Perfect Little Lies

2. Queen Bee

Veronica McAdams was everything I expected a Californian girl to be.

She walked into the principal's office with a confidence I could never imagine having myself. Tall and slender, her skin had a flawless golden tan. Honey blonde hair fell effortlessly in loose waves, cascading halfway down her back. She wore a pink, plaid mini skirt with a cropped cardigan, and suddenly I felt underdressed in my jeans and tank top. 

"You must be Claudia!" she said, much too excited to be real. "I'm Veronica. It's so nice to meet you."

I tried to respond with even half the enthusiasm she had, but I could just manage a, "Hi." I wondered if everyone here was so friendly. How did she manage it?

Principal Ackerman sat across from us, observing me curiously. "Claudia is from Arizona," he told Veronica, who nodded as if this explained something. I suddenly felt very self-conscious. "Veronica will be your buddy for today. She will show you between your classes and answer any questions you might have. Veronica is one of the most active members of our school community, so use her well."

Immediately, Veronica reminded me of Dawn Piper. I could tell she was popular and well-liked from her demeanour alone, and Principal Ackerman's praises confirmed this. She had a way of making me feel welcomed as she showed me around the school. She asked questions without being invasive, while seeming genuinely interested in my mundane responses.

We toured the main building, the sports facilities, the swimming pool, the cafeteria and outside dining area and the auditorium. Lakeside High was a private school, and it was clear where the money was going. Everything was clean and new. Lakeside High was built in a big square, with a courtyard in the centre. Immaculate gardens decorated this area, along with benches and tables.

Worlds apart from my last school, I felt a little out of my depth. There were so many hallways and buildings I just knew I was going to get lost for weeks. I felt a little like an outsider. Veronica didn't know I came from a public school, but I wondered if she could tell by my amazement at everything we saw.

Me being here was thanks to my mother's new boyfriend, I supposed. William had listened to so many of my mom's complaints about my dad that he, too, disliked him now. I wondered if Will's seemingly generous offer to fund my schooling was intended to make a point to my dad. Perhaps to show he was the bigger man, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that my dad didn't show any disdain towards this. He was more than happy to hear I was attending Lakeside High rather than the nearby public school. 

I had tried to refuse this offer, telling my mother that I was just fine in public school before and here would be no different. She told me not to be so rude. Will was trying to help our family, and I should just say thank you. So I did say thank you, and that had landed me right where I was then: touring just about the most well-designed school I'd ever seen. It seemed to me more like a giant design project than an educational facility. However, a familiar sound reminded me exactly where we were.

We were just passing the science building when a bell rang inside, signalling the start of homeroom. Veronica lead me back into the main building and towards our homeroom.

Entering the classroom felt like stepping onto a stage. There were a dozen students inside. Every single head turned around to look at me. Veronica grabbed my arm, pulling me to the other side of the room where two girls sat staring at us. It was obvious they were friends with Veronica. They, too, were effortlessly beautiful and smiled brightly when I approached.

"Hey! I'm Belle-Marie. Come sit down," greeted a pretty girl with smooth, dark skin and long braids. She had the nicest smile I'd ever seen. Belle-Marie wore a bright pink t-shirt, drawing all attention towards her. "This is Summer." She gestured to the girl beside her.