An Unequal Exchange

Chapter 1

My first "long" story in this genre. Comments and feedback deeply appreciated!

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"Come on, mom, an exchange student?", Alexis moaned, running a hand through her strikingly blonde hair. "It's just you, me, and Maddison. Why do we need an exchange student all of a sudden?"

Alexis grovelled in the kitchen, as her mother, Kathy, was sitting at the table with a usual large cup of coffee before she dropped Maddison off to school.

"When I was younger", Kathy began, after a long sip, "we had an exchange student stay at our house. And it was wonderful! She learned so much, I learned so much, I just think it's good to do something like this. And who knows, maybe over the summer you can go visit her. Might be good for your college applications".

Alexis rolled her eyes and got her bag packed. She didn't care, not really: it was a slight blemish on her perfect life- allowed into varsity cheer in freshman year, captain by the beginning of junior year, popular, beautiful, plenty of boys (and girls) pining after her, with a financially stable family, the perfect all-American girl.

Alexis gave a flippant "fine" and walked to her car-a nice, silver BMW-and drove to school. Classes were boring, the boys even more so, her friends had useless gossip but fruitful compliments, and cheerleading practice after school yielded its usual mix of light muscle strain and heavy ego boosting.

Lucia was from a small town in southern Italy: with wavy, brunette hair, a warm, smiling face, shy demeanor. and a heavier-than-average figure thanks to years of hometown cooking, she wasn't sure what to expect. She lumbered her bags through the front door at around noon and waited expectantly for the girl (supposedly her age) to arrive.

In the meantime, Kathy jeered and fawned over the foreign student.

"Oh my goodness! How was your flight? You look tired, I've already set up the guest bedroom..."

Guest bedroom... Lucia had never been in a house this big before. Was this how all Americans lived? She wasn't sure what to expect when she arrived, and quietly unpacked her bags in her pleasant, simple room while she acknowledged the bed, closet, side table, dresser, and how different her life was.

A couple hours later (after a brief nap), Lucia heard a set of keys through the door. She knew Kathy had gone to run errands and pick up Maddison, and said she wouldn't be back for some time, so she sat up, and went into the living room.

When the door opened, in stepped the most beautiful girl Lucia had ever seen in her life.

She was something out of a magazine, modelling shoot, or Hollywood movie: long, slightly wavy blonde hair, framing a beautiful face with high cheekbones, sharp features, pleasantly blue eyes, and a naturally sharp jawline.

And her body- tan skin, slender arms, a full, gravity resistant chest, cleavage visible through her cheerleading shirt, a toned stomach and slender waist that curved into a remarkable set of symmetrical hips, slender legs, and a bubble butt shaped proudly by her cheer skirt. The girl was gorgeous, and Lucia immediately found herself growing shyer, more envious, and in love all in one moment.

Alexis didn't know what to think of the new exchange student. She was somewhat pretty, but that beauty was downplayed by her frumpy appearance, chubby figure, and lack of any skincare routine.

"Hi, um... I'm Lucia-", Lucia began, before Alexis stuck out a hand.

"Nice to meet you. I was told you were coming, I didn't think it'd be so soon... stupid Kathy..."

"You- you call your mother by her first name", Lucia said, eyes widening. Alexis flipped her hair and said, "yeah, it's whatever", before saying she needed to go to her room to change.
Alexis disappeared upstairs without waiting for a response. For a few seconds, Lucia simply stood there, listening to the house settle around her. The air smelled faintly of lemon cleaner and expensive candles. Everything was polished, pale, and carefully chosen.
Then Alexis came back down in gray shorts and a crop top, clinging to her tightly, hair tied up, still somehow perfect.
"Kathy said you're staying in the guest room," she said, leaning against the banister. "Bathroom's across from it. Maddison's room is at the end of the hall. Don't use mine."
Lucia blinked. "I wasn't planning to."
Alexis gave a tiny shrug. "Good."
As she turned away, Alexis said, "oh, and there's a party I'm going to tonight. I don't know if you're used to those things but you can come if you want".
Lucia didn't know how to respond, but simply nodded as she processed it all. Alexis was so beautiful, could she really be kind too? Sure, she said it with an eyeroll and a shrug, but it was still something.