“Why are you doing this to me?” a girl’s voice whines.
I peek my head around the shelves, spotting a blond with her arms folded across her chest. Her hair is a tangled mess of curls thrown into what I’m assuming is supposed to be a bun, but instead is a riot of crazy that she somehow manages to pull off. She’s wearing red basketball shorts, white sneakers, a black Sun Valley High Red Devils t-shirt, and an annoyed expression directed at whoever it is she’s talking to.
“Kasey, I’m just trying to be supportive,” another girl says, though I can’t quite make her out from my position.
“Liar. If you come to my game, the Devils will come and you know it.”
A snort. “And that’s a bad thing because…”
“Because they’re assholes.” A pause. “Okay, fine. Roman isn’t as much of an asshole, but Emilio and Dominique totally are.” Devils and Dominique can only mean one thing. The Sun Valley High mascot is a Devil but no one talks about just anyone like that.
“I don’t see what the big deal is. Aaron goes to your games.”
“He’s my brother and he does actually want to support me. The Devils want to go hoping I mess up so they can make fun of me for it later.” I pause at the mention of the Devils and consider what I know about Monique’s older brother. Yeah, I could see him doing that. He can be a real asshole when he wants to be.
Despite going to Suncrest Academy, I know all about the Devils. Hell, even without for Monique I would know about them. They’re legend in these parts. A group of four best friends. Three football gods and one skateboarding king. The Suncrest Academy Saints have always hated the Devils because when they showed up freshman year, the Saints began losing. Every single football game against the Devils from that year on has ended in defeat. As far as I know, the score is still the same.
“Oh, so for the same reason you go to their football games?”
Yep. Definitely those Devils.
“That’s not the—”
Having stepped too close to one of the shelves, I accidentally knock over a few books. They make a loud clatter and the voices cut off from what they’d been saying. I silently curse as I rush to pick them up, kicking myself for not paying closer attention to what I was doing.
Footsteps grow closer just as I place the last book back on the shelf. I turn to head in the opposite direction as a voice calls out, “Hey!”
Shoot.
I spin around, hands raised and a grimace on my face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I just, uh…” I’ve got nothing. No valid reasons or excuses come out of my mouth as I stand there like an idiot faced with two girls I don’t know. God, I hope they’re not the catty type. I’m not prepared for an in-your-face confrontation on my first day back.
The blond I spotted initially looks annoyed but the other girl—a petite brunette with distinctly Hispanic features—eyes me curiously without any anger or annoyance in her gaze.
“You’re new here, right? I don’t think we’ve met before,” she says, offering me a kind smile that takes me by surprise.
“Yeah, sort of.” I tuck my hands into my back pockets. “I lived in Sun Valley growing up, but I went to Suncrest Academy before.” I wince. Probably should have left that part out. There’s no love lost between the two schools. “I moved and did an online school thing for a while. Now I’m back. And here I am.” I cringe. “Sorry. I’m rambling. I do that when I meet new people. Just ignore me.” Why can I not stop talking? Oh my god, Bibi, get it together.
She laughs off my awkwardness. “You didn’t want to go back to the academy when you moved back?” she asks conversationally, and my shoulders relax.
“It wasn’t really my choice, not that I’m upset or anything. Sun Valley High is great. Err, well, I hope it’ll be great. I guess I can’t really judge it after one day, but so far it seems fine.” I shrug. “Suncrest Academy doesn’t accept subpar credits in their program.” I make air quotes when I mention subpar credits and the brunette chuckles. “If I want to graduate on time, I had to come here.”
“Well, welcome.” Her smile widens. “I’m Alejandra, but everyone just calls me Allie. I transferred in last semester.”
I perk up at the mention that she’s a transfer student too. “Really? Where from?”
She nods. “Yeah, really. I moved from Richland. This is Kasey.” She indicates the girl beside her who offers me a halfhearted wave.
“Oh, I lived in Richland this past year in a half. Before moving back, I mean. It’s nice.” I am definitely ruining this first impression here. “So uh, are you both seniors?” Please let me have classes with one of these girls. I could seriously use someone who doesn’t look at me like I’m ruining their day.
“I am,” Allie says. “Kasey here is a freshy.”
“Do not call me that. It’s as bad as baby Henderson.”
Allie laughs. “Ignore her. She’s in a mood.”
Kasey rolls her eyes. “I’m not in a mood.” She folds her arms across her chest, and I fight back my laugh. She’s pouting like Luis. Bottom lip jutted out and brows furrowed into a scowl.
“Sure,” Allie drawls.
