This was an idea that just randomly came to me as I thought about the Coates Trio, probably my three favorite characters in the whole Gone series. So this is basically how Drake came to hate Diana, how she came to fall in love with Caine, and how messed up Coates is. Enjoy! And review!

Chapter 1

A Warm Welcome to the School of Hell

Diana

Okay, maybe school of hell was a slight overstatement, but that's what it felt like as I drove up to the main building. There were gates at the front and cameras everywhere that were supposed to make the place look important, but I saw through it. It looked like a prison, in my opinion. I climbed out of the taxi and grabbed my suitcase and bags. A blonde woman with a smile came to greet me. "A warm welcome to Coates Academy," she said cheerfully. I smiled back, resisting the urge to cry.

I knew that I was the new kid. To show weakness on my first day would be suicide. I had really horrible self-esteem at the moment, though. This prison school was where I was stuck just because I lied, just because my parents decided I wasn't worth the trouble of keeping anymore. The blonde woman led me to a small room where she said I would meet two other new arrivals. We would be given the chance to talk and be friendly before meeting the rest of the student body so that we wouldn't be completely alone and friendless. I figured with a student body like this, it was a good idea.

Drake

I still remembered the kid's scream when his initial shock wore off. There was blood everywhere, pouring from the bullet wound in the kid's thigh. I had been so incredibly happy in that moment. Then, before I knew it, I was being shipped off to Coates Academy, and walking into this small room where the other new arrivals were supposed to meet me. I didn't want friends. I wanted victims.

After a few minutes, another boy walked in. He had dark hair and cold eyes, and he walked with a sort of self-confidence, like 'bow down before me, because I'm cooler than all of you'. I didn't bow down. I started talking to him. His name was Caine, and he wasn't so bad. He wasn't a victim, but he wasn't a friend. More like…in between. An ally. That was it. We both wondered when the other new girl was supposed to show up. I felt the overwhelming urge to hurt something, so I pictured a guinea pig, squealing in agony as I cut off each toe. I wondered where I could find a real guinea pig. Suddenly, the door opened. All thoughts of hurting things flew from my mind.

Caine

This Drake guy was interesting. He was crazy, and screwed up inside, but interesting and useful. When the door opened, I looked up and did a double take. My eyes fell on the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I was speechless. So was Drake. We both stared at her hungrily, and she looked us both up and down slowly, evaluating us. I fought the overwhelming urge to run a hand through my hair. I knew I was immensely attractive, but still…

Her eyes rested on Drake a moment longer than they did on me, and I felt angry and upset. Choose him over me? There was no way. "I'm Diana Ladris," she said with a white smile, holding out her hand. I shook it slowly, still staring at her.

I searched for something to say. 'I love you', 'You're beautiful', and 'Marry me' would probably be too drastic for the situation, so I stuck with "Caine Soren." She shook Drake's hand a moment longer than she did mine, and I felt jealousy rising inside me. I silently cursed Drake as the school counselor came in to give us our schedules and dorm numbers.

Diana

Well, I had to say, school might not be so bad here. Two hot guys checking me out on the first day. It had helped raise my self-esteem, anyway. I took my schedule and the key to my dorm and walked down the long hallways to my room. There it was, number 456. I unlocked the door and found I was lucky enough to get a single. I threw my stuff on the chair by a desk and sat on the bed. Comfortable enough. I went into the bathroom to look around. A shower stall, a sink, and a box of tissues. I was happy with that. The good thing about this place was that it wasn't just for problematic kids, it was for rich problematic kids, so it had nice accommodations. I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking, putting my clothes and school uniforms into the dresser, putting my toothbrush and deodorant in the bathroom cabinet, putting my books in the desk. It was hard for me to convince myself that this was my new home. I looked at the clock and saw that it was already halfway through dinnertime. I decided against going. There was always breakfast tomorrow.

As I brushed my teeth and got ready for bed, I thought about the boys I had met earlier. They were both pretty good looking. Still, I thought the blond one, Drake, was hotter. The other one, Caine, was too self-absorbed. Like he expected to be king of the world one day. I yawned and turned off the lights.