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Leah Jeanette. That was her name, I found out later, and she was the only one who'd come alone. The rest of us came in pairs other than the trio from Minnesota. Toni and Martha, best friends from Minnesota, they came with their schools Prom Queen, Carla Davison; the Texans Dot and Shelby; there was Rachel from New York and her sister, Nora; and Fatin, of all people from my school. But like I said, none of this sunk in until later. Not faces, not names, not the ridiculous welcome video. I was somewhere else, trying to disappear into those pages, where it all began.
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Carla ignored the video from her seat at the back next to a dark haired girl at the back of the plane. The only people she recognised on the plane was Toni Shalifoe a hot headed basketball player and Martha Blackburn a sweet girl who she sometimes talked to in math class. Carla had her stomach covered from her seat on the plane, as if she was showing yet as if the other girls could tell, which they couldn't, not yet anyway. But still Carla felt as if she had the sonogram taped to her head.
It was quiet on the plane Carla like most of the other girls were perfectly fine with looking out the window or doing their own thing. However, a perky blonde did not seem so happy with this idea as she made her way to the front of the plane to address to the other nine girls.
"So in the interest of bringing us all together, I'd like to propose a little icebreaker."
"Ooh, like Never have I ever?" A brightly dressed girl stood up and asked enthusiastically.
"Uh, that game's a little much." The blonde frowned unsure at the idea but the other girl obliviously carried on.
"I know. So, here's how it works. One person says something they've never done, and if you have done it, you have to drink alcohol." As the girl snickered at the end of her sentence all Carla could think of was how people would ask questions if she didn't drink alcohol. Thankfully the perky blonde was her saviour as she was clearly apposed to that game.
"Uh, that game's a little intense, like, for people who don't know each other real well, so how about we just pair off, powwow with your partner for a sec, and then afterwards, you can introduce her to the rest of us?" The blonde enthusiastically spoke but got no movement or response making her speak again adamant at playing the game "okay, guess I'll just have to play matchmaker. You can come with me." Shelby grabbed Toni who got up willingly but with zero enthusiasm and was sat at the front by Rachel as Dot sat by Fatin and Jeanette sat by Nora. Shelby went to the back where Carla and Leah were sitting. "And you two can be together" but when Leah turned away Shelby's smile faltered as her eyes widened before turning to the other blonde "okay then, we'll just have to put you in a little group of three" Shelby dragged the blonde up and lead her over to two girls one checking her makeup and the other in cargo pants.
