RUTHLESS GAME

Beginnings

Soph and Katie are originally from Germany, which means they'll sometimes talk in German (when they don't want anyone else to understand what they're saying). But no worries, the German sentences are accompanied with a translation. Have fun reading the first chapter :)

Katie's POV

"This is so gonna be our year", I tell my best friend with a goofy grin on my face. I can't help it, I'm just so excited. "We're gonna have so much fun!"

Soph nods along, her eyes concentrated on the road ahead. I offered to drive for once, but she just laughed at that. Okay, I might have kinda killed the first car's engine, but you know, stuff happens.
Anyway, I'm just waiting for her to get tired so that I can take over the wheel.

"Have you called the hotel yet?", she asks.

"Yep, seriously, you are so lucky to have me as a best friend. Y'know, working for the Marriott Hotels really has its perks." I hold the card in the air, which declares me as staff and therefor suited for discount.

"Don't I know it", she replies, shaking her head lightly while laughing, "You've only been bragging about it for half a year, since you've found out about it."
"Yeah, but now I've worked for them for a whole semester! It feels like I've been there forever – I love it."

"I'm happy for you, K, I really am, but we need to talk about something else for a change now."

"Well, how about how beautiful the rooms are going to look, since they're Marriott rooms?"

Soph groans in desperation and I simply laugh wholeheartedly. This is amazing. It's everything I had hoped for. The flight was long and exhausting but sitting next to my best friend made it fun. Setting foot in America, for the first time on my part, getting a car and starting an adventure has made me feel so alive.

In fact, I think I've never felt as awake as I did once I got out of the plane and touched ground. Since I've been here, I've been so thrilled, so energetic – I just feel so alive.

To be honest, I have no idea why it's this way. But I'm happy it is. And the change in my best friend is apparent, too. Sophia hasn't been able to wipe the smile off her face. She's been talking for ages about how brilliant it is to have returned to the US.

For some reason, it feels like I've returned, too. Which is bullshit, because never once in my life have I been here. The only connection to the US that I hold, aside from English class, is my best friend, whose origins are found here.
"I'm really excited, Kathi."

"I am, too, believe me, but..." My best friend looks at me in shock. Oops, that may have sound a tad too dramatic. "This is our fresh start. Given, only for three weeks – but still, nobody knows us here."

Soph opens her mouth to correct me, but I just raise my hand in a let-me-finish-first motion.

"Sure, your family, but that's not the point. You told me not to call you Soso anymore, which I totally understand. And you know that I can't stand my nickname anymore. So, while we're here, we could... try something new?"

She looks at me with one eyebrow raised, obviously not completely getting what I'm hinting at.

"A nickname that sounds English, not something that people struggle to pronounce, you know? I mean, I'm slowly getting the hang of this. Only talking in English when in the US has really improved my repertoire and why not add a fitting nickname to that?"

"Kathi, get to the point."

"What about Katie?"

"Hm?"