Hills of Lies

Chapter 3: A Long First Day

"Meet you by your locker for lunch?" Kylie asked Cali.
"Yeah, good luck." Cali smiled and marched into Physics. Everyone was chatting away in their designer tops, designer shoes, designer everything. 'Don't be intimidated.' Cali thought, trying to boost her self-confidence. She took the seat closest to the door.
"Well looky here." A familiar chocolate haired boy sat next to Cali. She rolled her eyes.
"Do you have to sit next to me?" She practically whined.
"No but I want to." Garrett smiled. Cali felt a burning low in her stomach and she turned away as her cheeks heated up.
"Alright everyone, quiet down." Ms. Maury waltzed in and class had begun.
~
Cali was happy when the bell for lunch released her from the dreadful Mr. Calloway and his history lecture. She hurried to her locker. All these super teens proved to be overwhelming for Cali and her easy going personality. Right next to Cali's locker stood a tall modelesque girl in a red chiffon cami dress and Prada pumps. Her naturally curly gold hair poured down over her shoulders. Cali slunk to her locker hoping not to be noticed.
"Hi there."
'Shit.' Cali nearly smacked her palm to her head.
"Hello." She replied instead. She stared into kind ocean blue eyes.
"I'm Genevieve Lexington." She extended her perfect manicured hand to Cali. Cali hesitantly took it.
"Cali Rawlings."
"As in Rawlings' real estate?" Genevieve asked excitedly. Cali nodded sheepishly. She didn't think anyone outside of New York knew her father's real estate business.
"One of my father's firms bought their office in New York. When did you move here?" She asked politely, not wanting the girl's whole life story.
"Literally yesterday, my sister and I are barely even situated." Cali sighed.
"Who's your sister? Does she go here?" Genevieve was really drawn to the new girl.
"Yeah, Kylie is a sophomore." Cali smiled thinking about how close she and Kylie are.
"Well welcome to Halstrom Academy." Genevieve exclaimed.
"Here." She handed a pink post-it to Cali. "There's my number. See you later Cali." She smiled and sauntered off. 'Well she was friendly.' Cali smiled, instantly having hope for what the rest of the day might hold.
Genevieve hopped off to the café and sat down next to Natalia and across from Blair. She took out her caesar salad and iced tea. Natalia was already almost done with her spring wrap.
"Ew Paige! Are you seriously going to eat that?" Blair recoiled from Paige's chips and soda. Paige stopped mid-bite.
"You should really watch what you eat." Blair warned.
"You are so right. I don't know what I was thinking." Paige mumbled. She batted away her tears. No matter how much it hurt, Blair was right. She was the thickest one of the group. Genevieve passed her salad to Paige with a sympathetic smile.
"So," Blair tossed her hair and arched her eyebrows, "are we all set for the party this Saturday?" She was referring to the annual kickstart party at the end of the first week of school.
"All set. My parents are going to an art gala so we can have more people than last year. The boys will take care of the alcohol as usual." Natalia beamed. Her hosting of the kickstart party will bring her the recognition she's been waiting for.
"Who's house are we getting ready at?" Genevieve asked.
"Mine obviously." Blair scoffed. "We just have to be out by seven so we aren't there when judge Dennet gets there or my father will be furious."
Blair stopped short, her attention suddenly drawn elsewhere.
"Who are they?" Blair pointed a slender finger towards Cali and Kylie on the other side of the café.
"Oh! The one with the bright lips and emerald eyes is Cali Rawlings! The auburn haired one with the drop dead gorgeous Steve Madden flats is her younger sister Kylie." Genevieve exclaimed. Blair eyed Genevieve cautiously. She usually knows everything and everyone first. Blair stared at the new girls. They definitely were pretty. Would they be competition for her or will they help make her a stronger queen? The bell rang pulling the girls from their enchantment of the Rawlings.
~
It was finally six period and Cali hurried to the gym and changed into spandex shorts and a sports bra tying her hair up in a ponytail. She hit the gym floor with all the other girls for volleyball tryouts.
"All right girls! I am couch Shapiro," a tall toned woman with brown frizzy hair stood in an army stance. She was pretty for a coach, then again everyone in Beverly Hills is.
"and if you happen to make the cut, you will be seeing my face for the rest of the year. We are going to start out easy with warmups. Varsity captain, Natalia Reznikov, will lead you." Natalia's dark red hair was pulled back in a ponytail but her bangs hung out above her hazel eyes. Her prominent Russian features made her drop-dead gorgeous.
"Okay girlies, lets start with suicides!" She smirked as there was a collective groan. Cali maintained pace with Natalia during the whole warmup. The number of girls dwindled as tryouts heated up. They stopped for a water break after an hour. Cali maintained a cool, calm exterior despite the ache in her entire body.
"All right break is over! The following girls will continue on into the mock scrimmage." Coach Shapiro yelled. Cali was shaking with anxiety as names that weren't her's were being announced. "Alexa Montenegro, Hillary Xavier, Lindsey Sterling, Cali Rawlings, and Violet Masters." Cali hid her excitement as she met the other girls at the net and watched the rejects sulk out of the gym.
"Congratulations. You all made it. Now you're going to play a game so I know where to place you. Break into two teams."
Cali stood there awkwardly as friends grabbed and pulled each-other close. A hand grabbed her wrist.
"Be on our team. We saw how good you are." A girl with messy brown and blonde hair, caramel skin and big bambi eyes smiled at her.
"Ok, thanks." Cali mumbled.
"I'm Lindsey by the way."
"Cali."
Cali was nervous as the ball was served. She knew she was good, she was on junior varsity at her old school, but these girls played hard. She focused all her energy and didn't let off. Her wrist burned from the force of the ball, but she ignored it. Shapiro blew the whistle, the game over. Lindsey wrapped her thin arms around Cali with a squeal. Cali's team dominated the game.
"Thank you girls, that was a great game. Come back here tomorrow and you'll receive your spots. Dismissed." Coach Shapiro smiled and headed out. "Cali you were amazing! How have I never seen you before?" Lindsey was jumping up and down with excitement.
"I just moved here from New York." Cali grabbed her bag and headed out. Lindsey followed close behind her.
"We should hang out sometime."
"Definitely." Cali smiled a full genuine smile unlike the fake ones she's been giving lately. Lindsey gave Cali one more hug before heading in the opposite direction. Cali headed to her car.
"Cali wait!" Natalia came bounding after her.
"Natalia right?"
"Yeah. I just wanted to tell you how well you did. You'll definitely get one of the best spots."
They stopped at Natalia's Ferrari. Cali's jaw dropped at the expensive car. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow Cali." Natalia smiled before getting into the car. Cali watched in awe as the car roared out of the parking lot. Cali tossed her bag in the corvette. She thought the corvette was expensive for a sixteen year old, but a Ferrari?
"Hey stranger." A sweaty and dirty Garret walked towards Cali.
"What are you doing here so late?" He asked tossing his lacrosse gear in his trunk.
"Volleyball tryouts." Cali mumbled. Suddenly aware she was still in her spandex shorts and sports bra, she tried to hide her flushed cheeks.
"How did you do?" Garrett stood a breath away from her.
"Good. I find out tomorrow where I placed." Cali inched towards her car door.
"I think you'll get the best." Garrett smiled. "Well, see tomorrow Cali." She smiled back and hurried away, a million butterflies attacking her stomach.