Casey walked towards her creative writing classroom, feeling weightless and happy. She's just had the best weekend of her life. Derek stormed along beside her, playing the part of the disgusted step-brother who's lost a bet and had to act like her servant (i.e. boyfriend).

As she reached the door Derek grabbed her wrist, and ignoring the stares pulled her near.

"When we get home I'm going to smear whipped cream on your face," he whispered, "and you're going to scream at me. I'll storm upstairs and you'll go up to wash your face. Then we'll meet up in the games closet."

Casey sighed a bimbo, fluttery sigh. "My hero, such a romantic, my knight in shining jeans."

The idea actually thrilled her to the bone.

"T-shirt Case," he muttered. "Its knight in shining t-shirt."

"But your not wearing a t-shirt," Casey said. Derek tugged the collar of the tight, dark green t-shirt Casey had begged him into to reveal a black t-shirt.

"It's hidden," he replied with a grin.

"I'm not going to strip you to get a single joke right," Casey replied with a fake huff.

This idea thrilled her as well.

"I wouldn't mind," Derek said with a smirk. "In fact, I think while we're at it. You should show me any hidden articles of clothing you may or may not have on."

"Go to class you loser," Casey said. Derek glanced around quickly, placed a quick kiss on her lips and then jogged off in the opposite direction of his next class. "I love you," he whispered.

"That's the wrong way," she called, her heart fluttering at the sight of him still.

He looked back, a smug grin on his face. "I know, but we can't have them thinking I'm a changed man, now can we?"

Casey giggled, and rolled her eyes. She'd be mad at him later but right now she had to try and get her pulse to go back to normal.

()()()()()()()

Carrie laughed as Danny whispered in her ear about how much he loved her hair today. She's let it go crazy and it was tumbling down her back in thick curls. He was such a loser. She loved the way he had to duck down so far to kiss her; it made her feel like she was dating a giant.

In a way she was.

"Skipper, skipper." The chant was coming from the next hallway, Carrie looked down it to see a skinny girl clutching a binder to her chest trying to get by a couple of guys, who weren't very big but big enough that the girl couldn't take them.

"Please," she begged. "I'll be late."

"We have 10 minutes," one boy said.

"And besides," the other jumped in, "you still have to get in trouble for skipping class yesterday."

"I-I didn't," the girl stuttered, "I went to the doctors. I have a note."

"I have to go help," Carrie whispered but Danny stopped her.

"Don't," he said, "I'll take care of it. I need practice being the anti-bully instead of the real bully." Carrie smiled and watched him walk over. They'd spent all weekend together, they'd watched hockey (cheering for different teams of course) and argued with each other the entire time they weren't making out.

In a word, it had been perfect.

The sickening sound of bone meeting skin reached Carrie's ears and she saw that one of the smaller boys had tried to be the hero and attack Danny. The girl was already on the other end of the hallway.

"Danny," she called. "Let's move. We don't want to be late for class." Danny looked up from where he was holding both boys, one in a headlock and the other with his arms twisted behind his back.

"Coming," he called and headed towards her, then paused and looked over his shoulder, "don't bully you little asswipes." Carrie rolled her eyes but took his hand as he reached her.

"You need lots of practice," she said. Danny grinned.

()()()()()()()

Casey slunk into her seat and seconds later Carrie took hers beside Casey. The girls grinned at each other.

"How was the rest of your weekend," Carrie asked.

"Perfect," Casey sighed happily, "yours?"

"The same."

Their teacher came in.

"Ok, quickly before announcements, I graded your sheets. You'll get them…"

"Hey Bulldogs! Its time for your morning announcements."

"After the announcements," he finished and sunk into his seat.

Casey squirmed in her seat for the entirely of the announcements. Usually she would be listening to every word coming through in the high, perky voice but today she just wanted to know her mark.

Once the latest news about the varsity boys basketball team had been shared and the announcements were over the teach stood up and passed out their reports.

Casey looked at hers. 75%. She looked over at Carrie who had the same mark on her sheet.

"Now," the teacher was saying, "If you want to redo them for a higher grade I'll need them by Wednesday." Carrie and Casey looked at each other and grinned. "Please everyone raise their hands if they want to do this."

Carrie and Casey raised their hands. They both had a new topic they were desperate to write about.

()()()()()