CAMDEN SHORE BOARDING ACADEMY
THE SCHOOL COURTYARD
Tuesday, March 3rd
5:40 PM
"Okay, well, this is the courtyard of Camden Shore. The students usually come here to, you know, relax and stuff. I usually get my homework done here. I find it very peaceful." Emma gestured toward a large garden in the center of the Camden Shore Student Mall. So far, Claire, Massie, and Dylan were relatively impressed. They had passed Gucci, Calvin Klein, and Kate Spade. There was absolutely no sign of an Abercrombie & Fitch in close proximity of the six girls.
The courtyard was definitely as peaceful and beautiful as Emma had led on. There were tall, marble sculptures and fountains buried deep in bushes of roses, daisies and any other type of flower imaginable. A long, slim pool of elegant water was splashed upon by sprinkles of water that fell out the edge of both sides of the thin pool. At the edge of the water was a mountain waterfall, with clear, blue water trickling down the smooth stones and boulders.
Students sat on stone benches as they finished homework, gossiped, and played on their expensive laptops. Massie couldn't help but notice that the only thing in the entire garden that were eyesores were those terrible Halloween costumes they called school uniforms. Gag.
"Oh, and this place is the abso-best for checking out hot guys. And trust me, there is plenty," Gingi giggled and gave Addie a high-five. Claire, Dylan, and Emma laughed too; Massie rolled her eyes. She threw a sharp scowl at Dylan and Claire, who immediately stopped and began looking around nervously.
"What are you tawking about, Gingi? You've got like, the cutest guy at Camden Shore," Emma smiled, showing off her pearly whites.
"Ahem, you mean second cutest, Em. Don't forget about you-know-who." Addie bit her lip and stifled a grin and giggle.
"Ooh, who?" Claire asked eagerly. Addie twirled a blonde lock around her finger, her blue eyes smiling innocently.
"It doesn't matter. He's mine anyway." Addie smirked.
"Not yet." Gingi grinned, making Massie and Dylan start laughing. Not at what Gingi said, but how she said it. She said it in a way that screamed I-still-have-time-to-steal-him-byotch.
Addie noticed. She rolled her eyes and playfully slapped Gingi's fragile arm. Gingi rolled her eyes and continued to check out the eighth graders that passed her. The boys were in their soccer uniforms and were punching eachother in huddles of four or five.
Addie and Massie quickly slipped pink lip-gloss over their rosy lips. Massie made eye contact with the blonde beauty, whose eyebrows crinkled at the sight of Massie's Glossip Girl Strawberry Shortcake flavored gloss. Massie did the same at the sight of the same flavor in Addie's hand. The eye contact only lasted for a second or two, before the girls threw their gloss containers into their purses and looked around pointedly.
"What do we eat around here? I'm starved," Dylan folded her arms and looked around for any place to eat.
"I highly doubt that…" Addie mumbled. Massie could just barely notice Gingi stifle a laugh and give Addie a high five behind their backs. Thank gawd Dylan was too busy looking around for food to hear Addie's insulting comment.
"There's a La Madeleine across from the Camden Cinema. I'm getting a little ravenous, too." Emma gave a pitying smile in Dylan's direction. Dylan noticed and grinned at Emma. Addie, however, stared daggers into Emma's bony back.
"Actually, I'm not very hungry. I think I'll head up to my dorm room, thanks." Massie swung her white Louis Vuitton purse over her shoulder and placed her hand on her waste.
"I'll show you!" Gingi's hand shot up into the air and she bounced on the tips of her feet, giddily. "I'll help you unpack and stuff. I'm not hungry either."
Massie smiled, thankful someone would be there to help her actually find the room. She leaned her head in between Claire and Dylan and whispered, "Meet me in the courtyard at 7:00 okay? We've gotta talk about… this." Massie leaned away and followed the brunette out of the courtyard and into the tall dome that was the Girls' Dorm Building.
"Okay so, where is this La Madeleine? I only had breakfast today and some fruit snacks. I could really go for a salad," Claire said as her stomach grumbled quietly.
"Oh and get this," Addie smiled, matter-of-factly, as she grabbed Claire's shoulder, "…the food here is free. Tuition cost takes care of it."
"Good…" Claire smiled as Addie led her away and Emma and Dylan followed,
"Because I am flat broke." Addie let out a loud, yet sweet cackle and linked arms with her new friend.
As Claire was dragged into the cozy French restaurant across from the Camden Cinema, she was alarmed by a loud, deep yell.
"WHOO! LEVEL 23, BABY!" Claire jerked her head to the right to see a tall boy, punching the air with his fist, while holding a game console. He was sitting on a blue bean bag in front of a flat screen TV, that was hooked up to a brand new XBOX 360.
The boy had shaggy, chocolate brown hair that fell into his blue-silver eyes perfectly. His lips were as red as a Jolly Rancher, and his smile was as wide as a football field. Rail thin, he was a beautiful sight.
"Emma!" Addie whisper-yelled. Emma scurried to her side and Addie whispered in her ear. Emma immediately whipped her head around and gawked at the boy that Claire had been staring at only moments before. She let out a quiet squeal and squeezed Addie's arm. Addie flipped her hair and slid her Glossip Girl Lip Gloss across her lips again. She rubbed her forefinger on her front teeth and ran her hands through her golden hair. She winked at Claire and Dylan and turned around. Addie glided toward the boy and his friends, who were handing out high fives.
"Hey, Tristan." Addie placed her hands on her tiny waist and tilted her head to the side. She smiled sweetly and blinked.
The gorgeous boy Claire had been staring at turned his head and grinned at Addie. Claire, of course, felt very jealous.
"Dude!" A blonde boy yelled from the crowd of friends in front of the TV, "That's Addie Lawrence, man!" Addie rolled her eyes and came closer to the crowd.
Claire couldn't help but commend Addie on her ability to talk to a guy as gorgeous as that without hyperventilating.
"You playing the tournament tomorrow?" Addie nodded her head at him as the boy took another step closer. He twitched his head to the side and swept his bangs out of his face. Claire shivered.
"You know it, Lawrence. I'm gonna win it, too." The boy and his friends exchanged "WOO-HOO'S" and high fives and turned their attention back to Addie, who giggled.
"Who're your friends, Lawrence?" The boy nodded at Claire and Dylan. Dylan's squealed silently and Claire's knees nearly buckled.
"Huh?" Addie muttered.
The boy nodded at Claire and Dylan again, which caused Addie to whip her head around again.
"Oh! You mean the new girls? Oh, Tristan…" Addie leaped back and grabbed Claire and Dylan by the arms and yanked them closer, "This is Dylan and Claire. They're the new girls from Westchester."
"Westchester? New York? Sweet!" The blonde boy yelped. Tristan nodded his head and grinned at Claire.
"Cool. I'm Tristan Gray. Camden Shore's greatest athlete." Tristan made a face and lifted an arm and flexed. He was funny. Addie began to crack up.
"Oh, Tristan, you're hilarious. OK, so my friends and I are gonna egt a bite and head to the dorms. See ya at the match tomorrow. Bye." Addie waved at Tristan as she pulled Dylan, Emma, and Claire away from the corner.
"What match?" Claire whispered to Emma.
"Oh, Tristan's the star athlete on the tennis team. There's a huge tournament tomorrow. Tennis is like, Camden Shore's game. Everyone here plays. You play?" Emma asked quietly. Claire shook her head.
"You'll have to teach me."
"Oh, no. I'm not very good. My backhand is nightmare. Ask Addie. She's the student coach for the beginner's class. She's ah-mazing."
