She's One of Us

Chapter 1

Leighton's POV

"Wow- the first day of school and we're already late!"

Ah. The lovely first day of school, dreaded by teens everywhere. It makes it even worse when you're a new student from halfway across the country. Now take all that and add running late to it. Ta-da. You get the start of my first day of school at Liberty Academy.

I was struggling to get my tennis shoes on my feet so my brother and I could leave already. We were already five minutes late and would probably not get to school on time.

"Hurry your ass up!" my brother rushed past me carrying his huge sports bag and bonked me on the head. Ugh, he can be so irritating sometimes! I finally won the battle with my shoe, swung my soccer bag over my shoulder, and headed out the door. As soon as I got into the passenger seat of the car, we zoomed down the driveway.

"Dang, you're in a hurry. I don't even have my seatbelt on!" I shouted at him as we rolled onto the street, probably with dirt kicking up behind us since we were going so fast.

"Well we wouldn't have been so late if SOMEONE didn't use up all the hot water!" he sassily snaps back at me and I glare at him. It has been an extremely hectic morning if you couldn't tell already. Our alarm clocks didn't go off and since our parents weren't there to wake us up, we slept twenty minutes late. We had to shower at the same time and let's just say that I like hot showers and leave it at that.

"Sorry I care about my hygiene," I mumbled under my breath so Landon couldn't hear.

"What?" He questioned me and raised his eyebrow.

"Oh nothing," I respond by giving him a sickly sweet smile and try to change the subject as quickly as possible. "So you excited for junior year?"

"Hmm... let me see. Am I excited for loads of homework, late nights studying, and stupid tests? Hell no. But I am excited for football!" he rejoices at the top of his lungs when he says football. Of course he was excited for football. I'm pretty sure his first words 'hut-hut!'. He has been starting quarterback for our high school since freshman year back in Green Bay, Wisconsin and considering how football crazed of a town we were, that wasn't so easy. He helped the team win two state championships and is a legend where we come from. "I gotta follow Dad's big footsteps."

Now if you think Landon sounds good at football, wait till you me my father. William Cooper, one of the greatest quarterbacks in the country back in his time. He was predicted to be one of the greatest quarterbacks the NFL had ever seen. But, after dislocating his shoulder and getting one too many concussions, he never made it to the NFL. If only he had...

"You nervous about tryouts?" I asked Landon, but I wouldn't expect him to be since he was such a natural athlete, but his response surprised me.

"Actually, kind of. Liberty Academy seems way different than our old high back at town," he responds quietly, as if scared to answer the question. I look strangely at him. This wasn't a Landon Cooper answer. I extended my hand up to his forehead and it felt like the perfect temperature. Okay, so he didn't look or feel sick. After that, I could only conclude one thing.

"Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" I asked the imposter. He just laughs and slaps my hand away from his face.

"I knew I couldn't fool you little sis! You know damn well I'm going to make the team!" And there was the big brother I knew and loved (and hated all at the same time). "So how about you Leighton- you ready for soccer tryouts?"

I immediately wince and my stomach churns at the thought of tryouts today. "Please don't remind me of tryouts!" I whine at Landon and he just chuckles at me.