Spencer Carlin stepped out of the car and paused to look at King High and all her new classmates. She wouldn't admit it to her brothers but she was freaked.
"This is going to be amazing." Spencer looked over to her older brother, Glen, who stood inside the driver's side door with his hands on his hips and his chest up as if he had just conquered the New World. She stifled the giggle at the idea of Glen as Columbus produced. "Do you see all these hotties with the banging bodies, bro?"
Spencer tuned out Glen and Clay as they discussed their expectations of their new school. She was more concerned with hiding her own interest in the "hotties with the banging bodies". As they made their way through the parking lot, Spencer surreptitiously scanned the yard in complete awe. There were so many girls who were more appropriately dressed for a club than for school with short shorts, miniskirts and halters. My God, she breathed.
"How are we supposed to find our way around this place? This is madness." Spencer looked to her right at her brother, Clay who was staring down at his map of the school.
"There's the gym. That's all I need to know. Peace." Glen threw up two fingers as he ran in the direction of the big structure on the other side of the parking lot.
Spencer rolled her eyes and looked back at Clay. "My Physics lab is this way. See you at lunch, Spence."
"Wait, I don't know where I'm going." Spencer tried to catch Clay before he took off but the word had barely left her mouth before he had jogged away. "He could have at least left the map." Spencer muttered as she headed in the direction of the office. Maybe I can get a map there.
Walking into the office, Spencer saw an older woman stuffing envelopes at the desk. "Excuse, can I get a map?"
The woman stared at Spencer over her eyeglasses for a moment before she puffed out a breath. "Hold on."
The secretary bent down and started looking through cabinets behind the desk. Spencer rolled her eyes and her attention was caught by the smoking hot girl exiting the principal's office. Wow, I wonder what she did to get in trouble this early. She was probably arrested for violating all the sexy laws in these here United States. Spencer again chuckled on the inside at the jokes she knew only she could appreciate.
"And I don't want to see you in here until you graduate, Miss Davies." The principal sternly admonished the sexy brunette. But instead showing contrition for whatever it was that she had done, she smirked and winked as she replied, "Gotcha".
Spencer was smiling as she turned back to the secretary. Wearing an impatient expression, the woman had both hands on the desk as she leaned back. "I don't have anymore."
Spencer swallowed nervously, afraid to ask the sour woman anything else. She almost turned to leave but until she thought about spending the rest of the period looking for her class. She took a deep breath for courage. "Can you tell where F-240 is?"
"Ashley!" the woman shouted, causing Spencer to jump and look behind her. The hottie stopped walking out of the door and turned back with more than a little attitude.
"Yes?"
"Help…" The woman waved her hand in Spencer's direction. "…her find Mr. Newton's class."
Ashley raised her eyebrows at the command. Spencer's eyes went back and forth between the two of them, anxious to see how this power struggle would end.
"Please."
Wow, point one for the hottie.
"Fine. Come on."
Spencer smiled as she rushed forward.
"You're welcome." The irritated voice said behind her, calling attention to Spencer's lack of gratitude.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you very much." For hooking me up with Miss King High 2007.
The door slammed shut behind the two girls, aided by a hardy shove from Ashley.
"Don't thank that mean bitch. She gets her kicks out of making our lives hell." Ashley said, heading down the now empty hall.
Spencer took a few running steps to catch up with her after a lingering glance at her legs in the jean mini. She was walking fast and it took a second for Spencer to match her stride. She had only left Ohio a couple of weeks ago and she still wasn't comfortable with the fast pace of L.A.
"That's what all school administrators are for, right?" Spencer asked, looking over at her, hopefully, new friend.
Ashley laughed and Spencer's heart stuttered. Ashley slowed down a little and started to walk like a normal person to Spencer's relief.
"Yeah, I guess. So you're new here, huh?" Ashley turned her head and gave Spencer a quick sweep with her eyes.
"Yeah, I started today." Spencer nervously brushed her hair behind her ears, worried that she wouldn't pass Ashley's inspection. "My school records didn't arrive until Friday so I couldn't start last week when everyone else did."
"You're lucky. One less week in this hellhole."
The two turned a corner and started up a set of stairs. Spencer looked behind her and she would have sworn that Ashley have been looking at her butt as she walked ahead of her. She tripped and might have done a face plant had she had more than one step left or if Ashley hadn't grabbed her arm.
"Watch it. Are you okay?"
Spencer felt her face go up in flames. She knew that was from embarrassment and that the heat in her belly was all due to the girl who was still holding her arm.
"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks." Spencer looked down at her shoes only to feel Ashley tap her chin up at her finger.
"No problem. I'm used to my effect on people. I should come with a warning label."
Spencer laughed as she began to blush anew. Wow, she's so arrogant. And I like it.
"You're funny."
"And hot. You like?"
Oh my God, is she flirting with me?
Ashley laughed and Spencer covered her mouth in shock.
"I guess you don't get subtlety too well, huh?"
Oh my God, did I say that out loud?
"Yeah, and in case you're wondering, you still are."
Spencer sucked in a breath and immediately began to mentally beg to wake up, for the ground to open up and swallow her, anything to get her out of this moment. She didn't know how long she stood there, like an IDIOT, staring at Ashley but it felt like an era.
"Don't worry, newbie. I think it's cute." Ashley winked at Spencer before pointing behind her. "Your class is behind you. Check you out later."
Ashley turned and headed back down the stairs. She looked back at Spencer and bit her bottom lip before walking out of sight. Spencer snapped out of her horrified trance and jumped up and down in frustration. "Agh, you spaz."
Spencer stumped the few feet to her class and walked in. She endured the annoying "introduction" to her class and found a seat in the middle of the room. She spent the hour going over and over the five minutes she'd spent with Ashley, thinking of all the things she hadn't said and wished she could have said.
The hottest girl you have ever met flirts with you and you sit with you thumb in your ass. Great going, dorkus.
By the time lunch had rolled around, Spencer had mentally beaten herself into a pulp for her spaz routine. When she saw Ashley in the lunch line, she immediately began to give herself a pep talk.
She's hot. She's obviously gay and you know that she likes you so you're already three steps ahead of the game. It took you 16 years to find that in Ohio and you've only been in L.A. for two weeks. At this rate, she'll be yours by 7th period. You go, girl!
Spencer smiled confidently as she strutted over to Ashley. As she walked, Spencer noticed that Ashley had changed her clothes. She now wore a pair of ripped jeans.
"Hey."
Ashley turned, a plate of jello and fries in hand. She lifted an eyebrow in question. "Hey..."
Spencer cleared her throat, uncertainly. "Uhh, I don't think I'm going to be able to find my class tomorrow."
"Umm, okay…"
Spencer bit her lip and looked around the busy room. Ashley wasn't as chatty as she was this morning. Maybe she realized that she was too hot to hang with such a geek.
"Have you gotten that warning label…" Spencer trailed off as a handsome guy came up to Ashley and took her plate away and put it on the table.
"Aiden! What are you doing?"
"Since when do you eat this crap? I went to In-And-Out. Come on." He held up two bags of food and nodded at a table in the back. He nodded his chin at Spencer and asked while backing away. "Who's your friend? She's hot. Tell her to sit with us."
Ashley's eyes got big and she gave Aiden a look that might have killed on the spot. "I don't know her," she said between gritted teeth. She turned to Spencer and said, "Ah, good luck with your class. You should get a map from the office."
Spencer sighed in disappointment as Ashley walked away. She was totally confused and very upset that Ashley had pretended not to know her. Get a map? Did she just flirt with me this morning for the hell of it? But watching Ashley and her gang during lunch, Spencer thought she had the deal all figured out. Ashley was extremely popular. All the attractive and cool people were sitting at her table and she got up, half the table followed her. As she walked through the cafeteria, all the jocks and everyone who seemed to matter in the school greeted her. Maybe she didn't like me and she was just being nice to the new girl.
Spencer got through the rest of the day in a funk. She had seen Ashley in her gym class right after lunch and it had just been for a second. It was through the gate that separated the track field from the tennis court. Ashley smiled and wiggled her fingers at her as she ran by Spencer's class. Spencer cocked her head to the side and after a moment she had waved back. The exchange only served to confuse her even more.
Then, an hour later, she had seen her again, this time in the hallway. She had been receiving a piggyback ride from the same guy who had interrupted them at lunch. Is that her boyfriend? If she has a boyfriend, why was she coming on to me? Spencer didn't want to come off as an idiot again she had hid her face in her locker as they walked by.
In her last class of the day, Spencer walked in and saw Ashley sitting in the corner of the class. Spencer was raising her hand in greeting when Ashley put her hand up to cover the side of her face as she turned away. Hurt, Spencer walked to the seat furthest away from Ashley. She spent the hour seething. Why is she playing this hot and cold trip? Does she just enjoy messing with people's feelings?
When the bell rang, Spencer stood up and rushed out of class. Stalking down the hallway, she rudely pushed past the other students without an "excuse me" or apology. Ordinarily, Spencer would never be so inconsiderate but she just wanted to get away.
Just a few feet from her locker, Spencer ran into somebody and both she and the person she hit nearly fell but managed to hold their balance by hanging onto each other.
"I'm so sorry."
"Hey, watch where you're- Newbie?"
Spencer looked at the bi-polar girl that had put her through so many changes in one day. Knowing that she was about to explode and not wanting to do it with an audience, Spencer grabbed Ashley arm and dragged her into the nearest empty classroom. Wow, she must be faster than Superman to get changed so fast. Damn, that skirt looks good on her. Don't get distracted, Spence. You have bigger fish to fry.
"What's with you, newbie?"
"You. You're what's with me. What's your problem?"
Ashley paused and stared at Spencer, incredulously. "My problem? I didn't just drag you into a class, screaming my head off. You just wanted to get me alone, right?"
Ashley smiled before she seductively licked her lips.
"That's what I'm talking about. One minute you're all flirty and I think you like me and the next you're acting all weird like you never met me."
Spencer turned around and dropped her bookbag on a desk. Ashley stared at her back, confused, as Spencer began to pace. An idea was coming to Ashley.
"Then you're waving at me but when we're in class together, I don't exist. Explain that."
When Spencer finished with a huff, Ashley burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at? You think this is funny? Why do you only talk to me when we're alone and then pretend I don't exist in public? Or are you some kind of tease?"
Ashley held up a hand, struggling to catch her breath. "That new's…I've never been called a tease before." She continued to chuckle but with slightly less hysteria.
"Ashley, let's go. Aiden has practice and I need a ride home."
Spencer spun around and Ashley, this one in jeans, was standing in the doorway. She spun around back to Ashley who was still leaning against the teacher's desk.
"Hey, Kyla, I think you know newbie, here. Newbie, have you met my twin, Kyla?"
"Yeah, Ash, this is that crazy chick I saw at lunch. You didn't tell me you knew her."
Spencer sat down hard in a desk as her eyes swung between the Davies sisters. She felt she might faint in the room with all this hotness.