Chapter 1

"So Captain of Highbury High, how was your first day of the last year of 13 years of school? Nostalgic? Saddening? Heart-wrenching?" I say playfully as I sneak up behind him.

Seb turns around and flashes me a trademark dazzling grin. "It went splendidly Cassie. The Exec meeting would have as well if a certain Vice Captain hadn't turned up ten minutes late."

"Oh Tim, he is a worry," I say, feigning innocence and hoping to avoid the imminent lecture.

Seb just rolls his eyes.

"Hey, I swear you said one thirty, not one. I was just lucky that Steph found me in time."

"I don't understand why you're Vice Captain. Everybody knows you're the most disorganised person in this school and constantly late."

"It's because I'm so popular," I reply, only joking a bit. Because really, I am. Who are we kidding here? "Beside, you're exaggerating," I add, "I'm not that late."

He gives me that look – the one of condescending scepticism as if addressing a spoilt child – which I'm all too familiar with and frankly could do without. I reply with a tongue poke. Mature, I know. But Sebastian somehow brings out the best in me.

"Hey Seb, great speech in Assembly today," says Eva, who conveniently happens to be at the entrance doors just as we're exiting.

Eva Lee is the sort of girl that guys fantasize about and we girls bitch about in jealously while holding our boyfriends just a little bit tighter. She's absolutely gorgeous. She has the whole exotic thing going for her with long raven black hair that is permanently shiny like in those hair commercials and these beautiful shaped almond eyes in a mouth-watering dark chocolate hue. Oh, and she's about as thin as a stick. I think it's the Asian gene. Whatever, I'm not jealous.

"Thanks," Seb replies, happily giving her a wave.

She gives him an all too wide and sweet smile and I can practically see the halo glimmer above her head. "Anyway I got to go or I'll miss my bus. See you tomorrow. Bye Cas."

"Bye," I say, cheerfully. Well, maybe a bit faux cheerful. But she doesn't have to know that.

I turn around and Seb is giving me that look again.

"What?" I cry defensively, continuing the charade despite us both knowing exactly what's coming.

"I don't understand why you don't like her."

"What? I like her."

"You know you're so obvious when you're fake," he responds dryly.

"Only to you!" I reply and then realising my mistake decided that it was a good time to abandon all pretence. "Okay fine. I don't like her and I don't know why. Something just gets to me. She's so nice. I mean she vomits sunshine everywhere she goes. Small furry animals should be following her around. It's unnatural. Nobody can be that nice and good and saintly all the time. She's like…like-"

"Perfect?" Seb finishes teasingly, just because he knows it will get to me.

And it does. "No!" I cry defensively and maybe a bit too loudly.

"Just because you're jealous. You know she's great. You guys could be really good friends."

We've had this conversation/argument too many times and I know it will end up with me feeling more than a bit morally deficit so I decide that I need to divert the conversation before Seb pulls out the "if you were a better person" speech he's honed to perfection.

"Oh now you and her are School Captain's you're what, besties now?"

He just ignores me and walks out the school gates.

"But Seb, does that mean you no longer have a place in your heart for me? Are we no longer BFFL? But what will I do with my friendship bracelet? I don't think I could take it. What would I do without you? I think I might…die," I cry theatrically after him, clutching my heart for added effect.

He turns around.

"Cas, you're hearts on the other side."

* * * * *

"Dad, I'm home. Seb's here as well," I shout as I heave open the heavy oak doubleset doors.

Seb, Steph and I have had this tradition since Year 7 of walking home together since we haven't always been in the same class and we all live so close to each other anyway. We usually stop by my house for afternoon refreshments and to just generally hang and gossip (well Steph and I do, while Seb rolls his eyes a lot) as it's the first one along the way. Steph had to pass up today as her lovely new boyfriend Tim had offered her a lift in his car. I felt a bit saddened about the break in tradition (not that we walked home together everyday, we did have other commitments. This one just felt a bit more permanent) but I couldn't begrudge Steph for having a boyfriend because Tim was perfect. Well, perfect for Steph. They are completely adorable together. And I love adorable couples.

"Hi honey, how was your day?" he calls from the study. Dad's the CEO of this gigantic publishing corporation. He used to be at his office a lot but ever since Mum died, he spends some days doing his work from home.

We wander over and poke our heads in. simile

"It was great."

"Hello Sebastian. Where's Stephanie?" he says looking up from his computer.

Seb gives me a side-long glance and I know to proceed carefully.

"She's out with Tim, you know Tim Weston. Remember how you said you like him. He's the other vice captain and also captain of the basketball team. Excellent student as well."

"Do you mean to say Stephanie is dating Timothy?"

I never understood parents and full names.

"Yes Dad."

He leans back into his chair and sighs resignedly. "I just don't understand dating in high school. You're much too young for this. There's plenty of time later. You should be studying. After all this is your final year, there's no need for these distractions."

I roll my eyes but luckily he's not looking.

"Dad, it's not like she's dropping out of school or getting married. It's just dating," I explain carefully.

There's a frightened look in his eye.

"Not that I want to date," I mend. "But for other people, yes."

* * * * *

"Does your dad really believe that whole 'people shouldn't date now because they need to study' stuff?" Seb asks as we enter my enormous bedroom.

"I don't think so," I reply as I plonk my school bag on the floor and flop onto my king sized bed, with its five hundred thread sheets. I like the best. "I think it's a cover for like… Mum. He just got so protective of me, you know. I think he doesn't want to see anyone heartbroken." Especially me, I think silently. "And you know how fragile teenage hearts are," I add mockingly, trying to lighten the heavy conversation topic.

I prop myself on my elbows and watch Seb take his usual place on the couch. He glances at me, uncertain concern etched on his face and I know he's thinking, like I am, of Ben.

"Oh aren't Steph and Tim just the cutest," I swoon, quickly changing the subject before Seb attempts to broach the subject of Ben or Mum. Both of which I'd rather not discuss now.

"Well cutest isn't quite the word I used but okay," he says dryly.

I glare at him.

"I'm going to miss her," I sigh, recalling my previous nostalgia over broken traditions.

"What are you talking about? She's still our best friend. We haven't lost her or anything."

"Yeah I know," I reply with unnecessary sarcasm. "But now she has a boyfriend, he's going to come first. She'll spend time with him like today, missing out on the customary walk home and goss session. And I'm only in two of her classes this year. It definitely means less Steph and Cass time," I sign, looking glumly at him.

"I suppose so but Weston's a great guy. I can't think of anyone else better for Steph. They're so similar. So sensible and mellow," he says.

"Yes, and they have me to thank," I add triumphantly.

"What?"

"I set them up."

He snorts.

"I totally did."

"I think what you did was squeal 'Ohmigod, he's really cute,'" Seb says in a high pitch squeal which I think is meant to be imitating me.

Ignoring his poor acting skills I continue haughtily, "And that brought him into Steph's attention which without he might have flown under the radar. And don't forget that I subtly encouraged her attention towards him."

"Yeah, subtle, because you didn't do anything," he states bluntly, "And if that's your idea of helping someone out, I would hate to see you doing charity work."

I frown at the catapulting snowballs of insults. Years of being subject to his, might I say very un-bestfriend-like comments has made me almost completely immune to his sarcasm. However, there are moments where I feel he takes his so called prerogative as the 'good friend who points out the others faults' a bit too far. This is one of these moments and I'm feeling slightly offended. But then again it's nothing unusual as it's normally the predominant feeling when I'm anywhere near the vicinity of Seb. Right now, I'm seriously contemplating why the hell we're friends.

"Are you sure we're friends?" I question gravely.

Seb looks knowingly. "It's just to show you how much I care," he smirks.

I glare at him, still affronted by his previous insults that had slipped so easily from his mouth.

He senses my anger and turns on a charming smile. "Oh c'mon Cass. You know I'm joking."

I maintain an annoyed scowl but inside I'm melting. Before he realises that he's yet again manipulated me into forgiving him, I fall back onto my feathered pillows and think of pleasanter things, like my Steph and Tim matchmaking triumph.

"Oh my God, I've just had a great idea," I scream as I sit up suddenly.

"Uh oh," Seb replies, bored. He's flipping through the latest issue of Cosmo which I had thrown carelessly on the floor. He's quite interested in them in fact, having read every single issue since I started buying them. When I teased him once, he smoothly replied that he "had to get in touch with his feminine side to catch the girl of his dreams." Of course I replied that "no girl would ever be interested in him," even if I knew it was blatantly untrue. There were more than enough girls in our school that were enamoured with him. Luckily he has never reciprocated. I don't think I could take the compete decimation of tradition.

"No I'm serious."

"I know you are. And suddenly I feel a bit nauseous."

"Matchmaking."

"Oh God, this is even worse than your normal epiphanies. Hand me the bin."

I frown slightly again but decide to just let it go.

"I mean considering my success with Steph and Tim."

"I thought we established that you played a miniscule role and that's being overly generous."

I stare at him blandly.

"I'm insulting you," he explains slowly.

"I know," I snap. "It was just a shit insult."

"Just because you didn't understand it."

"Plus," I continue, pointedly ignoring his previous statement, "I'm an excellent judge of character."

His snort is now even more violent.

"Anyway," I say with exaggeration, again choosing to disregard him because he obviously has no idea what he's talking about, "this will be so fun. And I know just who I'm going to set up next. Elton! Anna just broke up with him and he was looking so sad today."

"Oh dear, I foresee a long trails of havoc, chaos and destruction."

A/N: Please review! Love it or hate it or even if it's just to say you've read it.