A/N: Another chapter! The plot is really moving slowly though, but that's mainly due to my update schedule. *Sighs* I really need to improve that. Still I'm a bit bugged by that...but then again I have so much to pack into the story. Anyway, things should start building up from here. All the drama's only uphill from this point after all and a lot is bound to happen!

That being said, who else is excited for the new season/seasons of TD that's gonna come out? I'm a bit excited, but not too much cause anything can happen. I'm just hoping that it isn't a bad season...

JustaFriend - I'm glad you liked the chapter! Also a reference to one of my oldest stories? *Laughs over repressed cringe* That prom arc was definitely one of the best I've ever written. And you thought I was gone?! That really was my bad, I'm sorry for disappearing like that. (Real life just loves being a pain). I can understand why you might have missed my writings too. I miss some of my favourite authors' writings on here - it just speaks to me as a reader! But I'm glad you like how the story's moving along. There's a lot more to come and I'm looking forward to sharing it and getting feedback. Make sure to stay safe a well too ^w^

Anyway, I'll stop rambling and give you guys the long-awaited newest chapter!

Thanks for following, favouriting, reading and reviewing!

D.L.D

~Courtney~

"Why am I even coming in today?"

It comes out as a half moan, my body feeling sluggish after staying up all night crying. Yes, all night. I can't remember how long I'd actually sat there in the broken glass, sobbing my eyes out and rocking back and forth. I think it was after meeting Izzy that I fell into depression again, the sight of the still broken picture frame upsetting me once more. There were so many memories tied to it after all...

Yeah, it had to be that.

Plus Izzy's ominous words had put me on edge. It was odd for the usually batty and weird Izzy to suddenly seem concerned, her words and actions displaying that she was hesitant with helping me. In fact it seemed like she was reluctant, everything she suggested to me seeming like a chance to walk away. I can't count how many times she told me to stop if I felt like turning back. But I didn't take any of the chances, and managed to get some solid information from her, earning a pretty worried expression from Izzy. It was alike to her therapist's tone, the look clear and reflective as she gave her final parting.

"Just remember not to go too far ok?"

Those words... They made me think of how everyone was secretly pitying me right now. How they all spoke about how I was doing and tried to help me move on. But nothing seemed to work and therefore I truly was a mess at this point.

A big, fat, muddled mess.

That thought then led to me beginning to not like the fact that I was upset. In fact it made me wonder why I was upset in the first place, leading to me being reminded by all the hurt and betrayal I now had within my heart. Ergo, I ended up crying for the whole of the night.

"Because you have to," Gwen shook her head, brows furrowed as she looked at me.

I'd forgotten that she was the one who forced me to come in today, barging into my room and forcing me out of the house. I was going to take the day off, but Gwen was having none of it. In fact she told me that I needed to keep my perfect attendance even if I'm mentally unstable. She said I'd kick her ass if I found out she didn't force me once I was back to normal. I'd do that right now if I didn't have to act so damn 'fine'.

"I'm worried about you Court," Her tone comes out soft, eyes trailing towards the ground, "You've been acting off for a while now."

I simply scoff at that, rolling my eyes. If only she knew why I was acting off. I bet it would make a whole lot of sense to Gwen if I told her why I was upset - but doing so could ruin the plan. The plan was all I had left to cling onto now. The plan and my revenge. As a result I had to keep the reason airtight, playing it off as me being upset over a breakup I caused.

Really odd right?

"Seriously Courtney, what's going on?" Gwen stops us in the middle of the corridor, pale hands turning whiter as she grasps me by the shoulders. Her expression is plain, firm, dark brown eyes focused on me as I shrug and keep a neutral face. A face that's hard to keep when the whore who stole your boyfriend is acting all concerned. After all, if she was really concerned she wouldn't have kissed Duncan in the first place.

There's no point being concerned when you could just tell the truth.

"It's nothing," The words come out quickly, my eyes darting towards something that could take my mind off the cheating. Tears form, but I blink them back. "I'm just going through some stuff, ok?"

Gwen released a sigh at that, shaking her head as she released me. However she wasn't done, her voice and gaze still critical as she walked beside me. Knowing me the best out of anyone, Gwen knew when something was wrong. She knew when something was bugging me, or when I was going through something really bad. She knew when I was having issues, or when I was hiding the fact that something was bothering me. Like Duncan she had mastered knowing me like an open book.

So knowing me that well, I couldn't completely hide that I was hurt from her. I couldn't hide that she was the reason why I was so crazy right now.

"Yeah right," Gwen huffed, arms automatically folding. Her gaze had turned from concerned to frustrated, eyelids lowered over her eyes. "I know something's upsetting you Courtney and I'm going to find out what. If it's about Duncan then - "

I tune her out from there, legs automatically working faster as I power down the corridor. I can't listen to this right now, not from her. She isn't someone that should be talking about him, nor trying to comfort me about it. Gwen and Duncan were the last people I wanted to comfort me, even if they were my best friend and boyfriend. They would just make things worse and Gwen mentioning Duncan only put me into a worse state of mind.

After all no-one knows him better than Gwen. Not even me. That's why he chose to cheat with her. That's why he chose to deceive me...

Holding back tears I practically shove through the younger students, ignoring the desperate shouts and pleas of my friend. It's only when I reach my class that I look back at the Goth, her expression saying it all as I turned away once again.

~Heather~

God I hate this place. I hate it so much sometimes.

Tell me why I have to listen to dumb blondes prattling on and on every morning on the way to school? Or why I have to do 'activities' with them and act like I'm their friend? How about the famous winner of me being someone they look up to and value as a friend?

Bleurgh.

I do all of this and in reality I couldn't give two fucks about any of them. They were carbon clones after all, their opinions being the same as well as their looks. Long straight hair, pretty tans or blemish-free skin, as well as the winner of designer gear. It was only the lucky few, like Barbecue Bridgette, who get away with being 'middle-class' and alright. It's only the people Bridgette hangs around that drag her down, those freakish outcasts being number one on my hit list.

However that didn't mean that these dumb blondes didn't have anything to offer. In fact they had quite a lot, as well as chances to make Courtney more comfortable around myself. After all blondes are the friendliest of people - well the dumb and innocent ones anyway. Just watch Barbie to learn that.

"So Heather are you coming tonight?" Dakota raised a brow, casually sipping her morning coffee. Dakota was the kindest of the group, her brains being a little better than Lindsay. However she could still be a bit dim, her mind orientated on fashion and photography.

"Oh yeah, I wouldn't miss it for the world," I nod, fake smile in place. I always knew to expect random invites to stuff with them all. They always did shopping trips, slumber parties and other bonding stuff. In fact it was expected to do one at least every weekend, so I always had either a Friday or Saturday free.

"Great!" Lindsay giggled as she ticked something off a list. "You should invite Catherine too cause she's been super down."

A chorus of agreements were spoken to that, much of the group agreeing that Courtney should be included in the group activities. They saw her as someone with potential after all and viewed her breakup with Duncan as tragic and unfortunate. Plus they all knew about the gossip of Duncan and Gwen being a thing, meaning that they wanted to inform and comfort her about it. As a result, a slumber party was the perfect way to integrate Courtney.

"Ok, I'll talk to her about it," I roll my eyes, swinging my bag strap over my shoulder. "But don't say anything about Duncan to her, ok? She's still sensitive."

The group all nodded at that, their excitement being something greater than the will to tell Courtney about Duncan. After all, a new comer is rare news for this group, so Courtney is going to get a very special welcome.

~Courtney~

School seems like eternity today. All I can hear are the unheard whispers and sneaking glances of my classmates, many of them talking about the incident at lunch as well as my breakup. In fact I caught all sorts of snippets from the gossipers, things from abortion to bipolarity being blamed for everything that's happened. As a result I spent most of my lessons in silence, getting on with the work but not taking much time to talk.

Instead I hid in my thoughts.

All sorts of thought filled me throughout the morning. Depression, mutism, suicide - make it a thing and I thought it. I thought about everything long and hard, trying to distract myself from betraying emotion or a sign of what was wrong. Instead I focused on being an eternal pokerface, my emotions being something I can lock up and control. They are something I can hide. As a result I began to doodle on a piece of paper.

The paper was something that symbolized my thoughts, and when I thought something I doodled on the paper. Once I doodled on the paper, my thoughts began to feel lighter, somehow leaving me once they entered the paper. I would then look at it for a while, still thinking and ignoring, before scribbling it out. When I scribbled the doodles out, in permanent marker too, my mind took it as the thought being forgotten.

So when break came, you can imagine how relived I was. Everything was pushed to the back of my mind, the bad and depressing thoughts banished to the scribbled and screwed up ball of paper I'd put in the bin. It felt so great to ditch it all for a while.

"Courtney!" Heather approached me, a large grin on her face as she greeted me. It was a very cheerful greeting too, the bitch seeming happy to see me - but then again is that surprising? She ruined my life. "I'm so glad you chose to come in today. That's a really brave move on you, I could never - "

"Stop with the fuckery Heather," The words come out as a growl, my bad mood made even worse by Heather's sudden appearance. After a lot of thought, she wasn't really in a safe zone. In fact I felt like punching her as well as Gwen. "What do you want from me? Isn't public embarrassment enough?"

Heather always liked to do this to people. She liked to make you become a ridicule or the center of negative attention, before suddenly becoming your best friend and being all buddy-buddy with you. Heather didn't know how to treat people like real people - she liked to think of them as tools. As a result I was tool to her, something she could use in her latest grand scheme. I knew that from the beginning and yet I still went along with it.

I still chose to work with her.

"That was an accident, Courtney," Heather released a sigh, rolling her eyes. "Lebomba was the one who messed it up. I was simply going to tell you something over lunch."

I scoff at that, pulling an unimpressed expression at her words. Heather knew exactly what she was doing when asked me to sit at her table. She knew that Leshawna would react in an outspoken way and would demand for me to sit with her. Therefore me spilling my lunch and having that outburst was inevitable. I'd been set up from the beginning - just like with Gwen and Duncan.

"Yeah right," I begin to walk away from Heather, my slightly lightened mood back to grim. "I'm not in the mood to talk to you right now. Try again when you're less of a self-centered bitch."

I then push open the door leading inside, not bothering to listen to the trail of whispers following me.

Lunchtime. Fuck it - fuck it all.

The bell had rung indicating the end of class, and everyone began to pile out. I myself was ready to get closer to the end of the day, wanting to forget about all of the whispers and rumors I'd had to endure. I just wanted to go home and bury my face in a pillow, maybe cry a little more and throw and burn things. Maybe even start a plot against Heather for making my mood worse, her stunt from yesterday reminding me of how alone I was.

How I had no-one...

I go to the cafeteria, getting in the queue and knowing that I won't eat anything at all. In fact I'll probably poke at my food more than eat it, the table I'm going to being undetermined since I didn't want to face Gwen and Duncan (and Heather was someone I was avoiding). As a result I was working on autopilot for lunch, my mind being completely blank as I collected my food and walked towards a random table.

It's when I hear my own voice that I snap out of my blank state, confused as to why my body had brought me here.

"Can I...sit here?"

I blink as I look at the people at the table, their faces being those of old friends. Friends that I had unfairly neglected and avoided during my volatile state of mind. In fact I had neglected them purely because of their association with Gwen and Duncan, my bias being something that made them feel as if they'd done something wrong. That they had wronged me when none of them had done anything but be good friends.

"Of course you can, Sugarbaby," Leshawna looked at me, brows crinkled with concern. She pat the seat beside her, signalling for me to sit there. "Don't worry about yesterday. I know recently life's been a little tough for you."

I sniffle as I sit beside her, Bridgette being on my other side. Across from me was Geoff and DJ. Gwen and Duncan were missing, most likely being held up by something. I didn't want to think about what that 'something' could be and so instead I focused on 'eating' my lunch.

"You know, we're all worried about you," DJ spoke next, his usual soft demeanor seeming softer as he spoke to me. He seemed to be treating me like a piece of porcelain, acting as if I could crack at any second. But then again, maybe I will.

"Yeah, you've been acting really off," Bridgette nodded, the same type of sadness and softness mixed into her gaze. She placed a hand on my arm. "Everyone knows."

I shiver slightly at those words, knowing that there's a lot that everyone doesn't know about. In fact no-one knows about why I'm upset, those details being locked between myself and Heather. I made sure it was kept that way, even in this crazy state of mind. I wasn't letting it leak - not yet. I needed to keep it locked up until I fulfilled my revenge. Then it would be even and I would be able to move on more than I can now.

"Yeah, even Duncan's caught on," Geoff joked, but it wasn't well received.

My fork ended up falling to the floor at that, my body frozen. A million thoughts seemed to buzz around, mixtures of happiness, sadness and extreme hurt melding into one as I felt my gaze narrowing into a glare. I felt a hand on my shoulder - no two - and heard a voice calling my name and saying to calm down. I heard them saying that Geoff was just attempting a joke and he was just really shitty at pulling them off.

However, my thoughts had grown into voices now, urging me to lash out and unleash all the pent up anger and pain. They told me to trash the cafeteria and scare everyone in there. They told me not to care, not to think about the repercussions and just do. They told me to be human and feel emotions - to do what I should and not hide it all away.

But I couldn't do that.

I couldn't do it yet and not to people that had nothing to do with this. They didn't deserve it. They didn't deserve to be disturbed because of my shitty circumstances.

My shitty circumstances...

I didn't want to hurt anyone, did I? I just wanted to cry and let it out. I wanted to let it all out, but I couldn't because I still felt hatred towards Gwen and Duncan. I still wanted to hurt them how they hurt me, but I didn't want to hurt anyone else.

"Are you ok, Courtney?" Bridgette's voice broke through my thoughts. It was clear and soft, hazel eyes matching her tone. "What's going on?"

I then cracked. I crumbled and cracked, great tears escaping as my glare softened and the thoughts stopped. Everything stopped. It all fell and became tiny, minuscule fragments as I began to weep and cry. Cry, cry, cry... That's all I ever do when I can't be angry. I cry and cry and cause others to feel pity. I don't think about it - I just do it. I cry and cry and cry. I sob and sob and sob. I do it over and over again, the cycle repeating for eternity as I try to move on and heal.

But can I ever heal?

Maybe I'm meant to be broken for eternity.

"I - Everything's fucked!" The words escape as I continue to cry, sobbing into Leshawna as she rubbed my back. As usual she was like a mother-figure, kind and guiding as she tried to sort me straight. Bridgette was beside her, kindness radiating from her. "I'm not - I can't...Why did this have to happen to me?!"

"Shhh, it's ok hun," Leshawna's voice had turned softer, her tough exterior broken down for the moment. A hand stroked the top of my head. "Everything's ok."

Ok? Nothing's ok! Nothing has ever been ok and now that I know that, I feel like shit. I feel so dumb and degraded and used...I feel -

"No it's not!" I break into a bigger sob, pushing away from Leshawna and more of less burying my face in the table instead. "I'm a huge mess!"

I could feel the concerned glances being shared as I continued to sob, my friends probably trying to get to the bottom of this dilemma. Knowing them, they'd probably already tied it to Duncan. But they probably were stuck from there onward. After all I kept it all air-tight. Not a soul except Heather knew about it all.

"What happened, Courtney?" Bridgette attempted to find out first, a gentle hand placed on my shoulder blade.

"Yeah, what do you mean by 'why did this have to happen to me?'" Geoff joined her, the duo working in unison.

However their attempts were greeted with silence, my sobs drowning out the words. That's all they heard for the whole of lunch, my sobs replacing words I couldn't say and anger temporarily dissolved into those tears. Yet I knew the anger would come back, it would come back once I stopped feeling sorry for myself. Once I went back into 'revenge is all I care about mode' there'd be no emotion left. All I'd feel is rage and humiliation.

As a result I decided to say something before it was too late. Before I can't take it back.

"I'm sorry..." The words leave quietly, almost mistakable for a sob as I try to sniffle away the hot tears and snot. I probably looked like a huge wreck right now, my makeup and face ruined by the sudden assault of tears and emotion.

"Sorry? Sorry for what Courtney?"

All of my friends seemed to say the words, concern and fear mixing into one as I gave a terrifying smirk. A smirk that was signaled and trained by Heather for occasions when I had to hide my hurt and distress. A smirked saved for when I spot Duncan or Gwen.

"I'm sorry for dropping ties with you all," The switch from upset to suddenly cocky and sinister was shocking, my mind confused as to how I could even do that. In fact it was even more shocking when I got up from my seat, gracefully taking my tray with me. "You were all great friends, but now I've found better ones."

With that I left the table, heading right towards the enemy. The enemy known to manipulate people just like me.

~Heather~

"Look what the cat dragged in," A smirk can't help but form as Courtney approaches my table, tray and smile in place as she stands before us. As suspected, she had some emotional and mental baggage to sort through this morning, her mind still warring over what to do. However now she seems to have come to her senses, her logic most likely convincing her that I'm the only ally she has.

Which is a hundred percent true.

"What made you change your mind?" I lean forwards, elbows resting on the table as my chin lays above my joined hands. "I thought you didn't want me to talk to you. You said I was a self-centered bitch after all."

The smile stays in place as a look of remorse seems to cross Courtney's face. It looks similar to a slight pout, her face dusted with red as she mutters something under her breath. Just like I expected. It's quite amusing, actually, watching how her predictable reactions actually pan out. After all, Courtney has the best emotional reactions out of all the freaks in this school, her outbursts being explosive. In fact they're so legendary that people tend to avoid her.

But I didn't need to tell you that.

"Well," Courtney gives a slight cough, tucking a hair behind her ear. "I've thought about it and I didn't really mean that. I was just mad because of...you know."

I raise a brow at that, head rising and arms crossing against my chest. She was giving the expected response, but something seemed off about it. It was too polite and humble, like something I'd expect from Lindsay or Dakota. Courtney wasn't the sort to be submissive and apologetic, especially after being so emotional. So if she was being this nice she had something planned. Courtney had a motive for coming here.

My gaze narrows on her, lips thinned out as I study her. She seems to be withholding squirms as I do this, her eyes darting from place to place. In fact she's chewing her lip, anxiously awaiting my decision as I continue to silently study her. She knows that I can sense her double motive.

"What do you guys think?" I give a simple smile at that, watching out the corner of my eye as Courtney seems to blink. She didn't expect for me to ask for a second opinion, that was clear from her shock. In fact I think she expected the opposite, her being cast out immediately for talking to me so badly. However luckily for her, it was part of the plan.

"Well I think she should join," Dakota gave a nod.

"Yeah, she needs some friends that are nice," Lindsay agreed. "What do you think Alexander?"

"Well I think it would be great," Alejandro gave a smile, seeming to ignore that Lindsay got his name wrong. "We need more beautiful and independent people around here."

"I second that," Justin nodded eagerly.

That left just one more opinion, that one being one of the hardest to get out of the Populars who were eating lunch in school today. Anne-Maria. The tan-in-a-can Jersey Shore reject, who thinks she's all it but really isn't.

"Well, it depends on what she has," The tanned teen raised a brow, her bold lipstick colour sticking out more than ever. "I mean we can't just let a nobody into our supreme group. She's gotta have some sorta plus."

A few mumbles are heard at that, many of us disagreeing but keeping our mouths shut because we didn't need to start another problem with Anne-Maria. She was the reason why Beth managed to win Spring Fling Queen this year.

"Tell her what you can offer Courtney," I suppress the eye roll with a smile, gesturing for Courtney to explain. "Go on, don't be shy."

The brunette gave a slight brow raise at that, before quickly straightening herself up. She straightened her spin, clearing her throat as she directed her slight glare/gaze towards the arrogant Anne-Maria. The look spoke of passive aggressiveness, the look that made all things all the more juicer.

Oh this was gonna be good.

"Well, I can get you all access to certain things Chris prohibits," Courtney have a slight smile, shifting slightly. She was sure that her offer was enough, however Anne-Maria thought otherwise her grimace and look of non-interest saying it all.

"Boring!" Anne-Maria heckled, hairspray at the ready. Her face looked unamused, a brow permanently raised. "You gotta have something better than that, doll. What abouts your role as the Student body pres. I'm sure that gets ya some perks or somethin'."

Courtney's face pinched at that, looking slightly hurt as well as insulted. However she quickly masked that, her response being as certain as ever.

"Well it does - "

"Great! That's all I needed to hear!" The bronze tan-addict gave a grin, quickly dismissing Courtney. She sprayed a little hairspray into her poof, making Lindsay cough as she was in the firing zone. "You're part of us now."

Courtney took that as a cue to sit at the table, awkwardly plonking down between myself and Dakota.

"Don't worry about, Annie," Dakota whispered slightly as Courtney seemed to watch the vulgar rat. "She's just really outspoken. She wouldn't hurt a fly."

I can't help but laugh at that, knowing that Dakota was bending the truth. Anne-Maria not being able to hurt a fly? Ha! She decimated a fly once, crushing it under a magazine before torching it with her hairspray and a lighter! That girl was trouble and so we all accepted her into the group, claiming she was a popular but really keeping her as a guard dog. After all, who wouldn't want an aggressive fighter like her on their side?

Anne-Maria was the ultimate bodyguard in some ways, it was just her attitude that was buggy.

"Why are you laughing?" Courtney looked at me, both seeming confused as well as knowing. Really weird.

However I shake that look off and only continue to chuckle slightly, shaking my head as I laugh it all off.

"Don't worry it's nothing much," I give a smile, watching as Courtney cautiously returns it. "I just thought of something funny.

The subject was then no longer thought of, everyone returning to lunch and the subject of the sleepover playing into the conversation. The sleepover that would put everything into motion.