"I have graded your book reports from last Friday and after I pass them out, we'll discuss them." Mr. Feeny said, as Gia leaned back in her desk. She looked over to see Cory in a clown nose making faces at her and Shawn, and stifled a laugh. "Mr. Matthews," Feeny said, causing Cory to turn around slowly, "Shall I express my usual disappointment or just ask you to guide my sleigh tonight?"

"Sorry to break it to you, Feeny, but you have the wrong holiday." Gia said, shrugging.

"Yeah, Mr. Feeny," Cory agreed, "See, Halloween's coming up and I was just test driving my clown nose."

"Then I insist you stay in the driver's seat. Put the nose on for the rest of the morning." Feeny replied smugly, causing Cory to roll his eyes. "Mr. Minkus, excellent work as usual. I particularly enjoyed your haiku on Captain Ahab's obsession with the great white whale."

"The calm blue ocean. Sun lights up the monster's eye. He sees me- whale food." Minkus said dramatically.

"It works on so many levels." Feeny said.

"Brown-noser." Shawn shot at Minkus.

"Troglodyte." Minkus shot back.

"Mr. Lewis, very good work. Mr. Matthews, not one of your best efforts. Miss Watts, impressive. Mr. Hunter." Feeny remarked as he passed out the papers.

"What'd you get?" Gia asked Shawn.

"D+." Shawn responded.

"I'm so proud of you."

~~~

"Gia."

"Gi"

"Gianina."

Shawn and Gia were in art class. Shawn had been trying to whisper to Gia while she focused on her painting, and Gia had yet to respond.

"Giiiaaaaa." Then it happened. Gia felt something cold and wet touch her cheek. Reaching up to feel her cheek, she looked down to see her fingers covered in purple paint.

"Oh you're on, Hunter." She smirked, grabbing some paint and painting his nose.

Shawn retaliated by painting her forehead, which was when all hell broke loose. She poured some in his hair, and he poured some in hers, causing her to shriek.

"Shawn Hunter and Gianina Watts! Detention!" Mrs. Engles screamed, and that's how Shawn and Gia got detention in art.

~~~

Shawn and Gia were drinking lemonade and leaning against the wall after detention. They had cleaned up in the bathroom, although Gia's hair was still encrusted in green paint, and Shawn's in blue.

"You waited for me?" Cory said, causing Gia to turn to look at him.

"Are we not your best friends?" Shawn asked. "Gia even waited with me."

"You guys had detention too, didn't you?" Cory guessed, and Gia nodded.

"Oh, yeah. Mrs. Engles nailed us."

"How did you get a detention in art?" Cory asked.

"Well, that's what makes us two of the greats." Shawn said, tossing his bottle of lemonade into the trash can. Gia looked down at her watch.

"Crap, my mom's going to kill me." She turned to the boys. "I have to go guys..." And with that, she walked home, awaiting her doom.

~~~

The moment Gia opened the door, her mother's voice rang out. "In the sitting room." Her voice was stiff and stern, causing Gia to straighten.

Gia walked into the room, where her mother and father were sitting on the couch, her mother practically fuming. "Gianina Marie Watts, what in God's name were you thinking!" She examined her daughter's appearance and gasped, "and what on Earth are you wearing!"

Gia looked down to see she was still wearing her jeans and belt, a tank top, and a leather jacket she'd gotten from Shawn. "Oh- um- the paint got on my clothes and I had to change... a few people lent me their clothing," she covered up quickly.

"Don't feed us that nonsense, Gianina." Her father scoffed, rolling his eyes. "As a member of this family, you cannot be wearing these sloppy clothes and getting detentions with rebellious boys."

"Look, it wasn't even that big a deal, Dad." Gia cut in. "Shawn and I just had a little paint war, that's all." She winced as the words left her mouth.

"People of our status don't have 'paint wars'." Her mother reprimanded. "We've had this conversation before, Gianina. As someone of your status, there are certain ways you have to act, certain clothing you cannot wear, and certain people you must avoid. Shawn Hunter is one of those people. The Watts Family is distinguished and you must obey the rules. The next time you pull a stunt like this, there will be consequences, do you understand me?"

Gia sighed. "Yes, ma'am." She said, before beginning to walk up the stairs to her room.

"And no more hanging around that Hunter boy."

~~~

The next day, Gianina Watts showed up to school wearing a plaid red skirt, a white shirt with a high collar, black heels, and makeup. That was the first thing that told Shawn Hunter that something was wrong.

The second thing was the fact that she seemed to be ignoring him. He decided not to push it, at least not while they were in public. The day pretty much flew by; Cory got one of the highest IQ scores Feeny had seen, which caused Gia to be slightly suspicious, but she was too busy trying to ignore Shawn to worry about it.

By the end of the day, it was absolutely killing her. She knew that her mother had talked to some of her friends, to ask their kids to keep an eye on her. She had sat at the rich kid table during lunch, where everyone acted proper and refined, and besides Cindy Davis, she wasn't friends with anyone.

Finally, the day was over, and Gia could escape. She was walking past the janitor's closet, when suddenly someone opened the door and pulled her in. She turned to face her attacker, but sighed in relief when it was just Shawn.

"What's wrong with you?" She exclaimed, hitting him on the chest likely.

"I think I'm the one who should be asking that question." Shawn said, crossing his arms. "What is your problem, Gi. We were fine yesterday."

"My parents freaked. I got a whole talk about the fact that 'as a member of the Watts family I am to act certain ways, wear certain things, and avoid certain people'," Gia sighed. "They have me being monitored by some of their friend's kids. I'm just so done with it. They basically forbid me to hang out with you."

"So you're not mad at me."

"Of course not! Why the heck would I be mad at you?" Gia said, before sighing. "I talked to Cindy Davis in the girl's bathroom, and she said that she'd cover for me if we want to hang out."

"Great..." Shawn said, and went to open the door before turning to her, "and Gia... I'm always here for you." He said, causing the brunette to give him a tight hug, before walking out of the closet.

Things were different, but they would make it work.