Chapter 1

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Sammi Davis had made one friend at Seaview High right away, because she was extroverted like that.

Leah Rosario, a hispanic girl with an affinity for jewelry and theater. Sammi had gotten her out of trouble when she'd gotten lost in the school and late for class.

"Since I'm not a Freshman, they all assume I know my way around the school," Leah had explained after expressing her gratitude. "I just moved here this year, though."

"I did too!" Sammi  had exclaimed. "I mean, I am a Freshman, but that's not the point." Instant friendship. Like always.

What Sammi had not been prepared for, however, was the fact that she did not gain instant popularity. Because that had happened in middle school. She was at the top as quick as the speed of light, she and her friends ruling the school like queens.

Here, there were the Queens.

Angela, Makayla, and Lucy. The "Queens." High School juniors who'd been at the very top ever since their Freshman year. And apparently, a much more exclusive clique than Sammi's had been.

Also, not quite as nice.

But that was okay. Sammi had the spirit of that kind of girl - it was where she'd come from, after all. Her identity. It wouldn't be hard to get Angela, Makayla, and Lucy to notice her and take her under their wing. Oh, and hopefully Leah too, because she was a pretty cool girl.

However, her first attempt to talk to them hadn't gone quite as planned. They'd given her the are you seriously talking to us right now? look, and then shoved her out of the way.

After a few days of school, Sammi realized people didn't see her the same way people at her old school had. She just blended in here. She was one of the crowd.

That wasn't going to cut it!

"Sammi, relax," Leah told her as they enjoyed the last of hot day before the temperature would drop to Autumn levels. The Atlantic Ocean was spread out before them, but they were just relaxing on the sand, squinting through their sunglasses because it was pretty bright out. "Most people blend in and do just fine. Most people want to blend in, Sammi."

"But I don't want to be like most people," Sammi told her, the summer weather not matching her whiny tone. "I want to be like I was back at Oakland."

"Well, good luck with the Queens, but I'm telling you, they're very exclusive. And also, just not the kind of people you want to be friends with."

"I guess," Sammi said, for Leah's benefit. But she didn't really mean it.

She would catch the attention of the Queens. Sooner or later.


~~~


She actually did end up getting their attention - through sheer luck, and it took her two months to happen, but still - it happened.

Sammi was at the mall with her mother and Leah. Her mother had walked into the shoe store next door and told Leah and Sammi they could look around for dresses to wear to the upcoming Fall Dance. And who was there but the Queens, in their crop tops and ripped jeans, sifting through expensive dresses and totally ignoring everyone around them.

"Leah, please?"

"No. Sammi, I already told you, they're not worth being friends with, and I really suggest you listen to me."

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