Chapter 1 No More Basic
POV: Carly
"Okay, so I think I finally have the theme for the Homecoming dance, you're going to love it!" Abigail Young exclaimed, clapping her hands together and flipping her black hair over her shoulder excitedly. She slapped her poster board down on the classroom desk like she was presenting a winning lottery ticket. "How about, A Night in Paris? It's simple, classy-"
"And incredibly overdone and basic." Carly cut her off flat.
Abigail's mouth snapped shut.
Black River Academy sat tucked into the tree line of Black River Falls, Washington, where the fog never fully lifted and the forest pressed so close to the campus gates it felt like the trees were listening. Most towns had secrets. Black River Falls was built on them. It was the kind of place that didn't show up on most maps and the people who lived there preferred it that way. The Academy itself had stood for over a century, housing a variety of young supernatural students: vampires, witches, werewolves, sirens and more. Each group was known as a faction. Every year a different faction organized and hosted the most highly anticipated event of the school year. This year it was the witches' turn and Carly McPherson was determined to make it count.
She had been looking forward to planning this since freshman year. As star student of her division and leader of the on-campus coven, she naturally took the reins as head of the committee. Nobody was more ambitious, more precise, or carrying a heavier legacy to uphold. Everything had to be perfect. Unfortunately Carly was drowning in anxiety, still stuck on a theme with little time and even less help.
Abigail gulped, eyes bouncing nervously between Carly and her right hand woman Whitney Salem, who stood beside her saying absolutely nothing.
"Um, right. Okay how about Under the Sea?"
"Pass!" Carly threw her arms up. "My god Abigail, can you think of anything that doesn't make me want to rip my hair out?"
Abigail's mouth opened and closed like a fish. Fitting, considering the suggestion.
"How about we take a break and reconvene later?" Whitney stepped in before Carly could reload.
Both girls exhaled in relief. Abigail snatched her purse off the table and was out the door before anyone could say another word.
Carly blinked. "What?"
"You didn't have to be mean, Care." Whitney laughed, gathering her own bag. "That girl literally worships the ground you walk on and now she's terrified to even look at you."
"She does not. And it wasn't intentional, all her ideas were just terrible. What did you want me to do, lie?"
"No, but you didn't have to be a bitch either. Why did you even ask for her input if you were going to shut everything down?"
"Because I'm a fair leader." Carly straightened. "And as a leader I at least owe it to everyone to hear their suggestions. Considering how angry you all were last time I planned something without you."
"Knowing you'd make the final decision no matter what we say." Whitney said it with a smile but the point landed clean. "Very considerate of you."
Touché.
It wasn't like Carly ever denied being a control freak. She was a firm believer in doing things herself if she wanted them done right.
She sighed and pulled her blonde curls over one shoulder. "Look, I'm sorry Whitney. I just have so much to get done in so little time. Having one less thing on my list would be a miracle right now."
Whitney didn't say anything. She just pulled Carly into a hug instead.
A much needed one.
They had been friends for what felt like the beginning of time. A dynamic duo. Powerful, beautiful, popular and rarely ever at odds with each other. They had always been each other's soft place to land, through complicated boy drama and invasive parents and everything in between.
"You're gonna get through this, you always do." Whitney pulled back and held her by the shoulders. "And it's going to be the best dance this school has ever seen. If anyone can carry a full plate and make it look easy, it's Carly McPherson."
Carly tried to return the smile. It came out smaller than she wanted.
Maybe she had been a little too ambitious this year. Piles of extracurriculars on top of a brutal class schedule, advanced spells to master before finals and now this. But this was her last year and she refused to let it be anything less than legendary, even if it stressed her into the ground.
"Whitney Salem." She looped their arms together as they headed for the door. "My favorite motivator and enabler. I'd be completely lost without you."
"Yeah yeah, I'm a saint." Whitney flipped her chocolate brown waves off her shoulder. "Now let's get to the cafeteria before lunch is over. I need a brownie before practice or I will actually combust."
Carly's stomach answered for her with a loud grumble.
"Aren't we all."
She was almost out the door when Whitney caught her elbow lightly, dropping her voice low enough that it was just between them.
"Hey. You and Tommy good?"
Carly blinked. "What do you mean?"
Whitney gave her that look. The one that said she already knew the answer and was just giving Carly the chance to say it herself.
"I'm fine." Carly said. "We're fine."
Whitney held the look for one more second then let it go. "Okay."
She didn't push. She never did. But she also never asked questions she didn't already have a feeling about.
Carly followed her into the hallway and told herself it meant nothing.
Author's Note:
And so it begins! Carly McPherson does not come to play and neither do I. If you're already feeling the tension just wait. Drop a like, add us to your library and let me know in the comments what YOU think the Homecoming theme should be because clearly Abigail is not the one!