“She’s a killer queen, Gunpowder, gelatine, Dynamite with a laser beam…insatiable an appetite.”

Freddie Mercury

Alison stared at her algebra assignment and shook her head. “Why are they using letters in Math?” The stress of the past two months weighed on her. Tomorrow was the day before the end of the school year. Tradition held that on that day if the current Queen and second were disqualified or not able to fulfill their duty to nominate the next queen the “A” table itself votes to nominate a new queen. The title of Queen is always held by an Eighth grader, thus ensuring a yearly election. The spot was always held by a girl, no one at the table knew why, it had just always been that way. Some thought that it was because it had always been held by the captain of the cheerleader squad, others thought that it was because no matter how popular a guy gets, there was always a girl who was more popular. Alison really didn't care about tradition or why something was the way it was, all she cared about was sitting in that seat.

Keri's illness had completely opened the door for her. Tradition held that the old queen would nominate an Heir from the seventh grade girls to succeed her, and that girl became Queen on the last day of School. Technically everyone at the table still got a vote, and someone else could challenge the nominee, but there was no legend of such a thing ever happening.

Everyone always voted for the nominee, because they didn't want to lose favor with next years Queen, or have any enmity between them and the outgoing Queen. The former years queen and her second, automatically were invited to sit at the A table in the High school cafeteria If the former Queen lost her seat before the end of the year or could not fulfill this duty and had no heir to succeed her, then the table voted on the two, top ranking, seventh grade girls. Keri had told everyone of Alison's promotion the day before she got sick, so the running for Queen was between her and Mandy Ferlon.

Mandy had fought hard these past weeks, since it became clear that Keri was not leaving the hospital any time soon and Trudi had not returned either, and Keri had not named and Heir before leaving and so Amy Reader, the ranking Eighth grader and Table Historian had called for an election. Mandy had gained a lot of ground on Alison. She had the advantage of knowing everyone at the table far better then Alison did, and also knew “The Game” better too. Allison had an ace in the hole, however, she had the information that Keri had given her at the hospital. It was something that could seriously ruin Mandy's reputation. She knew she would probably not beat her without it, so she had bided her time.

Alison would use it too, she would do anything to win. Mrs. Bellow had resigned as the cheerleader coach so that she could focus on Keri, and so Alison's mom had been pestering the principal daily to let her take over the team. If Alison won, it would almost assure her mom the position she had wanted for so long.

She looked at an empty seat two desks ahead of her, and for a brief moment all thoughts of royalty left her mind. “Ali...Where are you?” Alianna had been missing for two months, her and that Jaius kid. Some girl named Olivia, a friend of Ali's from Wilkes-Barre, had led the authorities to the wooded area that lay near Alison's house. Half the community had spent days combing the area for any sign of them, but they hadn't found a single clue. They had divers in the creek for a couple of days, but there was no sign of them. They put out a nationwide Amber alert, but after a number of false alarms, the calls stopped coming altogether.

Alison closed her eyes and thought back over the times they had spent together, the happy days and the sad, and even the terrible. In the stillness of her mind she let herself cry. Inside her head, where no one would ever hear her cries or see the tears she shed, inside her head she could be the Ali that she always had been. The Ali who had had a best friend, a second sister, and a grandmother, and two adoptive parents and siblings that had treated her like their own.

She tried to think of why she had locked that Ali away, and what came to her mind was the moment when she had told her Mom that Keri had asked her to join the cheerleading squad and the A table. Her mother's face had beamed with pride, she had hugged Alison and told her how proud she was of her. It had been those words “I'm so proud of you.” that had turned her away from Alianna. Alison would do anything to keep hearing those words from her mother, from the woman that Alison sought affirmation from above anyone else, because if her mother could finally say she was proud of her, then the next step would have to be the words she had longed to hear from her mother her whole life. “I love you Alison.”

And tomorrow, tomorrow she would be Queen, even if it meant shoving Mandy's loose bladder under her nose and use it to make her back down. If she became Queen, she was sure that her mother would give her the praise she so desperately desired.

Lunch at the A table that day was unusually hard to enjoy. The usual cool that wafted off those sitting at that table had been shattered by the tension that buried all of its occupants in mounds of jealousy, greed, and fear. Texts were being sent as fast as they could be typed, and glares or smiles were given whenever anyone looked up from their phone long enough to look at someone else. Gossip was the meat of the texts, a battle of words that would see one of two girls sitting at the head of this table next year. Mandy glared at Alison over the top of her iPhone. Her red hair almost seeming to be burning with her dislike of Alison. Alison returned with an icy gaze that held Mandy's eyes for a long moment. Then with a smooth, fluid motion that she had practiced every night for the past week, Alison let slip a smile, a smile to rival the Cheshire cat's, a smile that betrayed a hidden secret.

That smile had been kept for just this moment, a moment when Mandy felt she had the race in the bag. She watched as the fire died a little in Mandy's eyes. She had caught the smile, and had at least grasped the fact that Alison hadn't lost yet, that somehow she thought she could still win this. Mandy's fire had all but died out by the time she tore her eyes away from that smile and went back to texting. “I wonder if she knows what I carry in my backpack? All the better if she suspects, the more it plays on her mind the easier she will concede.” The tide had turned, she could feel it, Mandy's confidence had been shaken.

Once she was sure that Mandy had been sufficiently cowed for the moment she looked to her right. Jim sat there twirling his mashed potatoes into various designs. He hadn't been the same since that day when Keri had collapsed. Jim had caught her as she collapsed, and held her as blood poured from her nose. Some sicko at the sixth-grade- rejects table had recorded the whole event and placed it on Tic-toc. Alison had caught it before it was removed. She had stared in horror at her screen as Jim cried out for help, all the while everyone, including sister Justina, stood paralyzed. The Justinator had been the first to act. She took off her vest and held it against Keri's nose. She then sent Mandy to get the nurse. It wasn't until after the ambulance took Keri away that anyone even thought of Alianna.

She thought that Jim might be thinking of her as she studied him. He kept scratching the letter E in his potatoes and then removing it, and then scratching the letter A. The cool that had always radiated from him had died that day. So much so that Alison was pretty sure she wouldn't be inviting him back next year, if ...no when she won. Still, she had to admit that he was pretty cute, and she got why Ali had swooned over him so much. He looked at her and then back to what he was doing. She kept staring at him. He looked again and then back. He pulled out his phone and began to txt her. “What do you want Alison?” He then went back to playing with his food. “A for Alianna maybe? She replied back. I thought you didn't like her Jim? Thought you hated her for how she treated Keri and Trudi?”

“I do, but I thought Emily was the coolest girl I had ever met, and totally pretty. But Alianna was Emily and Emily was Alianna and it just doesn't fit, and its driving me nuts.” He sent the text and then stabbed his fork into the potatoes

Alison pulled her phone closer in so that no one could see it. “If I can help you with your problem, can I count on your vote tomorrow?” He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and then back to his phone. “How can you help me with this?” Alison smiled. “Jim, Keri was lying about Alianna. I've been with Ali since we were both five, and she and Keri didn't even go to the same grade school. Ali never had a computer or a phone of her own, there was no way she was a cyberbully. There is no way that she had ever been mean to Keri. Keri chose Alianna out for destruction, for some reason of her own. She must have made up the story of Ali picking on her so that the kids at this table would think she was trash. Alianna totally adores you, well she did at least up till the day that she ran away. If you really liked Emily, then you totally liked Alianna, and since you know now that she wasn't mean to Keri, you can put your mind to rest about it. The Emily you met Jim, was the Ali that had been there before Keri sank her teeth into her.” She almost kept going, almost went on to say, “The same Ali that I want back.” But she was able to stop herself in time, before Jim saw her weakness.

“Keri wouldn't lie to me about that. Calling Keri a lier to get my vote? You're not very good at lying Alison, so you really shouldn't try to do it.”

“Jim it's got to be true, I've always been with Ali and she never even met Keri until we came here. Plus I'm pretty sure that Ali couldn't be mean to anyone if she tried. She tried it once, to one of the boys on the playground, who wouldn't stop bothering her. She tried to call him names, and make fun of him. She only got a few puny phrases out before she dissolved into tears and ran for the bathroom. There was no way that she did that to Keri and Trudi, and so the only answer is that Keri was lying.”

Jim shook his head back and forth in denial, but then stopped and let his shoulders slump. “She didn't seem like the type now that you mention it. Why would Keri do that, why would she lie?”

“I don't know Jim, but I do know that Ali thought you were the coolest guy in school.

Jim looked at her for a moment, studying her face intently. Finally he looked away and scratched the E out of his potato and drew an A. “So Emily is really what Ali's like?”

Relief flooded Alison, she knew she had won him over. “Yep, the Ali I knew before...well, before this past year.” She said again, almost letting her true feelings come out.

“Think she hates me?”

“It takes an awful lot to get Ali mad Jim, I think you're okay, you might have to do some major apologizing though.”

Jim looked away from his iPhone and leaned in to whisper to her.

Alison leaned over, timing the move right when Mandy looked at her. Mandy’s eyes narrowed and Alison could see her lean towards them a little trying to hear what was said. Alison smiled inside her head “She’s worried, I think this is going to work.”

“Think we'll ever see her again?” Jim whispered to her.

Her mind shifting from waging war with Mandy to thinking about Ali left a small window open in her defenses. “I..” she could feel the emotion slipping through that window, but couldn't stop it. “I...I don't know. I mean its been two months and not even a trace of her or that other kid.” Jim's expression changed just slightly, just the slightest raise of an eyebrow, but then he only nodded his head, but didn’t say anything more. Alison knew she had let too much show. She had to try to work it back.

“Jim...I...” She began to Whisper.

“You got my vote Alison, let's leave it at that.” He whispered back. “Mandy never liked Trudi much anyway, so I really don't want to see her in that seat. Keri texted me and said you had told her that if you won, that you would let them stay at the table next year, so you're okay with me.” Jim glanced around at the others at the table then back at Alison. “I’ll start talking you up to the other’s too, it will get you some ground, but I’m not sure how you're going to get them fully on your side though.”

She patted her backpack . “It's in the bag, Jim.”

His eyebrow went up as he looked at the bag, and then shrugged. “She plays the game well Alison, heck she wrote part of the book for it for this school. You better have a bomb in that bag if you even hope to beat her.”

Her eyes became very serious. “ It's nuclear, Jim, I'll be sitting in that chair tomorrow.” He gave her a dubious look, but then shrugged and picked up his phone and joined the fray stumping for Alison. Alison saw Mandy notice Jim begin to join in the dueling of texts and she saw just a hint of sweat appear on her forehead. Alison smiled and sat back and continued her Text to Amber Crowley.

As she was leaving the cafeteria, her phone buzzed. She looked at it and there was a text from Mandy. She opened it. All it said was.``Turn around.” She turned and came face to face with Mandy. Mandy grabbed her arm and pulled her off into the room where the wrestling team practiced, and shut the door.

“What do you want, Mandy? I have Algebra.”

“I bet you're just dying to be there?”

“Fine, you got five minutes, What do you want?”

“If you back out now, I'll make you my second. You can have Trudi's seat. I never liked her anyway. I'll make sure she doesn’t sit with us if she has to stay back next year. Tell the others that you're voting for me, and your set. My second, back up captain of the squad, what more could you want?”

Alison listened quietly with her head bowed hoping that it came across to Mandy that she was bowing it in defeat. Alison knew now that she had frightened Mandy. Tiffany Lockman was Mandy’s closest friend, if Mandy was willing to make Alison her Second over Tiffany, then she must have really turned the tide in Mandy’s head at least. When Mandy finished she lifted her head with an unreadable look on her face and she took her backpack off and opened the main pocket. She reached in and pulled out a small thumb drive with an iPhone jack. She stood up and held her iPhone up to Mandy. “I don't think I'll be back up captain next year Mandy, I believe that after you watch this I'll be receiving your vote tomorrow.” Mandy looked at her iPhone with the “Play” triangle waiting to be pressed and then busted out laughing. After a few moments when Alison's hand had not moved she stopped laughing and looked at the phone and hit play, making a frustrated noise. The video started showing a slumber party with sleeping bags spread around a large room.

Within seconds all the color started to drain from Mandy’s face as she began to recognize what this video was of. Tears began forming in her eyes as she watched, just as the Mandy on the video started crying having had an accident in her sleeping bag. A younger Keri was seen in the video consoling her and helping her get cleaned up. She put the back of her hand to her mouth and turned her head away from the video. “That's right Mandy, I know. I know what happened at that sleepover two years ago. Someone recorded it and I got a hold of it. Not sure if you still have to wear those pull ups or not, but either way your overactive bladder is not something that would fly too well at the table if it got out.” Said Alison in a cold deadpan voice. “Actually.” She said with a long icy pause. “ I believe It would fly very well over social media.”

Mandy turned back to Alison suddenly, as she looked into Mandy's eyes she saw her resolve crumple and deeper in her eyes Alison saw a deep hurt rip open. Deep inside Alison, however, guilt burned within her, but she locked it away in the same closet that she had shoved the Ali that she had been, just like her mother had. Mandy noticed her looking into her soul and her eyes began burning as brightly as her hair. She pulled the zip drive out and threw the phone down at Alison's feet. She then snapped the prong on the end of the drive.

Alison laughed. “Did you think I just handed you the original? Anyway, I loaded it into my computer at home, and some other computers also. You can break all the thumb drives I have it on and it won't make a difference. Would you like to hear my offer Mandy. Here it is. My offer is similar to yours. You will be my second Mandy, you will be back up captain on the team, and you will vote for me tomorrow or I'll spread this all over the internet.”

Mandy tried to form words but nothing was coming out. Finally she managed to rasp out a phrase. “Fine, take the table you Witch, have a lot of fun next year as Queen of an empty table. I'll be leaving along with Tiffany and the rest. We'll start our own table and be fifteen times cooler than wherever table you can scrape together. Except maybe for Jim, I saw you two getting along so well...”

“Let me stop you right there Mandy, I forgot the one caveat to this deal. If you try to leave, you and the rest, or if you stay and don't act appropriately, if you and the others don't treat me with the same respect that you did Keri, this will also cause this material to go out to everyone.” Alison looked at Mandy and could see the struggle going on within her. Finally Mandy’s head dropped and her red curls covered her face. “Fine Alison,...you..you win. Your Queen.”

Alison let a smile touch her face. Mandy must have seen it cause her head shot up and she moved in closer. “ Don't get smug, Alison. It takes more than a despicable trick to lead that table. You may have won the election, but you are going to have to prove that you are worthy of it, and I swear to you that you will prove it.”

She stormed toward the door, as she placed her hand on it she stopped and took a deep breath and let it out. Slowly she turned and looked at Alison. Alison could see the anger and the hurt still swimming in her eyes. It was taking all Alison had to keep her cool under that stare, but there seemed to be a hardness growing over her heart that began to deflect some of the guilt that had been assailing her of late. Mandy bowed her head, gave a short curtsy and said “The Queen is dead, long live the Queen.” She then stood, turned sharply on her heel and exited the mat room. Alison could see Tiffany, Loti, and Jake waiting in the hall. They all had smug expressions on their faces as they looked past Mandy at Alison. Those expressions changed drastically as they began to glance at Mandy's face. As the door shut Alison saw Tiffany Lockman raise her hands to either side and mouth the word “What?”

A sickening feeling was beginning to seep into Alison. She looked at the floor covered with mats and wanted to just curl up and stay here forever. “What am I becoming? How far am I willing to go for all this?” “

I'm so proud of you Alison.” Came her mother's voice inside her head. That was what her mother had said the day she told her she was on the team. It was just a step away from “I Love you Alison.” It was such a small step too. Alison was sure that once she had the Queenship of the group and the spot as Captain of the Cheer squad that accompanied the title which would also ensure her mother becomes the coach. Then, she would hear her mother say, “I love you, Alison.”

Steeled by the realization that her dream would soon come true, Alison pulled out a small mirror from her purse, made sure that she looked alright and then headed back out into the hall.

The next day there was silence at the table. They all stared around at each other. Amy Reader had torn up pieces of paper and pulled a barrette from her bag to put the votes into. She then handed the pieces of paper out to everyone. Alison and Mandy sat across from each other. Mandy's gaze was cordial, but Alison knew that she must hate her for what she did. As long as she didn't show it though, everything would be fine. Alison laid her iPhone on the table with another zip drive stuck into it. Mandy's eyes flashed, but then were peaceful again. She had gotten the hint.

The whole cafeteria had grown silent. The Seventh and Eighth graders had heard of this before, and the legend had filtered to the sixth graders by this point. They knew that Keri's seat was about to be filled and they all had their desires for one candidate or another.

Amy looked around the table. “Does anyone have anything to add before we vote?”

She waited for a few moments. Just before she began to speak again, Mandy stood and looked at Amy. “I have something to say Amy if that would be okay?” Amy nodded. “Thank you Amy.” She then turned to Alison and stared intently at her. “I have thought long and hard on this, and Keri raising Alison to her current position this late in the year, seems to indicates to me a desire to see Alison replace her, to be her Heir. I know what tradition says about the former queen losing her seat during the year, but Keri is one of my best friends, and so I wish to honor her last intent as head of this table. I therefore withdraw my nomination for Keri's seat, and cast my vote for Alison. For unities sake, I would ask the same of all of you.” She looked at each of the other kids at the table, meeting their eyes, and then lowered herself back down into her chair. A good number of mouths dropped open around the table. Alison saw Jim's eyebrow raise and he turned slightly to look at her.

Amy was the first to recover. She shook her head, and then looked around the table. “Does anyone wish to not honor Mandy's request?” It took a few moments, about half the table looking intently at Mandy as if waiting for her to acknowledge that this was some massive joke. After a minute like this however, with no sign from Mandy that she was joking, the others slowly turned to Amy and nod their heads.

She then turned to Alison. “Alison Trendale, as the ranking Eighth Grade representative in attendance today, and gathering the unanimous consent of those present, I ask if you will serve as Queen, head of this table and the cheer team for the course of the coming school-year?”

Alison looked away from Mandy, a farcical mask of shock and wonderment on her face still.

“I..I will accept the position, if it is the desire of the table?”

“It is.” Amy pulled out a folder from her bag and opened it infront of her. She gently and reverently pulled out a piece of paper that was yellowed with age. She looked up at Alison. “Alison, will you please stand and raise your right hand?” Alison nodded, still with the mask of shock and wonder on her face. She stood and raised her right hand. Amy stood too with the paper in her hand. She spoke loud enough for the whole room to hear. “ Alison Trendale, will you swear to uphold the reputations that are here represented, and to increase those reputations throughout the school and the community in the coming year? Will you, as captain of the cheerleading squad, watch out for the concerns of your tablemates that are on the team? Will you seek to find cool, and fun activities for the summer and weekends?”

Alison took a deep breath, savoring this moment. “I will.” She said with all seriousness.

“Who will you name as your second?”

“Mandy Ferlon, there is not a better choice.”

Amy turned to Mandy. “Mandy, please stand and raise your right hand.” Mandy looked at Alison with the same fake mask of shock, and then stood and looked at Amy with her right hand raised.

Amy turned to her and said “Do you, Mandy Ferlon, promise to uphold these aforementioned articles and roles, in such a case that Alison is not able to fulfill them for the year to come?”

“I will Amy.”

Amy nodded and then turned to the rest of the table and the room as well.

“As the ranking Eight grade representative and in keeping with tradition, I officially name Alison Trendale as Queen and head of this table for the next school-year.” Amy paused and looked around the table. Then she proclaimed loudly. “The Queen is dead, long live the Queen.”

Everyone at the table and those around the room who wanted to try to gain favor with the new Queen, stood and echoed that phrase. Alison stood there, blushing and saying “thank you” and waving her cupped hand back and forth like a Queen would. Everyone, that is, except Mandy, who had stepped back, behind Tiffany and leaned against the wall with her head bowed. If anyone in the room had been looking at her, and not at Alison, they would have seen her shoulders shaking ever so slightly. Mandy knew it was safe to cry now, knew it would be the only chance she'd have. This would be the one time for the next year that no one would be looking at her. She saw Tiffany’s hand extended behind her and she reached out and took it. Tiffany gave her hand a slight squeeze.

The next day, the last day of school, found Alison sitting at the head of the A table. Her mother had been speechless. Then she had kissed her and hugged her and said “Oh you do love me, my Alison, you do.” These words did not completely fill the hole in Alison’s heart and this was one of the itches in her mind that kept her awake as she lay in bed last night. Her mother had taken her out to get her hair done and get a couple of new outfits. They were allowed to wear what they wanted on the last day, and Alison looked better than anyone else, at least that's how she saw it.

There was a full house at the A-table, a seat had been brought over for her sister Megan at Alison’s request. Megan was beaming with pride as she sat next to Mandy across from Jim. When Alison sat her down everyone looked at where the seat was that she was sitting in and a number of mouths dropped open. Megan wasn’t aware of it yet, but Alison had just indicated to the table that she already had someone in mind for her Heir.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

After everyone calmed down, Mandy looked at Alison and raised her hand. This signaled that she wished to address the entire table. Alison looked very closely at Mandy, trying to read what she had up her sleeve, but after a few moments she sighed. “Yes Mandy?”

“I have a matter to bring before the table Alison, if it is OK with you?”

“Please.” Alison motioned with her hand to indicate that it was OK for her to speak.

Mandy leaned forward and looked around at everyone. “I told a member of this table something very personal. When I say very personal I mean ultra top secret. I told them in confidence, and I've just learned that she broke that trust and told someone else.” There were gasps around the table. Looks of shock and indignation dominated all their faces, except for Jim whose face was unreadable and Megan who didn’t understand what was going on. Even though trusts were broken daily around the table, most of the kids were good enough at the game not to get caught spilling the beans.

“Mandy, who would do such a terrible thing?” Said Tiffany Lockman. There was a tone in Tiffany's voice that set Alison on edge. Tiffany sounded like she wasn't surprised at what Mandy had said, her response sounded like she was reading from a script. “I'm about to get blindsided.” Alison thought to herself.

“Keri Bellows. I...I can't go into what she said or who she said it to because it is just too top secret of matter to discuses openly. But I did tell Alison the whole situation last night and so she knows the whole story. Keri told me that Trudi and her might have to repeat the Eight grade and I know she would have been welcome here next year, but after what has just come to light, I..I don't feel that I would be comfortable with her sitting here, her or Trudi, and so I would ask that Alison make a decree that the Bellows sisters are not welcome at this table or any of the activities associated with it, for the next school year.” Somehow Alison remained cool on the outside, but inside she was panicking. Mandy had retaliated with something that Alison had not seen coming. Somehow she had figured out that Keri was the one who had supplied her with the thumb drive and She was now forcing Alison to renege on her promise to Keri. There was no way the table would accept such a breach of trust by one of its members. Alison glanced at Tiffany. Tiffany's face was all shock and indignation, just like most of the others, but within her eyes Alison could see cold resentment. “She knows everything. Mandy must have told her. She will make sure that the table accepts nothing but Mandy's request.”

“I also ask for punishment to be meted out to Keri Bellows for this breach of trust, and due to the ultra-top-secret status of the information, I ask that the punishment equal the pain she caused me. I ask for humiliation and destruction of reputation.” She sat back after that and looked at Alison. Within moments everyone at the table was staring at her, waiting.

“You may have won the election, but you are going to have to prove that you are worthy of it, and I swear you will prove it.” Mandy's words came flooding back to Alison at that moment. “Wow, she wasn't kidding.”

“I have heard what Mandy had to say, and I do know the entire story regarding this matter.” She paused to take a sip from her life water. “I agree that punishment is required for such a breach of trust, and will also honor Mandy’s request that Keri and Trudi Bellows will be henceforth banned from this table and all associated events. The degree of punishment that Mandy has requested, and the form that the punishment must take I need to think about. Normally I'd call my second to council on this matter, but seeing as she is the one bringing the request, she is precluded from such a discussion, according to the bylaws of the table, is that correct Amy?” Amy had beeen looking at Mandy with her mouth slightly open. When Alison addressed her she shut it quickly and looked at her. “Yes, Alison that is correct. Since Mandy is bringing the request she isn’t alowed to take part in the decision as to what the punishment will be.” Alison nodded and then she looked around the table. Searching for the right person. Jim was automatic due to his ranking at the table, but she needed an alternate second. She caught Megan’s eyes as she went around the table, they were filled with worry as she must have picked up on the weight of what was coming upon her sister. She gave Megan a reassuring smile and moved on. After scanning the group her eyes went back to Amy. “Its got to be Amy, she has no special love for Mandy, or Keri, or Alison.” “Jim would you join me? I'll also need someone to fill in for Mandy as second, since she is the one bringing this matter before us.” She looked around the table, and then let her eyes fall on Amy. “Amy would you join us?”

Amy looked slightly startled, but recovered quickly. “If you wish me to Alison.”

“I do.” Amy nodded and pushed her chair back. Alison did the same. Jim, gave her a look that she couldn't decipher, then he pushed back his chair. Alison led the way. She took them down the hall and went into the mat room. Jim shut the door, and then leaned back against its padded surface . “Your not really going to do this, are you Alison?” Said Jim as he stared intently at her. “Jim, you know the penalty for breaking another table-members trust and getting caught. Keeping each-others secrets is part of the glue that holds us together. If I don't enforce this rule, everything will fall apart.”

“But you don't even know if its true. Mandy has never had any love for Keri or Trudi and for whatever reason, she is just looking for some kind of weird revenge.”

“Jim, I spoke to the person that Keri told this information to, and they confirmed that they had heard it from her.”

Alison had her back turned to Amy, if she hadn't she would have seen Amy's eyebrow shoot up as sudden understanding hit her. She smiled slightly, shook her head, but otherwise did nothing.

Jim opened his mouth to say something, but then paused and shut it.

Alison nodded and then moved back to take them both in. “Amy, have you ever seen this punishment given before?”

Amy thought for a moment and then slowly nodded her head. “In sixth-grade. My best friend Sharon and I had been asked to join the table. Well Sharon became a favorite of Julie's early on.” She nodded towards Jim indicating his sister. “So Julie had told her something, Ultra top Secret and Sharon went and let it slip to the wrong person. She really had no Idea how to really play the game. Anyway Julie came to me to let me know what Sharon did and asked me to help her punish Sharon. She basically laid it out as either I help her get back at Sharon or we were both gone from the table. I really didn't have any choice so I helped Julie set her up at the next sleepover. I think the video is still floating around Youtube somewhere. It was pretty bad, she had to leave the school.” Jim looked up at that and then shook his head as if he had some memory of it too.

“Do you still talk to Sharon?” “Why the heck did I just ask that?”

Amy was startled by the question. “No, her rep was ruined. When this punishment is given, it affects the offender and anyone who is associated with them or chooses to associate with them. I wasn't about to go down with her, so I joined in the others humiliation of her.”

Alison felt a sickening clench in her stomach as she thought of how she had turned on Ali.

“Tic-Toc? That seems like the most efficient way to carry out the sentence.”

“Alison, Keri is totally ill, this thing she has could kill her. How can you think of hurting her even more then she already has been?” Said Jim whose temper was rising.

“There can be no exceptions to this rule Jim. We have to keep each-other's trust or else all our reps will be ruined. I know Keri is sick, but...I'm sorry Jim I have no choice.”

“I won't be a part of it!” He said through gritted teeth.

“Fine, then you can not be a part of the table either!” Said Alison turning to face him. “Chose now Jim. You've been acting like a loser the past month and I'm starting to think that the change has been permanent. If you walk out that door now, don't come back to the table next year.”

“Alison...I...” Amy began, concern evident in her voice.

“What, Amy?” Alison snapped without taking her eyes off of Jim.

“Alison isn't that a bit harsh?”

“No Amy it's not. He has always been so blinded by Keri, that he never sees the hurtful things that she does. It is my duty as Queen to guard the Reps of those at the table, and Mandy's is in danger. This is going to happen, and if he can't support my decisions and support his table mate in her time of distress then he can leave.”

Jim made a disgusted noise. “I guess it was lose lose on this year's choices for Queen. Fine Alison, that's what you want, then I'm gone. Keri's one of my best friends and I ain't about to stand by and let you hurt her.”

He pitched himself forward off of the door and turned on his heel and opened it ready to leave.

“Jim.” He paused at the door. “I'm letting you leave in peace, but if you breathe a word of this to Keri or to Trudi, then I'll consider you with them, and you'll be targeted just as they will be. I know enough about the Emily situation to make your life here at the Dungeon a Hell Jim. Remember that before you go playing hero.”

The hand that Jim had grabbed the door handle with began to tremble. He looked back over his shoulder at her, and she could see fire burning there. He didn't speak though he just shook his head and slammed the door behind him.

Alison looked at the shut door for a moment then turned around on Amy. “Did you have any other thoughts?”

Amy was looking past her to the shut door. When Alison addressed her her eyes darted to take in Alison. “Are you sure that was wise Alison? Julie won't be happy about it. It could make sitting at the High School table very hard for you.”

“I appreciate your concern Amy, I really do, but we both know that Jim and Julie aren’t that close and Julie severely didn't like Keri. Plus she was a Queen herself, I'm pretty sure she'd make the same call.”

Amy looked a bit dubious at that, but didn't press the issue. “What kind of video of Keri are you going to be able to find that will be damning enough?”

“I doubt I'd find anything remotely close to what I need. That is why I'm going to have to make my own. I'm going to be visiting her tonight. Keep your eyes on your phone tomorrow night.”

“You're definitely tough enough for a Queen Alison, I'll give you that, just don't let it harden you too much. The High School Queen that was Queen this past year, Amber Hill, is probably one of the most compassionate people I've ever seen. Everyone loves her cause she is nice to everyone. Her nomination for this coming year Jennifer is just like her. It will be an interesting change for me next year, to hopefully get away from all this maneuvering and backstabbing.” Amy paused and then looked very seriously at Alison. “I won't say anything Alison, but I've pieced together that you're the one that Keri told Mandy's secret too. What was it she told you?”

Shock spread over Alison's faces. She covered it quickly. She opened her mouth to tell Amy, and then realized what she was about to do and shut it. “Ultra-Top Secret Amy, I can't.”

Amy smiled and spread her hands wide. “I had to try. You walk a very fine line Alison. It was a good ploy, and probably the only card you could have played to even have a chance of winning, but the price you've paid, and the price you are going to pay is high. You've changed over the past few days Alison, don't let the game destroy you, cause school won't last forever.” She placed her hand on Alison's shoulder. “As for my advise on this, take whatever video you get and take it to Jake, he is an absolute wizard with everything computers, he’ll turn what you have into what you need.” She squeezed Alison’s shoulder and then headed for the door.

“Amy...” Amy's hand froze as it touched the door handle. Alison had said her name with such a broken, raspy cry that it sent a shiver down her back. Amy turned and saw a completely different Alison standing there. She looked smaller, as her shoulders were hunched forward shaking and her hand covered her mouth. She looked disheveled as her chestnut hair cascaded chaotically down her face. “Oh wow....She's farther gone then I thought. She'll never make it to ninth grade, let alone senior year.”

Alison began to teeter, which brought Amy running over to her. She caught her just as she was falling forward. Alison dissolved into heart wrenching sobs, she buried her face into Amy's shoulder. Amy was trying to decide if this scene gained respect for Alison in her eyes or diminished it, as she held her new Queen.

“Shhh....Its okay Alison, it will be Okay. Your Queen now, and you got handed a tough situation on your first day. It will get easier. Shhh...Shhh....” Something stirred in Amy's heart. She had been playing the game for three years now, and had developed quite a thick skin. Just recently this had become evident to her, and she had been trying to find ways to break it up. Alison's cries seemed to bust through one of the cracks in the shell. There was something in those cries, an emptiness, a void of some sort that gave Amy the chills. “Alison, listen to me. Alison, it's okay. Its Okay.” She said as she began to smooth Alison's hair and try to arrange it back into a scene of normalcy.

After awhile Alison was finally able to get a hold of herself. She looked up ant Amy through puffy eyes. “I'm so sorry Amy, I can't believe how rude that was. I totally blew my cool, and that was not appropriate.”

“Alison, it's Okay, really. If you didn't blow your cool here, you may have blown it out there, and that would have been worse. I won't tell anyone about this. Its just between you and me, Ultra Top Secret. Try to get off the road you’re on Alison, before it destroys you. Let's go to the bathroom and I'll help you get yourself put back together. Can't have ‘em seeing you like this.”

Alison just nodded and allowed herself to be guided to the girls room. Ten minutes later they emerged and Alison looked as normal as could be attained through the contents of their purses.

After lunch Mandy cornered Alison in the Girls Locker room. The rest of the table had conveniently left them alone. “Don't even think about backing out of this Alison. Every part of me wants none of my past to come out, but I swear to you if I don't get justice, tonight, for what Keri did, I will personally out myself all over the internet and then set about destroying you with everything I have.” The door opened and Mrs. Fulton, the Gym teacher, came walking in. Quicker than Alison would have thought possible Mandy's face went from storm clouds to sugary sweet. “Just wanted to let you know Alison. Come on, let's head into the Gym.” Mandy held out her hand. There was a smile on her face that Alison could not distinguish from genuine. Alison had managed to keep enough of her cool to react to the farce without missing a beat. “Thanks Mandy. You're right, let's go.” As they clasped each other's hands and were walking to the door, Alison turned and waved to Mrs. Fulton. “Good afternoon Mrs. Fulton.” Mandy also turned and waved. “Hi Mrs. Fulton.”

Mrs. Fulton had stopped, and was giving them an odd look, but she waved back. “Good afternoon Girls. Hurry up and join the class.”

“Yes ma'am.” They said almost in unison. As soon as the door shut behind them they let go of each other's hands like they were something vile. Alison knew she had some people who backed her at the table, enough to make it worth being Queen, but she was pretty sure that no one in Mandy's camp would ever warm to her

After school Alison did her homework till her mom got home. When she got there she asked her to take her to the Hospital. Her stomach was doing somersaults as she rode the elevator up to the fourth floor of the hospital. She checked her jeans pocket. She had sewn a special lining in her pocket to hold her phone, with a hole cut in her jeans that allowed her to secretly film a video on her phone. She had tested it and was able to get a pretty steady picture if she was able to stay still. She stepped off the elevator and walked very slowly to the nurses station. As she came closer she found it unattended. There were a number of alarms going off. She ran around to Keri's room and looked in. She was alone. “Wow, I can't believe this kind of luck.” She looked around once more, turned on the video recorder on her phone and then slipped it into place in her jeans pocket. She then slipped into Keri's room.

She stopped, frozen, at the foot of the bed. If she had not been so focused on Keri, she would have noticed the bible still laying on the ground under the Crucifix.

Keri was asleep in bed. She was completely bald and was more withered then Alison had last seen her. A burning stirred deep in Alison's heart. It wasn't the type of feeling that shocked her, it was that there was a feeling there at all. It had been so long since any feelings had stirred there, that it stunned her to have something there again. These feelings that had emerged were keeping her from doing anything else. “I can't do this. She's dying, there is no way that I can bring this kind of pain to her. What if the shock killed her? I'd be a murderer.” In her mind Alianna floated before her. “Aren’t you already one?” Alison closed her eyes tightly. She shook her head, turned and began to leave.

“Who...Who's there.” Keri's very weak voice came from behind her. Alison stopped and turned slowly back to her. “Its Alison Keri, I wanted to see how you were doing.” Keri began to struggle to sit up. Alison moved without thinking to help her. As she wrapped her arms around her she could feel Keri's ribs. That burning feeling in her heart grew. “Oh my gosh, she is really dying.”

A single tear fell down her cheek as she stepped back. “Thanks.” said Keri. “You must have paid off one of the nurses or something, to keep getting past security.”

It took a moment for Alison to register that Keri had spoken to her. “Huh...what..oh, yeah, well you are on a floor with a lot of sick kids Keri, I'm sure they get called away a lot.”

“Yeah, I guess. So...did you win?”

Alison nodded without showing really any other emotion.

Keri's forehead raised, where her eyebrow should have been. “Ali, whats wrong?”

Alison felt like she'd been punched. Last time she was here she had told Keri to call her Ali, because she considered her a friend. She could hear Keri's voice, full of concern, as she said it too. “She really thinks of me as her friend. It's been a long time since I've had that, and now she's dying. I almost wish people would stop liking me, at least then I wouldn't have to hurt them, or see them leave.”

Alison almost let slip what was really bothering her, she could feel it coming up from her throat. Just at the last moment she managed to alter her response. “Keri, I...Oh God, Keri I...I don't want you to die.” The last bit came out in a whisper.

A tear leaked out of Keri's eye. “You mean that, don't you?” Keri asked, timidly. “Your the first, outside my family and Jim, and the High School Queen, Amber and her court, who didn't want the opposite.” Alison had never seen Keri so vulnerable before. “Wow, I think I really did mean that, but if she is going to die, why should I let myself grow attached to someone who may not be here next month.” Alison moved over and sat down on the bed so she was facing Keri. She brushed the tear away from Keri's cheek and then gave her a hug. Again, the frailty of Keri's body drove daggers into her heart. Keri began to cry softly. “Keri, no one wants you dead.”

“Oh, I can think of a few. Top of them being Alianna. The last thing she said to me was that she wanted me to die. Its...its the last thing I remember hearing before waking up in the hospital. I can still hear her hurtling those words at me through gritted teeth. I guess she will get her wish soon. Looking back, I probably deserve it too.”

“Shhh...Keri stop that. Ali was in ten kinds of pain that day, she probably had no clue what she was saying. She doesn’t wish you were dead Keri, I know Ali, she couldn't even wish a spider dead.”

Keri squeezed her after she said that. In a very soft voice Keri whispered. “The Queen is dead, long live the Queen.” After saying that she drew away and looked Alison in the eyes. Alison looked back, tears blurring her vision. That statement came from the heart and it weighed her down as if there was someone just tossing an ever heavier burden on her heart.

“Oh no...Oh Gosh...” Keri started turning green, and placed her hand over her mouth. Alison knew what that gesture meant. She immediately looked around for a pan. She saw one and handed it to Keri. She got it to her and jumped off the bed just in time. Keri's body convulsed, Alison marveled that anything came at all considering how thin she was. It wouldn't stop. Alison got scared and grabbed the nurse call button and pressed it, without thinking too clearly about the consequences. Within thirty seconds a nurse came bursting into the room. She quickly assessed Keri, then turned her gaze to Alison.

“What are you doing here? You don't have permission to be here.”

Panic erupted inside Alison. She turned, dodged the nurse's attempt to grab her and bolted for the door. She stole one quick glance back at Keri, who still had her head over the pan.

In that moment the full weight of the irony of the last thing Keri had said to her hit her full in the heart.

After that Alison asked her mom to drop her off at Jake’s house. His house wasn’t that far from her’s and so she told her mom she would have Jake walk her home. According to Amy he was a wiz with editing and making videos. It turns out that it was one of the main reasons why he was at the table at all, because he wasn't very cool in most other ways. His skills with the computer made him invaluable to the table and it also made the table keep him close to them to make sure he didn't use those skills against the table.

She couldn’t believe her phone had actually caught everything that happened. She hadn't even been trying to capture everything on her video but after she reviewed the footage she knew she had to use it. It turned out to be exactly what Mandy had wanted. She had resigned herself to the fact that she would never really have a true friend again. Every time one started to form, she found she had to betray them to accomplish her goal.

She pulled a thumb drive out of her purse and handed it to Jake. He looked it over, looked at her, and then plugged it into the computer. She explained to him what she needed and just enough of why she needed it for him to be able to edit it. He set to work on the video while at the same time watching someone else play a video game on his phone.

After about an hour Jake handed her the flash drive and leaned back in his chair. He let out a long, hi pitched whistle. “That's some crazy stuff Alison.”

She looked at him without answering.

“Thanks Jake, you're the best.” She gave him a hug, but did not hold it very long. She handed the drive back to him. “Can you blast this over everywhere tonight at 9 pm, and make sure it can't be traced to you or me?” He looked at her and smiled then plugged the drive back into his computer. “Can I? Please, they'll be thinking some kid in the next town did it, if they can even trace it that far.” He said as he gave her a big smile. “You're the Man, Jake. I owe you one.” She didn’t think he would call in the favor this quickly though. “There's a party at Tiffany's tomorrow night, wanna go with me?” She paused for a moment and looked down at him. “I promised Amy I would go with her, it's her last party before School ends and she moves on to High School.” She let that hang there for just the right amount of seconds before flipping her head to the other side and giving him a slight smile, “I'll save you a slow dance though, aaaannnddd….. you can walk me home tonight.” She said with a wink, knowing it would give him some huge cred to boast about at the party tomorrow. He looked a bit down when she said she was going with Amy but perked back up when she mentioned the dance and getting to walk her home. It took them about twenty minutes to get to her house. They talked about small talk on the way. Mainly he asked her what it was like to be queen and she then mostly talked about that and he just let her talk. When they got to her house she gave him another smile and waved. “Thanks for walking me home Jake and for all your help tonight. I’ll see

You at Tiffany’s tomorrow. “Sweet, I'll see you there.” “Sounds good. See you later.” She said as she went up the stairs to her house. “Later.” came his reply.” She had to walk a fine line with Jake she mused as she locked the front door. She needed his support and skills, and she was fairly certain he liked her, but she was sure that he wasn’t who she wanted to choose as her Prince for the coming year. This was one of the most crucial choices a Queen could make, and she knew she could not mess this one up. When she turned around Megan was standing in the staircase looking at her. “You okay Ali?” Alison smiled and nodded. “Yep! You really looked like you fit in at the table today and so I’ve decided to give you a permanent seat at the table for next year, a seat right next to Mandy.” Megan’s eyes bugged out and she started jumping up and down and in circles. “No way! Ali! That is so awesome! “Thank you thank you thank you!” She bounced down and hugged her. Alison hugged her back. When Megan finally calmed down she Alison looked at her. “Come on up to my room, I need to tell you what it means that you’ll be sitting next to Mandy and how to play the game. Also, is Brittney going to St Pious next year?” Megan looked up and to the right and shrugged. “I think so.” “Can you find out for sure and if she is on the fence try to do everything you can to push her over to the St Pious side.” “You got it Ali.” Said Megan with a huge smile in her face

That night Jim sat at his computer searching YouTube, tic-toc, X for anything relating to Keri. He'd been at it for hours and had thankfully found nothing. He kept checking Facebook, Instagram and anything else he could think of too. About 9:30 pm, he made one more pass and his heart sank as he came across a video on Tic-toc. It was titled “The Queen is Dead...@Keri_On.” He watched in horror as Keri sat there and said “ No one came to see me. I wish they would die.” The rest of the video was of her throwing up into a pan.

“No!” Jim ran down to his dad's home office and begged him to take him to the hospital. After a little bit of coercion they were on their way. Jim texted Trudi and told her not to let Keri on the internet.

When they got to the hospital, Jim ran to the fourth floor. As he headed toward the nurse's station Trudi came out of Keri's room. She held her phone in one hand and Keri's in the other. She walked over to him, tears forming in her eyes. “Thanks Jim.” Trudi looked back at the room. “She's passed out from exhaustion. She couldn't stop throwing up last night. The nurse said that some girl had been in Keri's room last night, but she didn't get a good enough look at her. Do you know who it was Jim? This video is sick, its evil. She's in there dy...dy. dying, and someone thinks it would be a big laugh to kick her in the gut.” Jim's stomach turned upside down. He wanted to tell Trudi, he wanted to shout Alison's name through the hospital. But in that moment all his courage and bravado left him. In that moment he became the thirteen year old boy he looked like, rather than the coolest boy at St. Pious. If Alison was willing to do this to a dying girl, he couldn't even imagine what she would do to him. He had lost his stomach for the table and the game, but he also didn't want to go through hell for five years. So he lied. He looked Trudi in the face and with every ounce of remaining cool that he had, he said. “No, Trudi. They've given me my leave from the table. If it was one of their cronies, or someone else, I really have no Idea. I'm done with the game Tru, I got no stomach for it anymore.”

She nodded with sadness flooding her eyes. He put his arm around her shoulders and they both went in and sat down next to Keri. She looked worse every time Jim came to see her. They had been friends since kindergarten. He remembered her then too when she was sick and had to wear a wig. He was one of the few who stood up for her. He didn’t abandon her then and he wasn't going to give up on her now.

Across town Mandy was over at Tiffany's house helping her decorate for the end of the year party she was having at her house tomorrow. Tiffany was searching social media about every 10 minutes to see if Alison kept her word or if she chickened out. At one point Tiffany looked over at Mandy. “So, how did you figure out that it was Keri that gave that stuff on you to Alison?” Mandy turned and looked at her. “When Alison was turning the tables on me she used the word Caveat. I know Alison doesn’t know that word, and the only person I know who uses words like that was Keri. She’s the only person who was at that sleepover and who Alison would have heard her word from, and so I knew it had to be. Keri. I bet she gave that to Alison because she knew I wouldn't let her and Trudi back at the table next year and was trying to make sure they had a spot. That’s why I asked for the punishment that I did, she’s got another thing coming if she thinks she can play kingmaker and take away what was rightfully ours and then sit at the table next year too!” Mandy said with a huff. “Anyway, I bet you Alison chickens out or puts something totally lame up there.” A sly smile touched her face. “ That’s it. When she falls flat on her face, tonight we’ll call for a vote of no confidence in her tomorrow and she’ll be gone.” Feeling better about everything she then turned to go back to hanging decorations.

Then about 9 o'clock Tiffany dropped her decoration and looked over at Mandy. Mandy saw the color draining from her friend's face and arched her eyebrow. “What?” Mandy said with a condescending tone in her voice. “You have to see this.” Tiffany said in a whisper. Mandy's heart sank a little, she had never seen Tiff this shaken before. She got down off the chair she had been standing on and went over to her. When she got there Tiffany held her phone out so Mandy could see. When she was done watching the video about Keri her face started to turn white too. She had been betting that Alison would cave and not go through with it, or if she did it would be so pathetic that either way she would call for a vote of no confidence in Alison and would have her revenge on her. What she saw on that screen, however, sent chills down her spine. She was upset with Keri about sharing her secret with Alison, but she was more upset with Alison for using her past against her. She didn't have a lot of love for Keri, but she respected her, and she didn't in her worst nightmare expect Alison to come up with something like this. Mandy turned to look at Tiffany. “Tiff, we have a big problem.” “Yah, I know. If she is willing to do something like this to someone who is dying, there is no telling what she might do to us.” Mandy nodded. “We have got to get on her good side and stay there, we need to plan out what to say to her and we need to make sure the other's support her.” Mandy said with a shaky voice. “Yeah, I'm thinking we should wait till Cheer camp. There will be too many people at the party tomorrow, at least at Camp we can ask to meet her at the Captains Cove, where no one will hear us.” Tiffany said, her voice also wavering. “Yep, that's a good idea.” and that was the last word they spoke that night. They finished the work and then Mandy left silently and headed home.