced on top.

  “Gotta be ready for St Paddy’s day,” Dad said, grinning.

  Annie took a cookie out of the bag and bit into it gratefully. It was sweet and crisp and wonderful.

  Only now did she realize how much she’d missed the taste of Dad’s baking.

  Annie closed her eyes and took another bite, savouring the flavour. It tasted buttery and sweet, but there was something better. Something more.

  It tasted like home.

  Chapter Eighteen

  On Monday morning, Annie arrived at her locker to find a swarm of people waiting for her.

  This time, though, it wasn’t because there was some nasty message on her locker.

  This time, they wanted information.

  And since Holly was still at home recovering, the revealing of said information fell to the only other Liberty Heights High student who had been there.

  “What the heck happened to you guys at that camp?” Carmen asked in amazement. “I heard Holly tried to commit suicide and ended up in the hospital.”

  “I heard you both got arrested,” said Liz.

  “That’s ridiculous,” said Annie, opening her locker and shoving her jacket inside. “Holly absolutely did not attempt suicide, and I’m very happy to report that neither of us has a police record.”

  Lauren shook her head, confused. “So what did happen? Is Holly OK? Are you?”

  “We’re both fine,” Annie assured her. “We just exercised a little bad judgment.” She corrected herself. “OK, a lot of bad judgment.” Annie sighed. “Well, I’d rather you heard the real story from me than believing these stupid rumours.”

  As she headed for her homeroom class, the girls fell into step beside her and Annie told them the whole story, beginning with meeting the boys at Ziggy’s and ending with Holly’s stomach being pumped at the hospital.

  Her friends could hardly believe what they were hearing. They were especially taken aback by the news of Holly’s punishment.

  “No roller derby?” Sharmila gasped.

  Annie sighed. “Not until next season.”

  “She must be devastated.”

  “That’s the suckiest thing I’ve ever heard in my life!” said Carmen.

  When the older girls headed off to their own homerooms, Lauren hung back. She looked more than a little worried.

  “I can’t believe Holly blew her chances of being on the All-Star team,” she said heavily. “Out of all of us, she was the one who had a lock on it.”

  “I wouldn’t say she blew it,” said Annie. “I mean, it certainly wasn’t as if she got super-drunk on purpose. She just got herself into a situation she couldn’t handle.”

  “But she’s going to be OK, right?” Lauren pressed. “It’ll all come out fine?”

  “Yes,” Annie promised. Then she remembered something and gave Lauren a big smile. “Speaking of ‘coming out fine’, how did your week go? How did your family react to your big revelation?”

  Lauren’s expression changed from worry to joy. “I was so freaked out about telling them, but it was absolutely fi
ne. My parents were super-supportive. My brother, too. Even my grandparents were understanding about it, just worried that other kids would be mean and intolerant.”

  Annie giggled. “Sounds like you’ve got some pretty hip grandparents.”

  “Yeah.” Lauren laughed. “I guess I do. Ya know, I kind of got the feeling no one in my family was all that surprised. I mean, they’ve known me my whole life. Maybe they started to get the hint when I was the only sixth grade girl in America who didn’t have a poster of the Jonas Brothers over my bed.”

  Annie smiled. “Or maybe they just love you to death, and they understood who the real Lauren was even before you realized it yourself.”

  Lauren nodded, her eyes shining. “Yeah, maybe. In any case, I’m out, and I’m happy.”

  “Well then,” said Annie, draping an arm over Lauren’s shoulder, “let me tell you about this girl I met at camp...”

  * * *

  Later, Annie walked into her English class to find Kelsey perched on Tyler’s desk. It was strange, but after everything she’d been through, something as silly as being jealous over an ex-boyfriend seemed too pointless to get upset about.

  Tessa, who played for the Derby Dolls, smiled at her when she sat down. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask a single question. I just got all the deets from Carmen in the bathroom. I’m just glad you guys are all right.”

  “Thanks,” said Annie.

  “Hey, Annie,” said Kelsey in a disdainful tone. “Heard you got into trouble last week. What happened? Did you try to hook up with some hunky frat guy who was out of your league?”

  Annie just rolled her eyes.

  “I also heard Holly practically OD’ed on drugs or something.”

  Again, Annie gritted her teach, refusing to rise to the bait.

  Kelsey let out a cruel little giggle. “I always knew you roller girls were trash.”

  “I guess we can’t all be as sweet and innocent as you cheerleaders are,” Annie said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

  The entire classroom burst into laughter, just as Ms Schwartz entered the room.

  “I’m glad to see you’re all in such a jovial mood today,” the teacher said. “Could it have anything to do the fact that we’re finishing up our study of Sense and Sensibility?”

  As she listened to Ms Schwartz discuss the romantic trials and tribulations of Marianne Dashwood, Annie started thinking about her own situation. Like Miss Dashwood, Annie had fallen for a handsome, charismatic man, only to discover he had the soul and character of a scumbag. But throughout her heartbreak and disappointment, Marianne could always count on her steady and honourable friend, Colonel Brandon.

  Just like Annie could always count on Jesse.

  The realization hit Annie like a block from Dee Stroyer. Funny, cute, and cool Jesse was her Colonel Brandon! He was the boy she should have set her sights on from the start. He was the boy she should have liked all along.

  Maybe, she thought, somewhere deep down, she always had.

  But what should she do about it now?

  Annie was pretty sure Jesse was her secret admirer. But asking him outright would be off-the-charts awkward – especially since she’d mistakenly thought the CD was from her dad and told Jesse as much.

  She’d just have to look for a sign that he was still interested, and wait for the right moment to tell him how she felt.

  She just hoped she hadn’t left it too long.

  * * *

  “Wait up, Annie!”

  Annie was just opening the door to Rosie Lee’s when she heard Lexie’s voice behind her.

  “Lexie!” Annie threw her arms around her friend. “I was so disappointed when you weren’t in school today. Aren’t you sick?”

  “Nah!” Lexie – ever the quirky dresser – was decked out in a tailored tuxedo jacket with long tails that flopped down over a pair of tattered blue jeans. On her head she wore a vintage silk top hat with a fat satin rose pinned to the brim. “I was up all night working on a painting. It was like I was possessed or something! I just couldn’t stop painting! I didn’t crawl into bed until six this morning, so my mom let me stay home and sleep.”

  Annie laughed. “Well, you missed a lot of excitement.”

  Lexie tipped her hat and grinned. “How about I help you out behind the counter while you fill me in.”

  “I’d love that,” said Annie sincerely. “But you worked here all week. Aren’t you sick of this place?”

  “Not at all,” said Lexie. “In fact, I loved it. And now I’m even more addicted to your dad’s cinnamon scones.”

  The girls swept into the shop, giggling, only to find Dad once again displaying a newspaper, his face beaming with pride.

  “Don’t tell me they ran the Queen of Tarts ad again,” groaned Annie.

  “Better!” said Dad. “We’ve made the Dining Out section of the Gazette. The food critic came in last week to sample our menu. It’s our first review!”

  “From the way you’re smiling,” said Lexie, “I think we can conclude it’s a good one.”

  Dad handed the paper to Annie, who took it eagerly.

  “‘Delicious baked goods...’” she murmured, scanning the article. “‘Delightful coffees ... cosy atmosphere...’” she gasped. “Oh my god!”

  “What?” asked Lexie. “Oh my god what?”

  Annie pointed to the last paragraph. “Read this!”

  Lexie took the paper, her eyes darting over the words. “‘One of the most endearing aspects of Rosie Lee’s,’” she read aloud, “‘is the staff. The server who assisted me during my visit was charming and friendly. In fact, she insisted I sample the cinnamon scones, which were incredible. However, when I asked her to box up a few more to bring home, she admitted that she herself had just eaten the last one!’”

  Dad and Annie laughed so hard they nearly cried.

  “You know what they say,” said Lexi, beaming. “Always leave ’em wanting more!”

  “Right!” said Dad. “Lexie, how can I ever thank you?”

  “A cinnamon scone would be good.”

  As Dad disappeared into the kitchen to grab a warm one from the oven, Annie and Lexie hurried into aprons. Thanks to the review, the place was packed. Mothers were bringing little children in for afternoon snacks and local professionals were popping in on their coffee breaks. A book club was seated at a table by the window.

  Annie couldn’t be happier. Dad had wanted Rosie Lee’s to become a popular gathering place, and now it seemed his dream was coming true.

  And maybe, if she could only get up the nerve to tell Jesse how she felt about him, hers would too.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next afternoon, Annie arrived at the rink, her skate bag slung over her shoulder, her stomach fluttering with butterflies.

  It was the day of the All-Star team try-outs.

  The first face she saw was Lauren’s, looking even more nervous than Annie felt. As Lauren approached her, Annie shot a quick glance in the direction of the rental booth.

  Jesse was nowhere to be seen.

  “Can you believe how many girls are here?” Lauren asked when she reached Annie. “Coach Ritter did a rough count and said there were close to forty. And there’s still time for more to show up.”

  “Well, look at it this way,” said Annie, putting an optimistic spin on the situation, “the more girls there are, the better the chances she’ll put together a really awesome team.”

  “And the more likely we won’t be a part of it,” Lauren grumbled.

  Annie gave her a playful nudge. “Attitude counts! You have to think positively.”

  “Easy for you to say,” Lauren countered. “You’ve just spent seven days skating with some of the best coaches around.”

  Annie had to admit, she was hoping her newfound skills would make her look good in front of Coach Ritter. She was nervous but at the same time confident that she had as good a chance as anyone else to make the team – and, thanks to boot camp, in some cases, better.
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  She dashed off to the locker room, which was teeming with girls from the whole league. Nearly all of the Derby Dolls had turned up to try out, a good number of High Rollers were in attendance, and a few Prairie Girls as well.

  Annie had chosen a tough-looking outfit for the try-outs. She was wearing her favourite cobalt-blue hot pants, a black ribbed cotton tank top with a skull and crossbones graphic on the front, and a pair of black fishnet tights. She’d gone extra-heavy on the black eyeliner and outlined her lips with dark red liner. The only whimsical touch to her look were Holly’s get-well rainbow laces.

  “I’m thinking of you, Holl,” she whispered as she laced up her skates. “This is for both of us!”

  When she got out on the track, many of the girls were already warming up, skating laps, or stretching on the musty old carpet. As she joined the skaters she was delighted to find that she had her very own cheering section!

  Lexie was front and centre, hooting and hollering, along with Annie’s teammates Carmen, Liz, and Sharmila. They waved and called her name and Lauren’s, wishing them both luck.

  Annie felt a tug of sadness knowing that even if she did make the travel team, not all of the Liberty Belles would be a part of it, as their schedules prevented them from committing to an entire summer of practice and out-of-town bouts. It would only be herself and Lauren representing the Belles today and she wanted more than anything for them both to make the team.

  Annie slammed around the track, aware that she had more stamina than ever after the gruelling week of camp. Her muscles pulsed with power and her moves were smoother than before.

  On her second lap, she glanced towards her “fan club”, and felt her heart thud when she realized that another member had joined their ranks.

  Standing beside Lexie was Jesse! And he was holding a hand-lettered sign above his head:

  YOU ROCK, ANNE R. KEY!

  Annie was so delighted by the sign that she nearly collided with the girl in front of her.

  “Watch it!” the girl growled.

  Annie ignored her, her eyes lingering for a moment on Jesse’s, then moving up to admire the banner. He’d obviously gone to some trouble to make it – the message handwritten boldly and neatly on neon green card.