Kori Anders couldn't be more excited as she got dressed for school today. Most people would find it weird that a teenage girl would be happy to be going to school but Kori believed today to be a special school day. Today she would start high school so she thought that was a good reason to smile this morning.

Her smile turned into a frown as she searched through her closet.

"No... no... no!" she threw her purple tank top across the room in frustration. She needed to find something to wear and fast.

The rd-head continued to search through her closet, her emerald green eyes scanning over every piece of clothing. A wide smile spread across her face as she found the perfect outfit. A white skirt and a black tank top along with a white sweater that was decorated with gold stars. Kori smiled and grabbed her white boots, putting them on. She wasn't one to spend hours in front of the mirror or anything like that but she had to admit, she looked pretty good today. Her white clothes complemented her tan skin very well.

Kori practically floated downstairs with happiness as she entered the kitchen. "Good morning family!" she said happily.

Luan, Kori's mother, looked up and smiled at her youngest child. "Good morning, Kori. You look lovely."

"Thanks mom," she sat down at the kitchen table. "Good morning dad."

Myan Anders looked up from his newspaper and narrowed his eyes. He didn't like the fact that his youngest daughter, who was starting high school today which was filled with hormone driven boys, was wearing a skirt. "You are not leaving this house dressed like that."

"Like what?" Kori looked herself over. She thought she looked fine.

"You're exposing to much. Go and change." he ordered. Kori gulped, her father could be... scary at times.

"Myan, leave her alone," scolded Luan as she set a plate of food in front of her husband. "Kori, you look fine. Really, there is no need to change."

Kori smiled at her mother who was like the opposite of her father and more understanding.

"Are you excited about your first day at high school, Kori?" Luan asked as she unfolded a napkin.

Kori nodded with a smile.

"I still think you should have gone to that boarding school." Myan muttered. Over the summer Myan had tried to convince his two daughters to go to an all girls boarding school. He yelped when Luan crushed her heel in his foot.

Luan smiled and looked at her daughter. "Will you be needing a ride, Kori?"

Kori shook her head. "Me and the others are going to walk to school."

Luan nodded and sighed. "Where is Komi? She should have been down by now. I wouldn't want her to be late to school."

Kori stopped a moment to think about her older sister; Komi. Komi was also in high school but she was beginning her sophomore year today. Kori wished she would have asked Komi for some advice, after all Komi was more experienced in high school affairs after surviving her first year. Then again even if she had asked Kori doubted her sister would have given her advice. Her and her sister weren't exactly the best of friends.

"Mmm, pancakes. Yummy." Komi said as she stepped into the kitchen.

Kori's eyes popped out. "That's my red sweater! How did you... When did you...?"

"Oh, I hope you don't mind sister dear." Komi said with a smug smile.

"Dad!" Kori cried.

"Be nice to your sister, Komi." Myan scolded absently as he read the newspaper.

Luan sighed and checked the time. "Kori, you should get going. You don't want to be late."

"Right. Bye mom, bye dad...," Kori said as she began to leave. "Bye evil sister who steals my sweaters!"

Komi glared at her younger sister. "Dad!"

"Be nice to your sister, Kori."

The comment went unheard as Kori had already left the house and walked outside. She breathed in the fresh air and smiled. Today was a lovely day. The sun was shining and... a baseball was heading straight for her...

"OW!" Kori rubbed her head and glared at the baseball that rolled to her feet on the ground.

"Well, I guess today's not your lucky day."

Kori turned her head and smiled at who she saw. "Hey, Raven. Are you ready for school?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," she said absently as she picked up the baseball. She glared at the little kids across the street who clearly had no manners. "Let's go, Kori."

Kori nodded and followed Raven along the sidewalk. As they were walking Raven tossed the baseball in the trash. She grinned as the kids shouted at her.

"Was that really necessary?" Kori asked.

"They hit you on purpose with a baseball so yeah, it was," Raven replied. "I bet you wouldn't scold Dick if he did that."

Kori groaned. "Not this again..."

"Yes, this again," Raven replied dryly. "Seriously, why don't you just admit you like him."

"Uh, because I don't, at least not in that way," Kori said. "Besides, he is my best friend."

Raven shrugged indifferently. "Whatever."

Kori sighed, ever since she could remember a boy named Dick Grayson had been her best friend and for some reason people always believed them to have a crush on each other or have mistaken them for a couple.

Sure Dick was nice and handsome, not to mention well built for his age. And he had the most wonderful pair of blue sapphire eyes Kori had ever seen in her life and his hair. She just wanted to run her fingers through it... Kori shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

"Guys! Over here!"

Kori and Raven looked up and spotted two of their best friends, Victor Stone, or Vic as he is mostly known, and Karen Beecher. Kori smiled at her two friends. It was a no brainer that those two would walk together, after all they were dating. It all began in 8th grade when Vic finally got the courage to ask Karen out. After that the two remained a lasting couple.

"Kori, I love that outfit," Karen said as she gestured Kori to spin around. "Especially that sweater."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Here it comes..."

"We so need to go to the mall!"

"Yes! How about this weekend," suggested Kori. "Just us girls."

Raven sighed. "Shop-o-holics."

Vic laughed.

Raven glared at him. "Shut up or I'll make Karen turn you into our bag boy."

Vic stood silent. There was no way he would want to go through that type of torture. He decided to shift the conversation. "Hey, where are the two midgets of the group?"

"Dude! So not cool," said a voice. "We are so not midgets."

They all turned around to face the last two members of their small group of friends; Garfield Logan, a.k.a. Gar, and Dick Grayson.

"What did you say," Vic teased. "I can't hear you down there, Gar."

"Oh yeah... well... how's the weather up there?" Gar shot back.

Raven slapped her forehead in annoyance. "You give blondes a bad name."

"I do not!" yelled Gar.

Kori giggled and felt a arm wrap around her shoulders. She turned her head to the side and saw it was Dick wearing a cool smile on his face.

"You don't think I'm short do you, Kori?" he asked.

"Um..." To be honest Dick wasn't all that short. He was just a few inches shorter than Kori.

"Oh... Dick and Kori sitting in a tree--"

"Shut up! I was just asking her a question." Dick snapped at Gar and Vic as he dug his hands into his pockets.

Kori suddenly missed having his arm around her.

"Face it, Dick," mocked Vic. "You're short and you have a HUGE crush on Kori."

"Shouldn't we get going to school." said Karen, cutting off any arguing that was bond to happen. That was Karen, always to the rescue especially when it came to something that involved Kori.

The others paused and nodded. They all began to walk down the street following a side walk that would lead them to their new school.

"Wow, I can't believe we're going to high school," Karen said as they continued their walk. "It's so surreal."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Dick. "I'm gonna miss middle school."

"Are you crazy. Dude, going to high school is gonna be awesome," said Gar happily. "We're smarter. We're older. We're cooler. We're--"

"Late!" Vic shouted, looking down at his watch.

"Then what the hell are we standing around for," said Karen. "Let's go!"

They immediately took off in a run.

Raven huffed. "This is why one of us needs to get a car."

"Oh, or a pony!" Gar said suddenly.

Had Raven not been running she would have slapped him.

"Hey guys," Kori said, picking up her pace and pulling ahead of her friends. "I see the school. Last one there is a rotten egg!"

The others picked up their speed as well but Kori was already far ahead of her friends. She turned her head back for a moment to see that her friends were beginning to catch up. She turned her head back and noticed someone was standing in front of her. Kori was caught off guard and couldn't stop herself in time. She bumped into the person in front of her. The person she bumped into was a tall boy with messy brown hair. He turned around with anger written all over his face.

"What the hell is your problem?! Can't you see where... Oh, it's you."

Kori stood in her spot with her eyes open in shock. "Fang..."

Fang Peterson was the nightmare of Kori's entire middle school life. Not only would he pick on her but he would also pick on her friends. Whenever Kori was around Fang she put in a strong face but deep down inside she was terrified of him. He was like Frankenstein but in teenage clothing. Fang was just plain creepy and Kori had hoped she wouldn't be seeing him in high school. So much for that wish.

"What's the matter, Kori," Fang asked as he looked Kori up and down. "You don't look happy to see me."

Kori suddenly wished she listened to her father and not worn a skirt to school. That's when she suddenly felt a arm wrap around her waist. She turned her head and saw it was Dick who had his arm wrapped around her. Kori could feel the heat rise to her cheeks and blushed. Kori was so focused on the fact that Dick had his arm wrapped around her she barely noticed that her other friends arrived as well.

"Dick." Fang said with venom.

"Fang," Dick said with equal hatred. These two never got along well. "What do you think you're doing harassing Kori like this? I would have thought you learned your lesson in middle school."

"Hey, relax, Grayson," Fang said coolly. "We were just talking. Isn't that right, Kori?"

Kori avoided his gaze and said nothing.

Fang shrugged and said nothing. He turned and walked away. Once he was out of sight Dick turned to Kori.

"Are you ok? He didn't hurt you did he?"

Kori shook her head. "No, you scared him off. Thank you."

"Anything for a friend."

Gar began to cough and say thing like 'he likes her' under his breath.

"Um, guys..." Raven said, catching her friends attention, as she pointed to her watch.

Vic's eyes popped out of his head. "Oh crap we gotta go!"

With that said they ran through the high school doors and into what would be the start of their new lives.

--------------------------------

WELL FOLKS, THERE YOU HAVE IT. THIS IS THE START TO THE PREQUEL OF SICK CYCLE CAROUSEL. I HOPED EVERYONE ENJOYED THIS FIRST CHAPTER.

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