Her name was Casey Gardner, first day of Clayton Prep, fresh from Newton High. I was supposed to meet her and show her around, forge your best bond as friends not enemies - as Coach had said it, but no way was I going to do that. She was my rival.
I arrived at school by bus a few minutes after I was supposed to meet her. Coach had shown me pictures of her the day before, and she was pretty recognisable, with all her height and slightly waved, shoulder length dark brown hair. She was objectively good looking, I had to admit. And there was this cheerful energy around her than you could tell from just a photo. Sasha would have a field day with her.
I approached her back and tapped her with two fingers, and said with a thin smile, "Hey."
She smiled as she turned around to me. "Hey! You're... Izzie, right? I'm Casey. I'm the...um- " I eyed her as she spluttered, and she shook her head sideways, as if shaking off the nerves.
"Sorry, you know that. I'm-im the..." She awkwardly chuckled, fidgeting with her hands, the brustling loud against her parka as she continued. "Sorry, I'm super nervous. I'm the new kid from newton."
I gave her a wry smile and a fake nod in response. I didn't care. And I hoped shed find Clayton unbearable on the first day, leave and never come back.
"Look, new kid from Newton. i-"
"Casey is my name, actually," She interrupted.
I let out a dry laugh with a sneer. "I'm sure you were hot shit at your last crappy school but, over here-"
"Wow." Her face shifted into surprise, eyebrows raised high. Seemingly no longer nervous and rather, relaxed, she said, "Warm welcome. They should put YOU in the orienteering video-"
"But I've heard about you." Her attitude was infuriating. Tone still harsh, my eyes flicked up at down to size her up.
"Good things?" She was confident with bravado.
"You punched a girl in the face and got suspended, so - no." I shaked my head lightly, shifting to a more serious note.
"I worked my ass off to build this team and we don't need any drama." Really, I didn't. I didn't want to deal with her, I didn't want to deal with any more than I had to already. She didn't know how hard she would make it for me if she's caused trouble here, and she deserved a warning.
Her expression changed to something I couldn't name. The bravado was gone. "Uh.. I don't want any drama either. I'm..." Her voice was lighter now, softer.
I cut her short. "Don't care. Just handle yourself." With a last flicker of gaze, I brushed past her, clutching at a backpack strap and headed towards the main building.
"Um-" her voice called out from behind, and I sighed, rolling my eyes and reluctantly turned back around. What.
"Coach said you were gonna show me around...is that, uh..."
I pointed at the massive brick building of I was headed towards. No was was she going to make her way around here by herself.
"Classes are in there. Good luck." I smiled. I spun back around and left her in the dust.
I'm an asshole, I know. But if she caused the track team any trouble, the responsibility always laid on the captain - and that was me. If she, by any chance, took the scraps of goodness and hope in my dingy life, she had to pay.
