Chapter 3: SIAN

I was spared any talk about football because my brother, for all that he's brain dead ninety percent of the time, is a very cool big brother.

He knew I was nervous about what I was about to face. For boys, it's easy; they just show up, grunt at each other, and fall into friendships.

Add some sort of sport to the mix, and it's a slam-dunk. I, on the other hand, was going to have to find my footing. But I've already worked out my strategy.

I've watched enough teen shows and read enough teen lit, not to mention being on the other side of this situation to know, you don't go to them; you let them come to you.

My brother had already been to the school because he had to meet with the new coach and some of his teammates or something. His report had been as was to be expected.

'It's fine; it's a school like any other.' His only interest had been in the playbook and the season lineup, no help at all.

We pulled into the parking lot fifteen minutes later, and it was like culture shock. The kids where we came from had well-to-do parents as we did. I was accustomed to seeing Pathfinders and BMWs in the student parking lot, along with a Mercedes here and there.

Their dress style was flashy for our town, you know, keeping up with the video chicks and Seventeen Magazine. But this this was beyond what even I had expected, and I have a huge imagination.

There were Ferraris and Lamborghinis for land's sake, and would you look at that? Somebody owned a Phantom and in my favorite color, if I could ever afford one. Well, my favorite unless I could get it in baby pink.

I looked down at my little denim skirt and my Ralph Lauren limited edition button-down with pearl buttons and felt meh.

Jared sensing my unease, squeezed my hand and dragged me along behind him. I was too caught off guard to give him my usual lip about acknowledging my presence in public.

I was beginning to feel underdressed and kind of new girlish. Of course, I could feel the stares and hear the whispers on the wind, but I wasn't feeling brave enough yet to make eye contact.

So much for being able to hold my own; what the hell happened? These were not teenage girls the way I knew teenage girls.

I've never seen so much cleavage and crotch shots outside of one of Jared's freaky magazines that he kept hidden under his mattress.

Jared had stopped in front of some other pigskin drones apparently and was introducing me around. Somebody mentioned something to him about Jace not being here yet, and the conversation went on from there to football, of course.

I fielded a few looks from some of the other girls that passed by, but no one approached. When the bell rang, I almost clung to my brother like I did that time when I was five, and Jimmy Clem pulled my ribbons from my hair.

I remember Jared had knocked his lights out back then. But this was high school, and I was a big girl, and my brother was so excited about being here, I couldn't spoil it for him.

"I'll see you after class, Jared."

"Listen, sis, if anything happens, you come find me, okay." I almost cried; he was being so sweet.

"Nothing's going to happen, bro, don't worry about me, see ya." I walked down the hallway pretending to be reading the sheet of paper in my hand, but what I was really doing was hiding my anxiety. I want my mommy.

***

By the time I reached my first class, I was feeling the strain. Having always been part of the in-crowd since middle school or even before then, it was a whole new experience being the new kid.

It wasn't so much the prestige that abounded here among the young Hollywood heirs that I can match, no problem; my closet was more than ample enough if I was so inclined.

But it was more the sense of not being one of them. My dad was not a big-time movie star or studio mogul, though his money was just as green as the next guy's. But I got the sense that here it was about more than wealth and hot cars; it was a totally different atmosphere than what I was accustomed to.

And then she walked in, and I felt the shift in the air. I don't know why, but one look at this chick, and I felt like laughing. Not because she looked clownish or anything like that, but because she had attitude coming off her in waves, I know the signs.