Okay, I am officially a horrible person. I said I was going to stop posting new stories until I finished all of my current ones, but here's yet another new one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Cause of Death, but this chapter is composed of all original characters, created by my awesome self.

The sounds of shoes rubbing against a tile floor and bags being opened filled the air. It was a day many kids dreaded, the first day of school.

Hadley Fallon sat behind her desk, impatiently awaiting the arrival of her two best friends. She drummed her fingers on the hard cover of the atrocious looking algebra book.

The bell had just rang when two teenagers sauntered into the room. Their teacher, Mr. Walton, looked up sternly. "Nick Kalaba, Lindsay Corso. You're both late."

"Only one minute!" Nick defended, fumbling with the zipper on his bag.

"Not my fault you're a hardass," Lindsay said haughtily.

Mr. Walton gave her a stern look. "Sit down, Lindsay." With a shrug, she sat down beside Hadley. Walton turned to Nick. "Young man, I've heard about you. Aren't you the one who set the lunchroom on fire last year?"

"M-maybe," he stammered.

"Leave him alone," Hadley defended. "Nobody got hurt."

"Hadley Fallon?" Mr. Walton asked stiffly. "You have quite a reputation yourself. Fighting?"

"C'mon. She was defending herself," Lindsay said, leaning her chair back and propping her feet up on her desk.

"You've had a couple of fights yourself if I'm not mistaken," Mr. Walton said dryly.

"Not as many as Hadley!" Lindsay insisted. Hadley shot her a look.

"I thought you were on my side!"

"Lindsay, you're violating the dress code," Mr. Walton reprimanded. Lindsay looked down at her low cut shirt and heeled sandals.

"How? I like it," she smart mouthed. "I have the right to be happy, don't I?" She swung her feet off of her desk and leaned forward with a smirk.

"One more outburst and-" The teacher was cut off by the sound of Nick's desk toppling over.

"Every year!" he groaned, attempting to set it upright. "Come on! Hadley, help!"

"...Who are you?" Hadley asked, edging her chair further away. Nick scowled and managed to return his desk to its original position.

"All three of you are already on a thin ledge. Don't push it." Mr. Walton began to write on the board. "Turn to page seven. We're starting with an introduction to slope intercept."

"I already hate ninth grade," Hadley muttered, thumbing through the pages until she found the one. She glanced at Lindsay, who was busy picking at a hangnail. "Lindsay." She have her friend a kick on the leg.

"Ow! What do you want?" Lindsay snapped, drawing attention from the class. She huffed and opened her book. "There."

"This is so much fun!" Nick whispered. "Chemistry and biology will be even better! Who wants to be my lab partner?"

"The last time I did a project with you, you somehow spilled glue down my bra," Lindsay muttered back. Suddenly she lit up and leaned closer to Hadley. "Speaking of bras, I'm in a C now!"

"With or without tissues?" Hadley retorted. Lindsay stared blankly before grabbing her pencil and angrily starting her work.

"Crap!" Nick complained. "My pen exploded!"

"Shut up!" Hadley whispered. She looked up to see Mr. Walton scowling.

"Anything special you three would like to share?" he demanded, crossing his arms.

"...I don't know these people." Hadley grabbed her book and went to the other side of the classroom. Lindsay glared at her and Nick stared sadly at the ink splatter on his book.

"Hold it, Hadley."

"What did I do?"

"You were also speaking in class. I am trying to teach and three of you are disrupting."

Hadley frowned. "They started it."

"That doesn't matter. You were participating in the conversation, weren't you? I do not put up with troublemakers."

"No wonder you're not married."

"Principal's office!" Mr. Walton gestured to the door. Hadley slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way towards the exit. "Now, Nick and Lindsay, unless you have something else to say-"

"Other than the fact that this stuff is bullsh-" Lindsay was interrupted by the teacher pointing at the door. "Fine. It gets me out of algebra, so good."

Nick stared sadly. "Why? Now I don't have any friends in this room!" he whined. "And here I thought you would be less uh..." He stumbled over his words. "Less provoking?"

"Nicholas. Follow them."

"What? I'll miss algebra!" he protested.

"Then the three of you can do an extra assignment for homework. Now, to the office."

As Nick passed the girls, Lindsay gave him a shove. "Thanks. Now I have to spend my night staring at a damn math book."

Hadley scowled. "You just had to get him to assign extra homework on the first day? It's a good thing I've never called you awesome."

"But you have..."

"Then I was stoned when I said it." Hadley led her friends down the hall and opened the door to the principal's office.

Principal Catherine Jameson looked up at the teenagers. "Ah, if it isn't Hadley, Lindsay, and Nick. What happened this time?"

"It's not my fault that Lindsay's an attention hound and Nick's a geek," Hadley scoffed. "And thanks to Mr. Cranky Pants, here we are." She narrowed her hazel eyes at her companions.

"Hey, you're the one who threw the guy's lack of marriage in his face," Lindsay accused. "I may be a little open, but at least I bite my tongue."

Hadley snorted. "Yeah, right. Says the girl who cussed out the gym teacher last year."

Nick squeezed between them. "Uh, so... are you gonna give us detention?"

"Yes. All three of you get two hours tomorrow night. I expect you to behave better this year. That means controlling those tempers, ladies. And for you, Nick, just... try not to set any fires this year. However, I will congratulate you for making such high grades. You children are dismissed."

The kids left the office, and as soon as they entered the hallway, Hadley groaned. "Just when I thought I'd gotten rid of Lady Brattiness." She scowled as Nancy Holland approached them, a smug smirk on her face.

"Why, Hadley Fallon! How I've missed you." Nancy twirled her light brown ponytail. "I hope you're not still upset about losing your spot on the soccer team."

"And I hope you don't mind the fact that I'm trying out again," Hadley said defiantly. "Because I actually know how to play. You only joined to make me mad. But tryouts are next week." She smiled. "See you then."

Nancy let out an angry breath and stormed in the opposite direction. As soon as she was out of earshot, Hadley kicked at the wall. "Why haven't I broken her neck yet?"

"Because last year you broke her nose and got suspended?" Lindsay offered.

"I don't care! She knew how much I wanted that spot and she purposely got me kicked off to make me look bad. Either one of you two could play better than she can." Her friends glared at her. "I have an idea, though."

"Does it involve bikinis and peanut butter?" Nick asked.

"Nick? Have I ever told you about the nice people with the butterfly nets and the big needle? They live on the other side of town in this pretty little building where other people of your kind live."

Lindsay snickered. "Good one!"

"I heard that she wants to try out for the cheerleading team this year. And since she took my spot, why don't I just give her a taste of her own medicine?"

"Whoa, wait, you're trying out for the cheerleading team? No offense, but you're not exactly the type to wear a miniskirt and dance around. Me, on the other hand..."

"Both of you do it!" Nick begged. "I would love to see that!"

"Would you guys shut up for a moment? Look, I'm just gonna stay on long enough to get Nancy frazzled. Then you can have the spot, Lin. She's less likely to slit your throat than mine." Hadley arched an eyebrow. "So, are you in?"

"Hmm... I have always wanted to try it out, and with you doing all the work, sounds like a deal!" Lindsay smiled widely.

"One question..." Nick began. "Do cheerleaders ever-"

"Shut up!"

I'm nearly done with the next chapter. It's a collection of their family dinners, and you'll learn more about this little trio :) Review?