"This school is so full of bullshit."

Mikah blinked, pulled himself out of his reverie, and frowned at her. "What now, Airin? I was just imagining Leisel Frederick without her clothes on."

It was Airin's turn to frown. "Mikah." Leisel Frederick was a fawned after, gorgeous model in the 11th grade. No where near Mikah's societal reach.

"Just enjoying the scenery. is that a crime?" He took a large bite of his steak sandwich and swallowed it with a gulp.

Airin picked at the meticulously manicured stone bench, grating off little pieces of the design with her agitated fingers. She wiped some static strands of hair off her face and gazed around the glaringly sunny courtyard, not bothering to eat her lunch. Uniforms, laptops, and cells. It was your average rich kid private high school, Carson Everett Prep. Perfect green lawns, professional teachers, and lots of funding. She attended because she, for the record, was rich. You'd think she'd fit in just fine. Wrong.

Her eyes caught on a strange sight by the main courtyard entry. "Mikah."

"Hm?" came the muffled answer from a mouth full of sandwich.

"What's wrong with Meredith?" Mikah turned to see where Airin was staring, but then just went back to his food, shaking his head. "Mwoh di moh."

Airin sighed. Meredith seemed to be hurrying towards them with an unusual amount of disarray, pushing some kids aside as she rushed towards them through the casually gathered lunchtime crowd. Breathing heavily, she sat herself down at the bench beside Airin and started smoothing down her hair frazzled strawberry blonde hair, directing a nod at Mikah. Every kid at Carson Everett did a large amount of self-pruning. Half wheezing, she spoke.

"Ran into the Freakdaddy twins. Chased me all the way from Science Lab. Lost them near the Library, but I don't know, they might still be following me."

Forrest and Freeman Dighory had always had a strange obsession for Meredith. Ever since Kindergarten they'd pulled her hair, kissed her on the playground, and hid her schoolbooks. They weren't necessarily perverts, but they were pranksters, and, being strangely popular by association, they had a certain kind of power. Besides being really hot, they never really got into trouble. No one at Carson Everett got in trouble, unless maybe they were there by scholarship or had parents who hadn't donated enough to the Annual Campaign, but Forrest and Freeman (aka the Freakdaddy twins) created more mischief than 5 Carson Everett students combined. Maybe six. Maybe nine.

As for the popular by association part -- previously stated -- well, everyone knows what that means. The Dighory twins were the best friends of Carson McGuillory, who, himself, was one of the most popular kids period. And as if that weren't enough, Carson was going out with Morgana Mallory, the hottest girl in school (who was the best friend of the 2nd hottest girl in school, Leisel Frederick). Carson's dad, Jonathan McGuillory, was the CEO of Microsoft's prime subsidiary, Ridenour McGuillory Systems. His father's position was one of the most important factors of his popularity. And it was the strangest thing. Charlie Ridenour, joint CEO of Ridenour McGuillory Systems, and Jonathan McGuillory's longtime friend and business partner, was Airin's father. She always thought it was so strange how popularity worked.

Of course, no one knew that her father was slightly J. McGuillory's superior, what with the Ridenour name coming before the McGuillory and all. But no one wanted to know anything about her, or associate with her in any way. She somehow smelled different than all of them, was made of different stuff. They sensed this, and seemed to stay away. All, however, didn't include Mikah, Meredith, and Will. Maybe they were just strange, but they didn't care what she said or what she did, they stuck with her all the same. She didn't get it, but she was thankful. She didn't know what she'd do without them.

"Meredith?"

"Yeah?" came the exasperated and inquisitive response. Meredith was reapplying her lipstick.

"You want me to talk to McShit, don't you?"

"Yeah. could you?" Meredith twined her beautiful red hair around a finger and contorted her lips into a puppy-dog frown. "Please.? That's the only way they stop bothering me!"

"Can't you just beat them up, Meredith?"

She sniffed. "I waste not my martial arts on pitiful souls, Madam! Those two are beyond anything my physical power could coerce!" Meredith Sheridan was a genuine, better than best martial artist, having studied karate since the tender age of two. But she flat-out refused to actually use her skill on anyone, much to Airin's dismay. Airin was the Protector, the one who couldn't be beaten in a contest of words, with the exception of a couple people. Carson, Hera, Charlie. Meredith let Airin do the fighting, because Airin was expendable in that matter. Airin already had the reputation of being a heinous bitch.

Airin shook her head. "Where's Will?"

"Dunno, Rinny, he's was down in the Computer Lab last time I saw him. Carson's there, too."

Airin sighed and gazed up at the sky. "And just what do you want me to say, Merry dear? Hello darling, if it were in my power, I'd have excrement poured on your head so you could truly live up to your title. So, Shithead, your cute little minions have harassed and terrorized my dear friend Meredith, who is entirely capable of defending herself, by the way, and it makes me quite sad. Then Will would interject and start calling him things in twenty one different languages; French, German, Scottish, Gaelic, Java, and Star Trekian. Right. That'd just about do it."

Mikah grunted to express his obvious approval. He swallowed another big chunk of sandwich and spoke scathingly, "What's going on in Ground Zero? Looks like the Poppies are getting a little excited, don't you think?"

It was true. There was something going on in the courtyard, something strange. It was like there was electricity in the air, and everyone was buzzing with it. Meredith spoke. "What are they chattering about?"

"I can't tell from here," Airin murmured distractedly. "Let's get closer, maybe we'll have a better chance at hearing something."

Mikah rewrapped his sandwich in Saran Wrap and stuffed it in a jean pocket. Dress code wasn't very strictly enforced. Meredith tucked her comb back into her purse and Airin swung her backpack back onto her shoulder. "This is so very bizarre, guys."

"I concur, she-who-states-the-obvious." Airin glared at Mikah, but they were both soon distracted. A crowd of green and blue uniformed people, all blustering with renewed vigor, swarmed around them, as if they were the rulers of the universe and had just suddenly decided to exist. "Airin! I've had a crush on you ever since we first met!" "Hey, Ridenour, what's with all the secrecy?" "Carrot top, Airin's friend, what's your name? Want to go out with me Saturday?" The sound of it filled her ears, and terrified her to no end. Just what was going on?? What disturbed her most was the fact that that one guy had known her last name. "Hey, Ridenour!" Who had first said it? Who had mentioned the daughter of Ridenour McGuillory's head CEO? Besides her friends, and those she trusted, only a handful of people were capable of the deed. She knew who had done it.

Pushing past the throng of people and towards the computer room, she bumped into the nice, freckly kid who had helped her develop her web publishing skills in the fifth grade. West McGregor? Was that his name? She couldn't quite remember, but he smiled a sweet smile at her before sliding away through the crowd.

Storming through the halls like an angry wind, Airin ran. Airin ran fast, faster than those chasing her. She took shortcuts, snuck through rooms, and finally found herself in the Computer Lab, completely alone. It was empty.

She had lost Mikah and Meredith back in the courtyard, so she couldn't turn to them for direction. And where was Will? It was deserted. Wasn't somebody supposed to be here? Even that grisly, nasty old IT director?

"Will! Shakes Pear!" She heard no reply, only the constant hum of students in the corridor.

"AARGH!" She slapped a hand on an old Macintosh and rubbed her forehead with the other. But slowly, the noise from outside seemed to dim. she heard something, something so faint that she wasn't sure she wasn't dreaming.

It's over. Sorry, it's been fun, but. I don't know how this is going to turn out, what with the news that that smartass ho is actually richer than you. I can't go out with you anymore, you've already lowered my social standing.

Who was speaking? Airin inched closer to a door leading to the IT man's office. Whoever was talking, they were inside. She didn't need to worry about them coming out and finding her there, the door was usually locked, and there was another entrance to the office from the hallway, anyway. That was probably the way they'd leave.

And then, it was silent to her ears. Like nothing else existed except her and the door and the late day's sunlight filtering in through the windows. She heard a door slam violently, and reached for the handle. Maybe it'd be open. But no.

She stood there, frozen, as she watched the handle turning. Someone was still inside, but they weren't going to be for very long. Before she could think, she grabbed the handle. There was no way she could hide. Her hand tingled as she wondered who was on the opposite side. She knew.

With her hand there, the latch wouldn't fully open-she was right, it was locked from the outside. Angrily, the person on the other side violently countervailed her deterrence. She grimaced. She would not be able to hold this thing closed. Any longer and they'd realize someone was holding the handle. And then they'd see her, and she'd feel stupid, awkward, and embarrassed enough for both of them.

Zapped with sudden inspiration, she pushed.

Seconds later, she instinctively whapped herself on the forehead, amazed with her stupidity. And just how would this work? She watched as the gold plated frame engraved with Reginald Seymour, IT Director, swung away, along with the door it was mounted on. Her force, combined with his, had slammed the door open, and it hadn't had quite the effect she'd expected. Instead of knocking over the mysterious person, the door had persisted in banging into a water cooler. He had escaped damage, and was staring at her now.

"Ridenour."

She allowed herself a nod. "McGuillory."

She was surprised. While normally, her ears would be blazing red, and her face would reinvent the word blushing, now was different. She was cool, calm, and in control. So was he. They stared at each other. She finally remembered why she was there in the first place, why she had bothered to even listen to his ex-girlfriend's stupid emotional attacks.

So there they stood, casually having a conversation. It was as simple as that.

"Tell your twin freaks to fuck with each other, and not with Meredith," she said. He laughed, "Okay," and nodded. She paused. "And." What else had she wanted to say? "Oh. What's with the enormous crowd that was chasing me in the courtyard?" She put her hands in her jean pockets and shot him an inquiring and expecting look.

He raised an eyebrow and leaned on the doorframe. "You mean you haven't been swarmed by a crowd of adoring fans before?" he said sarcastically.

"Not really. I trust that it was your fault?"

"Actually, no. I have not the slightest idea who leaked your identity, of sorts, but I can assure you, it was not me. I wouldn't have had the motivation, judging by the fact that now my girlfriend has broken up with me to be friends with you." He actually smiled at her, though weakly, and impatiently yanked a strand of glossy, white blonde hair behind his ear.

"Hmm. Quite strange."

"Assuredly." Strange indeed. Was he agreeing with her? He, who had been her rival since before they'd even met? Since before they were even born? Sure, an obvious exaggeration, but what spurred this sudden change in the both of them? Understanding?

A commotion out in the hallway drew her attention. "While they were at the bench, I heard the redhead say something about going to the Computer Lab! C'mon! Let's go in!"

Airin gulped. But before she could do anything about it, Carson had pulled her into Seymour's office and was locking the door. Safe. But was she?

Carson plucked a stale doughnut hole from a plastic plate on Seymour's desk and sat down. He spoke again in quieted tones, aware that there were people in the next room. "Why are you afraid of them?"

Finding herself staring at his hair for a moment too long, she spit out an answer. "I don't know. I didn't realize that I was." The door handle rattled and curses floated through from the other side. "Damn it to hell! Where is that thorny chick?!"

"Shit, man, we've looked everywhere!" There was another banging on the door, which both Airin and Carson were staring at. "Hey, Princess! You in there?!" Satisfied, they stopped their banging. "Guess it's empty, then." "C'mon, let's try the Library, like McGregor said."

McGregor? He was involved in this? She'd thought him above this kind of thing. Maybe there was another McGregor in the school or something.

Carson was gazing at the clock. "Class starts in five minutes," he said coolly.

"FUCK!"

Jolted, he toppled off the desk and they both raced for the door. Throwing it open with a loud, reverberating slam, they both tumbled out as if the devil himself were at their backs. "Call you!" he said, and darted in the other direction, throwing hurried hallway pedestrians out of his way. She watched his retreating form and no longer cared whether she was late or not.