Chapter 1: All is Fair in Love and War

Wearing blue jeans and a red shirt with her blonde down, Shelby Merrick sat in the girls dorm. A sigh left her lips as she lied down on her back. Juliet giggled as she watched Shelby from across the room. Shelby noticed and shook her head, to herself more than to anyone else, and sat up only to look over to the stick figure 'princess' of Juliet. The 'princess' wore a pair of jeans and a pink tank top with a gray zip up sweatshirt over it. Her long, dark and somewhat wavey hair was up in a tight pont tail to keep it out of Juliet's face.

"What?" Shelby asked,.

A smile was still on Juliet's face as she said, "Your all glowy. I've never seen you like this before."

"Well, princess, don't get use to it."

Daisy entered the dorm from outside just in time to hear the very short conversation between the two girls and semi-rivals. She was wearing beige pants and a long sleeve shirt that had the color of a mix between tan and brown. Her dark brown hair hung over her shoulders completly strait.

"Is Shelby still denying the fact that she's actually happy?" The former Goth girl asked.

Shelby couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

"You know what? I'm getting out of here," Shelby said.

Shelby stood up, walked to the door and then out of it. She noticed Scott Barringer and just stopped and stared in mid-walk. Scott was wearing a pair of blue jeans, a white male style wife beater and a red button up shirt over that. Her noticed her as well and they walked over towards eachother and immediately grabbed one anothers hands and entwined them.

Moments after, Daisy and Juliet walked ouut of the girls dorm and then Auggie, Ezra and David walked out of the boys dorm. They're all heading to the same place: group.

They walked into the lodge and saw Sophie Becker, their counselor, waiting for them. They all sit, as per usual, and waited for group to begin.

Scott and Shelby sat next to eachother, Daisy next to Shelby on the other side, Ezra next to her followed by Juliet, then Auggie and finally David. Once group was about to begin Peter walked in with a girl.

She looked to be about 5'4, 5'5, she was pretty skinny too. Right in between Shelby and Juliet. She had dark brown hair and light brown eyes that looked almost honey colored. She was very pretty. Wearing a pair of tight jeans and a black T-shirt, the darkness of her hair almost blended in with the darkness of the shirt.

"Everyone, this is Rachel Jones. She's new to the Cliffhangers anf I want all of you to be nice to her," Peter said while kinda of zoning in on Shelby with the 'be nice' part.

Shelby always seemed to be the least welcoming of the bunch.

Rachel sat down in a chair a little bit away from the group yet didn't take her honey colored eyes off of the group. She seemed to be eyeing Scott which Shelby noticed and immediately hated. Shelby rolled her blue eyes and grabbed Scott's hand, entiwining hers with his. She was trying to put out the hint that he was taken but Rachel either wasn't getting it or ignored it and continued to eye Scott.

"Well, Rachel, I'm Sophie Becker. Your counselor," Sophie said and sounded pretty welcoming.

Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Yippee for you," She repsonded.

Sophie raised her eyes brows to Rachel and shook her head, while smiling.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I don't know where you're from or who you're use to dealing with but I don't take that. I was trying to be nice but I guess I'll just skip that." Sophie said with great authority.

"You? Nice?" Shelby asked quietly in a teasing manner.

Sophie looked over her shoulder to Shelby and glared.

"Your not helping, Shelby," She said forcefully.

Shelby didn't say anything, just shut up.

Sophie looked back to the other Cliffhangers and shook her head lightly.

"Actually you guys, I think we can skip group today. Give Rachel a chance to get to the place. Anyone willing to show her around?" Sophie asked.

"No," Shelby said under her breath and Sophie heard it.

"Shelby. I think you want to."

Shelby rolled her eyes and looked up at Scott momentarily then at Rachel. She sighed knwing that she didn't really have much of a chouce. She walked over to Rachel and was impatient.

"All right. Lets get this over with," Shelby said, obviously not wanting to do this.

Shelby started to walk away before Rachel even stood but Rachel ended up following her anyway. Shelby showed her all of the places that she needed to know and wasn't nice about it. She already disliked the 'new girl' for checking out Scott.

Rachel didn't take much notice in Shelby not likeing her.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"And I should tell you why?" Shelby asked back.

"Don't we talk about those things there?"

Shelby nodded and continued to walk.

"Well, fine. If you don't want to talk about you then how about I ask you a question about someone else?" Rachel asked and didn't want for an answer from Shelby before continuing to talk, "Who was the hottie back in the lodge?"

Shelby chuckled.

"I take it you mean the tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, Boy? He's Scott Barringer and he's taken" Shelby said simply.

"By who?" Rachel asked in response.

Shelby turned around and looked at Rachel.

"That would be me, new girl."

Rachel looked Shelby up and down and shrugged.

"He'll be mine by the end of the week." Rachel said with much confidence.

"Trust me, new girl, he's not so easily won. Besides, he loves me. I doubt he'll leave me for you."

"We'll see. After all, all is fair in love and war"

Rachel grinned and walked away.

Shelby shook her head and walked to find Scott.