Ch1. - Glitz Gurlz Ahoy

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Maddie clambered up the walkway leading to the ship with the weight of her large rolling suitcases pulling her backwards. Her pale pink high heels wobbled from the uneven weight distribution, but she kept her back straight and her smile plastered.  Despite the lingering dead fish odor traveling her way from the water she refused to be disgusted. Today was all about being positive and representing.

Claudia, as usual, was lagging behind and Maddie could hear her huffing and muttering to herself.  Adrenalin only took them so far, and they realized they had overpacked even before they got their suitcases into the car.  Maddie's Coach bags were twice the size of Claudia's but she was always ready for a challenge and knew this one would pay off. As captain she was required to always look amazing and be prepared for everything. Those pesky girl-scouts may have coined the saying "always be prepared" but Maddie owned that phrase.

"We should have asked the porter to meet us out front," Claudia wheezed the words through inhales and exhales sounding like an out of shape chain smoker.

"Come on Claud.  We're cheerleaders, this should be a piece of cake.  Remember lifting Tonya at Nationals?  Now that was work.  It'll so be worth it when were on deck with all the shirtless college guys. you'll be glad you added those extra pumps...totes worth it."

Claudia rolled her eyes, squared her shoulders, and kept tugging.  She could feel newly formed sweat starting to trickle down from her forehead towards her eyes. 

"Oh. My. God. Maddie, I'm sweating.  Seriously, I'm going to look like a man before we get to the room.  I will definitely have to shower before I unpack.  If only those dorky twins Zach and Cody were here, we could trick them into carrying our stuff in exchange for dates."

"Claudia, 'The Suite Life" was totally a show.  Seriously, like are you sweating out brain cells or something? I told you we only binged watched that show to see what ship life was like. It's so not real. But it does give a real view, so it counts as learning."

"I'll tell you what is real Maddie, my sore back and this sweat ruining my makeup.  I'll be Samara from 'The Ring" by the time we get there.  People will run from the sight of me and my whole trip will be wrecked!"

Maddie snickered at the thought of Claudia being Samara. She would have to lose about thirty pounds, and color her hair. But the wardrobe, sweat, and scowl, were probably about right.

When they finally reached the flat stable flooring of the ship, Maddie and Claudia stopped to catch their breath and took in the sight of it. The interior was decorated with blues and whites. Which, as fate would have it, happened to be their school colors. The whole entrance area, from the golden chandeliers, to the giant 'Welcome Aboard' banner, looked like a magazine spread. It was instantaneous submersion into greatness and they totally realized it was all actually happening.

The Captain, who was super hot, and a few members of the crew were waiting to greet them as they stepped on.  Maddie and Claudia were just about to get into the greeting line when the rest of the squad came screaming and running, arms and legs flailing with excitement.  Maddie and Claudia found themselves smack in the middle of a hair spray mosh pit. 

Jessica, who was the cheer caller because she had the biggest voice and smallest boobs, just saying, references are important, yelled a line up and everyone got in the greeting line together.  Shaking hands was weird and felt so elderly like. Maddie wasn't about to take a pass on not touching Captain Sexy. Cheerleaders hug, so when she got to the hunky captain in his bright white uniform she wrapped him up like a present with a bow. 

"So nice to meet you.  I'm Maddie, captain of the Glitz Gurlz cheer squad champions from Sunny Beach, Florida.  We won this trip and intend to spread the cheer!"

The Captain smiled a million dollar smile and Maddie felt herself melt into a happy place.  She was so going to get to know him.  The guys at college were ok, but he was smokin'. 

"Pleasure to have you aboard Glitz Girls.  I'm the captain of the Sea Cruise, Chad Heartley, and I hope you have a very pleasurable trip."

The entire squad burst into squeals and mini hops, and in true pack form, grabbed their luggage and headed for the hallway with their rooms.  Maddie and Claudia, who had been bff's since like second grade, would be roomies.  The rest of the squad would all be paired up in adjoining rooms in the same hall.  It was a giant slumber party waiting to happen. 

The Glitz Gurlz grabbed their mountains of bags and lumbered through the ship open mouthed and squealing at the spread. By the time they found their hallway at the back of the ship, most of them looked like low budget drag queens at the end of a Black Friday mall marathon. Maddie shook her head and ordered everyone to glitz up before going on deck to commence waving off the ship.

When they got in the room, Maddie and Claudia squealed with excitement.  It was small, and a hideous pink which clashed with the mauve bedspreads. On the upside there was a large walk in closet which just might have the possibility of holding their clothes. Maddie wasn't dismayed that it was less than she envisioned. She could see it for what it represented, a place to sleep while she made the most of this magic week. No rules. No curfew checks. No chaperones. But most importantly, no guilt.  It was Shangra La. 

Claudia threw her bags on the floor by the tiny window and ran to the bathroom.  Before Maddie had a chance to sit down, the shower was running and Claudia was singing Katy Perry off tune.  Maddie had to laugh.  They did dorm karioke from time to time, and Claudia always sounded like a boy going through puberty with her voice cracks. But Claud didn't care, she was all about letting loose and enjoying life.  That is why Maddie loved her. She was bae.

Maddie didn't sweat. No one knows why, but she thinks it is because she's just too awesome for it-because it's repulsive. She walked over to the mini fridge and grabbed herself a bottle of water. She then got to work to unpacked her priorities, starting with her make up.

She dressed up her fave sundress, a black and white Calvin Klein, and open toed sandals. She then proceeded to spritz herself with 'Cool Mist', the worlds best body spray, which the squad won a case of by winning the Cool Mist magazine ad. The spread was a spot on picture of a multilevel pyramid with Ree Ree as the flyer pouring a bright blue bottle of Cool Mist down on the rest of them while in midair causing it to cascade down like a waterfall.  That spread was their first glimpse of fame. Maddie knew the body spray and free cruise were just the beginning. Things were about to turn epic.

"Hurry up Claudia! I want to be those people who wave at the saps stuck on shore, its just like the Titanic. How hard can it be to wash off sweat for Gods sake!"

In minutes Claud was in a mini romper with Egyptian string sling backs and a tiny evil eye anklet. They joined the rest of the squad on deck all waving mini Pom Pom's instead of tissues and pretending to cry. It was the perfect start of awesomeness.

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A/N: yes, they're supposed to be airheads. (Think scary movie, meets London Tipton meets Barbie) Feel free to give a shout and tap that star. Cheerleaders love shiny stars!!

Will Cool Mist start a mutant revival?

Will Captain Chad be a psycho killer?

Will Maddie get a butt Zit?

What do you think should happen?

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Thank you So much for the amazing love and support on this crazy story. And to my cover maker and magical Wattpad fairy A-  thank you so much. You'll never know how much you mean to me ❤️

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