Sarah studied the newcomer, sizing her up. For Sarah, she either had an interest in you, or she ignored you completely, as if you were merely an extra in her universe...not knowing how true that actually was. She would have to decide which this girl was.
Julia didn't like being studied, but shrugged it off. "So, you're Sarah. I'm Julia...Serrano. I just moved here." Jon had just accepted how the cheerleader types dressed...but Julia was thinking how much she looked like Malibu Barbie. But, like Amber...she hadn't actually spent any amount of time with Sarah to know if there was more to her than the look.
Jeans...but designer jeans... Sarah thought, analyzing her. This was more her friend Melissa's domain...fashion, but Sarah could recognize quality. Makeup, but...very little...fits her complexion though. Sarah was a bit intrigued, trying to reconcile someone who obviously cared about their appearance with the overly casual look. Not from LA, she concluded. Especially not with the way she talks.
"Julia is from New York," Amber said, helpfully.
"Amber just mentioned you were the head cheerleader when you came in," Julia said.
Oh..she wants to join the squad? Sarah thought. Out loud, "Well, someone had to be....and the best candidate got the job," she said, honestly believing it.
Humble much? Julia thought. She smiled. "Well, we didn't have cheerleading at my old school. Or football, actually."
"How could that possibly be?"
Julia shrugged. "Well, people do get hurt a lot in both of those...but we had a wrestling team, so...I guess it wasn't that."
"You were on the wrestling team?" Amber asked.
"No...last year in the fall I was on the soccer team, in the winter I did basketball, and in the spring, track. I was hoping to find out about some of what was available here, actually. Are you two just on the cheerleading squad?"
"Just?" Sarah remarked. Being a cheerleader was a full time job in itself. There weren't just practices, but there were social obligations.
"No...I meant we had seasons so we didn't play the same sport all school year...this is California...I don't know how it works if it is sunny and hot all year round." And neither had Jon, who hadn't tried out for sports.
"Well, welcome to Lakeview," Sarah said, and walked away.
Julia looked at Amber. "She seems...umm...nice."
"She's one of my best friends," Amber insisted.
"She is? I mean...she didn't even say hello to you..." Julia said.
Amber seemed to be thinking about that. Is Sarah mad at me? Maybe she just didn't like the new girl? But...she seems cool...Is it something I did? Amber debated.
Noticing Amber was lost in thought, Julia frowned. "Did I say something wrong?" She asked, unaware what reaction Amber had to her comment.
"Umm...no," Amber said.
Julia smoothed out the paper with her schedule. "Do you know anything about any of these teachers?" She asked.
Amber looked at the list. "You have like two honors science classes..."
"My mom's a Critical Care nurse," Julia said. "You try telling her I'm not going to take Honors classes," Julia said. "She'll call my grandma..."
"Your grandmother is a nurse too?"
"No, she was a pharmacist and put my mother through college. She used to call to quiz me on questions that weren't even on the test."
