"Cassy, what's wrong?" Balthazar said, walking into Cassielle's room. She had sent him a text saying 'need to talk', and was sitting cross legged on her bed. Oddly enough, the Game of Thrones book sat closed on the corner of her bed. Cassielle couldn't think about anything except the new girl, and couldn't stare at anything but the carpet just beyond her bed.

Sure, during first period, she focused only on the voice and appearance of Diane, but the next class left her to reflect on that period of hypnotism. How stupid was that, to just stare at a person, and be so fascinated with them for an entire class period. By fourth period, when she saw Diana next, she was a little more discreet, at least, while staring at her. "Balthazar, I have a problem."

"Yea, no shit. What's the matter?" He sat on the bed next to her. Cassielle took a minute to gather her thoughts into words. Balthazar was good at putting things bluntly, and not caring about irrelevant factors. And Cassielle tended to favor the calmer nature of her older brother. Plus, if she talked to Gabe, he wouldn't shut up about how Cassielle did end up liking the new guy, even if they were a girl.

"The new girl. I find her very attractive." Cassielle felt a little disoriented. All through her teenage years, she told her brothers and few friends that she never had nor will be attracted to any individual. But then Diane comes walking in and ruining that consistency. Dammit.

"Then you should ask her out." He sighed, and adjusted his legs to sit more comfortably.

Cassielle let out a silent sigh of relief. Balthazar didn't freak out about the girl-girl part to her crush. Well, it figures that he wouldn't care about a detail like that. But her thoughts moved on. Did Balthazar have any classes with her? Then it would be easier to explain why Cassielle was attracted to her, if he knew her a little. Plus, it had taken the girl two minutes to be friends with the popular crowd—now she was beyond Cassielle's reach. Balthazar was in that group. He'd know her soon enough. "I don't really think she'd accept the invitation."

"It's okay, you know, to step out of your comfort zone a little." He looked at her, almost seeming exasperated. "I don't mind you crushing on another girl, I mind you not having the guts to do something about it."

Cassielle rolled her eyes. Balthazar knew she had trouble going to school as is. People confused her, and people would ignore her if she didn't do anything. That was the silent agreement between her and everyone else, and it worked perfectly. Talking to Diane, however, would mean giving up what little comfort she had. "I don't…" The words wouldn't work. Nothing would convince Balthazar anyways. He was a very 'I'll get what I want; I'm comfortable doing whatever it takes' kind of person.

"Cassielle, I understand you're much more an introvert than the rest of us. But the way I see it, you can crush all you want, and play it safe; or you can change things up a bit, see how it feels. You and I are different, though. I can't decide for you."

Cassielle didn't reply, instead staring at the carpet again. In the next week, Diane would have a boyfriend, no doubt. Maybe a girlfriend, if she considered girls. God, please let her consider girls.

No, Cassielle couldn't start thinking like that. Balthazar was right; she could play it safe, or go for it. No third path. But it was too big of a risk. In the background, she could be fine. It was secure, comfortable. People moved around her, and she could pass by unnoticed. Diane was there, but in the bigger picture, Diane wasn't important.

"She's real…real" Balthazar said, interrupting her thoughts and reminding Cassielle that he was still in her room.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she sat at my table at lunch, and she was…there."

"You're not making sense" Cassielle commented. Was he trying to make a point besides the obvious?

"Diane is a very…I mean, I think she's the kind of person who's cool. Aloof, I think that's the word. The perfect kind of cool, and that's really a compliment coming from me. I can see why you like her."

"But what can I do?" No, Cassielle, bad. You're not doing anything about this girl. And Balthazar isn't making sense anyways.

Balthazar smiled, like he saw the conflict and took the credit for starting it. "Just play it by ear." He began to get up from his spot and walk away. "She's real. She'll see something if there's something there."

"What does that even mean?" Cassielle asked. Balthazar replied by smiling, and closing the door.


Diane straddled Azazel beneath her. He squirmed, ever so slightly, but enough to make her even more hungry. "You're so tiny."

"After you've seen and screwed me already? I think you're lying." Unlike other ones, he didn't try to get up and take a little bit of control back. Good, because he wouldn't get any.

"No, I mean…when you think about it, you're insignificant to me, and I'm insignificant to you." These thoughts were common, in between the fun times. (Besides the want for more fun times, of course.) But this had to be the first time she was telling someone aloud. "Tomorrow, we're waking up just the same. You and I can live our lives normally as if the other didn't exist. Today is just a bit of fun we both agreed on doing."

Azazel frowned. "I'd like to think I did a better job than that."

Diane rolled her eyes. "You're only special if you go down without prompting, you know that. But you didn't, babe."

"Well, how about I fix that right now" he smiled and tried to sit up. Diane's arm stopped him, and he landed his back to the bed again. Smile gone.

"Window of opportunity missed." And there was no way he was getting up until she was gone. Call it pride, but it was something she did every time. "You don't do poorly on the in and out stuff, though."

"You don't do well on the actual give-receive stuff, do ya?" Dear god, he sounded offended.

"Wow, do you turn grumpy after every time?" She got up from on top of him, no longer wanting him. She could definitely go at it again, but her pride was telling her otherwise. Her bag had her smartphone, good. And her clothes, all there. She'd done this before, and quickly began getting dressed.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. You're just…maybe a little too dominant." Diane rolled her eyes. This guy thought he was special. Hopefully he wasn't possessive. First day, bad luck, even if he wasn't clingy.

"You're fine, I'm just leaving. Not the talking type, sorry." Now she just needed her shoes, so she walked out the bedroom. Azazel followed her, quickly putting on boxers first. She hadn't noticed it before, but his house was old, like it had been built in the 80s and fixed and tweaked to make it look like the 90s.

"Hey, how about we do some actual studying? You've got an entire course to catch up with!" Ah, there were the shoes.

"Don't care about school that much, if you didn't notice."

"Then let's have dinner. I know a good Chinese place."

"Montana doesn't have good Chinese food." God, where was the front door? She wasn't paying attention to that detail at the beginning. Ah, there it is.

"I think we could be friends, especially since you're obviously the shit! I know the people, and can help you with learning what not to do."

"I don't care about social rules in your little school."

"Look, sorry if I'm being too clingy." His words slowed down, less panicked now.

"Azazel, if I wanted a pussy, I would have gone home with a girl today." Thankfully, the kid didn't still follow her out the door. "Goodbye, Azazel!" She waved, shutting the door.

The steps were old wood, like it was almost rotting. Her Baby was sitting on the curb, like it was going to ask how her stupid date went. "The guy ended up being a big bitch. Almost as bad as Estelle was, from LA."

In the car, Van Halen began playing, but she didn't start driving quite yet. Azazel was a big disappointment. On the first day, too. First day boys were normally the best. Maybe that was what made him so hopeless. Give it a couple days, and someone would be in her sights. That blue-eyed sophomore girl was very attractive, maybe she could try to get with that. There was also a blonde boy in her shop class definitely worth talking to. Oh, so many options.


"Cassielle, you can't just keep staring from afar" Balthazar said on the car ride home. Gabe wasn't there, he was at a meeting for the theater club, and Cassielle was driving with her permit. "Either you like her or you don't."

"It's none of your business." He was right, of course. It had been another long day, Diane in three of seven classes. They had the same lunch, except Cassielle had always eaten in the library, before Diane got there. She still couldn't decide if Diane was worth discontinuing her life as a wallflower and entering the third dimension.

"Listen. Diane went home with Azazel yesterday, so you'd better act fast." Oh god, not Azazel. The stupidest, meanest of all the stupid and mean people at school. But that was an innocent way of putting it. A less innocent way would be, that Cassielle wanted to rip out each of his fingernails and stab them all in his eye, and then pull his teeth to put right up his ass. Simply put, Azazel had been the leader of bullies which made fun of her in elementary school. Thankfully, they had stopped halfway through third grade.

"I wouldn't have any better of a chance now than later" she snapped at Balthazar. "Besides, I don't care."

"You can't answer yes and no to a yes or no question." Was saying 'I don't care' like saying yes?

"I've already answered, Balthazar, and I said no" she growled. She shouldn't have told her brother about the crush in the first place, if he was going to be this insistent on her saying 'yes'. Then again, he was right for disbelieving her. She didn't even believe herself.

"If you say so" he sighed, resolving to only look at his phone.

Two minutes later, he suddenly gasped. "Oh my god" he breathed. Then he laughed, loudly, like some weird irony met his fetish.

"What?" She had to ask or he'd never stop.

"Your Diane is the subject of much debate today. She skipped classes to go fuck Olga."

"Who's Olga?" God, why did Cassielle have to find this girl attractive? Any other one would be perfect, but screwing two people in two days?

"Olga is a senior. With a boyfriend and a picky taste in men."

Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel. This was such a mundane car. Not a chance at getting Diane's attention.

"Cassielle, are you all right?" Balthazar had been staring at her after he spoke.

"Turn on some music. You choose this time." She really should just stick to fictional characters. Real life sluts weren't so fun.


Diane looked out the window during class. Fourth period, right before lunch. Chemistry was boring and difficult, no matter what school you went to. All she needed to know was how motor oil smelled and the sound of an engine that needed fixing.

Outside that window was a little view of some close-by mountains. In the distance between, there was a forest and an open field. Diane wondered what that forest and field would look like from the top of the mountains there. Maybe she could get into hiking.

"Ms. Winchester" Mrs. Busvit asked loudly. Diane looked forward, seeing ratios and numbers on the board that the class was learning. Well, they were learning, she was spacing out. "I asked how many moles of sodium fluoride can be produced from this amount of material in the start of the procedure."

Oh, another teacher who thought Diane was important. How cute. "I wasn't paying attention, ma'am, and I'm not smart enough to solve that in less than five seconds. Sorry." The polite tone matched her polite smile. According to her previous experience with teachers, this one would think that Diane had some self-esteem issues relating to her intelligence, and be too embarrassed to press Diane for the answer before asking someone else.

And that's exactly what happened. Minus the self-esteem issues. Sammy got her smarts, and that was fine with her. She just needed to fix things, not blow them up.

The lunch bell rang later, after another few menial questions. She was happy to pick up her bag and notebook to go eat. The day had started with exhaustion, since this school started earlier than most other ones. Plus, she'd been having a lot of sex. Like, spending two hours at Azazel's house, one in the bathroom with Olga and another three (fantastic) hours after school with a different girl, also named Olga. That had to be a personal record. Three in two days.

"Hey" said the short Olga, the one from after school. They both had seventh period Literature together, and had spent the class making playful eye contact with each other. "I want you to eat lunch with me." She smiled, and looked up at Diane with a charming sort of surety.

"I want to eat lunch on you" she murmured, looking back down with a different sort of hunger. "No, scratch that. I just want to be on you."

Olga blushed, but reached out to grab Diane's hand. Diane pulled it away immediately, but Olga didn't seem to notice. "You're coming with me either way."

There wasn't much opportunity for conversation in the halls. People were going to lunch and going to class, and talking loudly. Diane didn't like speaking loudly, since it felt like yelling to her. She remembered a lot of yelling from her childhood.

"Here we are!" Olga said, sitting at a table where others were still gathering. She observed everyone while Olga began chattering about something or other. The people who came to sit were different from each other, unlike the 'popular' kids. God, all the popular kids looked the same. This crowd was more wacky, diverse, like people wanted to be themselves.

But then Azazel came this way. "Not this bitch" she sighed, taking a chip from Olga's lunchbox.

"Hello there Diane" Azazel said curtly, sitting down across from her and looking with those disturbingly yellow eyes. It was more like glaring, actually.

"Morning princess" she smiled in reply, loving the irritated reaction he had.

"Oh, don't start picking fights with our informer" said a bug-eyed boy she recognized from her chemistry class. "We need him to know what's going on with the upperclassmen."

"I thought I was your informer!" Olga said indignantly.

"There's a difference between girl news and boy news" noted an unfamiliar girl sitting across the boy. "We need one for each."

"Aze, why are you glaring at her like that?" Olga asked, looking confused while chewing on a veggie fry.

"Because I didn't realize she was such a slut until now." The entire table now sat uncomfortable, looking between her and him.

"I must be, since I thought you had an okay performance while you lasted." A couple of people at the table 'OOHH!'d loudly. "I mean, I was doing a lot of the work, but I'm used to doing that with girls, so it was fine." Another round of 'OOHH!' from some guys, which was actually quite loud.

Azazel now looked thoroughly embarrassed. "Well, you seemed to have had plenty of energy by the next day."

"It's what happens when you're actually good" she shrugged. People laughed at that comment, making Azazel blush more. By now, though, he looked mad too.

"Diane, what are you doing here?" asked Sammy's voice behind her.

"Yo, Sammy!" said the boy from her chemistry class. Another couple of people greeted him, like they knew and liked him.

"Just leaving. I see that this is your people, and will let you hang out without me." She took the croissant from the person to her other side, and walked off. Sammy needed some friends, and she definitely didn't need to get involved with them and mess things up. That was probably a good group for her little brother. Those kids seemed good, like they wanted to have fun and wanted to be friends. Good enough people.

"Where to sit next…" she wondered aloud, looking around the cafeteria. The group from her first two days was near. Popular, high-mantinence girls and stereotypical too-cool guys. They'd all been interested in her, but they all told the same story. Born and raised this part of Montana, played football or dated someone who played football. One guy moved up from California four years ago. God, so many people here were white. The best to sleep with were Indian guys, next Russian girls. Although, there was that freaky-good Hawaiian guy, and that exceptional Iranian guy…

While she was thinking about her favorites, Azazel walked up behind her. His voice in her ear startled her. "I don't care if you humiliate me. I don't even care if you just gave me AIDS. None of that matters, because you and I have some common interests we can work together on." Diane turned around to look at him.

But she just rolled her eyes. "Don't know, don't care. Have a nice life, creep." She walked away without caring, and thankfully, the kid didn't follow her. God, why did she sleep with him? Obviously, he was willing to on the first day, but she couldn't believe she was so stupid.

It must be just bad luck. She bit into the croissant. The noise of the cafeteria was behind her, and she was in the dimly-lit, nearly empty halls. At the end of this hall, blonde Olga's locker had her textbook for history. Yesterday, she had moved her stuff from Azazel's to blonde Olga's, which meant less opportunity for them to talk.

It took a minute to get the combination right. Olga had mentioned that this was a tricky lock. Finally it opened, and she got the textbook quickly. A door past the line of lockers caught her eye. It said 'LIBRARY' in bold white letters. "Lonely spot to put it" she muttered, closing the locker. By now, the croissant was gone. Why not go in? Looking around might find a book on cars, or guns, or even electricity uses. Either way, she had a bit of spare time to read each day, since homework was easy.

A frog croaked when she walked in, thanks to a motion sensor. There were a dozen fake plants, as is typical of a library. Behind the counter, a 40-some year old woman who looked like a mother of three organized some books. "Hello, can I help you with anything today?"

"Nah, just looking around." There were a few computers here, and a printer. Actually, here would be a good spot to be working on her homework after school each day. Sammy could do the same, or he could spend time with his new friends. Worst case scenario, one of them sits there bored and looking for a book to kill time. Either way, they both won.

She'd have to talk to him about it today. Each of the books were labeled, but each were different. The 'DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM' poster, after staring at it for a couple minutes, told her which numbers would be about mechanics. She stood there, staring at this section for a book that looked interesting. No matter what sayings there were, she judged a book by its cover.

One did catch her eye. It was an encyclopedia on transmissions. Lunch was almost done, so she decided to choose this one and be done with it.

"Oh, you like cars?" the librarian asked while checking out the book to her.

Yea, no shit lady. "Yes" was what she actually said.

"My husband is actually the local mechanic. I hear quite a bit about cars, but it doesn't make much sense to me."

Diane smiled politely, not actually caring. "Well, I find it fun" she just said. Couldn't say anything mean, since her husband was a mechanic. If Diane's family was staying here a while, then she could look at getting a job there.

"Thank you" she said as the lunch bell rang. Quickly, she was out and to class.