Free Portal by Imogen Rose Page B

though. We have a strong team. The boys are close and will not easily accept you. I was not even aware that you had played before?”
    I ignored his comment, as I wasn’t prepared to delve into my other life as a star hockey girl. It would be too confusing to say the least! I did, however, wonder if I had played hockey with his daughter during summer hockey camps at Princeton University. Anyway, I asked him about the paper work and schedules instead. He went over to a filing cabinet and pulled out some forms and handed them to me.
    “Arizona, I’ll let Coach Stanislaw know to expect you. The tryout times are on the top form.”
    I nodded and thanked him. He kindly added that I was welcome to contact his wife for any support and advice as she had also played ice hockey.
    “Arizona, best of luck tomorrow. I’ll be rooting for you.”
    I gave him a thankful smile and left to find the girls. I was feeling much more hopeful and quite joyful by the time I got to the cafeteria. The cheer table beckoned to me and I went over and sat down.
    Maria slid over a plate with fruit and asked, “Well, how did it go?”
    “Better than I thought it would. I’ll fill you in later, but please don’t mention anything to Harry yet. I’ll try to break it to him this evening.”
    “The new girl from physics came over earlier and asked me to hand you this note,” Maria said as she slid a piece of paper over to me. It was brief.
     
May I copy your physics notes?
    I’ll come find you later.
Thanks, Ariele
     
    I guess it was time to deal with Ariele, after all she was my BFF from Princeton. I looked around and spotted her alone at one of the corner tables. Walking over to her, I wondered if she recognized me from Princeton or if she only knew me as Barbie Arizona, like Simla and Justin seemed to.
    “Hey, Ariele, I’ve got my notes right here. We can photocopy them in the office if you like.”
    She looked up at me carefully studying my face. I smiled at her. She hadn’t changed a bit. Same beautiful Ariele, gorgeous chestnut curls that barely touched her shoulders and green eyes. I’ve never seen more perfect brows, and I knew they were natural, never touched by tweezers. I could see her trying to read me, but she was not brave enough to blurt anything out. Not yet anyway. She stood up, towering about a foot above me. She nodded silently and we headed out of the cafeteria toward the office.
    “I heard you moved here from New Jersey?” I asked gently.
    She turned around and looked at me tentatively, “It’s complicated. We were supposed to have moved here next June, but we seem to have arrived earlier than expected. It’s a bit of a strange story. I’m still trying to work it out. A ?” Ariele said looking at me hopefully.
    “Yes?”
    “I knew it! You are A ! This is beyond bizarre. You are A aren’t you?” she asked pleadingly.
    I nodded; Ariele and Monica had always called me “A” back in Princeton.
    “I wanted to ask you ever since I saw you at physics, but I was scared to make an idiot of myself again,” she said. She told me that she had run into both Justin and Simla and that neither had recognized her, and both were now treating her like a nut job. Simla had been spreading mean rumors about her.
    “Have you got any idea what’s going on?” she asked looking me over with a smile. “I’m not even going to start going on about your new look ,” she giggled.
    I punched her fondly.
    “The last time we saw each other was after the SAT’s at Princeton High. And here we were. I am the new girl and you seem to have been here forever. How can that be?” Ariele mused.
    “I have no idea, Ariele. This is totally bizarre!”
    “No kidding! I’ve been play stalking you for the last few days. I was trying to work out if it was really you or if you were like Simla and Justin. I got to say, I nearly gave up when I found out that you were the vice captain of the cheer squad!” She guffawed. “Gosh and on the debate