Chapter 1

The time? Exactly 1:35 a.m. The place? The Murphy's residents. More specifically, the Murphy's basement, or as others knew, Ed Murphy's room. Lucky for those inside he was at a friend's house, leaving Duncan to sneak inside without being yelled and pummeled on.

The bathroom sink was running, small bits of black hair washing down the sink. The white counter was stained with green, but Duncan doubted that his brother would notice, it looked at home with the regular gunk that was on it.

He couldn't hear anything besides the hot air that come from the blow dryer. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he was done. Turning off the hairdryer, he looked at himself in the mirror. The new tuff of green hair was brushed back with his fingers. A smirk came to him as he looked at the finished product. It was perfect for tomorrow.

It was the end of the week for the students at Riverside Secondary School. That morning the students who ranged from grades 8 through 12th walked to school, their steps held some impatience as they waited for their Spring Break to begin. Duncan kept his black hood over his hair as he parked his bike. Teal eyes looked around trying to find a familiar face to show off his hair. There! Geoff and Trent just got dropped off by their bus.

He walked over to them, his stride full of a type of wager that was not missed by his friends. Before they could get their hey's out Duncan pulled off his hood to show them his new look. They stared at him in shock. Duncan felt pride surge through his body as they stared gobsmacked at him.

Geoff was the first to speak, an astonished laugh escaping him. "Oh, man! That's sick! How'd your mom say yes to that?"

"She didn't." Duncan gave a smug smirk as he ran his finger through his coiffed green hair.

"Duncan?"

The astonished sound caused him to turn around. It was Courtney Flores, she had her long brown hair held up by a green scrunchy. If only he had a camera! The look on her face was priceless!

"Like my new hair?" He asked.

"No! Duncan, you're only 13, why'd you dye your hair? You look like even more of a punk!" She protested, her tiny hands turned into fists at her side. "How'd your mother even let you do that?"

"She didn't." Trent quoted, the smile he held made it more apparent that it was only Courtney who had a problem with it.

She looked up at him in disbelief. "She doesn't know?"

Duncan could feel his ego-inflating as Courtney judged him over his hair. "Thought it was a good look before Christie's party tonight."

Courtney was about to give him another piece of her mind but was stopped when an arm wrapped itself around her shoulder. She looked up to see it was Justin. His white teeth smiled at the boys in front of him.

"Cool hair, Duncan." He said.

"Cool hair?" She repeated in annoyance. "It totally is not!"

"Calm down, baby, you don't want to give yourself stress wrinkles over something as little as his hair." He chastised, his index finger playfully poked at the crevasse that separated her eyes.

She seemed to melt at that. A dopey smile came to her as she looked at her feet. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Duncan's smirk fell. Courtney and Justin started dating back before Winter break. She had helped him study for his 10th-grade Spanish test. Apparently, he aced it and the rest was history. Now they gave Duncan his own personal Hell whenever they appeared with one another. Courtney acted like an ooey-gooey mess around Justin. So tamed compared to how she should be. Made him sick to his stomach.

He gave a click of his tongue as he watched them walk away. He rolled his eyes when Justin gave Courtney his jacket, stating she looked 'too cold.'

"Hate that guy," Duncan grumbled as he glared at the happy couple.

"Nah, you just hate that Courtney doesn't scold you anymore." Geoff pointed out.

Trent placed his hand on Duncan's shoulder. "Such a masochist."

"Fuck off!" He growled as he jerked his body away from his friends.

The two looked to him and back at each other before they burst into laughter.

"Me not liking him has nothing to do with Courtney, okay?" He protested. "It's just Justin's annoying, that's it."

"Oh yeah, him complimenting your hair? What a piece of crap, amirite?" Trent chuckled as he and Geoff walked past him.

Duncan didn't fight him on that. Justin seemed nice but to Duncan, it seemed too artificial. He refused to speak this feeling to anyone though, they'd probably think he's jealous or something. Which, he totally isn't.

First period came and went. Then second. Third. Fourth. Fifth. As quickly as it started the school day ended and now everyone was getting ready to head home for a week off of classes and teachers. Not him, or the rest of the 8th-grade class for that matter.

Christie was holding a party for the whole 8th-grade class. A big bang to start off their break, as she put it. She had a big house in the same neighborhood Bridgette and Courtney, Castlebrook. She was defiantly going to be teen royalty when she entered her later years at Riverside. Even now, she was seen as the most popular girl of 8th grade.

Duncan got to his bike, getting it out of its lock before a familiar voice caught his attention. He looked up and there was Christie. Her outfit matched her personality, vibrant and loud.

"So love the hair!" She gushed, reaching up to run her fingers through it.

Duncan fought back the blush that came to his cheeks, and just let out a soft chuckle. "Thanks, wanted to get all gussied up for your party."

"For me? No way!" She cheered, her arm slinking itself around his own. "Now, I have to hurry and tell you the whole reason why I came over here!"

"Now it's my turn to be shocked!" He teased. "What's up?"

"Well," she began, leaning her body closer to his, " I was thinking, could you maybe convince Courtney to not come?"

He let out a laugh. A loud one.

"Listen, sweetness, as much as I would love for her to not come that'd just make her want to come. Look, I highly doubt she's coming anyway. Parties aren't really her thing, plus I think she's hanging with-," he couldn't finish, he didn't even want to think about those two.

"Justin?" Christie spoke, causing Duncan to blink.

Did she read his mind? No. There came Justin, walking his way over to them. To Duncan's surprise, Courtney wasn't by his side.

"Christie, right?" He asked.

"Like, yeah." Christie melted.

Duncan rolled his eyes.

"Is it cool if I talk to Duncan for a sec?"

She batted her eyes, too transfixed on his appearance to acknowledge what was being asked of her.

"What?" Duncan asked, he regretted the bite he had behind it. He just knew if Courtney found out she'd give him crap for it.

Justin either didn't realize it, or he brushed it off. "Well, I was wondering if you had any idea what I could get Courtney for our five-month anniversary next month."

"You're the boyfriend, how'd I know?"

"Well, you are her friend right?"

Justin's question was met with an annoyed sigh.

"Look," Duncan spoke, "you're going to have more help asking Bridgette."

Justin looked down at him before he ran his hand through his neatly trimmed hair. "Guess you have a point."

Him and the rest of the students who were still on campus could hear Courtney call over to him. He turned around and waved to her as she quickly made her way down the steps, multiple library books pressed up against her chair.

"Where have you been?" Justin asked after he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh, I was just checking out some books before the break." She blushed, it caused Duncan to roll his eyes, wishing he had already left.

"Nerd." Duncan coughed into his hand.

Courtney's eyes turned sharp as she looked at him, but changed she saw Christie let out a giggle. Her face turned into his chest to try and stifle it. Courtney's brown eyes took notice of Christie's arm wrapped around Duncan's. She blinked several times, probably trying to comprehend it Duncan thought.

She got over it quickly.

"So Christie, should I bring anything to the party?" Her question caused an awkward pause to sweep over the two.

Duncan tried to quickly recover the atmosphere before she could notice. "Wait, you're going?"

"I told her that she should go out and have some fun before she had to buckle down for the last couple of months of school." Justin proudly stated, his arm going around Courtney's shoulders.

Christie gave Duncan a look. He let out a groan, Justin continued to cause problems for him!

Justin looked at his watch and let out a curse. "Sorry baby, I have to go to work."

Courtney's face dropped. "Oh, okay."

He gave her a quick peck on the lips before he pulled away. The three watched him run over to one of his friends who was making their way to the parking lot.

"You don't have to come you know." Duncan's words came out of him before he could even process.

"Yeah, it's not like you'll have fun anyway," Christie added.

Courtney tightened her grip around her books. "It almost seems as if you don't want me to come."

"No!" Christie protested, but was contradicted at the same time with Duncan's apathetic "Yes."

She quickly stepped on his foot. He let out a curse as Christie tried to cover herself.

"I just don't want you to get all stressed if something doesn't go right. Like not having any coasters for instance!"

Courtney let out a laugh. "Well, I could just bring coasters!"

A honk saved Christie from talking about it further. She turned her head and saw her mother had come to pick her up. She gave Courtney a wave before she pulled Duncan with her.

"You have to tell her."

"I did, but you butted in." He corrected her.

She moved her body in front of him, her arm let go of his own. She placed her dainty hand on his shoulder. She batted her long lashes at him.

"Try again. For me?"

Duncan wasn't an idiot. He knew exactly what she was doing. Even though he knew this the moment she reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek his hormones shoved whatever pride he had to the back of his mind.

"Fine, but I'm expecting something in return." He told her.

What it was exactly, he didn't know. He did know he wanted her to do that again.

She gave him another kiss, "You're the best! See you at the party!"

He watched her car drive away before he turned his head to look at Courtney. She was watching them. She quirked a brow at him. He took a step towards her, ready to tell her to stay at home that night. An arm around his shoulder stopped it.

"No way!" Geoff cheered, swigging his hat back and forth in the air. "Can't believe Christie gave you a kiss. Her lips soft? They look soft."

Bridgette was beside him now. "Geoff, leave him alone."

"What? I really wanna know." He protested as he put his hat back on.

"Don't worry you'll get your turn at her party." She laughed, the other two did not.

They looked down at her and at the same time, with perfect unison they asked. "What are you talking about?"

She laughed again. "You guys really don't know?" Her voice became a whisper as she moved closer to them. "From what I hear, there's going to be spin the bottle."

Duncan's eyes wandered over to Courtney. She still stood there, now distracted by reading something in her book.

Geoff let go of Duncan as he whistled. "Spin the bottle you say?"

"Well, I'm happy you're interested. I, on the other hand, don't find the appeal to it."

Geoff stared at her in shock. "You get to kiss someone Bridge, what's not to like?"

"Probably a bad kisser." Duncan teased as he looked away from Courtney.

"Oh, Bridge! Me and you can practice!" Geoff offered.

To Geoff's surprise, Bridgette got mad. She shoved him and stalked over to where Courtney stood.

"Jerks!" She shouted over her shoulder before she got to Courtney.

Geoff watched her, a look of confusion and hurt on his face. Duncan didn't hold back his laugh. Bridgette could be so overdramatic. Uh oh, looks like she told Courtney what happened. She was glaring them down. Man, he missed that glare, it made him know that he was doing something right.

Geoff on the other hand knew that he needed to get out of there before he faced a lecture on school grounds. He gave Duncan a firm pat on the shoulder and waved before he ran for the bus that was just about to leave without him.

Duncan walked to his bike, ready for the cold glare Courtney would give him. It never came. She was comforting Bridgette who seemed upset from what they talked about. Duncan rolled his eyes.

"What Bridge, you on the rag?" Duncan asked as he brought his bike out from the rack.

"Jesus Christ, Duncan." Courtney scolded as she blocked his view of Bridgette. "Could you go be a jerk somewhere else?"

"That's why I'm getting my bike, Princess." He said.

"Hope you break your leg." She grumbled as she went back to comforting her friend.

Duncan ignored that comment and got on his bike to ride home. He didn't understand why Courtney was so upset. Maybe she was on her period too. The look she gave him was rather murderous, though.

Courtney snapped at him for not leaving yet. "Do you need something?"

He let out a hum. He needed to decide if he should really ask her to not come.

"Nothing." He smirked before he rode off.

Gwen sat underneath one of the many trees that covered their campus. She drew a line in her sketchbook. She quickly erased it. No matter what she did it wasn't coming out right! She caught the sound of one of the side doors to the school opening up.

On instinct, she pulled the sketchbook close to her chest. She knew that they couldn't see it from there, heck, they couldn't see past the tree she was sitting under! But she still didn't want to chance it.

A curse caught her attention. She moved her body, her head poked out from behind the tree. There stood Trent. He held a sour look on his face as he stared down at a sheet of paper. His green eyes left the paper and made contact with her own. A blush of embarrassment came over her features.

He waved to her as he made his way to where she sat. Before Gwen could close the book Trent sat down beside her.

He tried to peer at the paper. "Whatcha drawing?"

"Nothing important." She mumbled.

She tried to shut it closed but was stopped by Trent's right index finger. "Doubt it. Let me see."

Gwen stared at him. She didn't want to show him. It wasn't even finished yet. What if he didn't like it? Worse, what if he actually told her that he didn't like it. Still, Gwen could never say no to him.

"It's not done yet." She warned.

"'S cool." He smiled as he pushed it open with his finger.

On the page was a rough drawing of mountain scenery. Gwen stopped breathing, too anxious to know his opinion. Trent ripped the paper out. She released the air from her lungs as she gasped at his actions.

She stared wide-eyed at him. "What the hell, man?"

"I'm keeping this. Knowing you, you'd probably just keep messing with it before throwing it away." He said, putting the paper into his book bag.

"I wouldn't throw it away." She protested as she tried to snatch the book from him.

He raised it away from her. "Yes, you would."

He brought the book back down to his lap. His fingertips grazed the inner spin of the sketchbook. He touched the rough edges of where paper once was.

"The first time you got this it had more paper. You only keep the ones you like, and from what I can tell, it's what, ten?" He flipped through the beginning pages that held several landscapes.

She stayed silent. He was right, but it annoyed her that he was that perceptive.

"What made you so ticked off?" She asked, trying to change to subject.

It was his turn to get silent. He didn't say anything and just gave her his paper. It was from their Life Science test. A complete failure. A red zero was circled.

"What? How?"

He groaned and leaned against the tree. "Said I was cheating. Total crap."

"You don't cheat, though!"

"That's what I told him! My dad's total going to kill me when I bring this home. No party, my break just got ruined because Mr. Merch decided that I was going to be his current victim of the month."

"I'll talk to him! That's not cool at all. He doesn't have any proof!" She tried to stand up but was stopped by Trent who reached for her arm.

He calmly brought her back down beside him. "That's not going to do anything. I appreciate it, I really do, but there's no reason for both of us to get grounded."

"But it's not fair to just have him do that!" She protested, which to her surprise, caused him to smile. "He failed you, and all you can do is sit there and smile?"

"Can't help it. Knowing a cute girl wants to defend my honor makes me all giddy." He teased, which caused Gwen to shove his shoulder.

She stared at him, annoyance not being held back. "I'm being serious."

He matched her serious gaze. "Me too."

Gwen turned her body and leaned against the tree again. Trent was really starting to make her mad. She just wanted to make things right, but he was being so stubborn about it! Plus, his weird 'cute' comment.

Great, Gwen thought, now there's this awkward tension. She decided it was best to just get up and leave, her mom was about to get there to pick her up anyways.

That was until Trent spoke. "Christ, Gwen, your fingers."

She looked down at them. The tips were red from the cold. Her black sweater couldn't do anything to hide them from the cold.

"It's okay, I kinda don't feel it anymore. Guess my body got used to it." She let out a soft chuckle, trying to make light of it.

"Yeah, it's called hypothermia." He joked, but his tone was serious as he took off his black gloves. "This is Canada, Gwen. How can you be so reckless?"

She tried to ease his worry, finding it odd that he was getting worked up over something as little as her not having gloves. "I was just joking Trent I'm fine. Listen, I just forgot my gloves today, not a big deal."

"An artist must keep their hands protected." He advised as he placed the gloves into her hands.

"What about you, Mr. Guitar?"

Even with her question she still put the gloves on her hands. She watched him reach into his bag and pull out another pair of the same black gloves.

"I always bring an extra pair."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Never hurts to be prepared."

Gwen smiled, ready to say her thanks when a honk stopped her. The two looked over to the road, there came Gwen's mom, Helen. She was always nice and peppy, wearing bright colors to convey her personality. She pulled up in their old beat-up Station Wagon. Tommy had claimed the front seat, his hands tapping away at the dashboard.

He stood up first, his hand grabbed her own to help her up. "Here, I'll walk you."

Trent waved back at the car as it parked in front of the school. Tommy rolled the window down and shouted at Trent and Gwen, teasing them about being together.

"Trent and Gwen kissing in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g." He sang.

Gwen rolled her eyes at him, wishing she was an only sibling. Trent played along, which Gwen also hated. This was just going to give her brother more ammo to be annoying at home.

"We got matching gloves and everything." He chuckled, lifting up Gwen's hand. "Could say we're going steady."

"Knock it off," Gwen grumbled, giving his shoulder a playful shove. She turned her attitude to her brother. "You, say that crap one more time and you're going to be facing a super wedgie like you wouldn't believe."

"Mom!" Tommy called to his mother who was happily humming along to The Beach Boys.

"No one's going to save you," Gwen smirked down at him.

He scrambled from the front seat to the back. "Here, you can have the front!"

Gwen and Trent laughed at her brother's actions.

"Oh man, you're families just the best." He got out after a moment of laughter.

"They're okay." She said.

Her hand gripped the metal to open it up but stopped when she heard a familiar voice. It was deep and held a sense of superiority. Far too much for someone at a high school. They turned around and saw that it was Mr. Merch. He wore his regular brown suit, it made him look far older than his actual age.

"Ms. Cooper, Mr. Dawson." He greeted them.

She pulled her hand away from the handle and glared at him. "Hey. I have a question."

"Gwen," Trent warned.

She didn't listen. "What's your beef with a 13-year-old? I mean Trent's never cheated a day in his life, so what's the deal?"

He let out a sigh of anguish, his hand went up to balm at his right eye. He just knew it was going to start twitching soon. "Gwen. No."

"Excuse me?" Mr. Merch glared.

"Holy crap! Mom, Gwen's about to punch a teacher!" Tommy cheered from the back seat.

Trent looked back and glared. "Zip it, Tommy."

"What?" Helen became more aware of the situation that was going on outside of her Beach Boys.

She quickly got out of her car and rushed to the other side. "What's going on? Why are you glaring at my daughter? Sweetie, what's happening?"

Helen, the ever mother hen, got to Gwen's side and placed a hand on her shoulder. Gwen didn't back down, her icy stare still fixated on Mr. Merch. She's had a problem with him ever since he told her that she got a question wrong because she didn't go into detail about the ecosystems of Canada. He expected her to have college grade knowledge the first week of school. She's hated him ever since.

"He said Trent was cheating and gave him a zero," Gwen told her.

Helen, ever the dramatic, let out a gasp and looked to Trent. "Is this true?"

Trent gave her a shrug, just wishing that he could escape this newfound nightmare.

"Where's the proof? Did he have the same exact answers as someone?" Helen asked her attention now on the teacher.

He cleared his throat. "On the contrary, he got them all right."

"I'm confused, wouldn't that mean that he made a 100?"

"Listen, every test I make always has one question that's two grade levels above the standard curriculum. There was no way he would know the answer to it unless he got hold of my answer key."

"See, he's insane." Trent sighed, but back-peddled as he looked back to his teacher. "With all due respect, sir."

"Do you not have faith in the younger generation? This just shows that Trent here is a bright young student!" Helen scolded.

Her hands were quick to reach her mouth. "Oh goodness, do you not believe in yourself as a teacher? Is that why you're so hard on the students? Is it because you don't know the subject enough that you can't bring it down to their level?"

"I think he just sucks," Gwen stated.

Her mother quickly shushed her. Helen took a step closer to the teacher. She placed a kind hand on his shoulder.

"If you wish I can help you talk to the principal about it." She offered.

He got visibly flustered. His cheeks turned red and his body stiffened. Whether it was because he was being insulted or a pretty woman was showing him physical attention.

Helen decided to take another approach. "How about you just reconsider it? He is an excellent student because of you, right? Change his test back to an A+! For old times' sake, Russell?"

Gwen and Trent found themselves in shock. "Russell?"

He cleared his throat again as he tightened his tie. "I guess you do have a point. It is possible for Mr. Dawson to know more than he lets on."

"Yay!" She cheered as she gave him several pats on the shoulder.

All it took was Helen talking to him for under three minutes for him to give Trent his 100. His cheeks flushed he made his way to the school's parking lot. Helen waved him goodbye before she looked back to the teens.

"Now let's head home. Trent, you need a ride, honey?" She asked as she fussed with Gwen's hair.

"I was just going to walk home."

"But it's so chilly outside! Come on, I'll drop you off."

He couldn't say no to her. He got put in the back with Tommy. Gwen fiddled with the radio, trying to find a song that she actually enjoyed. It wasn't until her mom got to a stoplight did Gwen finally find a song she tolerated.

Trent leaned against the back of Gwen's seat as he stared at Helen. "So you and Mr. Merch? When did that happen?"

"Years ago! You might not know this Gwenny, but your mom was a little heart breaker back in the day!" She giggled.

Gwen rolled her eyes and sighed. "Mom!"

"But of course that all changed when I met your father! He was just the sweetest!" She said, her brown eyes looking back to Trent. "Trent actually reminds me a lot of him. No wonder you like him so much. They do say that girls fall for boys that remind them of their fathers."

Gwen blushed from embarrassment. "Mom!" She turned back to face Trent. "Don't listen to her, she's insane!"

"Careful there, Gwenny, it almost sounds like you're in denial." Helen smiled.

Helen stopped the car in front of Trent's house. Gwen let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God." She breathed.

Trent got out of the car, paused, and then put his head back in. "See you at the party?"

"Not likely. Parties aren't my thing."

"Come on it'll be fun! Come on Gwenny, for me." He teased which caused him to get a glare from her.

"Oh, a party? So fun! You should go!" Helen cheered.

Gwen wanted to say no. She wanted to say it over and over again until they could get it through their thick skulls. She couldn't say no though, not to the two who would no doubt keep bothering her about it.

"Fine. I'll go, but if it's boring I'm leaving, got it?"

"Aye aye, Captain." Trent saluted before he brought his head out of the car.

Gwen could already feel herself be filled with regret. She knew she wasn't going to be having any fun at this party. She wasn't like Trent who seemed to like the idea of going to a party and just talking with his classmates. Gwen didn't know if she could hold more than a polite conversation with them. Would she even have anything in common with the others there?

Plus, there was the whole rumor that Christie was going to have spin the bottle there. A nervous knot made a home in Gwen's stomach. She didn't want her first kiss to be at some random party with some guy she probably didn't even like. Life truly was difficult for a 13-year-old.

Authors note: Welcome to the prequel of The Boardwalk! I couldn't get this idea out of my head and I knew I couldn't get anything done until I've written this story down, lol.