"Zoey Petrarch, please come to the front office." The loudspeaker called. I looked up.

Was this because of the spray paint thing over the weekend? But we left first! I touched my hair. Of course, he must have seen my red hair. Why couldn't I be a brunette or, at least, someone with normal red hair?

I got up, feeling embarrassed because all eyes were on my back. The teacher nodded at me, giving me permission to leave.

I walked briskly out of the room.

"What did you do this time, Jar Head?" I heard Jo scold Brick for no reason as they walked out of the classroom next to mine.

"Lightning didn't do nothing. Lightning doesn't know why he's being called up to the front office." Lightning said, coming out behind Jo and Brick.

"I wasn't talking to you, Stick For Brains." Jo turned to glare at him.

Wait, they were going up to the Front Office too? Then, this couldn't be about the spray painting thing (Which I saw covered with a tarp today).

"Hey, Pasty!" Jo called out to me. "Do you know why were going there?"

I shook my head. We walked down the hall as a quartet, a few other TD contestants joined us, asking us why we were going there. No one knew.

When our group, which had turned to 8 by then, arrived to the Front Office, most of the other TD contestants were already there. Dakota stood by Sam, who was playing another video game. Dakota's gotten better. A little. Her skin is less orange and more tan, but the orange tint was still there. Her hair was grown longer and now the top half was blond and the bottom half was green. She would eventually just cut off the green, I supposed. She was still tall, there wasn't much to do about that, but her speech had improved. She did slip every now and then. But all in all, Dakota was getting better, to Sam's disappointment.

"Did I step on that bug?" DJ screamed out. It was a little crowded in the hall, waiting to be let in.

"No, he's OK. See?" Bridgette pointed out were the bug was, but I couldn't see because Katie and Sadie were in my way. It didn't really matter though, so checked to see who was missing.

Mal was obviously not there, Duncan and Geoff weren't either. I figured they had skipped out on school, but Scott was here, and he was their ride to everywhere. Courtney wasn't here either. Despite liking the idea of breaking the rules, Courtney would never skip out on school. Then she couldn't become a lawyer, is what she would always tell me if the subject was brought up.

Had they gotten in trouble? Did the police officer not see me? Thank Goodness!

Wait, where was Cameron? I sighed in relief when I saw him talking to Gwen and Trent off to the side. He waved me over.

"Hey, Cam." I smiled at him.

"Hey, Zoey. Do you know-"

I shook my head cutting him off, honestly the question was getting a little annoying.

"Well, I guess we'll find out." Gwen nodded her head towards the door that was opening. Principal Resnick walked out holding some papers, which later I found out did not relate to what he was going to say.

"Hello, Former Total Drama Contestants." The Principal greeted us.

A few of us muttered back a "Hello."

"You all obviously know Chris McLean." His face was inexpressive, or otherwise bored.

"Wait, is Chad coming here?" Lindsay asked, raising up her hand.

Principal Resnick grimaced. "Chris is already here." He gestured to inside the room behind him.

Everyone's nightmare came walking out that door. A few people gasped at his hideous, OK Good looking but it was our nightmare, face. Chris rolled his eyes.

"Your not going to make us compete again are you?" Heather said before anything could happen. "Because if that's what it is, my answer is N-O!"

"Estoy de acuerdo." Alejandro said from behind her. When everyone stared at him he said, "I agree." That was unexpected. Heather had competed so many times, it was almost expected for her to say no, but Alejandro barely got anything and he lost twice. He was an antagonist, he shouldn't have given up yet.

"No, I'm not making you compete again." Chris said glaring at the couple, still hating the two of them from All Stars apparently. A sigh of relief was heard throughout the room. "But I can if I want to."

"No!" Almost everyone screamed.

"Fine." Chris groaned. "No, I'm inviting you guys to be in the After Show of my new season. Well, you'll live in the theater's building until the season is over, but you'll be featured in each After Show. You guys have to be taken out of school though."

Everyone merely shrugged at this, not caring much. "Whoopee, sounds like it'll be a blast." Noah muttered from beside me.

"Blaineley!" Chris yelled. Blaineley came trudging in, holding a lot of paper. Contracts? My guess was correct. "Here are your contracts. Sign if you want. Courtney, here's yours to take home and look over." Chris pulled out a special contract from a briefcase he was holding.

"Oh, Courtney was suspended, along with Duncan and Geoff." Principal Resnick informed him.

Blaineley held out the pile to me, trying to get me to pick one up. I grabbed one, trying to let her suffering end.

"Ooooh! Can Cody and I have rooms next to each other? Oh! Or better yet! Sharing rooms!" Sierra babbled, Cody was struggling to get out of her grasp.

"Fine. Now I'll have to got to their houses." Chris stuffed the contract back into his briefcase. "Anyway, I've already decided on the hosts."

Blaineley spirits boosted up, since there were a lot less papers in her hands, she stood straighter and flipped her hair behind her back.

"Umm, hold on." Chris went back to digging in his case. Did he forget who he chose? "Oh, here it is! The hosts are, since things have not been working out well with Geoff and Bridgette, Leshawna and Trent. As long as Leshawna doesn't dance." Blaineley went back to looking deflated.

(You guys thought it was going to be Mike and Zoey didn't you?)

Leshawna glared at Chis in response. "Fine, I'll do it."

"I'll take the job too I guess." Trent shrugged.

"Good! Just sign these forms too." Chris handed them another pile of stapled paper.

I looked down at the papers in my hand. I skimmed over the lines. Wait, why would he need us to sign for the After Show? I saw familiar words: Injury, sue, contestants, After Show. The normal type of words for this. I looked back at the line that said contestants.

"May participate as guest in one show to be an example for contestants." I really hoped I wasn't one to be chosen.

"Chris, there's three packets left." Blaineley said holding up the extra contract.

Chris scanned the crowd. "Where's Mike?!"

"Not here obviously." Jo said.

"He'll be here after school." I told them. Everyone turned towards me, I suddenly regretted speaking.

"Well, I have to go find the others. I'll be back after you school then." Chris was mad. What was with him getting mad so easily now. He must have not liked the contestants for the new show. Didn't he pick them too though?

Whatever, it wasn't something I needed to worry about right then.

Cameron looked down at his sheets. "I don't like the idea of having to sign a contract to participate in the After Show."

"Yeah, it does seem suspicious." Gwen agreed with him.

"I don't know, but I get to be host! Awesome!" Trent grabbed the pen and wrote something on his palm before signing the host sheets.

I looked at his palm when it fell back to his side. A 9? I thought he was over that phase. Trent was still obsessed with Gwen. Or maybe he just used the number for good luck now. Hopefully, it was the latter option.

I reluctantly signed in the places. It needed a parent signature. I held the papers to my chest when I finished. I would give to Chris tomorrow then.

Mal's P.O.V.

I stood at the outside of the school, waiting for the bell to ring and that girl to walk out. I needed to talk to her. I couldn't focus on anything, but her. Was Mike doing something? But how? Maybe she did something. I would have to confront her, then she'd have to tell me.

I held my head in my hands. 'You're sounding as crazy as you are.' I told myself. Still, it was aggravating. I wanted to wring her neck. And yet, the thought of her actually have already fallen for me makes me daydream about her. I could hardly remember the whole point of this was to aggravate Mike.

I would have gone to the school today, but I didn't. Zoey came this morning and I had shut the door in her face. Of course, Mom scolded me then, but Zoey was gone when she tried to invite Zoey in. I stayed home, not wanting to see her, just wanting to clear my brain.

That strategy didn't help at all. The whole day I was stuck in Mike's room, ripping any photos of her with trembling hands. I was becoming weak. The only possibility was that it was either Zoey or Mike's doing. I didn't want to think, "But what? But how?" I forced those thoughts away and focused on the point of the mission. I would find another way to have fun. Run away, live in another city as a different person. Bother people there. Yes, I would succeed that way.

Then I would groan and slam my head against the wall knowing how stupid the idea really was, grateful that Mom had left for work. I, eventually, found myself waiting for Zoey outside of the school. Even if she didn't do anything, maybe seeing her would help. I would abandon the mission no matter what however.

The bell rang and I hid in the shadows, watching students mill out of the building.

As I watched, I saw someone. No, not him. Why was he here?

"Chris McLain." I gritted my teeth when he started to walk towards me, papers in his hands. I threw my hair up, into Mike's usual spikes and cleared my throat.

"Mike!" He smiled at me, but it wasn't friendly, it was like he knew a secret of mine. Did he know I was Mal and not Mike, so what? That couldn't possibly be it.

"Hey, Chris." I rubbed the back of my neck, a nervous gesture Mike tended to have.

"Hey, so..." He got right down to business. Telling me that the other contestants signed up, just needed a parent's signature, and asked me if I wanted to be in the After Show. "I mean, you are going to be in the After Show, I just need you to sign these. Bring them back tomorrow."

Chris walked away then, I don't think I got a word in the conversation. I glared at his back, but looked down at the papers anyway.

"Mike?" Zoey asked.

I looked up in surprise. The jerky motion made my hair fall back down.

"Oh." Her expression faltered.

"Come on, let's go." I glared at her and grabbed her wrist, taking care to not grab her hand. We started walking towards Zoey's house.

"You know you could wait a minute." She yelled at me. I ignored her, just wanting to get us alone so I could confront her.

We walked for a little bit before I stopped abruptly.

"What is with you?" I turned towards her.

"What?" Her expression was confused.

"Why are you everywhere?" I couldn't outright say that I couldn't stop thinking about her, she'd think I liked her.

"What?" She repeated, but a little bit more exasperated.

I gave up. "Why are you everywhere I look, Dammit? What did you do? Did you poison me or something?" I knew very well that I sounded crazy.

Zoey tried backing away, but I kept a firm grip on her wrist. "That's happening to you, t-?" She stopped as though she were going to say another word.

"Hey, Zoey...?" Courtney asked. She came outside of the house we were standing in front of.

I quickly let go of Zoey and pushed her wrist roughly back towards her. I didn't want to be there. I'd go home and ask Mike, force the answer out of him.

I turned on my heel and got out of there.

Zoey's P.O.V.

I watched Mal run. Why was he behaving so weird? Did he really see me everywhere, or was he trying to trick me?

"Zoey!" Courtney ran towards me. She pulled me inside her house.

Her house was actually kind of messy, despite her need of order.

"Sorry, my parents aren't the neatest." Courtney apologized. She took me upstairs to her room, where it was a lot neater.

I looked around her room and sat next Courtney when she patted the place next to her on her bed.

"What's with you and Mal?" She got right to the point.

This surprised me. A lot. "What do you mean?"

Courtney stared at me, trying to look into my thoughts. "He's hanging around you so much. I haven't seen Mike in days. Since Thursday, I'm pretty sure." She leaned a little closer before patting my head. "Don't hang out with him, please."

"I don't want to. I'd rather suffocate him with a pillow." I admitted, crossing my arms. Instead of feeling bad though like I normally do when I admit stuff I don't want to admit, I felt mad almost.

"Are you sure? Because I don't want you to end up like me. I should never have given in to Duncan's teasing, and now look at me. I'll never become a corporate lawyer. Vandalism, stealing." She scoffed. "I want you to have the best. So, please, be careful, alright?"

"Don't worry." I gave her a reassuring smile, unfolding my arms. "I'll be fine. See you in the After Show." I got up, looking at the pile of papers on her desk. She nodded before getting up and let me out.

As I walked home, I realized. Yeah, I wanted to suffocate him with a pillow, but Mal was strangely attractive for some reason. I'd take heed of Courtney's warning. I'd have to be a lot more careful.

SONG RECOMMENDATION: True Love by Pink

More spontaneous writing. This whole chapter was unplanned! Originally, Zoey was going to be called up because of the last chapter, but then I decided you know what? Let's include my other story in this. So, Chris' new season is my other story. All applications have already been sent in and the first chapter is posted. The Aftershows, however, will be different on that story and this one, just because I don't want to mess up the story lines.

Anyway, I always kind of liked Courtney. I wanted to make her be friends wit Zoey. When she's not being competitive, I think Courtney would be really good friends with Zoey, plus she has the most experience in what Zoey is dealing with so... yeah. Anyway, most of the story might be at the theatre, but I'm not sure whether I'll make this like that though. ALSO, the Aftershow won't be on here, until it is on my other story, so in between it'll be like regular, just a completely different setting. Oh! Question: Has anyone noticed that Mal is acting rather childish about this? That's how I'd like to describe it. So, review. What's good, what's bad, and the question. Thanks for reading!