Okay, here we go. Just FYI, I made up the college. The disclaimer is I own everything but the original characters of the Sisterhood. So, yada yada yada yada, here it is.

6. Santa Maria Soccer Academy

Carson gaped at the entrance to the Santa Maria Soccer Academy in New Mexico. Even the sign was gorgeous. Santa Maria was one of the best colleges for soccer in the United States, and Carson had been good enough to make it to the summer camp. And the only reason she got a spot was because her mother, Bridget, was going to cancel. Too bad she had to drop out at the last minute.

"Wow, you are really interested in that sign." Carson spun around, and saw a tall, athletic built girl with fiery red hair grinning at her. Carson noticed how pretty she was: deep set green eyes, silky hair, smooth skin, and an oval face. It made her feel uncommonly uncomfortable with her own looks. Sure, Carson thought of herself pretty, with her hair, tan skin with no acne whatsoever, and pale blue eyes.

"Oh, um, yeah," Carson replied, stuttering. "It's just a sign, though."

"Just overwhelmed by being in Santa Maria, huh?" the girl asked. Carson nodded. "The name's Nadia. Nadia Rockland."

Carson shook her head. "Carson Richman. Nice to meet you." Nadia smiled.

They followed the group of girls that got off the bus with them, dumped their bags in the lobby of the apartment building, and waited for the announcement of dorm roomies. One of the coaches stood up on the desk to get everyone's attention, and finally quieted all the girls down. "Welcome to Santa Maria Soccer Academy. When I call you and your dorm buddy's name, you will come take your key from me, go upstairs, change, get to know one another, whatever. But I want you all down here at 4:30 for the first 'official' practice. The list of scrimmages, games, and other important information is upstairs waiting in your room, but I'll say a few here: dinner is served at 6:00 every night down at the main cafeteria. Lunch at 12:00, same place, and breakfast at 8:00, same place. I would advise you get there early if not on time, so the best food isn't gone." She looked at her clipboard. "Okay, now we'll get started…Aldrich, Samantha and Anderson, Lisa." She held the key to them, and they disappeared up the stairs.

"Atom, Erin, and Becket, Elizabeth."

"Carlson, Demi, and Darien, Tanna." The list went on, and Carson's head perked up when she heard her last name. "Richman, Carson, and Rockland, Nadia." They looked at each other and grinned, Nadia taking the #17 key from the coach.

Their room was on the third floor and as plain as it could get. At least they only had to share their bathroom with two girls named Diana Tucker and Lana Vernon. Two single beds sat on opposite ends of the room, and next to the bed were dressers. There were two desks in front of the window, overlooking a green soccer field, a comfortable looking couch, a coffee table, and to Carson's delight, a foosball table.

"Home sweet home," Nadia said, "for a couple weeks at least."

"It's better than some camp dorms I've been to," Carson replied. "The worst had hair stuck to the shower." Nadia's face shrunk up in disgust.

"Some people." She threw her dufflebag onto her bed and changed into a pair of Nike shorts, sports bra, and hat. She threw her clothes into each drawer, and stuck her empty dufflebag at the end of her bed. "Waiting for you, Carson," she said, playing with her soccer ball.

Carson put on a pair of her own Adidas running shorts, running tanktop, pulled her golden hair into a messy bun, and stuck an Adidas hat on her head. She squirted sunscreen onto her face, arms, and legs, and ran down the stairs with Nadia to the soccer field.

The sun was beating down. It was already 97 degrees. Carson was suddenly glad she had her hat. Someone caught her eye, and she turned to see a handsome boy—no, student, she guessed—carrying a bag of soccer balls. His dark brown hair laid above his eyes nicely. He was tall, strong built, and gorgeous.

"Who are you looking at?" Nadia asked.

Carson turned to her. "Nobody, just looking at my competition."

"All girls, over here!" a coach yelled. "Okay, when I read off your name, go join your team over there. The teams are blue, red, purple, orange, and green. Aldrich, Samatha—blue!"

"Anderson, Lisa—purple!"

"Atom, Erin—orange!"

"Becket, Elizabeth—orange!"

"Carlson, Demi—red!"

"Darien, Tanna--purple!"

"Horn, Beccy—blue!"

"Hathaway, Nancy—green!"

The list went on and on. Carson jumped up and down nervously when her name was shouted over the cheering. "Richman, Carson—orange!" The orange team erupted in applause, and grinning, Carson joined her team. She threw a look at Nadia, who grinned back. The coach yelled her next, "Rockland, Nadia—green!" Carson looked disappointedly as Nadia smiled and raced over to her strong-looking team.

"I can't believe this," a girl next to her moaned. "Orange is the bad omen color."

"Excuse me?" Carson asked, looking at the girl three inches shorter than her with thick brown hair and eyes.

"The whole reason I got into a car crash was because I saw a flashy orange jogging vest and got distracted. Mom thought I should get away from the drama at home and come here. Alas, I get put on the orange team," the girl said. "And my name starts with an 'O': Olivia. Doesn't that suck?"

Carson tried not to laugh. "Um, yeah, I guess under your circumstances, it does suck. I'm sorry?"

"I'm sorry, too," Olivia said dully. "Who are you?"

"Carson," Carson replied, smiling friendly. "My friends call me Civic."

Olivia laughed. "Why Civic?"

"Well, they used to call me Car, since that's what Carson starts with, and then my friends just got around to calling me Civic. It's more like an inside joke. With us, that is." Carson bit her lip. Olivia only smiled.

"Your friends sound like a bunch of weirdos. But in the good sense of weird."

Carson grinned, jumping from one foot to the other in excitement. "Thanks."

The first drill was running between poles. For speed, the coach had said. But Carson couldn't concentrate. Her mind was on the really hot guy who was working on a clipboard by the goal. Observing the teams, Carson guessed. And when practice finally ended and everyone headed off to the dining hall, Carson made her way over to the boy, who was still writing down notes.

"Hey," Carson said friendly. The boy looked up. Definitely hot, Carson thought, and felt her knees turn to jelly. His eyes were the deepest blue, and she felt like she was swimming in them.

"Hi," he said awkwardly. He pointed to the field. "I saw you out there. You were good. Look's like all the other teams are up in competition."

Carson grinned her beautiful smile, showing a row of perfectly straight, white teeth. "Thanks. So, do you have a name?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?" But he was smiling.

"Um…future references," Carson replied slyly. "I'm Carson Richman." The guy shook her hand.

"Tom Lancy," he replied. He looked around. "Well, I better get back to the dorm. I'm a student here. And you should go eat. See ya tomorrow, Richman." He turned and left.

Carson watched him leave, biting her lip and grinning.