The Valley of Kings and a Queen

Chapter 3

The next day at lunch, Grey is so rowdy. Tonight, he is throwing a rager for the start of school, and it would be a tragedy if one were to miss - or so he claims. I had only been to a few parties in my high school days. I know what you're thinking. But Ray, your friends seemed wild and popular and all that jazz. These are very valid points, but I tended to opt out preferring my time alone to relax and catch up on sleep. Sorry to disappoint Grey that I wouldn't be attending though he never actually extended an invitation to me, so he wouldn't even notice my absence.

"Are you going to come?" Aiden asks me as we leave the cafeteria.

I'm about to decline when Grey throws his arm around my shoulder and declares "of course she's coming. She wouldn't want to miss out on her first party with the Britts" he winks at me. When did Grey and I become friends? Probably wants to be able to advertise that his party is an international affair too. I can just see him announcing "Yankees returning home to the motherland"

With the news of Grey's rager being the talk of the school, I had forgotten about the basketball team roster being posted this afternoon. After the last bell, I rush down the hall to the door outside the gym with the men's and women's team roster posted.

"Yankee looks like we will be getting to know each other better" a tall lean girl wearing jeans and blouse with her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail calls out to me.

"I'm Annie" she reaches out to shake my hand "looks like you'll be playing on the varsity team with me this season"

"I'm Ray" I say as I shake her hand. I recognize her from tryouts as one of the better girls. She was probably the most fit of the girls with strong endurance, speed, and ball handling skills. She was confident on the court, but I don't recognize her from class or anything. Maybe she's a junior or maybe I only know Olivier's friends at school and haven't actually made my own.

I look at the men's team roosters. Sammy made the J.V. thankfully. Of course, the GQs make up most of the varsity with Finley as the shoe in to be their future captain.

"So, you moved here from the U.S.A?" Annie inquires.

"Yeah Los Angeles actually. It's really different here" and she just laughs at my statement as if it's obvious which I guess it is.

I guess the boys didn't even go to check the rooster and just assumed they would make it, so I decide to walk to the parking lot with her. We make small talk about my move here from the States. I tell her the situation with my family growing up in California my entire life with Sammy and then my mom becoming engaged to Mr. Chapman. Turns out Annie is actually a sophomore and knows Holly. Unlike the girls Holly is friends with, Annie seems to be genuine and she's pretty easy to talk too.

"Ray congrats on making the basketball team" Aiden yells at me from across the parking lot where he's talking to Grey and some other girls.

"Thanks" I yell back at him. Annie's face flushes as though he had sent the compliment to her, not me, but I don't acknowledge it as she says her goodbyes. That's cute, maybe she has a crush on Aiden. I mean he's cute and nice, so why wouldn't she?

--

Later that night after dinner, I shower and get ready for Grey's "Party of a Lifetime". I'm standing in my towel facing my closet when I begin to panic. As previously stated, I have limited experience at a real high school party. I know, I know if you have ever seen my short-lived summerbreak career I had the appearance of having an easy going and wild party loving attitude. I can't help that I am such an amazing actress despite the fact that I am still waiting on the academy awards to finally hand me over my Oscar.

Anyways, I'm standing staring at my closet when Olivier knocks on my door announcing I need to be ready in exactly twenty-five minutes or he is leaving without me. No exceptions. Does Olivier not understand that I am facing a dress dilemma! I start to rummage through my closet throwing clothes off hangers left and right. Do I wear a dress or just some ripped jeans and a t-shirt? Are jeans too casual? Do I wear a cardigan or a leather jacket? Would a leather jacket make me look too much like I'm with the band? Should I wear another skirt and a crop top? Or is that too "hit me baby one more time" Britney Spears 2000s look for the Snob Police? Geesh guys have it so easy. They just wear khakis and fraternity t-shirts with backwards hats or at least they did back home.