Tradition and Frustration

-Lunch, Seaside High-

It's Friday, days after the tryouts. Today is the day where the lists are published.

People are crowding over the bulletin board. Because Beca is already accepted into the cheers team, it means that five of them are still waiting for the lists.

"Okay, I'm a little bit nervous..." Kai says while rubbing his chest and giggling nervously.

"It's alright, you'll make it," Val responds without looking at him because she is trying to take peek on the board. Well, the board is very crowded which makes it very hard for Val to see it.

"Vocal and guitar position is... Valentina Gilbert!" Kai shouts.

"Woah! Talk about talent, baby!" Caleb screams while hugging Val.

"OMG, we are so gonna have a great festival with you in the band this year!" Beca also screams.

"Kai, you should've looked at the basketball list, first!" Joanne complains.

"Well, you know him, Jo..." Felix responds to Joanne's complaint calmly with his smile.

"You passed the test, Jo!" Caleb shouts with excitement.

"Well, everyone's pretty much in. So... yeah..." Joanne answers.

"Well, you're still in!" Beca screams while grabbing Joanne's shoulder.

Joanne just smiles seeing their excitement.

"Well, I guess you gon' be cheerin' for us, Bec!" Felix says while smiling widely to Beca.

"You guys are in too??" Val shouts and hugs Kai.

Then, "RRRINGGGGGG" the bell rings.

"Well, see y'all later!" Felix says while grabbing Beca's shoulder.

"Come on, we have the same class this period, right?" says Joanne to the rest of them.

-Afterschool, Seaside High-

"What are doing after this, Val?" Kai asks her.

"Some initiation for the band," she answers while pulling out bubble gums from her pocket.

"Hey, I want some!" Caleb shouts to her.

"What about you guys? Any basketball meeting or practice, today?" Joanne asks them.

"Well, it's just a meeting... I guess..." Kai answers.

"Oh, sorry guys! It's almost time for the initiation. I gotta go, bye!" Val snaps out of the room.

"What about you, Jo? Caleb asks her.

"Well yeah, there's also some meeting after this..." Joanne answers calmly.

"Well, next time they get into your nerve again, just kick their asses, Jo!" Caleb encourages her while grabbing her shoulder.

"Well... I probably can't do that, but thanks, dude...." Joanne answers him with a few giggles.

"Just show em' you're better! No one should mess with you!" Kai also yells. "Hahaha, alright you guys...Woah, it's time. See ya later! Joanne also gets out of the classroom.

"Dude, where are Beca and Felix?" Caleb asks Kai.

-Hallway-

"Oh, Val you're goin' somewhere?" Beca and Felix who meet Val in the hallway, ask her.

"Yeah, the initiation! Gotta go, bye!" Val rushes out.

"Is there any initiation for the cheers, today?" Felix asks Beca.

"Well, yeah of course... Oh, it's almost time! Sorry dude, I'm outta here!" Beca also goes away.

After Beca left Felix alone, the cold and socially anxious Felix starts to get nervous.

"Woah, too many people... Not safe, dude, not safe..." he mumbles to himself.

When sweat was about to drip through his forehead, a familiar voice appears.

"Felix!" Kai shouts out for his name.

"Oh, thank god you guys are here..." Felix gets relieved while patting his chest to calm himself down.

"Hey, where's Beca?" Caleb searches for his twin sister.

"She goin' for some initiation, I guess..." Felix answers while looking restless.

"You okay dude?" Kai asks Felix. "Well, I hate crowds. So, let's go!" Felix says anxiously while grabbing them both to avoid people.

"W-woah! Easy, boy!" Caleb shouts from getting grabbed suddenly.

-Gym-

"So, there is a reason why we want you to be here, at this moment." The captain says.

All of the cheerleaders are gathered in the gymnasium and are standing up in lines. The seniors or the official members are standing in front of them with serious expressions.

"There is a pledge that you have to take. The first one is never to have any sexual relationship with the members of the basketball or football team."

Whispers automatically appear after the captain says that.

"Wait, what? That just doesn't make any sense," someone says.

"It's a tradition. We are the cheerleaders. We're supposed to cheer for them, professionally, not to make out with them. Any emotional feelings will affect our performance. Moreover, we are family. You're not supposed to date your family members, right? Anyone disagreeing with this graceful tradition can walk out of the room right now," the captain explains while warning them.

They all remain in silence.

Nobody has the gut to challenge the tradition that has been going around for years.

Beca who's been dreaming to be one of them just doesn't seem to move for a little bit, even when she knows there's a bunch of hotties from basketball and football team that she can hook up with.

However, having to play the good girl card makes her follow the irrational status quo.

"There are also rules that you must follow to become the true member of our beloved cheerleading team. It is the diet. It is very essential for all of us to achieve and maintain the ideal, thin, and slim body. As a cheerleader, you all have to be the role model for women out there. So, you are required to follow our diet routine. Anyone not feeling capable to follow can exit the door right now," The captain explains while smiling sarcastically.

Nobody has yet called out on those rules in fear of getting kicked out of the team.

With their submissive reactions, the captain and the other members are just smiling at each other.

It seems like no change is going to be made in the cheerleading team just yet.

"Lastly, we are gonna go to a retreat camp tomorrow. We'll be leaving with a bus on 8 in the morning. No tardiness is going to be tolerated. So, make sure that you're going to be on time." She explains.

Beca who's always been dreaming going out to bond with a team is struggling to hide her smile.

The idea of camping is covering her worries about the diet routine.

-Basketball Court-

"Welcome to the basketball team!" the coach screams followed by the others with claps.

They all start to introduce themselves with a slight of teases here and there.

"Hey guys, I'm Kai Jenkins! Nice to meet you all!" he speaks with a wide smile on his face.

"So, where are you from?" a senior asks him with positive curiosity on his expression. The question startles Kai a bit.

As a mixed-race, he often faces confusion from others regarding the way he looks.

"Well, I'm from here... I was born and I grew up here..." Kai answers awkwardly, but still forcing a smile on his face.

"Well, yeah cool whatever. But where are you actually from?" the senior still insists.

Kai sighs and smiles again.

"Well, my father is from here and my mother is Korean. That's what you wanted to hear right?" he answers while trying hard to hide his frustration.

"Oh, so you're from Korea!" he shouts in delight.

His answer makes Kai, and probably his best friends, struggle to smile because of their frustration.

"Well... Yeah... of course... I'm from Korea!" Kai answers sarcastically, but still with a smile to hide his exasperation.

"Hi, I'm Felix Bryan..." Felix introduces himself awkwardly while looking down.

"So, in the list, your name is Felix Bryan O. What does O stand for?" the senior asks.

Felix stands anxiously while searching for an answer.

He knows the right answer, but he's trying to find the wrong one.

He doesn't want people to take a hint that he is the son of Olsen, one of the top basketball players. It's too much of pressure for him.

"Nothing... It's not important..." Felix answers with nervous sweats dripping down his forehead.

"Well... It's your last name, right? Come on! What is it?" the senior insists with a smile on his face.

"Now, don't go pressuring the new kid, dude! It's okay if you don't wanna tell us your last name. You can chill..." another senior rescues him.

"Phew..." Kai and Caleb breathe out after getting nervous that Felix might be exposed for a second.

Both of them know too well that Felix is not comfortable walking around enduring his father's name on his shoulder.

"Well, I know that you guys are pumped right now, but we ain't practicing today..." the captain says while smiling.

"So, there is just one rule that you have to obey here. Don't hook up with the cheerleaders. That's it! Easy right?" the captain speaks cheerfully.

The new members are just staring at each other with awkward and confused expressions.

They don't quite understand what that means nor that they want to aggressively deny it.

"Well, you all might think it's crazy and weird, but it ain't! We all are family! That's why kissing them against the lockers won't do you any good! So, no affectional feelings or sexual relations are allowed, okay?" the captain explains with a chill bro attitude.

The newbies who still think it's weird just stare each other and fake smiles to hide their questions and skepticisms on that tradition.

-Lockers-

"Dude, no dating with the cheerleaders? Were they being serious?!" Caleb complains to Kai and Felix.

"Well, it sounded serious..." Felix answers.

"Yeah, that rule doesn't really make any sense, though..." Kai also disagrees with the rule.

"Hooking up with cheerleaders is what they show on tv! How come it's banned here?!" Caleb shouts with questions on his tone.

"Dude, lower your voice! We don't wanna get caught before practice, okay?" Kai whispers to warn him.

"Well, it turns out that high school is way shittier in real life than in tv shows, huh..." Felix utters to them.

"Urgh, this sucks!" Caleb complains again.

They just stare at each other while looking sulky and upset. They realize that there's nothing they can do to change the situation.

It's not that they want to date some cheerleaders, but the idea of being controlled just makes them suffocate as teenagers who seek freedom.

Preview for the next chapter:

He holds Joanne's hand that turned into a fist for a second.

He whispers, "It's not-"