"Is there a problem here?" Instructor Gage said, setting her hands on her hips. "Grenner and Dawson, go find a place to sit. Waters, sit down. Since you two seem to have so much energy, you can do trash detail today." Grace exchanged an angry glare with the heavyset redhead and her shorter sidekick before sitting back down on the bench.

Grace kept a wary eye on Grenner and her friends as everyone readied for bed. She exchanged a concerned look with Latisha. "Trouble," she whispered. As expected, the redhead walked down the aisle, stopping in front of Grace's bunk.

"Bitch," the redhead said. "You're lucky Gage was there."

"Go away," Grace said. "I'm not getting in any more trouble because of you."

"Oh you've got trouble, Waters," Grenner said.

"Ten hut!" Instructor Gage shouted from the doorway, causing the girls to scatter back to the foot of their own bunks. The diminutive black woman strolled down the aisle, stopping in front of Grenner. "You just don't learn, do you?"

"I wasn't doing nothing, ma'am," Grenner said.

"Obviously you must have been sleeping during English class," Gage said. "You can write a report for me on double negatives."

"Yes, ma'am."

"What were you doing by Waters's bunk?"

"Nothing, ma'am," Grenner said. "Just talking, ma'am."

"Drop and give me twenty," Gage said. "I don't tolerate lying."

Grace swallowed, knowing she was next. She contemplated what to say when it was her turn. Tell the truth and make the situation worse or lie and hope things would calm down. When the instructor stopped in front of her, Grace made her decision.

"What was Grenner doing by your bunk?" Gage asked.

"Talking, ma'am," Grace said.

"Talking about what?"

"Nothing important, ma'am."

Gage tapped her booted foot on the concrete floor. "I didn't ask you if you thought it was important or not, Waters. What did she say to you?"

"I don't remember, ma'am," Grace said, knowing Gage knew it was a lie.

"Drop," Gage said. "I'll let you know when to stop."

Grace dropped to the floor. "Yes, ma'am."

"Jeez, Gage is in a mood this morning, isn't she?" Jan said as she arrived at the table and sat down next to Grace.

"I think she sleeps on a bed of nails," Grace said. "Either that or she's not getting any."

"Well, look at her," Jan said, smothering her waffles with syrup.

"Who would fuck her?"

"Donaldson," Rosetti chimed in. "That Viking looks like a great big dyke."

"Yeah," Jan said. "Or Scary. She probably can't get any either." She brushed her shoulder against Grace's. "You gonna eat that?"

Grace stabbed one of her waffles with her fork and put it on Jan's plate. "I don't know how you can eat so many of them," she said. "Tastes like cardboard to me."

"Anything tastes good if you put enough syrup on it," Jan said, grinning before she shoved a piece of waffle into her mouth. "You sfill gomma help me wiff mulpfying factions, wight?"

"Yeah, study hall before math," Grace said, reaching for her lukewarm coffee. "You've got the homework done, right?"

"Mose of ip." Jan drained her milk carton. "I didn't get the last ten or so."

"No prob. We'll get them done before you have to go to Mitchell's class," Grace said, bringing her carton to her lips. A hard bump from behind sent milk over her face and down her shirt.

"What the..." She knew from the giggling who it was before she turned. "What's your problem, Dawson?" she said, seeing Lauren Grenner standing next to the smaller girl.

"It was an accident," Sally said, her smirk telling a different story.

Grace jumped to her feet. "Bullshit."

"Goon Squad," Jan warned.

"What's going on?" Instructor Gage asked as she crossed the room.

“Dawson hit my chair," Grace said.

"It was an accident," Sally said.

"It was, I saw it," Grenner said.

"You two have no business being near Bravo table," Gage said. "Put your trays down and both of you drop for ten. Waters, are you done eating?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then go get changed and you can spend your study period writing a paper about the proper way to deal with a confrontation."

Grace glared-at Sally and Grenner as they did their pushups. "Yes, ma'am."


ONE MONTH


"It's too fucking hot for PT," Jan said.

"They're trying to kill us," Grace said. "Two miles a day is too much. Here they come." The girls snapped to attention as the instructors entered the formation area, having changed into the PT shorts and shirts.

"Ten hut," Instructor Gage said. "It's really hot today, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am," a chorus of voices rang out.

"I bet you'd love it if we didn't run two miles today."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Because we're not running two miles, we're doing three. Now spread out and start stretching."

"I told you so," Grace whispered to Jan.

"Damn bitches," Jan whispered back.

"Of course they can run it with no problem, they've been doing it for years probably," Grace said. "Four weeks and they're kicking us up to three miles."

"Goon Squad loves to stick it to us," Jan said. "It's in their job description to be assholes."

"Cut the chatter," Instructor Carey said. "Unless you'd rather have four?"

"No, ma'am," the group said quickly.

"All right then. Everyone ready? Let's go."

Once on the trail, the girls found some relief from the beating sun thanks to the trees and the shade they provided. Still, the extra mile took its toll, slowing even the fastest girls down. Grace found herself doing barely more than a slow jog during the last half-mile. "Come on, Waters, pick it up," Instructor Carey's voice came from somewhere behind her. "You'll be glad you did when you get over that hill."

"Yes, ma'am," she said, willing her legs to keep moving. Why? Am I going to drop dead of a heart attack when I get there? The hill seemed insurmountable and her pace slowed to a walk.

"Move it, Waters."

"Yes, ma'am." Just a few more feet. A little more. Then I can rest.

Step by step she made it to the crest of the hill, convinced she wanted nothing more to do than collapse on the grass past the finish line.

Convinced, that is, until she saw what lay just beyond, a crystal clear lake as blue as the sky.

"Let's go, girls," Instructor Donaldson said from her perch sitting against a shady tree. "Jump in, the water's fine."

"All right," Jan said as she reached the top of the hill. "Hey, there's a lake up here."

Grace heard the shouts of those behind her as she dropped to the ground and whipped off her sneakers and socks. "Jan, hurry up," she said, stuffing the socks into the sneakers.

"I'm hurrying," Jan said, flopping to the ground next to her. "Keeping your shirt on?"

Grace nodded, standing up and wiping the sand off her shorts. "I'm not getting sunburned."

Jan's blue shirt came off. "I don't care," she said. "Let's go."

Within minutes Sapling Hill Lake filled with screaming teens. The girls took turns splashing and dunking each other, Grace giving as good as she got. She looked up just in time to see Instructor Carey swing from a rope connected to an overhanging limb, tucking into a ball and crashing into the water with a great splash. Several girls squealed at the new toy and began scrambling for the bank. Grace swam to the inlet away from the others, able to watch the action without being in the way. Oh no, she thought when she saw Instructor Carey coming toward her.

"So," the dark-haired woman said, treading water just a few feet from her. "Was it worth the extra mile?"

"Yes, ma'am," Grace said, tapping the bottom of the sandy lake with her tiptoe to keep her head above water.

"Why aren't you running up to use the rope like everyone else?"

Think fast. "Um…it's nice and shady here, ma'am."

"Don't think you're going to hide here all day," the instructor said.

"I'd better see you moving around and participating."

"Yes, ma'am," Grace said, consciously not rolling her eyes. As long as I don't have to go near that rope.

"Enjoy it while you can, this won't be a daily event."

"Yes, ma'am," Grace said before the dark-haired woman pivoted and swam away. Dunking underwater to cool off, she swam over to where several other girls were tossing around a volleyball.

"Grace, over here on our team," Latisha called, waving her arm and like most of the dark-skinned girls, covered on top with only her sport bra. "Beyond Chambers is a goal for us and beyond Jennings is goal for them. Got it?"

"Naw," Grace said. "I'll watch for now." She waded over to a rock that jutted up from the water and climbed on it. From her vantage she could watch the game and still see the girls using the rope. She enjoyed the view for several minutes before sensing someone watching her. Looking around, she came eye to eye with Instructor Carey, who was treading water out in the deeper section of the lake. Better start moving before she decides to move me, Grace thought as she pushed off into the water and started swimming around. She did not get far before the dark-haired woman reached her.

"You're a little fair skinned to be lying around soaking up the sun, aren't you?"

"Yes, ma'am," Grace said, letting her toes sink into the soft lake bottom. Instructor Carey stood as well, the difference in height causing the water to stop mid-torso on her.