Title: And I Fell… (Part 1 - "Back To School")
Author: Wari
E-mail: fa_chan@yahoo.com
Rating/Genre: R for bad language, drug use, and slash/ Absolutely AU…really, I mean it
Archive?: Sure, just ask for my permission.
Feedback: I crave your comments so bring them on!
Comments: As usual, thanks to Ashley for the beta! And also thanks to Absgirl, Charisma, and Quimby for their wonderful feedback! ^___^
Note: There's not much to this chapter because it's just there to establish relationships and characters.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Mighty Ducks characters. Disney does. Lucky them. :P
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Charlie stepped off the public bus and walked towards the gates of his high school.

Hill Haven.

He laughed inwardly.

The place should have been named HELL Haven.

Running a hand through his ever-messy brown hair, Charlie looked past the gates. Practically everyone was already waiting there for him.

He smirked, proceeding to where they stood.

"Hey, Spazway!" exclaimed a shorter guy with dreadlocks who met him halfway. "Why the hell are you so late?" Jesse asked jokingly, punching Charlie's shoulder.

"Good to see you, too, Jesse," Charlie said, giving his friend the finger. Jesse gladly returned the gesture. Charlie gave a short laugh, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up.

He gazed at Jesse's head skeptically as he took a long drag.

"You ARE my friend, Jesse Hall, right? I can't tell with that mess on your head," he said, flicking at one of Jesse's dreadlocks. The group broke out laughing at Jesse, who -- at that moment -- secretly swore to never adopt this hairstyle again.

"Whatever, Charlie."

Charlie grinned.

They walked on further into the schoolyard but stopped as soon as they reached the steps of the main school building. One by one, the boys leaned against the graffiti covered wall and blatantly stared at the other students walking by, especially the girls, who immediately turned their eyes away.

Kenny Wu, the youngest of the group present, sighed, suddenly speaking up.

"Damn, what the hell is wrong with all these girls? They're all so goddamn uptight. Man, I need a good lay!" he complained, eyes trailing around the campus and lingering on the hems of all the skirts he found.

Like an ever-petulant child, he kicked at the loose concrete beneath his shoes. Oh, the disappointment.

"Yo, could someone tell the horndog to shut his trap?" a boy in shades asked, getting irritated with Ken's whining.

"Bite me, Russ!" Ken yelled back, frustrated.

"Make me, punk," the other retorted, eyes narrowing threateningly into dangerous slits.

"Your mama!"

Russ gave a loud laugh. "Is that the best diss you can come up with, small fry?" he taunted. "Huh?"

Ken was about to launch himself from the wall and lunge at the boy, until he felt someone yank onto his collar, preventing him from mangling Russ.

"Damn, man, let go!" he hollered and struggled, earning a slap on the back of the head by the boy that had grabbed him.

"Stop it already! You both are getting on my damn nerves!" Luis exclaimed, letting go of Ken's collar and slumping back against the wall, massaging his temple.

"It's bad enough that we have to be here for this year, but to hear you two going at it all the time," he paused, throwing his hands into the air and waving them around to indicate his exasperation. "Ay carrumba! That's just fuckin' annoying!"

A boy with red hair and glasses standing to Luis's left couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"I have to agree with Mendoza. You two sure go at like a couple of cocks," he said and laughed boisterously at his own joke. "Get it?"

A venomous glare was directed at him -- compliments of Ken and Russ. The others let out a collective groan.

"Shut up, Averman!" spat Ken.

"Yeah, just stay out of it, cake-eater," Russ added, flipping him the bird.

"Hey! Don't call me that!" the boy wailed, making everyone else plug their ears at the sound of his screeching.

"Ahhhh!! Quit your bitching!" Jesse finally stepped in and placed a hand over Averman's mouth, effectively shutting up the incessant wailing.

"God, tell me why I hang out with these idiots…" Jesse asked himself and turned to Charlie, hand still clapped over Averman's mouth. The insulted boy was trying to bite his hand, so he let go. Averman heard Jesse mutter something about rabies and made a face.

Amidst the chaos stood Charlie, who said nothing.

In fact, he wasn't even paying attention to the chatter. He was off in 'his own little world' again, as Jesse had come to call it, staring at nothing in particular. His eyes fell shut as he quietly puffed on the cigarette.

"Hello? Earth to Charlie Conway. Charlie, are you there?"

Charlie opened his eyes momentarily to stare at Jesse then allowed them to slide shut again. He sensed that the other was waving a hand in front of his face and opened his eyes.

"What?"

"You spaced out again, man."

Charlie simply closed his eyes again and brought the cigarette back to his lips, inhaling.

"So?" he asked dismissively.

Jesse was about to retort, but another voice broke into the conversation before he could.

"Hey!"

All heads, with the exception of Charlie's, turned towards the two figures emerging through the gates and walking up to them. It was a girl with long, brown braided hair and a boy with short blond hair. The girl bounded up and greeted them with a delightful smile.

"Hey, boys, welcome back! Guess what? I just got this new Polaroid camera yesterday and I'm dying to try it out! Wait, I've got a neat idea -- let's all take a picture!" she babbled, looking at everyone excitedly while the guy, who was obviously her boyfriend, quietly stood around with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Jesse looked dubious.

"Connie, have you been sniffing those scented markers again?"

Several snickers went around the group.

"Talk to the hand, Jesse," she quipped then tossed her braid over her shoulder.

"Come on, just indulge her once, please?" Guy, the blond, pleaded with Jesse.

Slightly put off, Connie scoffed and elbowed Guy in the ribs. He winced while she giggled and held up the camera, polishing it with her sleeve.

"Oh, puh-leeze, Guy, I can take care of it myself," she said and rolled her eyes.

"Sure thing, babe," sighed Guy, taking a seat on the steps.

Everyone snickered and Averman leaned over to nudge Dwayne, a boy wearing a cowboy hat and a confused expression on his face, in the side.

"Ooh, Guy-Wee's whipped, I tell ya, Dwayne. Whipped like cream. Heheh."

"I heard that, Averman," Guy growled. "And don't ever call me 'Guy-Wee' again or I will so kick your ass into next week," he added. Dwayne, though, still looked perplexed.

"Whipped cream? Uh, you mean, like Guy's --"

"Anyway!" Connie hollered before Dwayne could finish, showing them the camera,. "What are you all waiting for? C'mon, I want my picture. Chop chop, fellas! Let's go!"

Everyone looked at one another, then at the camera, then back at Connie's eager face.

"A picture? Now?" Goldberg asked, sounding like he was on the verge of a whine, and pointed at the camera in Connie's hands. "But pictures are for --"

Connie glared at him.

"-- um, really…cool people, yeah," he ended lamely and scurried away to hide behind Luis.

The group now eyed Charlie, who was still reclining against the wall, smoking. Even though none of them would really admit it, Charlie was always the unspoken leader of their motley crew, and sure enough, they never actually acted on anything without his say-so.

When Charlie finished the stick, he pushed himself off the wall and stuffed his hands into his uniform jacket pockets, walking up to the group.

"Guys, you heard her," he said simply and set off in the direction of the school's back area.

Connie flashed a victorious grin as everyone followed.

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"First day and we're already skipping classes," Luis commented absentmindedly from his position between Dwayne and Guy before slowly grinning. "Haha, works for me!"

There they were, up on the roof of the main school building. Their unofficial hangout during classes, so to speak.

Ken leaned forward, looking past Goldberg and at Russ with a wicked smile. "Heh, I'm gonna rat on you. Big time."

"Do it and die, sucka," came the dangerous reply.

"Here they go again," Averman complained and tapped Jesse, who squatted at his feet, on the shoulder. "One day, Wu-Man's really going to get it, eh?"

"Cake-eaters, all of ya'll fools…" Jesse murmured, trying to ignore his three friends.

Ken, who crossed his arms with a scowl, stood casually next to Goldberg. His jacket was currently unbuttoned to reveal a Smashing Pumpkins T-shirt underneath, which was undoubtedly a clear violation of the Hill Haven dress code. He didn't give a flip, though, since the teachers never really bitched about it. Finally deciding to change his stance, he rested an arm around Goldberg's shoulders instead.

Goldberg had an exaggerated look of boredom on his face. He wished that Connie would just hurry up and take the stupid picture. God, he hated pictures! They always made him look a couple pounds heavier.

Hunching on Goldberg's other side was Russ, who was glaring daggers at Ken's profile. Apparently, he was still riled up other boy. To Russ's left stood Averman, who was presently making grotesque faces at the camera.

Meanwhile, Guy, Dwayne, Luis, and Jesse squatted down in front of them. Guy was busy practicing his smile and Dwayne was staring in awe at the camera. Luis was fixing his hair, as usual, while Jesse, on the other hand, opted for throwing up a random gang sign just for the hell of it. Unlike his friends, he wasn't going to look like a pansy-ass. No way.

Connie looked through the view finder and squinted at the bunch. She could see everyone in the frame except Charlie.

"Charlie, step closer," she said, still trying to get the camera to focus properly. "Damn complicated thing," she muttered under her breath, pushing a few buttons here and there and hearing strange sounding 'whirs' and 'clicks'.

Charlie stood slightly off to the side, hands still stuffed in his pockets. After a few seconds, he strode up to Connie and exhaled sharply, taking the camera from her.

"Forget me, Cons. You get in. I'll take it."

"Gee, really? Thanks!"

Connie seemed happy at the offer and jogged up to where the group was posing. She kneeled down next to Guy on the ground, flashing the camera a peace sign and a grin.

Jesse raised his eyebrows, craning his head to the side, and spoke to Luis.

"Still camera shy?" he questioned, nodding over to Charlie, who was also trying to get the focus to work.

Luis shrugged. "Some guys just don't want to remember the good old days," he said simply and went back to smoothing out his hair.

Jesse nodded slowly, a thoughtful look appearing on his face. He heard Russ scoff from somewhere behind him. "What a waste…" he commented off-handedly. Strangely, Jesse also shared that sentiment.

"Ready yet?" Charlie drawled, capturing everyone's attention. He had the camera poised in his hands.

Everyone bobbed their heads. The shutter clicked.