Storm [H.S.]

chapter 1

I'm here, I can't believe it. I never thought I would actually make it out of Georgia. Being born and raised in a small town has the tendency to make you feel literally trapped. I always felt stuck and especially after what happened last year, I needed to get out ASAP.

As I walk around UOC's campus, I can't stop smiling. I'm just so excited to have a fresh start and be anywhere else but back home.

Some might say moving to the other side of the country is drastic but I've always wanted to live on the west coast, especially California. I love nature and animals and there's so much of that here. There's so many national parks I want to visit, I need to make a list later.

I see the Nicholson building in the distance to my right and head in that direction. That's where I'll be living for the next year. It's an athletic apartment building for UOC's women's volleyball team. We are all supposed to meet in the lobby in five minutes to meet each other and get our room assignments.

When the University of California offered me a full volleyball scholarship, there was no question, I knew right away this was where I'd be going to college. I've loved volleyball my whole life and I've trained like crazy to be the best and actually be able to play in college. Playing it in California? I can't think of anything better. My mom was less than pleased but eventually accepted it because she wants me to be happy. She knows how much getting out of that town means to me.

So here I am. Walking through the glass double doors of the Nicholson building. Hoping that this year I'll be someone new, someone happy.

As soon as I'm met with cool air I see all the girls. About ten of them, all sitting on the couches and chairs in the common area chatting. To my right is the front desk with a woman sitting behind it looking at me with expectant eyes.

"Hi my name is Violet Woods. I'm on the volleyball team." I tell her as I walk up to the desk.

"Yes yes welcome Violet! You're the last one to show. Your coach and the athletic director will be here soon. Go join your teammates." She encourages me. "Come find me later and I'll give you your room assignment and other information about the school."

Wow she's chipper. "Okay great thank you." I turn around and walk toward my team that I'll be playing with for the next four years, at least some of them.

The first girl I notice is a blonde with perfect teeth that looks up and smiles at me as I walk over. Her eyes are a beautiful shade of brown that I've never really seen before. They stand out on her face making them hard not to notice.

She's sitting farther away from the other girls. It looks like she's on her phone doing something as it's open in her hand. You know how some people just look really friendly? She's one of those people and I hope she actually is.

"Hi" she greets me as I come to a stop in front of her.

"Hi" I repeat back to her. "I'm Violet."

"Violet" she repeats like she's testing out my name. "I like it. I'm Willow." She puts out her hand for me to shake.

I grab her hand. "Thanks I like yours too." We continue to shake hands and smile at each other. This is going well.

She pulls her hand away and looks down at her phone. "Sorry I was talking to my dad but I lost him. Bad signal I guess. Come with me, let me introduce you to the gang."

She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the other girls. I'm nervous, I want them all to like me. I've never moved somewhere and had to meet all new friends before. We're a team and I want us to all get along.

They all look at us as we arrive in front of them.

"Guys this is Violet. She's a newbie and she's got a hell of a handshake." Willow introduces me to the girls.