My Share of Sand (A Calabasas Fable)...Slightly Revised Edition

14-Killer Queen...revised

Wednesday, September 13 (continued)

Karlie Banks-Treat's lipstick-red Rolls-Royce Phantom exited the gates like a lion, just after awakening, taking the first steps of a masterly stroll across the savanna.

Her passenger was overwhelmed. Colinda was struck by the immediate, obvious contrast in the interior styling of the Rolls versus Templynn's Porsche. The Porsche felt like a luxurious car, but still recognizably a car. In the Rolls, she felt like she was in the cockpit of a Space Shuttle, a lustrous, elegant Space Shuttle. A Space Shuttle designed by The Great Gatsby. Wood panels. A precision analog clock mounted on the dashboard...

Colinda fully expected Karlie to start bragging about the Rolls, but instead the first words out of her mouth were "Tell me about yourself, Colinda...that's a nice name, by the way."

This was yet another contrast between mother and daughter. Colinda quickly went through what she could remember of the small talk between her and Templynn from the last few hours, and couldn't pinpoint any occasion where Templynn asked her a personal question or showed any interest in her as a person. It was all bragging or talking about her favorite lipsticks or the like.

"What do you want to know?" Colinda asked uncertainly.

"What are your favorite classes?"

"History. English, I guess."

Karlie scanned the Retreat gates open. "How long have you lived in Calabasas?"

"We moved here when I was ten."

"Which neighborhood?"

"Clow—Cloud Vista." Colinda had to catch herself.

"Cute area."

"My parents were looking at Yuba Blanca, but changed their mind."

Karlie nodded. "Yuba Blanca's overpriced. Calabasas prices for Encino houses."

"I call it 'You Be Bland-a,'" Colinda said with a grin.

Karlie responded with a loud, hearty, sincere laugh.

A sense of humor, Colinda noted. Another thing Templynn doesn't seem to have.

"Do you do any extracurriculars at school?" Karlie continued.

"Usually I haven't, but this year I decided to join the quizbowl team."

"Quizbowl? I did that in middle school! I didn't even know we had a quizbowl team at Las Virgenes. You know, my Templynn, she's not exactly an intellectual."

It was Colinda's turn to laugh, and, reflecting on it later, that was the moment the spell was finally broken. Templynn was attractive, for sure. But she had flaws. And flaws that were so apparent that her own mother could joke about them.

"Have you been to any competitions?"

Colinda shook her head. "Naah, won't be for a few more weeks."

"You guys could probably use some money. Who's your coach?"

"Mr. McWilliams."

"McWilliams—oh my God!" Karlie interrupted herself and turned up the car stereo. "This was my favorite song in high school!" Then she started singing along:

This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looked so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her, when she smiles

Gorgeous, fun, lively, and the youngest billionaire in America; Karlie couldn't be any more perfect. Sure, Templynn might match her eventually, but why wait?

Well, yeah, there was no possible way they could ever fall in love, but it was the same situation with Templynn, right? No one who thought Jaxon Self was cute and smart was ever going to be a serious prospect for Colinda.