Oh great- Cassie thought as she walked toward the group of students swarming around her sister. Elena was obviously still the Queen Bee by far, but she looked slightly awkward amongst the crowd. Settling in would be a difficult thing for Elena, Cassie could tell- as so much had changed in their lives. Paris had been wonderful, but it felt as if they were being thrown back into the real world with the school substituting an ice cold bucket of water. Elena was always the one to be selfish- without usually knowing it- and that sometimes aggravated her younger sister, but Cassie was still happy that Elena would be okay.

Even from a far distance, she noticed that Elena was giving Caroline to cold shoulder. Cassie nearly laughed out loud when she saw the look that she was giving Elena- green with jealousy! And what in the name of the Lord was she wearing? Way too much skin on show, and her heels were way to high to be worn to school! She looked like the high-class hooker that Cassie had imagined her to be.

Elena's eyes met Cassie's over the heads of the excited teenagers, and Cassie saw smile at her, then turn back to her friends. Elena was basking in the limelight, working the crowd like a Queen- regardless of how her sister was feeling- but Cassie knew that she and Elena were still close, no matter how Elena was around school.

She walked into the busying halls of Robert E. Lee's, her gaze darting everywhere. Her friends should be here by now...

"Cassie!" someone yelled from behind her as she felt someone seize her. Strong arms lifted her up and swirled her around. She yelped, not knowing who it was, and tried to fight the arms wrapped around her. The guy holding her laughed- and she recognized the rough, smooth voice... Her feet found the ground again, and when she turned round- it was to jump back in the arms again.

"Braxxie!" she exclaimed, and the arms tightened around her again- hugging her tightly to the guy's muscly torso.

Cassie and Braxton had been best friends since he threw sand at her in kindergarten, and after she had screeched the building down- he apologized and gave her a sympathy muffin. Then that led to lunch together everyday, playdates after school and throwing popcorn at Elena together- which was still fun at any age.

Braxton laughed at her and gave her a sweet kiss on the nose. Of all the people in Fell's Church, she had missed her Braxie the most. Guy-girl relationships were very uncommon, and until Braxton revealed to the whole school that he was gay a year and a half ago- they had been accused of being a couple.

"You look stunning," Braxton smiled so widely at her that it looked like it hurt. It's a pity he's gay- Cassie thought sadly, for the other girls not herself! She'd known him too long to think of him in that way, but Braxton was a pretty darn sexy guy. His dark hair was slightly spiked, but was as soft as feathers when actually touched. Match that with a cheeky grin, big blue eyes, and one hell of a sexy body and you've got a woman's- oh, and a man's- dream boy.

"You look even prettier, pumpkin," she smiled sweetly up at him- he was about a head taller- and noticed that she had made him blush! His adorable eyes averted to the floor, desperate for Cassie not to see- but she had.

"You look so cute when you blush!" she jumped up and down in excitement before kissing his cheek. A guy was pinning up a poster for the Winter Dance against the noticeboard, and she walked over to take a look.

So she didn't notice Braxton reach up and touch his cheek lightly where she'd kissed him.

"You going to this?" Cassie smiled over her shoulder at him as she tapped the poster with a finger.

"I will if you will," he said cheekily to her, moving up beside her and placing his left arm around her shoulders.

"I might," Cassie smiled up at him as he led her away from the noticeboard and down the cluttered hall. Cheerleaders were giving her evil looks from all ends of the room, and jocks were whistling at her- smirking with their eyes intent on her as if she were their prey. Honestly, they had seen a girl before hadn't they?

The Gilbert sisters were known as the 'hottie family' throughout the school. Both were contained in the dreams of every boy in the school, but, unlike Elena, Cassie didn't know exactly what power she possessed over boys. She was usually sweet to the people she knew, or had just met- but others, like Tyler Smallwood, she had a temper that she just couldn't control. But when it came to power, she didn't believe that she was different from anyone else- making her wary as to why the people, especially girls, around her were so quick to judge. They didn't know her.

Walking up to her locker, Cassie noticed that there was a new boy in the school. Further up the crowded corridor, Cassie could see Elena ogling the new boy's ass- and not entirely discreetly either! She dug Braxton in the hip, making him jump slightly in shock. Smirking at him, she tilted her head in Elena's direction- and he laughed. Whenever there was a hot boy at school, Elena had to have him- all the time. She didn't even care about who it would hurt, or how she ignored her friends, but as long as she go the boy- she'd feel wonderful about herself.

It made Cassie feel bitter sometimes, as although she had lots of friends- she believed that they should always be respected. And to top it all off- when Elena was after a boy, nothing else would matter to her: she'd forget about what was going on in anyone else's world. It was as if she was the sun, and everyone orbited around her like dedicated little playmates. Honestly...

Cassie had never experienced any extreme cases of the Elena Pursues Boy Syndrome, but she realized that she might just this time... From the way her sister was staring at the boy like a piece of sexy meat, this one would be the next in a long line.

"I gotta go. I'll see you later, munchkin," Braxton said regretfully, then smiled when he said the horrid nickname. His lips returned once again to her nose in a kiss, and she giggled as he walked away.

A smile was still on her mouth as she turned back to her open locker, taking folders out and putting several back in. Well, this is going okay so far- she thought happily to herself: Nobody had smacked her ass yet, which was good because she didn't particularly want to punch someone on the first day, but she would if she had to.

"Cassie," a voice croaked behind her, in unison with a tap on her shoulder.

Oh god, Cassie thought, nearly trembling, her hand frozen in the act of taking a folder out.

Justin.