All I could think about was the fact that I didn't want to be here. Iwanted to be where I was yesterday, I wanted to be who I wasyesterday. I managed ...o get through the day, with the help of myfriends who kept an eye on me and made sure I was where I wassupposed to be.Finally I got home, and quickly washed all the things that I'dmanaged to get dirty over the past couple of days. I sat thinking,trying to work out what I could do. I knew there was no way I couldtell my parents, my Dad would beat. So I had to make do with what I have. If Hampton University, a mostly Black school can choose some ditzy and paranoid White chick as its beauty queen, then I can be a Cheerleader at lily-White Easton University. Word up. That was my reasoning. Kenny called me a ‘true soul sister’ and wished me luck. Madeline thought I was doomed for failure. That really hurt coming from another sister. George told me that if the school tried to fuss over it, he would get me a good lawyer. Smiling, I went my. Two… no…wait… three messages from Mark… and one from Mom. Great. Allison briefly considered reading the messages from Mark, but thought better of it. She selected all three of his messages and pressed delete. She read the message from her mom: Good luck on your last final, Sweetie! Your father and I are so excited to see you in 3 days! Allison sighed and smiled slightly. Her mom was great, but she still treated Allison like a child. She opened her bag and threw her cellphone in. ‘Hey… ummm…hi,’. “We have the adapted ammo you suggested too, for the rail guns.”“Hopefully that will cause them conniptions,” I chuckled.The next day saw the arrival of warriors and soldiers from Murias, Craebh Ruadh and the Æsir. These were divided up between the three encampments along with the Special Forces from Earth and the Sidhe of Verenestra’s people. In all we had three semi-fortified areas each containing nearly five hundred people all ready, willing and able to take the fight to the assembled Sidhe.