The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship...

An AU world where Caleb is a transfer student at Heatherfield from a very isolated, Eastern part of Russia. Of course, as a transfer student, he needs a place to stay… The characters are a little older here; all of them are now juniors (16 years old). Please remember to read and review, and don't be too harsh - although constructive criticism would be appreciated.

Disclaimer...

Q: Why are you using the W.I.T.C.H. characters for your story?

A: Sue me. It's fanfiction anyway.

When We Meet, Sparks Fly

If Caleb had to choose, he wouldn't go to Heatherfield at all. Too bad it wasn't his choice to make, especially since his father – a prominent (not to mention, filthy rich) Russian activist who was rebelling against the system – thought it would be safer for him. Plus, as his father was very pro-West (he named Caleb after some friend or tutor or whatever with the same name from the USA) and an ardent capitalist, he decided it would be a good thing to send Caleb to the USA.

Caleb didn't care about his safety, though, nor was he interested in politics. This was his home. How could his father just expect him to abandon it? Especially now that it was going to be winter, and God, the snow – what about snowboarding?

I doubt Heatherfield would be much fun, especially since I can't snowboard at Heatherfield, he sighed. He didn't care about the lessons; he was sufficiently fluent in English since his father forced him to speak English at all times, and was a good student without half-trying.

He lay down on his bed, pondering over all these thoughts, when Aldarn – another best friend and quite possibly related to him, as both their parents shared a penchant for weird, non-Russian names – knocked and came in.

"I heard about the news."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did. I'm also sure that my father said that I was dying to go."

"But Caleb, you're going to be like, the next leader of the rebellion against the system. That is, unless you don't come back to Russia in time to save our people."

"Oh, I can be a leader. I just don't think it's fair to be sending me to USA," Caleb snarled at his best friend. Aldarn stared at him, and Caleb realized what had just happened. "I'm sorry, Aldarn. I just feel –"

"Annoyed. It's understandable. I'll leave you alone to contemplate your thoughts," Aldarn said, walking out of the room, and shutting the door.

"But, Aldarn –" Caleb started, but Aldarn had already left.

"Have you heard?" Hay Lin was rushing over to her friends' side, which included Will and Matt, Irma, Martin, Taranee and Nigel, Eric, and Cornelia and her best friend, Elyon.

"Hey Hay, what's up now?" Irma asked, bored with Hay Lin's constant excitement.

Hay Lin didn't notice the sarcasm nor did she care for the absurd nickname that Irma called her. "I hear there's going to be a new exchange student! Won't that be so fun? I mean, we get to show her around and –"

"How do you know it's a she?" Martin interrupted. Irma, in response, gave him a glare as if to say why are you encouraging her? Martin shifted around, uneasy at the response his crush gave him.

"Oh, it must be! I mean, I only saw part of the first name, and it began with the letters C-A-L. Cal for Calleigh! I was just to Mrs. Knickerbocker's office about it! Anyway, we must welcome this new student immediately! I mean –"

"We get you! We get you!" Will cried. "So, seeing that it's a she, I suppose one of us have to take her in, huh?"

"Precisely!" Hay Lin squealed. Then she sighed. "Too bad I can't. I mean, I won't be able to show her around school, much less Heatherfield."

"Count us in," the guys chorused.

"No freaking way," Hay Lin decided, remembering that boys would be boys and God knows what could happen to the poor girl. The guys sighed regretfully in response.

"I can't," Will said. "I have to work, remember?"

"At Matt's grandfather's shop, yeah, we get it," Cornelia remarks to her aside.

"Well, I doubt that my parents would let me bring in a girl whom I hardly know. They all think I'm going to faint if I meet someone knew; they believe I'm that shy."

"My parents won't like it," Elyon looked down miserably. They are stared at her, although Cornelia looked at Elyon knowingly.

"Well, I doubt that Irma should take care of her," Will said warningly, although Irma pretended to look like a saint right then. "So I guess that leaves you, Cornelia."

"I have to skate," Cornelia frowned. "And why should I do this?"

Hay Lin gasped. "You have to! Imagine a lonely student, all the way from Russia, with no one to talk to; how would you feel?"

Cornelia shrugged.

"Cornelia, please," Irma begged. "I know Chris, and he'll make it a living hell for both of us. He's already started on me."

Cornelia began to laugh. "That is so not going to work for me."

"Oh come on, Cornelia. Worse comes to worse, there's Lillian to look after her."

"What if they join up together?" Cornelia frowned again.

"Revenge shall be ours," Nigel said seriously. Everyone stared at him.

"I'm holding you on that. Hay Lin, we'll go afterwards to tell Mrs. Knickerbocker this, okay?"

Hay Lin simply jumped up and down in glee.

"O-kay," Matt said weirdly. "Anyway, I have a friend, Freddy, who might be coming to Heatherfield at about the same time as the exchange student is."

"Do you even know when it is?" Cornelia asked him.

"Nope, when is it Hay Lin?"

"Next week."

"Well, Freddy's coming about the same time, maybe a little earlier," Matt replied.

"Interesting. Two new people in the group," Elyon pondered.

"Don't worry, Elyon. I'm sure he'll have the hots for you," Cornelia winked at her best friend, who blushes deep red.

They all laughed, and went back to their respective classes as the bell rang.

Author's Note...

(I love these) Now we all know what's happening right? I love this beginning. I hoped you guys loved it to! Remember to review! I'll try and update real soon if you guys give me some reviews! Love you guys!