A/N - So the stretch between chapters has been millennial and I'm sooo sorry about this. My excuse is that life gets in the way and even though I've wanted to, I just have not had the time for updating or much else on FF. I don't want to make any promises I can't keep but I promise I'll try my hardest not to do this again. Just bear with me my loves.

TV-P xxx

dantesdarkqueen - Thank you so much for the review. Yeah I know that some of the characters do seem a lot more casual than their game selves but I was trying to portray a lot of them as somewhat carefree youths without the burdens and seriousness that come with adulthood. Sorry if it grates! Also good idea about the newcomers being involved. I created this story before DW7 had come out but I'll definitely think about adding some of the newer characters in.

Social Studies
3rdPeriod
(Diao Chan…)

"Ah, Diao Chan, what a lovely surprise to be teaching you again," Mister Dong grinned, his beady eyes running over the young girl's prettily pinkified appearance. "You're looking very beautiful today."

Diao felt her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She mentally slapped herself. Geez, it was only a little compliment! "T-thank you… sir."

"You're very welcome," Mister Dong chuckled, pulling out a huge rung of keys from the back pocket of his pants. He began to fiddle with one in the lock of the classroom door before it fell from his grasp, skidding onto the floor by Diao's feet.

"Would you pick that up for me, sweetheart? I've been suffering from… uh… back problems recently," Mister Dong spoke ever-so-sweetly, his hooded eyes practically shining with excitement.

Diao smiled innocently. "Of course, sir," she told him, before abruptly bending down, her pretty cotton dress rising up a little.

"Oh yeah, jus' like that," she thought she heard Mister Dong murmur (but of course a teacher would never be so crass...) as she retrieved the fallen keys and stretched back up to her full height, hurriedly pulling down the skirt of her dress where it had ridden up slightly.

Mister Dong finally found the right key and the classroom door swung open, hitting Diao with the pungent odor of sweat and dirty socks.

"So, will it just be you and I then, Diao?" Mister Dong joked, looking more than pleased with that unlikely notion.

Diao did not notice the joking tone in his voice. "No, I don't think so, Master Dong. I'm sure the rest of them will be here soon enough." She made her way to the very front desk, sitting her pretty little backside down gently, after making sure that there was nothing incriminating on the seat.

Neither of them said anything for a few moments, and Diao took the time to unpack her exercise book and pencil case, both of which were in excellent condition. She knew that she suffered from more-than-was-normal OCD but then, if everything was out of control, what was the point in living?

"I hear you're dating that Lu boy," Mister Dong broke the quiet, shooting Diao with an intense and not-overly-pleased glance.

Diao felt her cheeks go red at just the mention of her beloved Lu Bu. "Mmm," was all she could say.

Mister Dong made a sound that could only be described as an incredulous scoff. "Not a wise choice my dear, if you ask me. That boy is far toostupid for a beauty like yourself." He paused, licked his lips and continued. "What you need is a real man, someone who knows how to treat a lady."

Diao frowned. "My Bu knows how to treat a lady! He's the best boyfriend a girl could hope for!"

Mister Dong shrugged. "Fine, whatever you say. Now I think we should meet up after school today to help you on the topics you don't understand."

Diao frowned, confusion marring a stunning features. "What topics, sir? W-we haven't started class yet!"

Mister Dong was adamant. "Still, we're going to start off fairly difficult and I'm sure that even a clever girl like yourself won't quite grasp things. So how about you meet me after school and we can go over it. Okay?"

Diao sighed. She was supposed to be meeting Bu after school that afternoon. He had promised her a picnic in the woodland park close by. But then again, this was her school career and if Mister Dong was worried about her progress, of course she would allow him to tutor her after school hours.

"Okay, sir. I'll be there tonight."

Mister Dong grinned in a way that would have made less innocent girls shudder with disgust. "Perfect."

Lunchtime!
(A whole load'a people…)

"Urgh, I see the food is just as brilliant as ever," Ma Chao grumbled sarcastically, gazing down in horror at the 'Seafood Surprise' the dinner lady had plopped onto his plate.

Zhao Yun snickered, grabbing the spoon out of his best friend's hand and using it to scoop up the 'surprise' before tipping the utensil upside down and watching with vague interest as it glooped back down onto the plate. "Prison food," he confirmed.

Chao snorted. "Well there's no doubt they're holding us captive here. I don't see why we can't just go out for lunch like every other blasted teenager this side of… the world!"

D.W High was unique for the fact that the principal did not allow the students out for lunch, something that the student council had been trying to override since... forever. Apparently, Principal Yuan believed that students performed better in class when they were not allowed to 'gallivant aimlessly' during their lunch hour. The only exception to that rule was Jiang Wei, a Sophomore whose mother had written in personally, claiming that her precious little baby could not take the 'interesting variety' of foods and 'wild delinquents' that made up the school lunch hour. Principal Yuan had only then given the boy permission to leave at lunchtime, and only because he was aware of the fact that Wei's mother picked him up every day at 12 o' clock sharp and dropped him off in plenty of time for afternoon periods. Besides, denying the woman's request would not be good for the school's reputation (or far more importantly his reputation) as Jiang Man, the boy's father, was a prominent politician and, wanting to eventually get into politics himself once he was able to escape this wretched jungle, Yuan Shao was willing to accept defeat and kiss the relevant asses when needed.

Cao Pi, who also (reluctantly) sat at the table with Ma Chao and Zhao Yun smirked smugly at Chao's comment as he walked alongside them. "How many times must I tell you, Chao? Bring in a home lunch! At least then you'd know what it comprises of."

Chao scowled. "Easy for you to say! Your maid does everything for you! Us lesser individuals have no choice but to do things ourselves. And there is no way I'm getting up half an hour earlier every morning just to make lunch! I mean, we start early enough as it is!"

Yun rolled his eyes. "Most schools in the area actually start earlier than us, Chao. We're pretty lucky."

Chao took a seat before gazing off into distant space. "Hey did anyone else hear that know-it-all voice, or was it just me?"

"Loser!" Zhao Yun smirked, before throwing a punch in his best friend's direction that Chao abruptly ducked, sticking his tongue out triumphantly at his lucky escape.

Pi just rolled his eyes in dismay. What had he done in life to deserve being stuck here with these… inferior individuals?

Xing Cai sighed heavily, her eyes glued on a table a few lengths from her own. She couldn't stop thinking about him, ever since she had first seen him that morning. It was the best first meeting she could have hoped for.

Flashback… (Like… two periods past):

The crowd was becoming more than a little suffocating as she tried to make her way to her second period, which was Music, something she was sure she would enjoy. But then, the area around her became particularly congested and she found herself receiving a particularly hard jolt from one of the older kids, which had knocked her small pile of school things all over the floor. Before she could bend down to retrieve them, someone else had bent down and was doing it for her.

As he rose back up to his full height, her folders clutched carefully in his large, strong hands, she looked up… into the most handsome face she had ever seen.

He grinned down at her, before holding out the books and folders he had gathered. She took them without thinking, her eyes still glued to his face.

"Better watch out, honey, they're like wild dogs down here." And with that said, he had given her a wink before vanishing into the crowd.

For about five minutes afterwards, she had stood glued to the spot, replaying their meeting again and again in her head.

End of flashback

"His name is Ma Chao, in case you were wondering," a feminine voice whispered in her ear.

Xing Cai jumped, turning to see Yue Ying grinning from her position right next to her. The older girl gave her a wink. "I've noticed you watching him the entire time we've been here."

Xing Cai blushed intensely. "Has it been that obvious?" she gasped, hoping that no one else was aware of her new-found infatuation with… Ma Chao?

Yue put one of her hands over Xing's in a comforting manner. "No. I'm just really good at recognising these sorts of things."

Xing Cai breathed another sigh, this one of relief. Guan Ping, who had been watching her intently, frowned at the sound.

"Are you okay, Xing Cai?" he asked, his tone distinctly worried. "Are you not feeling well? Do you need something to drink? Some water, perhaps?"

Xing Cai shot him a reassuring smile. Somehow, he had always taken it into his head that it was his job to look after her. Xing Cai couldn't deny that it was sweet, but she wished he would relax little, at least during school hours. "No thanks, I'm fine."

When she was sure that everyone else on her table was preoccupied with eating or talking among themselves she tuned into Ma Chao's table once more. He was currently engrossed in what looked like a deep conversation with another extremely good looking boy.

Sighing once more, Xing Cai hurriedly cast a glance around the table to see if anyone had noticed her rather loud expulsion. Zhuge Liang and Yue Ying were busy discussing a Chess game they had seen over the weekend and Ma Dai (could they possibly be related?) was sketching something on the table with what looked like a permanent marker pen, the long white plume on the top of his hat brushing across the surface as his head moved. Finally, her eyes fell onto Ping, who was looking at her with a very strange expression on his face. Oh the shame! It seemed like someone else was aware of her infatuated gaze after all…

It had been the best first day ever! Xiao Qiao giggled girlishly from her position next to Da, who was in turn seated next to her boyfriend, the very yummy Sun Ce. Even though she knew it sounded bitchy, even in her own head, Xiao found herself wondering what on earth he saw in her sister. He was so very sporty and fit and yummy and sure, Da was pretty but mostly she was just… geeky.

"I'm thinking about going to cheerleader tryouts," Xiao told anyone who was listening, running a hand through her hair in what she hoped was a flirtatious manner and realising too late that it was in pigtails, thereby ruining the effect.

"Yeah?" Ce quirked a dark eyebrow at her.

"Uh huh," Xiao giggled in response, shooting him the sexiest smile she could muster. "Do you think I'll get in, Ce?"

Ce seemed more than a little bewildered at her half-seductive tone. His hand reached up to smooth his already immaculate ponytail, something he always did when he was confused. "Uh… I guess, if you're good enough."

Da looked up from the homemade ham sandwich she had been fiddling with. "Xiao, today's your first day. Don't you think you should allow yourself to settle in a little before you start trying out for anything that demanding?"

Xiao rolled her eyes at her sister's protectiveness. "I'll be fine, Da, stop worrying!"

Da just sighed, not wanting to begin an argument here. "Fine. If you say so."

Xiao watched as Ce whispered something into Da's ear. Her sister blushed bright red in response, unconsciously nibbling on her lower lip in a way that most boys found incredibly cute. Xiao huffed as she watched them nuzzling up to each other, something red and hot that tasted oddly like jealousy shooting through her body.

"Geez, get a room why don'cha!" she had been trying to say it in a jokey manner but it had come out in a snarl instead.

Da and Ce both turned to watch her, Ce's expression bemused, Da's half-embarrassed, half-angry.

"What is with you, Xiao?" Da scowled, the visage making her look dangerously beautiful instead of just adorably pretty. "Since when did you have control over me?"

Xiao felt her own cheeks flushing bright red as the rest of the table stopped what they were doing to watch them, interest in every one of their faces. Even though she knew she should, she wasn't going to back down now.

"I should be asking you the same question, Da! Why have you got it into your head that you should be watching over me all the time? I've told you again and again, stop treating me like mom!"

Da sighed, rolling her eyes roofwards. "I'm not trying to be mom, Xiao! But it is my job to look out for you, no matter what you say!"

Xiao slammed her small fists down on the table, frustrated now. "Well, for Lao's sake, don't! I can look after myself pretty well, thank you!" She paused, her eyes scanning her older sister's form. She couldn't help but notice the huge book she had in front of her, titled English Literature, for the Intensely Advanced.
"And why do you have to be such a brain box? Older sisters are supposed to be cool and trendy! Why did I have to be the one stuck with the boring, geeky, overprotective loser?"

It was as if everything had suddenly gone into slow motion. Da's eyes filled with tears as she leaped from her seat, before fleeing the cafeteria in a hurry. Ce scowled at her, looking more annoyed than she had ever seen him before.

"That was really mean, Xiao," he sighed, before running to catch up with his fast disappearing girlfriend.

Shang Xiang, one of Da's closest friends, was the last to get up. She said nothing, instead shooting Xiao with an incredibly filthy look. Xiao watched her leave, her long legs moving rapidly across the polished wooden floor.

Xiao groaned, suddenly wanting the earth to swallow her up, just so she would not receive any more disapproving looks from the rest of the seniors at her table. Scratch what she had believed before. This was fast becoming the worst first day ever…