Second story on this site! Brain dead, I am. Tee hee… well anyways, I hope you all read this story of mine- lots of reviews on my first story, The Love Potion. THANKS FOR THAT! Got way more than I thought I would and I would just like to say you rock, I rock, we all rock.

Chapter One- Lights Out!

Dustin Brooks sat at his desk early, half an hour before the bell was going to ring. He was taking out his books for English and trying to scout down his dictionary while eating a granola bar. He dug threw his backpack until he came across what he was looking for. Taking the dictionary out and placing it on his desk, he accidentally dropped his backpack, spilling his extra pencils and notebooks out on to the ground. He sighed heavily and bent down to pick them up.

"Tough luck," a girl's voice said. "Figures it would happen on a Monday." She bent down to help Dustin pick up his dropped items.

"Yeah, really," Dustin mumbled. He looked up at the girl's face and felt his stomach start to churn. He dropped the granola bar and his mouth fell open. In his opinion, this girl was… unbelievable. She had bright, vivid blue eyes that were large and round, blond hair that was tied back in a rather messy ponytail as if she had other things to worry about besides how she looked, and she had freckles scattered over the bridge of her nose.

The girl handed Dustin a stack of paper and two notebooks. "Here you go," she said, smiling. Her teeth looked perfect and pearly white. Dustin was speechless as he took his things back from the girl.

"I'm Katie," the girl said, offering her name in a polite matter. She stuck out her hand for him to shake. "Katie Anderson."

"Dustin," Dustin said, his eyes still fixed on hers and his mouth still hanging open a little. "Dustin Brooks." He reached out to shake her hand and when he did he felt tingles go all the way up his arm.

Katie smiled. "I'm new here. I'm from Texas and my dad thought that it'd be good for me to get near the ocean and experience things he never got to do as a kid." She sighed a little. "So here I am at PCA. What do you think of this school? Should I be worried about anything?"

"Huh?" Dustin stared blankly at her. His heart was beating so loud that he was sure she could hear it. Students began filing into the classroom and he got up so quickly that his head hit his desk and the dictionary fell off and hit the floor. Katie laughed and picked it up and surveyed it.

"Do we need one of these?" she asked. "I don't have one. Can I sit beside you and share? Can I buy this somewhere? I thought I heard someone tell me there was a school store. What can I get there?"

"You get them…" The bell rang and Dustin leapt up and sat in his seat, folding his hands on his desk and looking straight forward. Katie giggled and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Is that how we sit in California?"

Dustin felt his face turn pink. She moved away and sat in the seat right beside him. The teacher came in and set her briefcase on the desk. She clapped her hands together and said in a loud, warm voice, "Class, we have a new student today. Her name is Katie Anderson. Katie, could you could stand up and introduce yourself?"

Katie stood up and brushed her hands off on her jeans. "Well… I came from Texas and my father thought it'd be a good idea for me to-"

"If you're from Texas, where's your accent?" a boy in the back of the class demanded. Dustin felt like socking him in the nose, but he managed to keep his hands folded on his desk. He glanced over to look at Katie. She was still smiling.

"Well, I don't-"

She was interrupted by a girl in the front who was pink faced and had brown braids. "Hilary Duff is from Texas and she hasn't got an accent!" the girl said, slamming her first down on the desk.

The girl beside her rolled her eyes and said, "Stop being so dramatic. And calm down, there's no need to be slamming your fists." The two of them started bickering and the guy in the back of the class started talking again.

"I don't like Hilary Duff, who in the right mind would like her? I mean, she's such a-"

The teacher cleared her throat and everyone silenced. "Go on, Katie," she said.

"Well, yes, I don't have an accent… but being born in Texas isn't just about having an accent," Katie said, still smiling. "It's about lots more. There's lost of beautiful things in Texas- other then cactuses, there are also trees and squirrels and-"

"Squirrels!" someone yelled. "Did you meet Sandy from Spongebob Squarepants?" Everyone started laughing and this time Katie's smile dropped off her face and she sat back down and mumbled something along the lines of 'yes, actually I did…'

Dustin felt bad for her. He leaned over and said, "Well, I think Texas is pretty cool." She smiled at him, looking genuinely grateful. Brushing a strand of blond hair out of her eyes she too leaned forward so she was practically nose to nose with Dustin. He gulped.

"Thanks," she said. He could practically count the freckles on her nose. "You're really sweet." She leaned back so she could sit properly.

Dustin also sat facing the board now, his thoughts jumping around in his mind. She said I'm sweet! She said thanks to me! He barely paid attention in class and when the bell rang, Katie had to tap him on the shoulder to bring him back to Earth.

"I think we get a fifteen minute break between classes now," she said, glancing at her watch. "Can I meet you at lunch? I'd like to treat you to something for being so nice to me." She blushed slightly. "If you don't have other plans or something…"

"No!" Dustin said quickly. "I don't have other plans."

She beamed. "Great, then I'll see you in the cafeteria?" With a quick wave she picked up her bag and hurried out of the classroom.

"I'm glad you're making friends with the new girl," the teacher said as she got ready for her next lesson. "She seems friendly. Although often times other people get turned off by new students."

Dustin packed his bag and walked out of the classroom. He had to see someone- and he had to see him now. If only he could find him… Dustin ran to the boys dormitories and knocked on Chase's room door.

"Chase!" he yelled. "Chase! Are you in there?"

Michael Barret opened the door. "Hey, little D," he said. "Looking for Chase?"

"Well isn't it obvious?" Dustin said, trying to look past Michael into the room. "Where's Chase?" He ducked under Michael's arm and looked around the room frantically, even opening the closet to see if Chase might be hiding in there.

"Don't know," Michael said. "I just got back from class a few minutes ago. And Chase is probably- HE IS NOT HIDING IN MY UNDERWEAR!" Dustin had been going through Michael's drawer of boxer shorts, underwear, and socks.

"I need to talk to him NOW!" Dustin said frantically. He tossed the pair of boxer shorts he had been holding into the air and ran out of the room, running right into his sister, Zoey Brooks.

"Zo!" he cried. "Where's Chase?"

"Right here," Chase said, coming up behind Zoey and holding two cans of soda. "What's up?" He handed one can to Zoey and she smiled her thanks as she opened it, letting the fizz out.

"I need to talk to you," Dustin said quickly, grabbing Chase by the wrist and dragging him along the hall.

"Dustin!" Zoey cried, looking slightly hurt. "You know you can talk to me. I mean, I'm your sister and I'm always here if you need to talk. So if you're having some kind of problem then I should-"

"Guy talk, sorry, no girls allowed," Dustin said quickly, still half dragging Chase, trying to find an empty room. Chase shrugged at Zoey and followed Dustin willingly.

They found an empty room and Dustin quickly closed the door. "Okay, so, what's up?" Chase asked, looking confused. "Did you steal something of Zoey's? Cause if you did, I think you'd better tell me what it is and then give it to me. Especially if it's a piece of paper with the words 'I love Chase Matthews' written on it. Then I can send it to my parents and finally prove to them that I have a girlfriend."

"No," Dustin said, feeling anxious. "I… I need tips."

Chase raised his eyebrows. "What do you need tips on? If it's homework, then I am not the guy to help you. And if it's about combing hair, I'm also not the guy to help you. I lost a comb in my hair once and it was-"

"No," Dustin said, interrupting Chase. "I need to know how to talk to girls."

For those of you who are Hilary Duff fans, don't worry- I am too! I have all her CD's and everything- tee hee. Live long, fangs, live long!