This is just a starting point for one of my current interests – Surviving High School, or more specifically, Colt and Denni. I started this story just after one of the best episodes ever, "Trapped in the Classroom". A lot of has happened since then until now with the latest Halloween: The Second Kiss episodes, and the crossover episodes in SHS + CoD about Colt – but I'm excited! There is so much in store for Colt/Denni as a couple and I can't wait, but this is my rendition of their story (and journey to ending up together, and WHY they belong together)… some things are aligned with what's been happening in the game, but some things are not, so yeah, just a heads-up. So yup, enough of my ranting… enjoy, if anyone ever reads this. :)

Chapter One

The Kiss

Centerscore High opened its doors wide to the bursting excitement of students bustling around with their respective clique members on a bright Tuesday morning. The usual weekday school occurrences were transpiring as they always would – the new bully gang leader, Spencer, was throwing the nerds around, slamming them into their lockers; Taylor, the head cheerleader, bossed her minions around; Erik was chatting and going on forever about the latest Monkeys in Spaceship Extravaganza videogame – all seemed to be normal. But one thing seemed different, for at least one girl who was walking around, pondering on her emotions for one specific boy.

Who drove her nuts.

1.

Her dark chestnut brown hair was streaked with bright purple and dark maroon highlights. Her brown eyes were deep and intelligent; there was a certain consistency in her movement and character. She never wavered, she never broke promises. She was one of a kind; different yet just like every other girl in Centerscore. No doubt, she was smart, she was tech-savvy yet not nerdy, she was excellent in conversation, she was her teachers' favourite, she dealt well with all genres of students in school, suppressing the usual impatience she felt with those who mocked her… and yet, how was that not enough? Why?

Because she had been granted the most amazing, out-of-this-world, indescribable, wonderful experience ever – her first kiss – with this one boy whom she could not seem to forget. Her guilt consumed her half the time she thought about him because of all the wrong reasons for that kiss.

So what if it was such an unforgettable kiss. So what? She doubted that he could ever bring himself to be man enough to become a possible partner, at least in her eyes – and even if he could, how could she ever be with him when she was ridden with shame and blame?

.

The first class of the day began. Oh, the dreariness, the boredom, the lacklustre of it all. She sat in her usual spot, laid out everything on her desk and resumed her automatic brain reaction by taking notes obediently and listening as attentively as she could to the nice old male teacher who was educating them on Biology. She loved science. Her classmates obviously thought otherwise as half of them were caught up in their own world, some cheerleaders preferring more to analyse the colours of their manicure; and some bullies starting a racket at the back of the class by pranking other students.

That one boy sat at a desk beside the window, where his view of her was completely unobscured, as she was sitting diagonally from him and he wasn't sitting too far toward the back of the class, for once. They would move on to the biology lab soon, where he would be far away from her then because she would have her own friends to actually focus on carrying out whatever experiment they would be doing. Therefore he figured that this would be his only time to actually look at her and think for real why he decided to kiss her, and why, although he was perhaps still slightly upset that his now ex-girlfriend Sam had broken up with him, he wasn't actually that downtrodden about it. In fact, all he could think about mostly was that he was single and that meant he had a chance to be with her.

2.

He ran a hand through his darkened brown hair, slightly gelled in certain areas. His hair was a shade slightly darker than hers. The three silver ear studs in his left earlobe glinted ever so little in the sun where the rays came through the glass window. His eyes were a beautiful grey, stark and cutting. The aura he held around him was one of independence and authority – he did what he wanted, and he usually got away with it. He stood strong and sturdy, and though regarded as the 'bad boy' of Centerscore, he was popular. Everyone knew his name, he had girls admiring him, the bullies would rather not pick a fight with him, and yet he wasn't hated by anyone. It was one of those paradigms in life that you would normally see as the ideal. And he had it. But as reckless as he was, there was this side of him that was deeply rooted and grounded. Many people walked by, never knowing who he was deep down; even his ex-girlfriend never really saw it.

But she did. She did. How could she, when it was a mere six or seven hours that they spent in lockdown together? Why was it her that could read his mind? She was able to cut through to the core of his being and see him for who he was, and wanted him to be that person. No one else ever challenged him that greatly.

It was impeccable that he would hold her in such a fleeting moment, and even decide to press his lips to hers – for more than a minute, at that. It was one long, slow, passionate kiss. Whatever made him do that? There must've been a part of him that wanted it, otherwise he would have not ever considered even doing it, let alone making a decision to do it. Either way, though it was not his first, it was one of the most amazing moments in his life. He didn't know what in the world he was doing though. Why her? Why her at all?

.

Before everyone knew it, class was over and done for the day. Everyone stepped outside into the glorious sunshine and was off to either extracurricular activities, study even more, or back home. He had nothing much to do, really; normally he would either hang around to muck about, or he would just head off to deal with his family matters.

Family.

It was a difficult word for him, with everything that he'd been through in life so far. He would normally not think too much about it, but when he did, he knew it still stung him in ways he didn't want it to.

He decided he would head off. He was partially tired, and though he didn't care too much for homework or student-related activities such as parties, he thought he would just go home, take care of his younger sister, finish some household chores and then go for the School Spirit Bonfire happening at the beach. Normally he wouldn't bother going for any such event, but he didn't feel good just being at home anyway, so it was only either this or that. Well, and also he would probably see her there. Granted, Sam would be there too, but he could handle it.

Man I'm messed up, he thought.

He was walking out of the school compound towards the carpark where his good ol' motorcycle, a Ducati Streetfighter, stood. It was a handsome bike, and it did its job in luring all the girls towards him. It was one of the few things in his life which he really treasured – well, not because of the girls, but because it had been with him for a significant amount of time. It was a loyal piece of machinery.

She walked right into his path just then. She really didn't know where she was going but deep down, she was looking for him and she left class to wander around aimlessly for a few minutes, which was something that really annoyed her because that was not who she normally was. She did not get fretful, she did not worry, she did not fall easily for guys, and she never let her guard down that easily – at least, not to simply anyone, and certainly not just to a guy who kissed her for sixty seconds, and whom she never really spoke to before the events of that significant day (it had only been a mere four days since it happened, for goodness sake!).

Oh, and most of all, not to a guy who wasn't even in her circles, and who was completely out of her league.

So while she was contemplating all these in her mind, she ended up staring blankly at some of her peers, Dex, Erik and Brendan, busy and animatedly discussing the latest video game on the benches outside. Apparently it was such a beautiful day that even the nerds couldn't stand being indoors. And unfortunately, she was doing all this thinking and staring blankly while walking. So, the cliché occurred – she bumped right into his path. Of course, he wasn't looking at where he was going either – he was busy texting Howard, who was telling him about how upset Sam was, and how he was getting all the drama outcome of the situation. He was trying to be nice to Howard in replying politely that he would talk later, because there were honestly way too many things in his mind at that moment.

"Whaa-? Sorry! OhmygoshColt."

"Watch wher- Oh. Hi, Princess."

They stood, for a full two seconds, just staring at each other for a moment, not quite knowing what to say after that. It was awkward, but more than that it was tense. Not in a bad way, but in a way that signalled to each of them that they were thinking about the exact same thing – the kiss.

Colt decided to man up. "So, what are you up to?"

Denni, not quite expecting such a question, replied, "Uh, nothing much. Just finished class."

What in the world? I'm not expecting such a question? Then what am I expecting, "I can't stop thinking about our kiss"? How stupid, she thought.

"Great," he said with a smile, as though nothing was wrong, and as though nothing had happened at all between them. "I'm just heading off."

"Oh, right, yeah," she said, putting on the best face she could. "Um, I'll just see you around then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you around," he echoed, and then he turned and continued walking towards the carpark just after he paused to see her smile in response.

I should have asked him about Sam and apologised, WHY didn't I do that? I've been wanting to do that!, she thought, frustrated.

His figure now retreating towards the bikes in the carpark, she sighed to herself and mock-slapped her face. She was in for some real trouble for herself.

A/N: This story is still in progress. I know where I want it to go (as it is mostly just a loooong version of their already ongoing story on SHS), but I just haven't written more yet. So let me know if you'd want it to go on haha.