17: Veronica Carlisle

~*Sarah*~

"This is my favorite part of the school," Kenzie stated as she led the group into the gym, "It's where my cheerleading career began. It also happens to be where I was crowned homecoming queen,"

"Hold on a sec," Natalya interrupted Kenzie for the eighth time... Yes! I've been counting! "I thought this was a tour of the school, not your life story,"

Something tells me that Natalya isn't exactly fond of Kenzie... And the feeling seems mutual. The two have been bickering with each other since the tour began.

"Come on Nat, let the girl share her accomplishments," a guy, who I earlier found out was Natalya's boyfriend, Raymond, stated.

"We aren't interested in her 'accomplishments'___"

"Speak for yourself! I wanna hear them all," a guy commented.

"If you don't want my tour, feel free to hang at the back with Sarah,"

"Even death by decapitation sounds better than having to listen to you,"

"That won't be much of a problem... I happen to know a guy___"

"Hey! Can we check out the cafeteria? I feel like that's the most important place at the moment ," Raymond commented, stepping in between the two of them, probably in an attempt to break the ice.

"Sure... Follow me," Kenzie said I between gritted teeth. She bumped her shoulder into Natalya's as she led the group out of the gym... Leaving an enraged Nat behind.

"She totally did that on purpose! Did you see that?! She___"

"Just let it go babe... You'll get her next time," Raymond said, leading Natalya in the direction everyone else was going towards.

"I am going to end that bitch... 'been pushing my buttons since we got here," was the last thing I heard Natalya mutter under her breath before they disappeared out of the door.

Moments like these, I actually wish that Rory was here... Like actually here. Basically, as soon as the tour began, he disappeared with Connie to only God-knows-where. And I don't think anyone has seen them since then. The two are probably somewhere in the school discussing school politics.

"Hey, are you coming?" a voice snapped me out of my little world. I turned around and came face to face with one of the crown students. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun and the only make up she wore was black eye shadow... A lot of it! It kinda gave her that bad girl edge. And I didn't exactly hate it. She was also the only person in the group dressed in a casual hoodie and sweatpants. Something about her made her seem fun to hang around.

"Um... Sure... I guess,"

"Lead the way,"

“Of course... Um... Fo... follow me,”

“Do you usually stammer like all the time or is it a one time thing?” she asked as we followed the rest of the group. I couldn't help but let out a nervous chuckle at her question. If only she knew.

“Well, that depends on how... How often I actually open my mouth to speak,”

“And how often is that?”

“Not often?”

“Ah. I see,” she chuckled to herself, “So you're more of the quiet nerdy type? Perfect grades, perfect life, lots of nerdy friends, most likely to be valedictorian?”

“More like perfect grades, no friends, and most likely to be a nobody,” I said and she laughed like that was the funniest thing she's heard all day.

“Oh,” she made a shape with her mouth, her eyes widening in realization, “Oh damn, it's not a joke? You're being serious?”

I gave her a shrug.

“What about you?”

“What about me?” she asked.

“I'm just kinda asking myself why you're not... You know, hanging with Kenzie... Or... or listening to her tour like everybody else___”

“You mean why I'm not sucking up to the bitch of the school like everybody else?” it was a rather straight forward question. It was clear that she didn't like Kenzie. Her remark earned us a couple of looks in our direction, not all of them appreciated it, but the girls seemed to understand, “Simple... I'm nobody's bitch!”

“Excuse me?” Kenzie heard... And she glared at us, “You've got something to say to the group Sarah?” She looked pissed to have someone interrupt her tour yet again.

“I was just giving Sarah ideas on other stuff we could do instead of this tour,” she said before I even had a chance to come up with an excuse. Unlike me, this girl didn't seem like she feared anything or anyone. Even the dagger glares Kenzie was shooting her wasn't enough to wipe the smirk off her face.

“Veronica come on, be nice,”  Raymond said, but by the smile-smirk on his face, I don't really think he meant it.

“She is being nice!”

“Care to elaborate more on___”

“Everything okay?” Rory appeared, with Connie right beside him. He had a slightly nervous look on his face as his eyes went from me to Kenzie and then back to me.

“Of course everything is fine,” Kenzie faked a smile as she glared at me and Veronica,“Everything's just peachy!”

“Did I miss anything?” Connie smiled, her usual big cheerful smile.

“Nothing interesting prez,” a guy commented, “What about you? How was your... tour?”

The group laughed. Everyone knew what the guy meant. Rory's face turned red from embarrassment.

“That's not-- It isn't-- we weren't___” Rory nervously stammered

“Ha ha Scott... That was really funny,”  she rolled her eyes, but I didn't miss the playful smile at the corner of her lips even as the group laughed even louder. “Don't worry, they were only joking,”

“S-- sure. I knew that!”

Of course he did! I couldn't help but smile at an embarrassed nervous Troy. I don't think I'll be forgetting his face any time soon.

“Is the tour over or___?”

“Not exactly. I still have a couple of places to show you guys... Follow me,” Kenzie led the group again. And a couple of people groaned.

Rory shot me a questioning look and I simply shrugged my shoulder. I knew he wanted an explanation. It just seemed easier to not give it in the first place... seemed easier for everyone. Most especially me.

“I just got here...” said Veronica beside me in a somewhat low tone, “...but I can tell that I'm going to love this place,”

“It isn't exactly as great as it looks,”

“With the right amount of drama... It is!”

“Well there's plenty of drama in this school to create your own reality show,” I said and she laughed, even though it wasn't a joke, “I'm Sarah by the way,”

“Veronica... Veronica Carlisle,” she gave my shoulder a playful bump, “I think you and I are going to make great partners in crime... Maybe even friends,”

“I uh ... I'd like that,”

“I know,” she said with a smile on her face, though the more I studied it the more I was convinced it looked like a smirk. But it looked genuine... she seemed genuine. And to be honest, having a friend didn't seem like such a terrible idea... I liked the though of finally having someone to hang with at recess and lunch. Hopefully though, Casey wouldn't scare her away too... He seems to have a tendency of doing that!