OOC: This story is going to be feauturing a lot of characters. This chapter introduces three. There will be many more. Each will have their own story, some significant, others not so much. This is a writing exercise for me: if I'm not concentrating on using beautiful vocab and weaving a poignant story, what can I come up with? So, the basic lives of basic people seemed like a good place to go. I hope this story is fun for me, and for anyone reading it!

Welcome to Southside High. I'm not gonna lie to you: it's a pretty average place. Pretty people doing ugly things, ugly people trying to make something of themselves, and people who just cannot stay faithful to save their lives. Petty crushes, manipulation, incredibly shallow, occasionally insightful -- the life of a teen. At least, the lives of these teens.

There are no life lessons here. There is no deeper meaning. It is what it is. Oh, and word of advice - at Southside, it's about survival. If your clique isn't doing it, bust loose. If your boyfriend is tarnishing you rep, dump his ass. And if your dirty little secrets are not so secret anymore, make up new ones. Everyone loves a good mystery.

Sugar or spice? Naughty or nice?

That's for you to decide.

But do so quickly. The story is about to begin.

***

"Stacey! Oh my freaking Gosh, you look so adorable!" Diane Brians squealed. She was little and cute, clad in shades of purple and heels that made her seem taller than her usual 5'1. She was currently oh my freaking goshing over her oh my freaking gosh best friend, Stacey McChristenson. Who was also blonde, although way leggier (5'7 without heels -- boofuckingyeah!-- and wearing a lot more make up.

Not so subtle foreshadow: Stacey will be one of the aforementioned girls who will attempt to bust loose. Just saying.

"Adorable?" Stacey repeated, pressing a hand to where she approximated her heart to be and feigned a look of hurt. "That is such a downgrade from the 'really smoking hot' that I had been expecting. Thanks, best friend."

"Shush, you," Diane told her, rolling her pretty green eyes up at her friend. "Terrance will be along any second to grovel at the very ground on which you tread."

"True enough," Stacey said with a grin, although she was sort of joking. "Hopefully accompanied by Monsieur Tse." French makes you sexy, didn't you know? Because when your skintight green top isn't doing it for you ...

"Hopefully," Diane said, letting out a breathy little sigh. Bryan was her boyfriend of 2 years and they had been a very solid couple. However, he had been gone the last few weeks of summer and had actually only gotten in this morning so she was completely looking forward to seeing him. She even had a gift for him!

Side-note: The gift will be a watch with his name engraved on it. Not her virginity, as fervently as the little horndog might be hoping. Diane is all about chastity. Whatever that is.

As if on cue, Terrence (looking ever so Abercrombie and Fitch preppy with his handsome, chiseled looks) and Bryan (half chinese, hot in a smoldering way) emerged from some random hall, engrossed in some sort of conversation. Probably about boy stuff, like cars or sports. Because that's totally all boys talk about. Obviously.

Both blondes lit up at the site of their oh so perfect boyfriends. Diane threw her arms around Bryan, and Stacey met Terrence for a heated smoochie even though she had just hung out with him the night before. They exchanged hellos and how's it goings and in Bryan's case, got a totally bitchin' watch.

The four fell in step, saying hi to some of their vague school friends as they conversed with each other. They were quite the power square. Not what you'd call popular, but they enjoyed the company of each other. They did have other friends, of course, but in this point in time, the world seemed to revolve around them and them only. They had all been busy during the summer: Terrence was staying with his mom half the time in Napa, Bryan was doing his waiter gig quite a bit, and then went down to New York, Stacey had been at a drama camp some of the time, and Diane had been doing temp work at her dad's vet clinic. This wasn't to say they all didn't get a chance to hang out time to time, but not nearly as much as they would have liked.

"So, seniors now, huh?" Bryan brought up, shaking his head, slipping an arm around his girlfriends waist. "This year is ours, man."

"Agreed," Terrence agreed.

"Word," Stacey nodded.

"Absolutely," Diane chirped.

And they all grinned around at each other, blissfully unaware of what the year would have in store for them.

***

Chloe Williams knocked on Mr. Keller's classroom door impatiently. Chloe Williams was an impatient sort of girl. Everything she did was done briskly and promptly and most importantly, it was done right. She was a perfectionist to a worst sort of degree. Her grades were A's, she played soccer twice a week, her room was clean without being asked, she got her licence the day she turned sixteen, her brown hair was always meticulously straightened and now she was going to be the editor of this years yearbook. She enjoyed being perfect. There was such an immense thrill in doing everything to the best of her ability and being so highly impressive and independent. (Not to mention modest).

But once again, she was not patient.

Mr. Keller was probably some fat old bastard who couldn't lift himself up from his wheely chair long enough to get the door, she thought to herself nastily. Chloe would never say that stuff out loud, but she could be quite the bitch in ways no one else knew. Principal Potter had told her Mr. Keller was the staff member who'd be involved with the yearbook and whenever she wanted to get started, he'd be available. This translated into immediately for Chloe.

He probably has pimples, she continued on with her thoughts as she stood outside the door. And he's probably dumb as a stick. He is new here, after all. Maybe the old school didn't want him because he was so fat and incompetent.

Finally, after what seemed like five hundred years, the door opened.

Chloe blinked, and then forced herself to smile in the most lovely way she knew how.

Mr. Keller was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her entire life.

"Sorry about that ... uhh, sorry, I don't know anyone's name yet." His amazing looking lips turned down into a slight frown.

"Chloe," she gushed, hating herself for gushing and losing her composure. He was just a dumb teacher, after all. Although a really, really amazingly beautiful teacher. Why did he even educate? He should have just went to LA and became an actor, or a model or just like, some dude people looked at. He was fine. And young looking. Like, 25, 26 maybe? She was seventeen. That wasn't a bad difference. Why was she considering this? "Chloe Williams. This years editor of the yearbook."

"Chloe! Right." His eyes, brown and warm, lit up a bit. "Nice to meet you. Looking forward to working with you."

Chloe smiled weakly, taking in his very well porportioned body, his dark hair that curled slightly at his ears, his wide mouth, his generous cheekbones and she knew this year was going to be hell.

***

"Rae."

Rae tossed in her bed, grabbing her green comforter that had seen better days and tightening it around her. "Mmm," she murmured, not quite awake yet.

"Rae!"

Her eyes fluttered but still did not open. "What?" Her voice was laced with lethargy, the type that came from staying up far too late with a bottle of vodka.

Then the unthinkable happened - the blanket was ripped away from her. She instantly opened her eyes, visioned slighly blurred, a combination of minor far-sightedness and last nights black eyeliner smeared around her eyes. She shivered, clad in some ratty old boxers and a grey Megadeth t-shirt, both of which belonged to her older brother Jed.

"Jesus fuck," she burst, throwing her head of black, messy hair back and letting out a disgruntled groan.

The boy next to her shrugged. "Sorry, Rae. But you gotta get up. First day of senior year."

"Big fucking whoop," she nearly snarled and kicked his skinny leg with hers. "I want to sleep."

"Rae."

"Cooper," she returned, pulling herself up into a crosslegged position so she could properly glower down at him. "I fucking hate you."

"That's a lie," he said cheerfully, stretching out his arms over his head, giving Rae an unpleasant view of his armpit hair.

"Sick," she told him disdainfully, kicking him again for good measure before finally dragging her ass out of bed.

Desirae "Rae" Adams had been stashing Cooper Dean in her apartment for the last few weeks. Well, it was the apartment she shared with her 35 year old mother but her mom didn't really count. She had Rae when she was young, Jed when she was even younger. Jed and Rae never knew who their dad was and her mom had decided early on that her love for alcohol and sex was stronger than her love for her kids. Jed and Rae raised each other, though Jed moved out as soon as he could. Rae, retardedly enough, was still stuck here. In stupid high school.

Cooper had been a good friend for the last few years. He was her only male friend that hung out with her without expecting that they'd get it on at some point, and he was pretty straight-laced. Kid was cool. He had been with her when he got her first tattoo (and her second, and third) and held back her hair when she threw up a mickey of vodka and tucked her in when she passed out before making it to bed. The least she could do was share her room with him after his parents kicked him out for carrying drugs. Okay, maybe he wasn't completely straight-laced. But still. He would have gotten Jed's old room if it hadn't been stocked full of boxes and misc. shit that used to clutter the apartment and closets. But Rae didn't mind - Cooper didn't try to grope her, and he cleaned up for her. It was a pretty decent arrangement.

Except he apparently doubled as her alarm clock too. Son of a bitch.

Rae scooped a towel off her floor and headed toward the shower. She dodged the mirror, she knew what it would project. A tall girl, generous rack, lots of tats -- but looking haggard as fuck.

"You're gonna be late!" Cooper yelled down the hall.

"Fuck you!" she yelled back with a grin. And then she got into shower, cranked the heat up and closed her eyes.