"Hey. I'm Adrian." The boy sitting next to me introduced. He seemed like he was slim and tall, but I couldn't tell since we were both sitting now. He had skin the color of milk chocolate with shaggy black hair and light brown eyes. He also had two small, black, hoop earrings in both ears and was sporting a very cocky smile.
"Hey. It's nice to meet you."
"So, what brings you here?"
"New opportunities, I guess."
"Soccer related opportunities, eh?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "If you want to get noticed professionally, this is definitely the place to be. As a fellow soccer player myself, I must say that there's some serious competition here. The Tremmor kid, Alex, has wiped the field with literally everyone that he goes against and expects the same out of the rest of us. And if TW up there coaches like he teaches then it almost seems like we're in for a brutal time out there on the field. Are you sure that you're up for all that?"
"As I told the 'Tremmor kid', where I come from I was the top dog. Undefeated and was known for demolishing any opposition on the field. I think I can handle a little bit of competition...if I can even call it that." I cockily answered with a smirk of my own as Adrian's mouth dropped open in shock.
"You've already talked to Tremmor? On your first day?! How did you even manage that? That dude is seriously hardcore. I've known him forever, but I still only speak to him if it's an emergency or something."
"Well, I live with him."
"You live with him? You've actually been to the Tremmor mansion? Home of the richest man in the state. How?"
"His dad proposed to my mom and asked her to move in with him." I shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "She said yes so here we are."
"Your mom? How did they meet?" He whispered, glancing up to make sure Troy hadn't noticed that we have yet to pay attention to his lesson.
"I think they met at this future innovator something-or-another meeting thingy. My mom's a neuro surgeon so she tends to go to stuff like that. I don't really know much more than that. But why do you call Alex the 'Tremmor kid'? He and his sister have names you know." Adrian just stared at me blankly.
"Tremmor...has...a sister?"
"Yeah," I answered slowly, slightly confused. "Her name's Maya. She's thirteen and a freshman like my sister. They're in all the same classes and everything."
"Wow. I honestly didn't know th-"
"Mr. Harris!" Troy suddenly appeared beside our desks, scaring the crap out of both of us. "I would greatly appreciate it if you would wait to interrogate Miss Chase after my class. And Miss Chase, seeing as how you're new here, I'm glad that you're making friends, but I need to speak with you after class. Now, I need both of you to stop the side conversation, copy the notes and examples that are on the board, and PAY ATTENTION. I would hate for your grades to be the reason that you don't make it on my team. Now, have I made myself clear?"
"Yes, sir!" We both said in unison before slumping back in our chairs to try and avoid the looks that we were getting from the rest of the class as Troy resumed teaching. Both Adrian and I started copying down the notes from the board and just silently agreed that we would continue our conversation later.
"What's your schedule looking like?" Adrian asked as we gathered our things after the bell had rung.
"I have Bio after this. Then Gov, lunch, Am. Lit, and Phys. Ed."
"Well, looks like you're my new class buddy if that's okay with you. My friend, Sara, she's in all of those with us too. She actually would've been in this class but she's super good in math so she's in Math II with the seniors. I think you will both get along wonderfully though."
"Yeah, that's cool. And I'm sure-"
"Miss Chase. A moment please?"
"I'll wait for you outside so that we can go to class together." Adrian said, giving me a sheepish smile before leaving the room. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to Troy's desk.
"Yes, sir."
"Miss Chase-"
"Riley. Being called Miss Chase is weird."
"Chase, then. I understand that you are new here and that it's going to take some time to adjust and get used to the way things work around here. But, you're a bit behind in our curriculum and I need you to focus in class so that you can catch up. If you need tutoring or anything, I will be available to help but I need you to actually put in the necessary effort to catch up, alright?" Troy asked seriously.
"I understand, sir. And I'm really sorry about earlier. I promise that it won't happen again and that I will pay attention in every class from now on."
"Apology accepted. And now that the serious teacher stuff is out the way," Troy said, sitting back and clapping his hands together. "You said that you're a soccer fanatic. How long have you been playing and what position do you play?" Troy excitedly asked. I had to pause in blink a few times to register his complete change in attitude.
"Umm, I can play either center or forward, but I mostly play center. I first started playing soccer when I was four. My dad taught me pretty much everything that I know." My voice quieted a bit at the mention of my, technically Sam's, dad. Sam's father, the man who actually helped raise me, had been the biggest soccer fanatic ever. Every opportunity to do something soccer related, he was there and didn't hesitate to take me along with him. When I turned four, he bought me my first pair of cleats and proceeded to teach me everything he knew about soccer over the years. Of course, he tried to do the same with Sam, but she was never able to get into soccer like we were. It was before he left, the last time that I would ever see him, that he gave me my lucky cleats. They had been way too big back then, but he told me that one day I would grow into them. "I need you to keep scoring goals for me, Riley." Was the last thing that he would ever say to me and I have made it my life's mission to do exactly that.
"Well, I hope to see you on the field today after school for conditioning and to get a feel for the field." Troy said, seeming to sense my reluctance to continue the conversation.
"I will definitely be there."
"Good. I believe that Mr. Harris is waiting for you. I hope that you adjust well to the school and know that you can come to me if you need any help."
"Okay. Thank you, sir. Sorry. Troy." I corrected after he made a face and proceeded to go and find Adrian. "Sorry. Have I made us late?" I asked as we started walking to our next class.
"Nope. We have fifteen minutes in between classes here because the school's so big. You were only in there for five."
"Oh, well that's goo-"
"Addy! Where have you been?! I've been waiting for you forev- oh! Hi." A girl exclaimed while running towards us. She was around average height with long, waist length, caramel hair and beautiful hazel eyes that brought out the features of her soft, semi-roundish face. If her killer body and soccer tank top were anything to go by, she was athletic as well. So far, it seemed like in order to live in this town, you have to be a freaking model.
"Hei-" I choked. "Hey." I tried again after clearing my throat while trying to keep the blood from rushing to my face.
"Sara, this is Riley and she's new here. She just moved from..." Adrian trailed off.
"Tennessee."
"Right! She just moved from Tennessee with her mom and sister and lives with Tremmor. Riley, this is Sara, the nerd that I was telling you about earlier. The one who has classes with us for the rest of the day. Oh! And she plays soccer as well. In case you couldn't tell from the soccer tank she's sporting. But, yeah, soccer is practically the new football around here. Get it?" Adrian burst out laughing at his own joke.
"I'm sorry about Addy. He can't help it. But what is was trying to say is that our football team is truly abysmal, so the soccer players are the 'jocks' around here. Well, except for Addy, he's our water boy, but you learn to live him. Lame jokes and all." Sara said, smirking.
"Hey! I take offense to that. I'm actually a starter thank you very much. And I've never been a water boy, nor will I ever stoop to such levels. Don't listen to her, Riley."
"Don't we need to get to class?" I chuckled, interrupting the banter between the two friends. Sara and Adrian playfully glared at each other for a few more seconds before they both started laughing.
"Riley's right, Addy. We do need to get to class. Can't have Riley here late on her first day." Sara agreed as she looped one of her arms through mine, sending small tingles throughout my body. "Let's get moving." She said while dragging me along with her.
"Addy, huh?" I teased, looking over at Adrian.
"She says that Adrian is too much of a mouthful. It's not my favorite nickname 'cause it seems a bit too feminine to me. It sounds too much like Abby, but I've tried to get her to stop but as I'm sure you're able to tell, that has been a lost cause." He answered shrugging.
"How about instead of thinking of it as A-d-d-y, you think of it as A-d-i...Or try to convince her to call you Ian or something." I suggested.
"Nope. Not happening. He can change the spelling in his head all he likes but he will be Addy to me until the day we die." Sara stated to which Adrian only sighed in response.
Throughout the next two weeks, I started to fall into a routine. I would hang out with Sara and Adrian during school hours including lunch because it seemed that no one from my household had the same lunch as I did. Then, I would walk with Adrian and Sara out to the soccer field where I would meet up with Alex while Sam and Maya walked home together. After soccer, we'd say our goodbyes and then Alex and I would walk (or sometimes race) back to the house.
***
I stood holding my breath in anticipation as I waited with all the other players who were waiting to see the final list. The week of conditioning had allowed for me to get a feel for both the people who were trying out and for the field itself. It didn't take me very long to learn where all the bumps and crevices of the field were which I used to my advantage during tryouts. So, I'm really excited to see what position I'm in. Seeing as how I've only been here for about six weeks, I'm not expecting to be captain or anything, but Alex and I were practically neck and neck throughout the entirety of the tryouts. Although I will never tell him and will deny it if asked, Alex is pretty dang good. However, I'm definitely still the best.
"Oh my god! They just put up the list!" Sara squealed, excitedly grabbing my arm. Her and Adrian were both amazing on the field as well. When Adrian had said that there would be competition, he really meant it. Troy was almost brutal during conditioning and I found myself being grateful that I only had to survive a week of conditioning instead of a month like the others. Of course, I was already in shape, but Troy's exercises had me feeling as if I had never been active a day in my life.
When what Sara had said finally registered, I immediately rushed forward trying to be the first to see the list. Unfortunately, so did the forty-five other people wanting to see the same list. The room was suddenly filled with a mixture of cheers and sobs, but I didn't do either. I could only stare at the paper in silent shock. My name wasn't on the list. At all.
I didn't make the team.