Okay, so I am so sorry for not updating in 3 months, but I had school work, lost my notebook, and didn't feel like writing. Again, I am sorry, so here's a new chapter! Also, please tell me if I'm missing anything canonically. This goes for the whole book, since I'm bound to mess something up. Thanks!

The next morning I woke up and got my first shower in Hades knows how long. Actually, considering how he had been watching me all this time, he probably is the only one who knows. I went down to breakfast with Liz and Hazel, where Headmistress Morgan made a grand announcement welcoming us. It was super embarrassing, especially when she introduced me, because Alex stared right at me. Alex! As in my one and only ex-boyfriend! Turns out he goes here too. Guess he didn't feel like telling me he went to the 2nd best school ever (the 1st would be Hogwarts). Just add that to the list of all the OTHER things he never told me.

"Just ignore him," whispered Liz. "He's not worth getting upset over-no one is."

That day we all started with the 7th grade classes. They were all so easy that by the end of the day, Percy, Liz, Leo, Carter, Hazel, and Frank were on the freshman level, while I was happily remaining with those my own age. I wasn't bitter, especially because (a) they were older and much, MUCH smarter, and (b) the eighth grade classes were plenty challenging enough, thank you very much.

Our languages class, Countries of the World (COW), was thankfully easy. I was simultaneously learning five different languages! For those that are wondering, I was learning Spanish (boring), French (also boring), German (fun but easy), Chinese (fun and slightly more difficult), and Japanese (fun and a little harder). I was also very glad that the teachers didn't cut me any slack because I was new and was leaving soon. Probably. I might want to stay here and finish out the year. I mean, I have kids my own age with the same-ish level of intelligence, and I wasn't a freak, was something very new. I also had P&E, Protection and Enforcement, which was just like karate, and I loved it. I had a black belt in karate from Novi, and it came in real handy with P&E. I wasn't the best, but I wasn't the worst either, which was also new.

At lunch on our 8th day, I was told something that was equal parts exciting and terrifying: there was going to be an incognito ball on Halloween, the day before we left. Actually, scratch that; it was 100% terrifying.

Hannah piped up and said, "Oh, Abigail! You should totally go with Alex! You guys would be super cute together!"

"Hah!" I heard a voice say from behind me. A voice that could only belong to one person. And that person was the one and only Alex Perry. "Like I would ever be caught with her."

I stood up, face-to-well, chin, and was about to make an amazing comeback wen Liz came to my rescue.

"Alex Perry."

"Yes?" he replied, somewhat meekly.

"Don't give my friend such a hard time, kid. You pushed her away like a fool and treating her like dirt will get you nowhere."

"Yes, ma'am." Then, silence.

"I'm sorry that you lost the protectee, Alex. But don't be angry at the world. Elizabeth Nicole Noel's death wasn't your fault."

Then Cammie appeared and asked, "Liz? Come with me."

I watched her go, worried that she'd get in trouble, and the crowd watching the event unfold dispersed. After everyone was out of eavesdropping distance, Tanya leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "Now what was THAT all about?"

I hesitated before answering quietly, "Alex and I, we, um, we knew each other before I came here."

"Well, duh, we all knew that. I meant, what is this about him pushing you away?"

"Well, we were...we were together for a month (September) before he, well he called me a lunatic and so he's been acting like this to me ever since."

"But he's obviously still in love with you! Why else would he harass you?" Hannah blurted.

"Because he's a little jerk. I'm going to class," I said abruptly, ending the conversation. I hurriedly gathered my stuff and headed off to class.

The next day, Professor Buckingham and Madame Dabney took us girls dress shopping for the ball, which was in only a few days. As I tried to hide behind a rack of very poofy dresses, Professor Buckingham brought a pale blue dress over to me.

"Ms. O'Meara, I thought you might like this particular dress. What do you think?"

Now this was most definitely a trick question. Do I tell her honestly that I think this came right out of Cinderella and just because I'm blonde does not in any way mean I am Cinderella or Goldilocks and risk facing her wrath, or do I lie and therefore suffer the consequence(s) of wearing it? As I was contemplating how best to deal with this dilemma, she said, "Abigail! I'm not getting any younger here."

"Sorry, Professor Buckingham. I, I guess I'll wear the dress," I finally replied, surrendering to her indomitable will.

My new friends were all begging to see my dress, but I refused, saying that they'd have to wait until the night of the ball, just like everyone else.

Have you every dreaded something so terrible and then it was there in a minute well, this was an example of that, except it happened in a second. No, seriously. I actually don't remember any of the two days between walking back from the store to Hazel telling me it was time to get changed. She offered to do my hair, which I (hopefully) politely declined, saying there was nothing anyone could do with this mane of-stuff.

I was standing with Hannah and a few other 8th grade girls, wearing my Cinderella-esque dress and silver flats waiting for Tanya and Liz when Liz walked in. I couldn't help it, I stared. She was gorgeous. She had on a super short black dress with leggings and a fuzzy jacket. She was wearing 5-inch heels that looked like they should be registered as a lethal weapon, and had a messy hairdo with a stunning eyeshadow job.

But then she stopped and gaped at me. I panicked, thinking I looked awful, and said, "Is it bad? I didn't choose it, Professor Buckingham did, but I didn't disagree. Was it a mistake?"

She looked shocked that I would ever think such a thing. "You look great, Abigail! Absolutely wowing. I'll bet you hate the girly glow though, right?"

"It is weird," I agreed.

Hannah burst in, "I think it looks wonderful! Imagine how Alex will fell seeing you in-"

"The dress has nothing to do with Alex," I corrected sternly, my blood boiling. 'Why do they all think I'm still in love with him? I've made it clear that I'm not!' "As I said, it was the teacher's choice. Now, where is Tanya? Our identities are about to be handed out!"

Tanya, speak of the devil, came racing around the corner. "Were you just waiting for me? I'm sorry!"

"It's fine," Liz said. "Let's had to the Main Hall." Percy, Carter, Leo, Frank, and Hazel joined them as they waited for the mysterious Zachary Goode to appear. I was curious about what kind of teacher he would be, especially since I wouldn't take his class, CoveOps, until sophomore year. That is, if I stayed.

From behind me, I heard one of Liz's friends, Kelly I think, standing with her date, say, "Leo looks good. He's only missing the sequined shoes of badas-"

Agent Goode walked in, causing her to shut up abruptly. He handed a card to everyone. "Read it, memorize it, become it. Tonight you are who the card says you are."

I looked at my card. Oh. Crap. This was going to be much more difficult than I thought. Slow music started and I had no idea what to do. Well, I assumed the...individual I was impersonating would be flirting with another individual. Unfortunately for me, I was currently trying to avoid the person impersonating that particular individual.

"Hey, Abigail."

Shoot. "I think you must be mistake, Alex," I corrected with what I'd hoped to be a charming smile.

"Oh. Right. Well, I think you look really nice by the way."

"Thanks, Alex. Oh, wait, you aren't really Alex, are you?"

"No. I'm..." he checked his card. "Sam Johnson."

"Well now there's a coincidence."

"Why? And are you okay? You don't seem like yourse-oh, right. Who are you?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out."

We continued that, both of us shamelessly flirting with each other (me because I had to, and him because he's, well, ALEX), until he finally asked me to dance. I agreed, since I knew my impersonatee would do the same. At about midnight, I managed to extract myself and escape to my room, where I collapsed on the bed.

"What's wrong, Abigail? You look like a fire truck! Wait, did Alex-"

"Oh hey, Liz. And no! Well, it has to do with him, but he didn't actually do anything."

"I'm not following."

"He had to impersonate Sam Johnson."

"Oh. How is that bad? And how did they know about him?"

"Well, I had to impersonate Elizabeth Noel. And they've well, kept a lot of tabs on you apparently."

"Oh. OH. So...what happened?"

"We flirted. Let me make that clear. I FLIRTED WITH ALEX PERRY."

"Did he know who you were impersonating?"

"No. I wouldn't tell him. It sounded like something someone would do. Oh no. he might think I was acting as myself! At least we're leaving tomorrow. That reminds me, why are you back so early? I thought you were talking to Leo."

"He, uh, asked me to dance. And I said no."

"Oh."

"If you don't mind, hon, I'm going to get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."

She went to sleep almost immediately, but I stayed awake, my mind running through things over and over so much that it barely registered when Hazel walked in, saw that I was awake, and said, "Oh, hey, Abigail." Let's just sleep was a long time in coming.