The radio clicked on. It was a commercial, advertising used cars that she's probably never afford, sold somewhere she would never visit. Some music would have been a decent way to start the day, but apparantly that was too much to ask for.
Cassie Jacobs (nobody ever called her Cassandra, except her mom) reached over from under the covers and groped at the tuner dial, hoping to come across something a bit more appealing. But, half-asleep and still under her blanket, the best she could do was some interesting static. Finally, she gave up, hit the off switch, and reluctantly sat up. She reached over from her bed and pulled open the blinds, but it was still dark outside, except for a purplish tinge on the horizon and the row of streetlights just outside her bedroom that, as always, caused her to squint while she threw off her blanket and stepped out of bed. The harsh amber light threw shadows everywhere, but they were enough to see by.
A loud thud came from the kitchen down the hall, followed by a pair of muffled voices shouting. Cassie sighed. That would be Dad and her younger brother Sammy (nobody ever called him Satoshi, except their mom) getting into an argument over his curfew last night. Sammy's school began a half hour before her's, so he was already up and about just in time to treat her to a shouting match first thing in the morning. The wall was thin enough between her room and his that she could tell whenever he was in there, and that didn't happen until just a few hours ago. Dad didn't lay down rules very often, and enforced them even less, but he did expect both his kids to be home before midnight. Cassie knew that midnight was pretty lenient compared to a lot of other curfews her friends had, but apparantly that wasn't enough for Sam. It was also his bad luck that Dad was awake to notice.
Cassie picked up her bathrobe and quickly crossed the hall into the bathroom. She turned on the shower first, both to give it a chance to warm up and to drown out her family's argument. She brushed her teeth until she felt heat coming from the tub, then swished water from the sink, stripped out of the panties and oversized nightshirt she wore to bed and stepped quickly into the stream.
The steaming water woke her up instantly, performing its daily miracle of breaking her morning trance. As always, she would have loved to linger. But she knew eventually her dad would be banging the door down, yelling at her to stop wasting hot water. Dad liked to call long showers "Hollywood showers"; some term from his Marine days, she guessed. And with Dad, you only got one warning. Sometime last year, she felt rebellious and didn't listen. He had burst into the bathroom, ripped open the curtains and turned off the water himself. Cassie thought maybe she could get away with it this morning with Sammy holding his attention, but didn't want to chance it, so she lathered, shampooed, and rinsed before hitting the faucet.
Cassie grabbed a towel and quickly dried off, finishing off the morning bathroom routine with some deodrant and quick hair brushing. Her black hair was short enough that she didn't need to spend more than a minute or two on it just to get out the tangles, and a single barette was enough to keep the bangs out of her face. She had some basic makeup in the drawer, but never bothered with it except on special occasions. Cassie thought she had a pretty enough face without looking like a clown, though she wished she could add a few inches onto her frame. Boys didn't seem to want to risk spine damage just to talk to her. Some boobs would be nice, too, if just to give her bras something to do other than keep her chest warm.
Despite herself, Cassie thought about putting some makeup on this morning, just to delay the inevitable. But the argument outside didn't seem to be dying down any, so she finished towelling her hair to an acceptable dampness, slipped into her bathrobe, sighed, and headed for the kitchen.
Of course, Dad and Sammy were still going at it. Sammy was thirteen, a few years younger than Cassie, but was already a few inches taller than her. He shared her slight build and straight black hair, though, traits they both inherited from their mother. Yumi was a Japanese native who had moved to America after marrying Kyle Jacobs, Cassie's and Sammy's father, who had been a Marine stationed in Japan. They had made an interesting picture standing side by side. Kyle had towered over his wife by almost a foot and was very solidly built compared to her almost elven frame. Kyle had always been very loud and boisterous, while Cassie could never remember her mother raising her voice even once.
It had been over three years since Yumi died. Cassie had stayed home to watch Sammy while her parents had a rare night out together. A drunk driver had ran a red light and sideswiped their car. Yumi was killed instantly, and the wreckage had crippled Kyle's leg beyond repair. Cassie could see the pronounced limp as he rounded the kitchen table intent on her brother.
"I was just out with my friends, Dad. I don't see what the big deal is," Sammy said.
"The big deal is that you were out past curfew. Not only that, still won't tell me where you were!" Kyle yelled back.
"I told you, we were hanging out at Josh's playing video games. I lost track of time, I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't cut it here. You came in over two hours past your curfew. That's a lot more than 'losing track of time'."
Cassie went unnoticed to the cupboard and snagged a package of pop tarts. She set them in the toaster and poured herself a glass of water, sitting down at the kitchen table while she waited.
"If Cassie had stayed out, you wouldn't be yelling at her this much!" Sammy protested.
"Your sister doesn't stay out until two in the morning! And if she did, she probably wouldn't be at 'Josh's', doing god knows what and not telling me," Kyle replied. He looked up at the clock above the sink. "Get your ass to school. We'll talk about this when I get home."
"Fine!" Sammy grabbed his backpack and stormed out the front door, letting it slam behind him.
Kyle groaned at the noise, rubbing his head. He cracked half an icecube tray into a glass before filling it from the sink. He was already dressed for work in well-worn jeans and a flannel shirt. His latest job was working in freeway construction. His leg didn't let him have a shot at the higher-paying building work he wanted, but freeway repair was steady work, he had told her. He slouched into a chair opposite her.
"I don't know what to do about your brother," he said. "For damn sure you weren't as much of a handful at his age."
"I'm sure he'll come around," she said, not quite sure how to reply. Cassie didn't like it when Dad tried to have conversations about her brother's behavior. Ever since Mom died, she'd tried to help out more with chores and that sort of thing, but she didn't know how to fill in for Mom at parent stuff. She hated it when Dad thought she did.
Kyle smiled a little at that. "Yeah, well, at least I don't have to worry about you, right?" He stood up and rubbed her knee with his hand, leaning in to kiss her. She could still smell the alcohol on his breath but returned his kiss anyway, pulling her head back before it could linger. The pop tarts jumped out of the toaster with a loud ping.
Kyle glanced over at the toaster before turning back. "Well, I've gotta get going to work. See you when I get home, okay?" He leaned in and kissed Cassie again on the forehead before he grabbed his keys and headed out the door. Cassie waited until he was gone to stand up and pull her bathrobe tighter around herself. She put the pop tarts on a plate and carried them to her room.
Cassie pulled open her closet and started rummaging through her hangers. She'd never paid too much attention to fashion, and her dad's salary was spent on other necessities besides a teenage girl's wardrobe, but nonetheless, Cassie sometimes wished she had a bit more variety to choose from. As it was, there were only a few pairs of pants and shorts, a handful of shirts, and several other odds and ends that still left more than half the hanger rod bare. Most of her favorite outfits had come from the discounted vintage-and-therefore-cool shelves of secondhand stores. Mouth full of cherry pastry, she pulled out a pair of black pants and a plain black t-shirt to go with a green-and-black tartan flannel overshirt. She tucked both shirts down her waistband and unbuttoned the flannel halfway down her chest. The jeans were snug enough that she didn't add a belt. Finally, she grabbed her silver bracelet, a series of tiny chain links with an engraved nameplate dangling off the end, from her nightstand and pulled it on. It had been a gift from her mom on her twelfth birthday, her last before she had died, and she never left the house without it.
She doublechecked herself in the bathroom mirror, washing off her face where her dad had kissed her goodbye. She tugged down on her shirt, trying to get her chest to stick out more, but with little result. Boobs would be a hassle, sure, but Kendra had guys following her everywhere while she, the titless pixie, was mostly ignored, so it couldn't hurt. Exasperated, she grabbed her bookbag, pulled on her shoes and jacket, and headed out the door.
* * *
The sun was just starting to break out over the buildings when Cassie locked the door behind her. She turned and headed down the sidewalk as she zipped up her jacket all the way to keep out the chill morning air.
Her family's house was in an older neighborhood, filled with a scattered mix of older homes, townhouses, and apartment buildings. There was no fence and certainly no yard; the front door was just a few feet in from the sidewalk. Her dad's car was usually parked along the road out front, safe only because it was so worn down that nobody would want to steal it. There was a school bus pickup, along with a regular metro stop, about a block away, but Cassie almost never used either one in the mornings. They both ran long routes before making a dropoff just before class started and she liked to get there early. The school itself was only about ten blocks away; a decent walk, but one she usually didn't mind making.
Almost immediately, the small street of houses turned into apartments, with shops lining the street level floors. There were only a few people out this early, and they paid her no heed as she made her way past them.
The faded blaring of something harsh and distorted that could barely be called music brought her up short. Damnit. They weren't the type to wake up early, so she guessed they must have been up all night and were still going strong. They never did anything too serious, but she never liked dealing with them. A few times when she had had to walk past them, they had up and followed her for blocks like a pack of hyenas. They never touched her, but they laughed and harrassed all the same. She knew better than to snap back or even acknowledge them. It was just the kind of bait they would jump on.
At the next intersection, she crossed to the other side of the road, pulling the collar on her jacket up above her neck and continued on. A minute later, they came into view: About a half dozen guys, all probably in their twenties with colorful sports jackets and flashy jewelry like they were important or something, probably talking about DJ BooDiddy or whatever. They were all gathered around an older car parked along the sidewalk. Cassie knew that it belonged to one of them: A shiny red Corvette with a booming stereo and purring engine that probably impressed a lot of girls if they didn't know how he got it.
Cassie could probably guess how he got it.
She kept her head down as she walked, figuring if she were lucky they wouldn't notice. No such luck. One man, with a white windbreaker and three-day growth of beard, caught sight of her. "Hey, babe, what don't you come here for a bit!" he called out to her while she kept walking, not even breaking stride. He moved around the car, calling out again. For a second, she thought he would try and cross the street, but she had already moved past them and was almost to the next intersection when he stopped after a few steps and turned back, already bored with the game.
Cassie exhaled the breath she'd been holding, crossing with the light onto the next block. About ten minutes later, she made it to her school. Like most city schools, it was a brick building, tall and narrow to make the best use of the real estate. A large stoop led up from the sidewalk to the main entrance. In the next lot over, a couple basketball courts were fenced in to help support overflow gym classes. It was still early, so there were only a few students and faculty trickling in.
Her first visit was to her locker, retrieving a large stack of textbooks and sliding them into a backpack she kept there. She then made her way to the cafeteria. A few small groups of students had already gathered there, killing time until classes began. Cassie's stomach grumbled slightly at the scent of rubbery eggs and singed toast, but she ignored it, dropping her bag onto a table and pulling out her math book. Even though she'd already gotten it done in class yesterday, she still liked to double-check it just in case.
She had made it halfway through the assignment before she heard the unbearably cheery voice calling to her.
"Cassie! Hey, Cass!"
A blonde girl dropped her bag next to Cassie's, stooping down to hug her across the chest from behind. Cassie lifted a hand to rub her arm in response. The girl let go after a moment, then plopped down in the seat next to Cassie. She looked at the scattered homework with a disapproving air.
"I don't get why you always do those things twice. It's not like you're not gonna ace it like always."
Cassie smiled. "I don't always ace them, Kendra. Just most of the time. I've got to do something in class besides give blowjobs in the corner," she said.
"Geez, it was just that one time. Give me a break!" Kendra replied, playing along. "Besides, it was science class. Those lab coats help hide the stains."
"And what did Mr. Hopkins say when he caught you?"
Kendra laughed. "What makes you think it wasn't him I was giving it to?" she said in a sultry voice.
Cassie shook her head, groaning in good-natured disgust. Ever since fifth grade, when the teachers had taught them what was what between boys and girls, Kendra had been trying to gross her out with details like that. The fact that they had grown up together since they were little was probably the only reason they were best friends. Nowadays, their social lives could not have been more different. Whereas Cassie was quiet and reserved around people, Kendra Madison was a social butterfly, flighting from person to person. That, and her fondness for kissing and hugging close friends and complete strangers alike, had given her something of a bad reputation with the guys in their school who thought of her as an easy lay. Kendra didn't seem to mind. Her open and cheerful nature might have lured some guys into thinking she was easy, but there was a strict line between what she was and was not willing to do. The last guy that forgot that had ended up with a swift kick to the groin.
Kendra took Cassie's hand in hers, leaning in close like she was sharing a secret. "Besides, Mr. Mayfair isn't even here today."
"So you got a substitute?" Cassie asked.
"Oh, yeah. A sexy one, too. I saw him heading into the teacher's lounge earlier. We'll probably end up watching some Discovery Channel video or something," Kendra said, rolling her eyes. Not many people would have guessed, but Cassie knew that Kendra genuinely enjoyed her science classes, being able to move around, add A to B and make things happen. Most people would have been happy with the impromptu vacation day, but Kendra thought that sitting still watching TV was boring. "What about you?" she continued. "Any new men in your life?"
"Oh, yeah," Cassie replied, deadpan. "Older guy, kind of a beard thing going on, likes it when I call him daddy."
"Ouch," Kendra winced. "What happened this time?"
"Sammy wasn't back by curfew and Dad caught him. They spent most of the morning yelling."
"Don't worry about it. Sammy's just a kid. He'll grow out of it." Kendra grinned. "I can help him out with that, if you want."
Cassie laughed despite herself. "Kendra! He's my brother! I don't wanna think about that, that's just- eww!"
"Sure, he's your brother, but he's not mine. Nobody said you had to watch." Kendra grinned, like a cat about to finish off an unsuspecting mouse. "Unless you want to."
"Oh, that's just gross!" Cassie exclaimed, thoroughly disgusted and defeated. Just then, the bell rang, signaling ten minutes until the first class period. 'Saved by the bell' had never sounded more appropriate to Cassie as she started shoving books and papers into her pack.
"All right, I guess I'll let you off the hook," Kendra said. "See you at lunch, okay?"
"Okay," Cassie replied.
"Great. See you later." Before Cassie could react, Kendra leaned in and planted a quick kiss on her lips before heading off to the class, waving at the cheering and whistling group of guys at the next table as Cassie's cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. She finished gathering her things and was on her way before they could start cheering her next. Attention like that Cassie could do without.
* * *
Cassie's first period was AP Calculus. She took her favorite seat in the front row off to the side, both so she could see everything written on the whiteboard and so she could be out of the line of sight of everyone behind her. Almost all the other students were seniors, two or three juniors who'd managed to make the cut into the advanced course, and Cassie, the lone sophomore. The bell rang again soon after she took her seat and the class settled into their desks to begin the lesson.
Dr. Carmichael was the only teacher on the faculty to have an actual doctorate in his subject. He was an older man, tall and broad-shouldered. He occasionally told his classes that he had been a quarterback for Syracuse and had been offered a shot at the NFL, which he turned down to teach math. He said that the secret to throwing a football lie in precisely measured angles, force, and momentum, all of which he conveniently taught in his class. Most students jeered at the exaggerations, but they always paid a little bit more attention when he used football examples to explain his coursework.
With an enthusiasm totally inappropriate for such an early hour, Dr. Carmichael greeted everyone and launched right into things, leaving everyone else scrambling to catch up. Within minutes, most of the class was scratching charts and formulae into their notebooks almost as fast as the instructor could throw them onto the board. Everytime he paused for breath, a dozen hands flew into the air with questions, which Dr. Carmichael answered with gusto and in detail. When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their pages full of notes and staggered out of the room, massaging the feeling back into their writing hands. Most students didn't care for the reams of homework and extra studying required to get a decent grade in the class, but Dr. Carmichael was Cassie's favorite teacher. Math was one of her least favorite subjects, but she needed to take it if she wanted to get her advance college credits. She planned to eventually go to medical school and didn't see where calculus would ever come into play as a doctor, but she loved the man for at least making it seem interesting enough to not zone out in the middle of class.
Two more classes followed: Civics and English, both advanced placement courses where she was again the youngest student there. Compared to math, these were much more to Cassie's liking as they allowed for more expression and creativity. Civics, in particular had a discussion on the difference between ideal and realistic ethics in government that caught Cassie's interest.
The last class before lunch was physical education, which Cassie didn't much care for. She didn't have anything against exercise, but her height usually meant that she was at a disadvantage for almost every sport they played. After getting changed and assembled in the gym, the teacher had the class running back and forth across the court. The school did have a small track and field area that it shared with the district, but it was several blocks away and was mainly used for sports practice, which was just fine with Cassie, since everyone didn't have to see how far he lagged behind. After a decent warmup, the instructor told them to break into two teams for dodgeball, which got a cheer from the class.
Lining up against the baseline, Cassie felt someone touch her shoulder. It was Zach Franklin, a junior who was the school's running back whom Cassie only saw this period.
"How's it going?" he asked, smiling at her.
"Umm, okay I guess," Cassie replied awkwardly.
"Cool. Listen, are you doing anything tonight?"
"Probably just schoolwork. Why?"
Zach shrugged, tugging down on the bandana he was wearing. "Well, my older brother Steve was having a party later on and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."
Cassie was stunned. These were more words than he had ever spoke to her and now he was asking her out? Zach, a not-bad-looking-but-typical jock who could have any number of typical bimbos, wanted to ask her out? Insane.
"Why ask me?" she finally replied.
Zach shrugged again. "I dunno. You seem like a nice chick, so I thought I'd see if you'd wanna spend some time together."
The whistle blew, and Cassie picked up the rubber ball at her feet. "I don't know. Parties aren't really my-"
"Hold that thought," Zach cut in, stepping into her and knocking away the ball aimed straight at her chest. His shoulder nudged her and she lost her balance, slipping to the floor.
"Sorry about that," Zach said, holding out a hand. "You okay?"
"I'm fine, thanks," Cassie replied, taking his hand and letting him pull her to her feet. "My butt broke my fall."
"At least you landed on something soft," Zach laughed. His bandana had come loose bending over, uncovering his brow. He reached up to tug it back into place when Cassie pointed.
"Are you okay?" she asked, looking at the black mark on Zach's forehead.
Zach paused for a split second before pulling the bandana over the mark. "It's fine. Just a bruise from practice. So can you make it?" he asked again, looking down at her.
Cassie hesitated, fighting back the goofy smile that threatened to engulf her face. She wasn't really a big party-goer. Most nights she just stayed home and did her homework. Still, she thought while looking back at him, how many parties had she actually been invited to that she didn't just support the wall? And he was pretty cute, if you were into the whole muscles-and-hair kind of thing. And he did have really nice eyes . . . oh, what the hell?
"Yeah, sure I'll come," Cassie finally answered, lips twitching.
His face broke into a broad grin. "Great. I'll give you the address later."
"Hey, lovebirds!" one of their teammates shouted back at them. "Are you guys playing or not?"
"Oh...right. Sorry," Cassie called back, hefting her ball and leaping into the fray.
It wasn't until class was over and she was in the locker room shower that she thought back on what just happened. Why did Zach ask her out? Because she was nice? Yeah, right. She knew that guys like him equated 'nice' with 'legs firmly shut' and therefore not worth the trouble. She thought back to his face when he asked her. He certainly seemed sincere, but she was sure a lot of guys did until they had their fun and never called back. So why did she say yes? Sure, he was good looking, but so were lots of other people and her stomach never twisted in knots for any of them. It didn't make any sense.
She cranked the water all the way to cold, hoping the icy stream would knock something loose. She tried to think of it objectively, weighing pros and cons, but all she could see when she thought of him were his smile and his eyes and how good it felt when he looked at her. Finally, she dragged herself away from the shower and got dressed. It was time for lunch and she was supposed to meet Kendra there. The thought of Kendra made her feel better. Kendra would know what to make of this.
* * *
The cafeteria was mostly full by the time Cassie made it there. Kendra was at her usual table, talking with a large group of her friends. There were only a few people in line at the service counter, but Cassie didn't spare it a second glance. She made straight for Kendra's table, stepping behind her and bending down close to her ear.
"Can I talk to you?" she asked quietly.
Kendra turned her head to face her. "Oh, hey Cass. What's up?"
Cassie shook her head slightly, motioning toward an empty corner of the room. Kendra opened her mouth to speak, but, seeing the look on Cassie's face, she turned back, excused herself, and followed Cassie to the corner.
"What is it, Cass? You feeling okay?" Kendra asked, concern replacing her usual zeal.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Cassie replied hurriedly. "It's just...I need some help."
She went on to explain what had happened in gym last period. How Zach Franklin, popular athlete, had asked her out out of the blue and (more importantly) how she had said yes when her default mode for romance was 'run like hell'.
"I just don't get it," Cassie went on. "I mean, yeah, he's good looking, but he's not that good looking, and I just...I just don't get it."
Kendra's face was a mix of shock, confusion, and barely-contained glee. "So let me get this straight. Zach Franklin, the Zach Franklin, asked you out?"
"Didn't I just say that?" Cassie shot back.
"Sorry, sorry," Kendra replied, hands raised, pleading for patience. "I just mean, what's the big deal?"
"The big deal? The big deal is that he's never even talked to me before and now he wants me to go to some party at his brother's place and I just went along with it."
"His brother's place? He wants to go with you to that party?" Kendra asked, a smile growing on her face. "Then I'll just come with you."
"What do you mean, come with me?"
"Yeah, lots of people are gonna be there. I guess his brother just got back from some college trip overseas somewhere, so they're celebrating. If you're that worried about it, I'll keep an eye out and make sure he keeps his hands to himself while you're over there. He tries anything you don't like, I'll tell everyone about his herpes outbreak."
Cassie blinked. "What herpes outbreak?"
"The one I just made up but nobody'll believe he doesn't have once I mention it."
Cassie threw her arms around Kendra's neck and pulled her close. "That's absolutely disgusting but you are such a lifesaver. Thank you so much," she whispered.
Kendra rubbed Cassie's back. "That's what best friends are for." She paused. "On the other hand, maybe I should worry about you keeping your hands to yourself when you get there."
Cassie's hand reached down and pinched Kendra's side hard. Kendra laughed and let go of Cassie, pulling away laughing. Cassie punched her hard in the arm.
"You are such a bitch," Cassie said loudly, laughing despite herself.
"I know. That's why you love me," Kendra replied, rubbing her arm. "That hurt."
"It's your own fault."
"It still hurts, though. You got anything for lunch yet?"
Cassie shook her head. Dad only gave her money for lunch once or twice a week unless he was working. And even with his new job they still had bills to catch up on for awhile yet.
Kendra nodded in understanding. "Come on," she said, putting an arm around Cassie's shoulder and steering her back to her table. "Mom always packs mine like she wants to fatten me up or something. You can have part of my sandwich if you want."
Cassie knew that Kendra's lunch was nowhere near too big for her. Her mom always packed the same thing: One sandwich (more often than not roast beef), a few pieces of celery, a banana (usually used as a suggestive prop at the lunch table before being eaten), a thermos of fruit juice, and a cookie, seemingly included only as a concession to human frailty.
They sat down at the table. Kendra nudged half the sandwich toward Cassie, who hesitated only a second before digging in.
"I take back half the bad things I've said about you today," Cassie said between bites.
"You're too kind," Kendra replied sardonically. "So do you wanna spend the night after the party? I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind."
Cassie swallowed her last bite of sandwich and thought about it. It would probably be hard to even ask permission from her dad, given the condition he was likely to be in by the time she got home. Still, it wasn't that hard of a choice. She could just leave him a note. "Yeah, sure."
"Cool. So I'll meet you after class, we can stop by your house so you can change and then we can go to the party together. Sound okay?" Kendra asked.
"Sounds okay with me." Cassie thought for a moment. "But what about you? Don't you need to change into something?"
Kendra waved a hand vaguely in front of herself, encompassing a tight, red, v-necked sweater and purple button-up blouse underneath, sandals with straps reaching halfway up her calves, and a pleated skirt reaching just high enough to catch the eyes of any boys watching without being too inappropriate to the teachers. "Why? Do you think I should go for something a little more daring?" she asked innocently.
Figures. "Never mind. Do you still have that science class to go to?"
Kendra nodded. "Yeah. Last period. Maybe I'll take a nap while he plays The Wonderful World of Bees or something," she said, rolling her eyes while picking up her bookbag.
"Just don't drool too much, it'll smear your makeup."
"And don't you drool too much while you're thinking of super sexy Zach Franklin," Kendra teased, scampering away before Cassie could reply. Or hit her, whichever came first.
Retrieving her own backpack, Cassie headed off to her own classes. The last two courses of the day were pretty typical, without too much homework to deal with. Cassie marked down her assignments in her notebook, figuring that it would take an hour or two, tops, to finish up all her class's assignments, something she could safely put off until Saturday after the party. With that in mind, she headed downstairs toward the science wing to meet up with Kendra.
Most of the class was already gone by the time she got there. Cassie saw a few students, followed by Kendra herself, exit the room, all looking glassy-eyed and dazed as if they had just survived some horrible disaster.
"Kendra? Are you okay?" Cassie asked. Her best friend didn't seem to hear her. Cassie put a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. Kendra started, then turned to face her as if she hadn't noticed her presence before.
"Are you okay?" Cassie repeated.
"What? Yeah, I'm just..." Kendra trailed off, shaking her head. "It was just a really intense class, that's all."
Cassie looked dubious. "But it was just a substitute, wasn't it? How bad could it have been?"
"No, no, it wasn't bad, really. Just...different, for some reason. Since it wasn't a regular class, he said he'd cover some really advanced stuff just for fun and there was just something about the way he talked. I could really see what he was talking about. I could understand it." She smiled. "It felt amazing."
Cassie was still doubtful. "Kendra. It was physics, not sex. Okay?"
"It sure felt like it, though," Kendra replied. Cassie took this to mean that she was mostly back to normal. She took a glance behind Kendra into the classroom to see what the big deal was.
There was still a few people in their seats, scribbling down notes at a feverish pace as if they'd forget what they were writing at any moment. There wasn't any lab equipment being used. The teacher had his back to her, erasing a board full of complicated formulae. He didn't look that unusual. He was tall, around six feet or so, and slim. He had long hair compared to most other instructors she's seen, auburn brown and curly, touching the shoulders and the nape of his neck. His outfit was a bit unusual, though. He was wearing ash-grey slacks and a long-sleeved white shirt, along with a gold-embroidered double-breasted waistcoat and an old-fashioned bronze ascot. All together, Cassie thought the outfit made him look like a wealthy oil tycoon from the old west. Not a bad looking guy, though, she supposed. That would explain why Kendra would have hung on every word he said.
The teacher finished wiping down the board. He turned and gathered up a sheaf of papers sitting at his desk, sweeping them into a small briefcase.
"All right, children, time to go," he called out to the lingering students. "I'm sure you all have place to be and things to do. Class will still be here on Monday, I promise you." His voice was deeper than Cassie would have guessed, and had an accent that she couldn't quite guess at.
He looked up and saw Cassie looking at him. "Something I can help you with, miss?" he asked.
Cassie started, embarrassed at being caught staring. "Um, no thank you, sir. I was just meeting my friend," she answered, waving toward Kendra.
He smiled at Cassie. "Ah, splendid. Having good friends is very important in a young woman's life. I hope that you keep each other out of too much trouble?"
His manner of speech was so verbose and over the top that Cassie couldn't help but smile back. "I try, but it doesn't always turn out that way."
Cassie might have expected some disapproval, but if anything his smile grew wider. "I suppose not, but a little trouble now and then does you good as long as you keep it managed." He closed up the briefcase and began walking toward her, shooing out the last couple students before him.
"Tell me, what's your name, miss?" he asked, locking the door to the classroom behind him.
"Um, Cassandra. Cassandra Jacobs," she replied, somewhat taken aback. "But my friends call me Cassie."
"A pleasure to meet you, Cassie," he said, taking her hand in a firm handshake. "And you too, Kendra. I must say you did very well in class today."
Cassie had almost forgotten Kendra standing right next to her. "Thank you," Kendra replied, sounding embarrassed, an emotion Cassie had rarely seen from her.
The three of them began walking toward the main entrance.
"Are you taking any science courses, Cassie? I think I'd remember if you were in any of my lessons."
"Not this semester, no. I was planning on squeezing it in next term. Will you still be here?" she asked, her face flushing even as she asked the question but unable to pull it back.
He laughed good-naturedly. "Oh my goodness, no. I'm just filling in for a few days while Mr. Mayfair is away."
"Where is Mr. Mayfair, anyway?" Kendra asked. "Is he sick?"
"Oh, no, nothing like that. He actually picked up a tidy sum off a lottery ticket and decided to take a vacation for a few days."
"He won the lottery?" Cassie exclaimed.
"Well, not the grand prize, but enough to tempt him to the tropics for a holiday, it seems," he replied, nodding sagely.
The halls were mostly cleared of students eager to get home. The teacher reached the door first and held it open for the two girls. A cold breeze swept inside, causing Cassie and Kendra to zip up their jackets a bit more before stepping outside. Kendra grumbled, tugging at her skirt to cover more of her exposed legs to no avail. Cassie smirked at her after making sure she was looking.
"Well, ladies. It seems this is where we part ways for now. Don't get into too much trouble," he said.
"We'll try not to," Cassie replied.
Another breeze swept past them, kicking up a few fallen leaves around the stairs of the building. The teacher paused, sniffing deeply, frowning as if there were something in the air he didn't like. He looked down at Cassie and leaned in slightly, sniffing again. The frown grew deeper.
Cassie shrunk back slightly. "Is there something wrong?" she asked. She also breathed in but couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary.
The teacher's face faded back into a smile. It seemed forced to Cassie's eyes. "No, everything's fine." He reached out and put a hand on Cassie's shoulder, leaning in close until all she could see were his piercing blue eyes. "Now remember what I said," he almost whispered. "Stay out of trouble. Keep your eyes open and use your head and everything will work out just fine."
"What are you talking about?" Cassie asked in a small voice.
The teacher stood up. "Nothing to worry yourselves about," he said, again boisterous and energetic. He put a hand on the two girls' backs and ushered them down the steps. "Now go on and do whatever it is girls your age do on the weekend." He picked up his briefcase and began walking down the sidewalk.
He had taken only a few steps when Cassie suddenly called out. "What's your name?"
The teacher stopped. "My name?"
"Yes, sir. I don't think you ever said."
"Hmm. I suppose I didn't." He pondered this for a few moments before resuming his walk up the road.
"Sir?"
He stopped again. "Yes?"
"Your name?"
"Oh, yes." He turned to face them, an odd grin on his face. "Well, when I wrote my name on the board today, it was Dr. Bowman, isn't that right, Kendra?"
"Yes, sir, it was," Kendra replied.
"Well, there you go," Dr. Bowman replied to Cassie.
"Dr. Bowman?" Cassie repeated.
"That's what I answer to, yes."
Cassie blinked at the strange evasiveness. "But is that your name?"
Dr. Bowman's smile grew wider. "Very good," he told her sincerely, his voice laced with amusement. "Now, I really must be going. Enjoy your weekend, ladies."
He turned and again began walking, waving as he left.
Cassie and Kendra watched him recede into the distance for awhile before turning to face each other. Several moments passed before either spoke.
"He's cute," Kendra announced.
"He's nice," Cassie allowed.
They looked up the sidewalk again. Then back at each other.
"He's weird," they both said in unison.
* * *
Author's Notes: Welcome, one and all, to the first chapters of the Time War Saga. Like a lot of people, I enjoy going onto FF. Net and seeing what the amateur writing community has to offer. When I started looking more in depth, though, I noticed that a majority of the stories featured here mainly deal with the Ninth and Tenth Doctors from the new series. Not to mention an extreme amount of shipping and multi-Doctor fics, but those are just pet peeves of mine. Anyway, I started thinking about how I could contribute and fill in some of the blanks from the Eighth Doctor's history. Almost every story I've seen on here having to do with the Time War has only dealt with the aftermath; as far as I know, nobody's ever done a really in-depth story of what supposedly happened.
You'll notice the conspicuous lack of Daleks or other beasties in the first several chapters. As I'm writing this, my goal is to write a story that can be accessable to somebody who's never seen the series and has no background information on it at all. Many stories I've read start out with something like, "The Doctor does something to the Daleks from inside the TARDIS", putting out all these proper names in the first few sentences. What if I didn't know a thing about Doctor Who? What's a TARDIS? What is this guy talking about? If I didn't get an explanation, I might miss out on a great story because of Continuity Lockout.
Think of these first chapters as a prologue as we introduce the characters and get things up to speed. Hopefully you enjoy the ride.
Warning: The next chapter features some rather risque content that some viewers might find objectionable. I went out of my way to avoid putting down anything explicit or offensive while still getting the point across. It's mostly told from a limited perspective and should still fit inside a "T" rating, but somebody already pointed it out to me so I felt it fair to warn the readers ahead of time.