- Prolog -

"You go too far, Jones!"

Cassandra, or Cass , watched in amusement as her principal went on a rant about her latest prank. "You toilet papered my office! And that's not even what's worse! Flooding the basement?" Mr. Odin sighed. "I don't know what to do with you anymore Cass, I really don't." "Then why do you try so hard? You said it yourself, I'm a hopeless cause."

"When did I ever say that?" he asked, giving the girl a curious look. Cass squirmed under the heat of Mr. Odin's gaze. "I might have listened in on the office meeting last month." she admitted sheepishly. The principal smiled. "It was right after your 'operation flood-the-school-basement' prank. I was a bit upset at that moment. And to answer your question, the reason why I try so hard is because there aren't many people like you. In which knowledge and curiosity thrive! I can see it in you, struggling to get out."

When she didn't respond, Mr. Odin sighed. "Detention for two weeks, Jones. Dismissed." But before he had even uttered the second syllable of the first word, Cass had gotten out of her chair and opened the door. Her principal's word echoed in her mind. Another detention. Didn't that make it the third one this semester? "Maggie is going to kill me." She muttered as she reached the bike rack where her bike was waiting.

"You know, talking to yourself is the first signs of craziness." a stuck up voice said from behind her. "What do you want, Carl?" Cass asked, not even bothering to look up as she unlocked her bike. "For you to accept my proposal." The seventeen year old girl rolled her eyes. "Let's get this straight." She whirled around to face Carl, a blond haired, blue eyed, vest and tie wearing snob. And if you asked her, those would be her exact words to describe him. "I will never go on a date with you, so read my lips!" Cass mouthed, "Never!" before hopping onto her bike and beginning to pedal away. "I'll change your mind one day!" Carl shouted after her. "I seriously doubt that!" she yelled back.

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"You got another detention?" Maggie Carpenter asked in shock as she looked at the oldest of her foster children. When she had taken Cass in nearly eight years prior, Maggie had no idea that she would be the most trouble of her six charges. "Sorry." The girl said through her mouth full of sausage.

Cass watched as her foster mom let out a sigh. "Cass, I don't think you realize how much weight this puts on my shoulders. When you're stuck in detention, it's that time of day that I need you the most!" Maggie furiously scrubbed the last dinner plate. "There are dishes to be washed, clothes to be hung out on the line, the little ones need looking after." The woman sighed again.

"I get it. And I'm really sorry that it keeps happening." Cass looked down at her black boots, her

mid-back length dark brown hair spilling over her shoulders. She hopped off the kitchen counter and headed for the front door. "Where are you going?" Maggie asked. "Out. To…. think." came the short reply. "Alright. Be home before dark." The girls foster mom said. Cass gave her a swift nod before disappearing out the front door.

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A rock shot into a gutter as Cassandra Jones kicked it hard. "Guilt tripping me." She said under her breath. "A wise thing to do, Maggie." Not really caring, Cass crossed the street with her head down, not looking for any cars. "I do a lot around the house. Like to see what she would do without me." A loud beep of a horn broke through her thoughts. She whirled her head around to see a car headed straight for her. It was close enough that she could see the drivers horrified face. Cass knew in a split second that the car wouldn't stop and she wouldn't be able to move out of the way in time. She flung up her hands just as she and the car collided.

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So, a new story! I've been want to write this forever and now that I've finally started, I can't wait to see where this goes. As always, if you have any suggestions for the story, feel free to review or PM me! I'd love to hear your ideas!

Jacklynn