Juliet's thoughts were torn between confusing and distracting during volleyball practice. She kept to herself in the locker room as she changed into her orange and yellow t-shirt and shorts. Damn Early Dawn High's bright colors.

As she started to manually put her long, strawberry blonde hair into a braid, she variously heard some of the other girls talking about the red haired new boy who was taller than all the boys on the football and basketball teams. They would speak of his good looks, then insult his name.

Juliet looked at herself in the mirror, a scowling smirk spreading from her lips. "Scoot over." a fragile voice pleaded. Juliet did so as a girl came up next to her to share the mirror. Lucille Tercorien, or simply Lucy, was a sophomore; a year younger than Juliet, and also incredibly shy - something they had in common.

"How was your day?" Juliet asked the smaller, blond girl.

Lucy shrugged. "A lot of girls keep talking about a new boy who's a junior...do you know him?" she asked.

"He's in a couple of my classes." Juliet admitted. "He's really quiet..." she found herself smiling, but didn't really find herself.

Lucy raised an eye. "You like him, don't you? He must be something if you do..." she teased.

"...HUH? I DON'T LIKE HIM!" Juliet screeched; a few of the other girls turned their attention to them. "Lucy!" Juliet hissed.

Lucy smiled faintly.

When the team of girls were doing their laps around the gym, Juliet didn't notice herself lagging. She felt a light tap on her shoulder; she looked down to see a five foot freshman with big brown eyes and brown hair that stopped at her shoulders. Juliet knew her by last name, which was Quirk, (their coach singled out to call them all by last names) but wasn't on a first name base with the younger girl.

"Are you okay?" the shorty asked.

Juliet, who was five perfect inches taller than her, replied, "I'm tired of running...why?"

Quirk half shrugged as she struggled to keep up. "You usually run towards the front instead of the back." she noticed.

"I just have a lot on my mind," Juliet admitted. "Thanks for your concern." she really was getting tired of running now. She just wanted to play some volleyball and go home.

"You're welcome. I'm Jamie." Quirk introduced.

"Juliet." she said back. When their coach suddenly screeched out to stop running, it startled Juliet to the point where she tripped and crashed into Quirk, knocking them both down to the ground.

A few girls stopped, while a senior snorted, "I was wondering when she was gonna do something stupid today like she does everyday."

Juliet groaned as she sat up. "I'm so sorry!" she apologized.

"It's okay," Quirk replied as she sat up also. "Ow...I think you jabbed me with your elbow."

"I'm so sorry," Juliet repeated. She looked up as Lucy ran up them, helping Juliet up, then helping Quirk up.

Juliet tried to cover her red flustered face. First she almost missed the train, then the boy she met last night was now at her school, the crap with Matt...the endless thoughts of the said boy from last night...tripping all over a girl...

This was the worst day ever!

When four-thirty struck the clock, Juliet was waiting inside by the doors, until she recognized her sister's car pulling up. Juliet lifted up her duffel bag and sped out, climbing in the passenger seat.

"How was practice?" Julia asked as she drove away.

"F-fine," Juliet muttered, rubbing her eyelids with two fingers. "How's work?" she asked.

"Some strange rumors going around the news station," Julia admitted.

"Like what?" her sister wondered.

"Like...you know that West Tek company in California? Where they supposedly make weapons and do research? They're doing some shady shit." Julia explained. "Experimenting on animals and stuff..."

"They're all the way out in California," Juliet reminded. "I think our wildlife is safe for now."

"Wildlife?" Julia repeated. "Does it look like D.C. has any wildlife?"

"I was kidding," Juliet faked offense.

Julia rolled her eyes as she continued the drive home. When pulling her car up behind their mother's, she questioned why said mother was even home.

The Carlisle sisters exited the car and went up the steps of their townhouse. Julia went inside first, going, "Mom?"

Autumn looked up from the kitchen, brushing stray strands of her long and wavy auburn hair behind her ear. "Hey girls," she greeted nervously.

"You're not at work," Julia stated.

"No...I got off early," Autumn replied. "Girls, I need you to do me a favor." she begged.

"What is it?" Juliet asked, setting her duffel bag down by the couch in the living room.

"I need your money."

"I don't get paid until Friday," Julia said as Juliet stopped what she was doing.

"I know, sweetie. But I need all that you both have right now." Autumn clarified.

"For what?" Julia pestered. Juliet smirked.

"Gas," Autumn admitted. "They're raising the prices. Some are saying it'll be one-hundred dollars a gallon by the end of the week." she explained.

"What the shit?" Julia gaped. "They can't do that, can they?"

Autumn went over to the door, where a couple of gas cans lay. "Juliet, I need you to put those in the backseat of my car." she instructed.

"O-okay," Juliet went to do as so as Julia hounded her mother.

"No one said anything about this at work!"

Juliet carried the gas cans outside, and packed them into her mother's car when she looked down to her left at the Nuka-Cola machine a couple houses down. Sneakily, she went into the passenger seat and rummaged through the glove compartment, finding and taking two quarters.

Then she trotted down to the Nuka-Cola machine and put her quarters in, taking the pop as it vended down. When she ran back into her townhouse, she kept the bottle behind her back as she placed it into her duffel bag.

Maybe Charon would like another Nuka-Cola...

She blushed in embarrassment. The tall boy would probably think her a stalker (again) if she gave him the drink tomorrow. She zipped her duffel bag shut as she carried it upstairs to her bedroom.

She threw her dress off and changed into her casual sweater and pants appeal. When she sat at her desk, taking out her history textbook for homework, she looked up at her calender to see if she had anything planned for the week.

Today was October 23. In exactly one year, life as Juliet Carlisle knew it would come to a complete end.

I know this was rather short, & heavily Juliet-centered...I will try & squeeze some Charon & maybe some background in the next chapter! :3