The blaring rap music could be heard from blocks away, followed by the laughter and voices of the teenagers playing it. It was another one of those "can't miss" get togethers, house parties thrown notoriously by the Dawn Patrol gang. It was there where you could mingle with all the cool kids, and of course indulge in all the alcohol, drugs and sex you wanted. It was the place to be but as Kaitlin approached the site of the latest fiasco all she could do was think of about a dozen other places she'd rather be. Sure it was her crew and usually her kind of scene but after a while, the parties all sort of began to blend together. She had a good mind to turn around and go home. It wasn't like Volchok would miss her that much anyway, in fact, he wasn't even expecting her. But as soon as she turned on her heels, her best friend, Jo was right at her side.

"Dude, tell me I just didn't catch your ass trying to bail on us."

"Guilty as charged," Kaitlin muttered as she was practically dragged towards the action.

"Okay, I had chalked it up to PMS or whatever but you are seriously going way soft on me."

Kaitlin shrugged.

"You know how it is. They party like this all the time. It gets kind of old after a while. Besides, I have better shit to do."

"Like?"

Kaitlin thought for a minute.

"Grey's Anatomy is on."

Jo grinned as she put her arm around her friend.

"Bitch, that's what TiVo is for now come on."

"Just for a little bit. I have this stupid paper due on Evolutionary Biology and it's totally kicking my ass. I've been working on it for like two days and I'm still nowhere near finished."

"Who cares?" Jo lit a cigarette.

"I just don't want to flunk and I don't want to hear my parents' shit and the teacher is a total slave driver. Anyway, the paper is like the first part of a team project. We kind of got partnered up so it would be kind of lame to mess up somebody else's grade."

"I heard about that."

"Heard about what?"

Jo shook her head.

"I just don't get you. Volchok is hot. He's a bad boy and he's popular and he's gonna do big things with his surfing one day. Yeah, I get he can be a little rough around the edges but so what? Gabe gets like that too sometimes, you just deal with it. Every chick at Union wants Kevin Volchok and he wants you. You used to be cool with it. In fact, you used to be more than cool with it. Now all of a sudden this Johnny guy transfers in and changes everything."

"Jo…"

"I'm for real. It sucks. What's going on with you?"

"It has nothing to do with Johnny Harper, I can tell you that much. Look, it's not a big deal. This just gets boring after a while. I already said it like a million times before and it was getting old way before Johnny got here."

"Do you like him?"

Kaitlin tried to shrug it off.

"He's just a guy."

"That's not what I asked. First, you go flirt with him and I'm thinking it's just to make Volchok jealous and I'm all like, 'whatever' but now it's like you're really into him or something."

"We're lab partners for a stupid class, that's it."

"That better be it."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Haven't you seen enough already? If Volchok thinks this kid is after his girl or his spot at Pac West still, then the beatings are only gonna get worse. I mean, at least feel sorry for the guy and leave him alone so Dawn Patrol will quit kicking his ass."

Kaitlin frowned.

"There's nothing between Johnny and me, I already told you. I'm not into him like that and he's not into me either. And as far as surfing, well, Johnny's chilled on that."

"Good."

"Is it?" Kaitlin raised an eyebrow. "Because he's good and everybody knows he's good. Being forced to quit kind of sucks, especially when you moved across the country for it."

"Everybody knows Volchok is good too. Your boyfriend is the best."

"Maybe. But if he's so good, then why was he so threatened?"

It was a question even an exasperated Jo could not answer as they entered party central, smack dab into the middle of the festivities. Following suit of the usual, the two girls grabbed a cup of beer from the overflowing keg as their friends and classmates parted both sides of the floor like the Red Sea. Downing half a cup in a single gulp, Kaitlin craned her neck for a better view. She was surrounded by the same old familiar faces, all except one.

"I thought your ass was never gonna get here."

They turned and Jo smiled as Gabe, her boyfriend and best friend of Volchok approached them. He greeted her with a slap on the behind and a sloppy kiss as Kaitlin stood impatiently for what seemed like forever waiting for the two to finally quit making out.

"Still standing here," she cleared her throat, annoyed.

Gabe just smirked.

"What's up, Kaitlin?"

"Nothing. Where's Kevin?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. Around I guess. He might have gone out for some more weed. We're getting pretty low."

She rolled her eyes. It was the most logical explanation except for one thing.

"Negative. His van is parked outside."

"Well, I don't know. Shit. Maybe he came back already."

"It's cool," Jo smiled. "Finish your beer. I got half a joint in my bag. Just wait a few minutes. You know how Volchok is. He's bound to show up sooner or later."

"Yeah," an obviously high Gabe nervously shifted his weight back and forth. "Besides, I thought you weren't coming anyway. He said you bailed."

"Yeah, I was gonna and he got all pissed over the phone so I came to hang out with him and now no one knows where the hell he is."

"Sorry," he replied half heartedly, lighting a cigarette.

"Whatever. I'm gonna go to the bathroom," Kaitlin turned to leave.

"Wait!" Gabe practically grabbed her arm.

"What?"

"Um, why don't you and Jo go roll us a blunt and I'll go find Volchok."

Gabe Pratt wasn't known for his subtlety or his brains. His behavior was oddly suspicious and the girls' female intuition picked up almost immediately. There was something about the bathroom he was trying to keep Kaitlin away from.

"Let go of me!" she jerked away. "What's going on?"

"Nothing…"

She turned her eye towards her best friend.

"Jo?"

"I don't know. Gabe?"

"Nothing. It's cool. Just wait and I'll be right back."

"No," Kaitlin shook her head.

She turned and headed off in the other direction, bound and determined to see whatever her boyfriend's friend was trying to keep her away from. She opened every door until she reached the last bedroom. When she opened it, though dark inside, it was still more than obvious that something was going on in the bed. The smaller female figure was on top, jeans unbuttoned, top and braless. When she flicked on the light switch, they all got a better look.

The girl was Heather Foster and Kaitlin knew her well. They attended the same school and from day one Heather had made no attempt to disguise her disgust for the pretty private school transfer. They'd had their words in the beginning and a few times it had almost led to blows but that was before Kaitlin had begun dating Newport Union's hottest and most notorious bad boy. Every female at school knew better than to mess with the queen of Dawn Patrol but Kaitlin's new role had done little to cool Heather's hatred. As far as she was concerned it was just another rich bitch poser. Heather had backed off even as her jealousy and resentment continued to simmer. But the real shock was the half naked guy underneath her. Tanned complexion, muscular arms, calloused hands, and a set of abs and eyes to die for, Kaitlin Cooper knew that body all too well.

"Oh my God…" Jo mouthed as the caught pair looked like two deer in headlights.

Kaitlin's reaction was a little less subdued.

"What the fuck is this shit?" she angrily spat, still surprised but nevertheless fire in her eyes.

Heather looked just as stunned and it didn't take a genius to figure out, like everyone else, she was stoned out of her mind. She sat there with a dumb look on her face, not even making an attempt to cover her half exposed chest.

"Get up," Volchok loudly but coolly commanded, giving the girl a slight push when she didn't move fast enough.

"Kev…" she slurred.

"Get out of here," he barked.

Bra in hand, she pulled her shirt back on and slowly made her way out of the door, unsure of what awaited her. But Kaitlin didn't have her sights set on "the other woman". Marching over to the bed, she hauled off and slapped her boyfriend. Her hand, though tiny, made its point, leaving a huge red mark on the side of his face. He rubbed his jaw, tingling from pain. His trademark smirk quickly returned.

"You think this is funny?"

His chuckle let her know he did.

"Is that all you got?"

"I can't believe you were about to screw that ugly slut."

"At least she still puts out."

She went to hit him again but he grabbed her wrist.

"How long, huh? How long have you been sleeping with that bitch behind my back? How could you do this, Kevin?"

"To who?" he asked. "To you? To us? Get real, Kaitlin. Like you care anyway. No, you've been too busy with your new little friend, Harper. Let's see, between surfing lessons and lunch dates and science projects it looks like you've been too busy to notice what I've been up to."

She shook her head, trying not to cry.

"This isn't about Johnny and you know it. Nothing is going on between us. This is about you and me."

Volchok laughed.

"Now it's about you and me, huh? Whatever, Kaitlin. And now you want to be mad? You want to cry about it? Why don't you go crying to your little bitch boy, Harper?"

"I hate you."

He gave her a shrug and a nonchalant look.

"What did you expect?"

The tear she had been desperately trying to stop flowed down her cheek despite the effort.

"Yeah, I guess that's the problem. I shouldn't have expected much of anything."

"Come here," he motioned.

"How do you even say that with a straight face, Kevin?"

"What are you gonna do, leave?"

She looked around and suddenly it clicked. Same old parties. Same old drugs. Same old so called friends. Same old life. Same old Volchok.

"Yeah," she swallowed hard. "That's exactly what I'm gonna do."

She turned on her heels, brushing past a silent Gabe and Jo.

"Kaitlin!" Volchok yelled after her.

But it was too late. She was already long gone.