Full bellies and cooler heads prevailed, and after dinner with the company of her new ally Maddie, Tawny felt much better.

She went to bed that night feeling no anxiety about the events that transpired.

Maybe Maddie was right, thought Tawny. Perhaps she WAS different from the other girls. Sure, she wasn't disgustingly wealthy, but maybe in an environment where everyone was, being of modest income was the secret sauce that would give her the edge.

Tawny even enjoyed most of her classes the following day--it helped that Maddie was by her side for most of them--and actually had a bit of bounce to her step leading up to fourth period...

But on the way to her locker, she turned the corner and bumped headlong into the Evil 3 - Elaine and her cronies.

"Watch it, Tawdry!" cautioned Elaine, her friends Elizabeth and Violet steadying her so she wouldn't fall to the ground. Tawny did, however, and her books and school supplies scattered about.

"Sorry," said Tawny, and both she and Maddie tried to retrieve her things.

Then Maddie stood up. "Why don't you watch where you're going, Elitist Elaine?"

The Evil 3 feigned insult. "Is that the best you can do?" said Elaine. "I think hanging around this poor little lapdog of yours has dulled your senses."

"How kind of you to take up adoption," remarked Elizabeth in her faux-saccharine way.

"I said I was sorry," repeated Tawny, who was now struggling with the items in her hands and praying she wouldn't drop them again. "It was an accident."

"No, YOU are the accident!" said Elaine, pointing her index finger mere inches from her nose. "First you intrude on my space and force me to move, then you stink up my classes with your presence, and lastly you take away my opportunity to have Dylan as my partner for English class!"

"Do you have any idea how long she had been planning her strategy?" asked Violet. "I helped her for weeks. It was a veritable Machiavellian work of art!"

"Sorry," repeated Tawny. "I can't help it if Professor McCurdy grouped us together. You think I want to be paired with that pompous blowhard?"

The Evil 3 gasped in unison.

"Did you HEAR what she just SAID?" asked Elizabeth.

"Are you going to let her disgrace your man?" asked Violet.

"Your man?" said Tawny. "Last I heard Dylan was single."

The Evil 3 gasped again, this time bringing a hand to each of their chests.

Elaine narrowed her eyes. "You better watch your back, Tawdry," she said softly. Then she and her two friends stormed off.

"That. Was. Incredible." said Maddie.

"I feel like my heart's about to burst out of my chest," said Tawny. "But it felt good to let her have it."

"I'll bet," said Maddie. "She needs to be put in her place." She then glanced at the watch around her wrist. "Oh shoot! I gotta get going, my Geography class is about to start.

"Geography?" said Tawny. "You're not taking fourth period gym with me?"

"Are you kidding? Me in those unflattering gym clothes? No thanks. Don't worry - it's just one period, you'll be fine. I'll see you after, okay?"

Maddie ran off to catch her class. Meanwhile, a sense of dread crept into Tawny's thoughts as she realized she would have to take gym class...alone.

She was so paralyzed with fear that she dropped all her items on the floor again.