"Times change, and we change with them." 

                                                                William Henry Harrison

Alison lay there staring at the clock on her phone.  Her anxiety kept increasing as the numbers moved ever closer to 6 am.  She should be ecstatic, today was the first day of Eighth grade, the first full day of her year as Queen, Captain of the middle school cheer team, and almost assuredly class president, but the events of two weeks ago had  thrown her perfect year into a tailspin. 

         She had spent a lot of time with Lacy before school started,  leaning on her a lot to try and pull her cool back together.  It all started to get pretty deep and Alison was shocked to find that Lacy  was  far more gracious to her then she could have imagined.  Lacy just took everything she unloaded on her and held it and helped encourage her at every turn. 

         She seemed way too down to earth to be a Queen at a public school.  Alison had ferreted out the reason why she had fought so hard to be Queen.  It was a family tradition.  Lacy's mom, aunt, cousin, older sister, had all been Queen's.  She had confided in Alison that she really didn't want to be Queen, but felt she had too because she felt like her family expected it.  She wasn't the prettiest girl at Endless Mountain, or the most creative, or wittiest, but she was sitting on twenty five plus years of experience with the game and access to tons of stories and gambits to use.  She had been so infused with the game that she played it almost subconsciously.  

      5:59 flashed on her phone and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  As she let it out the numbers hit 6 am and Bob Dylan’s Shelter from the Storm came from her phone.  She had boned up on her classic rock and movies and T.V. now that she knew how the system worked.  Lacy had shared a lot of tips with her, as she learned that the classic rock/movie idea had originated with her cousin when she was Queen a few years before it made its way to St Pious.  She let the song play for a few minutes, getting lost in the words. She needed a shelter from this storm that was coming.

       As the song ended, she hit snooze, opened her eyes and put on her game face.  She shoved all the worry off a cliff in her mind and stood up and began to get ready for the day.   Her uniform pretty much limited the coolness she could bring to an outfit, so she really needed to bring it with her hair and makeup.  

          There was one new addition to her uniform this year that did add a cool factor to the noramaly drap St Pious the X garb.  Megan had come home from Britney’s. two weeks ago and told Alison how she had been talking to Brittney about how cool it would be to have new sweaters for the cheer team, with the school mascot the Cavaliers on it and St Pious Cheer on it with their names and how cool it would look if it looked something like the black gowns that undergraduates wore at Oxford.  This got Brittney excited because she had visited the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford when she was going to School in England and knew just what Megan was talking about.  So Brittney and Megan sketched a sweater modeled after the Oxford gown and she sent a picture of it to her dad asking if he would get her fifteen  of these made.  They would be unique for the cheer team and something cool for the new year.  Alison put on her new sweater and looked at herself in the mirror from every angle.  She had told Megan how proud she was of her in the way she had played that suggestion where it made Brittney feel like it was really her idea.  

       She made sure her hair and makeup were perfect before she grabbed her bag and opened the door.   Megan was just coming out of her room too with her new sweater on and looking almost as good as Alison.  Alison mentally thanked her for looking good but not too good and so she gave her a warm smile and a hug.  When she pulled away she looked at Megan.  “Are you ready for today?”  Megan smiled and bounced up and down a little.  “ Oh my gosh Ali you have no idea, I’m totally excited and scared and chill all at the same time,  it’s a crazy awesome feeling.”    Alison smiled and nodded.   “I know, I’ve never felt like this before, like I want to run a mile and run and hide under my covers all at the same time.   We gotta keep the cool though right?  Remember what is going down at lunch time.”  Megan nodded and her face became more serious.   “Yep, Jennifer, Julie and Susan are coming down to talk with us about the changes they are making at the High School table.”   “Terry also.”  Megan looked confused after Alison mentioned another name.  “Didn’t you see the text I sent you last night?”  Alison said, a bit flustered.  Megan blushed, pulled up her phone and looked at it.   “Oh Ali, I’m so sorry, I must have fallen asleep before you sent it.”  She looked at the text again reading it, then back up at Alison.  “Wow, okay so you let Jennifer know that your Keeper of the Record would be there and so she is bringing her’s also, a girl named Terry. Got it, I’ll make sure to remember her name.”  Alison nodded and then led the way downstairs for breakfast.  

           When the bus got there they got on and when they began walking down the aisle all mouths and fingers stopped what they were doing and all eyes turned towards them.  Alison led the way down the Aisle, and reveled in all the attention that would now be hers daily.   She didn’t see Alianna though, or that Jaius kid, or Trudi or Keri.  She had been super worried about this bus ride and that they would all be on it and she would have to worry about starting to lay into them as she had heard that they all associated with the Bellows now and so, in order to keep in step with the punishment that Mandy had requested, everyone associated with the Bellows would get the same treatment.  She kept telling herself that she was relieved they weren’t here because she didn’t want to be distracted from what she had to do at lunchtime, but deep down inside her there seemed to be another reason she was relieved they weren’t on the bus, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. 

        She went to the empty seat in the back of the bus on the left.  The one that fit into the curved corner of the back of the bus and looked almost like a throne.  She went in first and nestled into that corner spot.  Megan sat down next to her.  Across the aisle Mandy and Tiffany smiled at them both and waved.  Mandy was nestled into the other curved corner as was her right as Second.   Alison waved back and smiled and then Megan did.  Alison then pulled out her phone and began to text them all in a group text.  “Mandy, Tiff, are you ready for lunch time?”  They both replied with a “Yes.”  “Good, Tiff, what did you find out from the Chronicle as to what the etiquette was for this event?”  The three dots that indicated that Tiff was typing wavered on the screen for a minute. Alison glanced over and saw Tiffany typing furiously on her phone.  Finally the text came.

        “Okay, so, historically the High School Queen, her Second and Heir, and this time,  in our case. her Keeper, will come down the middle stairwell where they will be met by Mandy, Megan and I.  Just her Second, Susan, and her Heir Julie, and the Keeper Terry will come through the doors, Jennifer will wait on the third step from the bottom.   

            We will greet them formally with name and title and Mandy will say   “What a great honor it is to have her  Majesty join us today, to what do we owe this blessing of her presence among us?”  Then Susan will respond with Jennifer's desire to share with us the changes that are happening at the High School table this year.  Then Mandy will curtsie and say “On behalf of Queen Alison we are honored to receive Queen Jennifer and her court to our table and also to hear of the awesome things she has planned for this year.”  Mandy will then offer her arm and Susan will take it,   Then Megan will take Julie’s.  At this point I will open the door for Jennifer and curtsy as she comes in.  Then  I will take Terry’s arm.  Mandy will then begin to walk  slowly forward with us keeping time behind her and Jennifer will walk at the back of the procession.  When we reach the Cafeteria we will stop and Mandy will say “Here Ye,  Here Ye, all rise for the entrance of Queen Jennifer and her court.”  When she says this, Alison, you will stand up and walk towards the procession. We will keep moving past you, each group pausing to curtsy as you pass and then you and Jennifer will meet in the middle.  You will curtsy to her and then greet her by giving her an air kiss near each cheek and then take her arm and escort her back to the table. 

          The table will be empty except for the eight of us.  The rest of our table will be sitting  nearby.  For this gathering only, Jennifer will sit in your seat Alison, as she is the ranking Queen,  and you will sit in Mandy’s and everyone else will sit across from their equal in position.  Then before I sit down I will tell everyone in the calf to be seated.  Then Jennifer will introduce her court and then you will introduce yours.  Then Jennifer will greet you, Alison,  and ask if you are open to hearing about all the cool things she has planned for this year.  You will of course say yes, like you mean it, and then she will proceed to lay out her plans.   Once she is finished you may ask any questions or say anything on your mind, once that is concluded Megan will stand and ask everyone to rise as Jennifer and her party get ready to leave.  Alison, you will escort Jennifer out and then Mandy and Susan, and Megan and Julie and then lastly myself and Terry.   We will escort them to the stairway at the far end of the hallway.  During this walk we will hang back a ways to give you and Jennifer time to talk about anything that you want or need to just kept between you.  Once at the far staircase you and Jennifer will give air kisses and then Megan will get the door for her and also hold it for the rest of her court.”  

         The three dots appeared again.  “Does everyone understand your responsibilities?”  They

All texted.  “Yes.”  Megan leaned in towards Alison.  “Wow!”  she whispered.  “That almost sounds like what we would do if a real Queen came to the school.”  Alison nodded.  “It’s definitely one of the bigger events at St. Pious, as it happens very rarely, usually every seven to ten years, when it seems like the tides of what is cool in the world shift and the tables need to shift with them.  It is the responsibility of the High School Queen to set the standard for the whole School.”  Megan sat back and looked ahead and nodded. Then she sat forward and leaned in again.  “Ali, Billy Poke is on this bus.  I just saw him five seats up on the right.  Doesn’t he know to come back and sit with us?”  Alison looked at Megan and then sat  up to look over their seat to see where she had indicated.  There was Billy’s red spiky hair bouncing in time with the bus.  He didn’t have a phone, his parents couldn’t afford one.  They were building a fund for him and she was going to get him a Trac phone this week, but until then he was cut off from the easy ways of communicating.  She leaned in towards Megan.  “Seat-hop your way up to him and bring him back here with you.”  Megan looked at her for a moment then sighed and nodded. 

          Megan hopped up into the aisle and hopped to the edge of the seat in front of her, which landed her right next to Brad Werner, who was sitting next to Jake.  “Hey, what the…” exclaimed Brad as Megan almost landed in his lap.  “Oh, hey Meg, what’s up?”  She looked at him and smiled.  “Hey Brad, oh nothing, just movin on up.”   He looked confused at first, but then cracked a smile and nodded.  “The Jeffersons, nice!”  She gave him the smile she had been working on all summer and then hopped up to the next seat where Lottie and Alice were sitting.  She didn’t get as warn a response there as she had with Brad, but she didn’t expect one either.   She finally landed next to Billy who was sitting by himself.  He turned to her with a startled look on his face.  “Hey Billy.”  She said with a smile.  It took him a moment to recover.  He just looked at her.  There was always something in the way he looked at her that made her skin crawl.  “He…hey Megan, how are you?”  She kept smiling.   “Super duper Billy.  Just wanted to come up and get you.  We were wondering where you were.  Your part of our table now Billy that means you can sit with Alison, Myself, and the others wherever we are sitting.  Common, I’ll show you how to move through the bus so Mr.  Pellmen doesn’t spot you. You have to watch that mirror over his head and wait till his eyes look down and then you hop to the seat behind us. I’ll hop first and then wait till I move on to the next seat and then you follow okay?”  He looked up at the front of the bus at Mr Pullmen whose eyes were looking back along the rows of the bus, he immediately shrunk down.  “See, it’s pretty simple, you just have to time it.” She said, as she watched the mirror above Mr Pellmen.  When she saw his eyes look down she hopped.   Billy looked behind him as Megan left his seat and saw some sixth grade girl,  who when she saw him staring at her started to scrunch up her face until Megan hopped into the corner of the seat that she was on and gave her a disapproving look.      

        “That's my friend, Okay, so don’t give him any problems.”  The girl seemed to notice Megan’s sweater, with the “cheer team” on it and it finally began to register to her who was sitting next to her.  The girl got red and nodded.  Megan smiled.  “You're the best.”  Which made the girl smile back.  She looked up at Billy.  “Common Billy, let’s go.”  She then hopped into the aisle and into the seat behind. 

      As Alison saw Megan seat hopping back to her and Billy following her,  she tapped Brad on the shoulder and when he looked back at her she motioned her head to the empty seat accross the aisle from him where Bradly Lockman, Tiffany’s brother sat.  She saw his eyes registered an unwillingness to move but his face had a smile on and he nodded. “You got it, your Majesty.” And hopped across the aisle. 

        A few moments later Megan dropped into the seat next to Alison and then Billy hopped into the open sea next to Jake.  “It’s good to see you again Billy.”  Said Alison with a sincerity that would have been very hard to disbelieve.  “Your part of our table now Billy and that means you are welcome to sit with us wherever we are whether  at school or anywhere outside of School.”  His eyes got teary, but he coughed and used that as an excuse to wipe them.  Alison did note that he had at least been practicing the game. “Thank you Alison, I mean Your Majesty.”  Said Billy.  Alison shook her head.  “Titles are not needed right now Billy, you can call me Alison.  We’re all  going to  have a lot of fun this year.”  She said as she settled into the corner again.  Billy looked around at everyone else, and Megan, Mandy, Tiffany, Brad and Bradley and Jake all smiled back at him.  He smiled back and sat down and Jake proceeded to show him a video of someone else playing a video game.

            Megan let her breath out and laid her head on Alison’s shoulder.  Alison didn’t make her move as she wanted everyone to know that her and her sister were very close, so that  anyone who might try to set them against eachother would think twice about trying it.  Megan looked up at her, and  after a moment Alison caught the hint that she wanted her attention.  Alison looked down.   Megan looked quickly over to the seat that Billy was now in, and back to Ali and mouthed the words "Are you sure?”  Alison sighed and looked in her sister’s eyes.  “Trust me.” She mouthed back with a smile.  

        Megan looked deep into her sister’s eyes, trying to find the assurance that she desperately needed.  Billy scared her, it was a fear she couldn’t put a name to, but something about him made her cringe.  She saw Ali smile once more, wink at her,  and then she went back to her phone.  Megan sighed and pulled out her phone and looked at her Instagram page.

         Alison closed her eyes and tried to find some peace.  Everything was going perfectly until the day that Ali had returned.  Then it hit her, the root of her anxiety.  Ali was going to be at School today. Alison knew she would run into her, knew she would be forced to continue to make fun of her because she had chosen to associate with Keri and Trudi, Jim and that Jaius kid too.  From what she had heard they have their own little table going.  She had to honor the punishment that Mandy had requested, especially now that she had a strong unity at the Table, but she also needed to make the punishment happpen without it looking like she, or the table were directly involved with it. Thinking of what she had to do today with Ali made her remember something she had asked Mandy to do.  She pulled up her phone and texted Mandy.

     “Hey.”

      “Hey, what’s up?”  

     “Did you contact those seventh graders like I asked?” 

      “Yep.  Traci, Emma, Brent and Connor.   I let them know that if they do a good enough job on making fun of Keri and company then they can come to our next party at Brittney’s.”  

      “Good Job,  I’m placing you in charge of this.  Keep cycling through the sixth, seventh and Eighth  graders each week.  Make sure they know if they breathe a word of this to anyone they will become the ones targeted.”   

       “ You got it Ali, I know how important this is, I’ll make it work.”  

     “Thanks Mandy, you're the best.”

      Megan glanced over while Alison was typing and saw the text about the Sixth and Seventh graders doing the bullying in place of them.  Ali had told her about the plan, to keep up the promised punishment that Mandy had requested, but to not have it come back to anyone at the table.   Megan had taken that idea and gathered her own little group of covert operatives.   Their target wasn’t Keri, Trudi, Jim, or anyone else in that group save one.  Her little group would be focused on making sure Alianna had a terrible year, so terrible that she would have no choice but to leave St Pious.   “It’s bad enough you are back, but just by coming back you managed to undo all the rebuilding of my and Ali’s relationship that had happened over the summer.  I hate you! If I can’t get you out of our lives at least I can do everything I can  to get you out of our School.”   She stamped the anger down so none of it leaked out.  She had to put so much focus on doing that though that she failed to notice the bus coming to a stop and the door opening.  It wasn’t until Alison nudged her that she came out of it and looked up at her.  Alison smiled as she looked down at her. “ Hey, where did you go?  We’re here.  We don’t want to be late for the first day of our awesome year.”  Megan shook her head and sat up and looked back at her sister. “Wow, so sorry Ali, was just daydreaming of the cool year ahead and almost missed the start of it.”  Alison laughed and gave her sister a hug.  “I’m gonna need to lean on you a lot this year.”  Megan wrapped her arms around her.  “You can lean everything on me Ali, I got your back.”  Alison squeezed her tighter.  “ Love you Meg.”  Megan knew she was about to have waterfalls coming out of her eyes.  She fought it with all her might, and for the most part succeeded.  “I love you too Ali. This will be the years of the Trendale sisters. St Pious look out.”  She said with the emotion plain in her voice.  Alison pulled away and looked at her.  “Come on, before both of our makeups start running.”  Megan half laughed and half cried and gently wiped at her eyes as she got out of the seat. She waited for Alison to make her way into the aisle and then started forwards.  

       When they got off the bus  Alison smiled at Mandy, Tiffany, Alice,  Jake, Bradley, Brad, Billy  and even Lottie, who had all waited at the curb for them to arrive before heading into School.  As they began walking they moved as one group, even as each talked to different people in the group.  Alison caught all the eyes of the other kids on the front lawn of the School watching them. Stares that were ranging from wonderment to jealousy were directed towards them, but she relished in each one.  She remembered last year when the same gazes were directed at this group.  She had felt elated  then  to be in the group receiving that accolade, but she also remembered  realizing that it was Keri those looks had been directed at.  Now, in this moment, she knew that all those stares were for her.  It was intoxicating.  

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

          They sat on the stone mantles that jutted out on either side of the main doors that led into the school and talked and texted or scrolled.  When the outside bell rang and the kids all lined up to head into school Alison had the honor of being the first one through the door.  Jake and Brad opened the doors for her and bowed.  She smiled at them and then went inside followed by Mandy,  Megan and the rest. 

          The morning was full of new things.  New locker, new teachers, some new students but most of it was taken up with making sure she kept all of her plates  spinning. 

          Before she knew it the lunch bell was ringing and she and the others were rushing down the stairwell at the one end of the building that led  to the cafeteria whose doors were very close to their table.   When they got there she saw that Brad, Jake and Bradly had already gotten the alternate table moved over near their normal table.  She smiled at them and mouthed the words “Thank you.”   They all gave her a salute and went back to making sure they had enough seats for everyone.  She set her bag down next to the chair that Mandy would sit in for the rest of the year.   She should feel put out by not getting to sit in her chair on the first day of School, but the reality of the situation put that right out of her head.  The Queen of the High School really was the Queen of the whole School.   It didn’t seem that way most of the time because the High School kept itself pretty aloof from what happened in the Middle School, except for days like today that is.  As she was making sure that her notebook and pen and Jennifer’s was positioned perfectly Tiffany texted her. 

        “It’s Time.  They’re coming down the stairs now.”  

       Alison took a deep breath and let it out, and as she did that cool mask that had been there over the summer returned.   She looked at Mandy and Megan who were standing near her and nodded her head.  The two of them  curtsied to her and then turned and walked toward the middle stairwell, with Megan slightly behind Mandy.  Alison looked around, briefly scanning the cafeteria with just her eyes.  

        All heads and phones were following Mandy and Megan as they joined Tiffany at the doors.  Tiffany stepped back behind Megan.  Her eyes then fell on the one table she knew she shouldn’t have let them fall on. Ali’s table.  In the far corner of the calf, far removed from Alison’s table, sat Keri, Trudi, Jim, that Jaius kid, two girls one with brown hair and the other with dark hair and red highlights, and next to her was Alianna. The coolness that she had just regained quaked.  It shook so bad she was afraid for a moment that she was shaking herself. She glanced down at her hands and saw that they were not moving and relaxed a little.  There might be a hurricane going on inside her right now, but it apparently wasn’t showing on the outside.  

           When she looked back up towards the hallway that led away from the cafeteria the center doors opened and out stepped a tall girl with curly blond hair. She had a bandanna over her hair.  Alison created a file in her head. “That must be Susan Aimsbery, Jennifer’s second.”   Then a dark haired girl came through the door, also wearing a head bandana.  Alison recognized Jim’s sister Julie.  Then the first bombshell of the day happened.  The next person walking through the door, Alison had assumed would be another girl wearing a bandana, but the person that walked through that door was neither wearing a bandana nor a girl.  A tall senior boy walked through the door and stood next to Julie.  She saw Mandy, Megan, and Tiffany freeze, then look at her, and she gave them an immediate “keep going” look.  They all went pale, but turned back to the door.   Once everyone was lined up, Tiffany moved to the door and opened it and bowed.  Jennifer walked through the door, but stopped and whispered something to Tiffany. Tiffany slowly, hesitantly, began to raise from her bow.  Jenifer whispered something again and then she continued through the doors.  Alison was watching Tiffany with concern as she was supposed to stay bowed until after Jennifer had passed through the door.   Tiffany looked at Alison and gave her a concerned look.  Again the cool inside Alison quaked.  Tiffany didn’t show a lot of emotion, the amount of concern she was allowing on her face made Alison begin to believe that she was woefully unprepared for what was about to happen.  

       Then they all paired up with the person who shared their same rank, Tiffany hesitated briefly before holding out her arm for the senior boy. “That must be Terry.”  She thought,  making another new file in her head for the first boy to hold any position at the table other than Prince. Then Mandy began to walk slowly forward with Susan walking next to her.  The height difference between them was pretty stark.  Alison cringed a little at that visual.  When Mandy got to the Cafeteria she looked like she was about to shout out her anouncment for Jennifer entering the calf when all of a sudden Susan leaned down and whispered to her.  Mandy’s eyes got big and her face began to get as red as her hair.   Her eyes flew to Alison and Alison  could see the fear and concern flowing across her face.  Alison prepared herself for another bombshell.  Mandy nodded and didn’t make her proclamation. Susan smiled and looked back at Jennifer and nodded.  Jennifer smiled and left the back of the procession and gently touched Julie’s shoulder as she passed her.  Julie whispered something to Megan who gave Alison the same wide eyed, fear filled expression that Mandy had, and then disengaged from Megan and followed after Jennifer.  

        Alison felt it deep inside her, a knowledge of where they were going before they got there. Alianna’s table.  Jennifer got to Ali’s table and immediately went over and gave Keri a big hug and then knelt down to talk with her.  Julie went over and hugged her brother and then gave the dark haired girl with the red highlights a hug and then Julie really made Alison’s heart sink into her chest by going up to Alianna and giving her a hug and then squatting  down and talking to her.  It was all Alison could do to keep her outside serene, while inside everything shook.  “What is going on?”   She stole a glance over to where Mandy and Megan were standing.  She saw that all three of them were holding their cool, but they were all looking at her uncertainty clear in their eyes.  She gave them as reassuring a look as she could muster.  

       After what seemed like hours, but could only have been minutes both Jennifer and Julie stood and waved at everyone, and of course everyone at the table waved back at them.  They then walked back over to the procession, Julie taking Megan’s arm.  Alison noted, to her sister’s credit,  that as soon as Julie got back to her she smiled and offered her her arm as if nothing had happened.  Mandy reacted the same and Alison breathed a sigh of relief, she couldn’t mistake the pride that bloomed in her in how well her court reacted under this pressure.  

          Once everyone was back in line, Mandy disengaged from Susan and stepped forward and spoke in a loud, clear voice.  “Here Ye,  Here Ye, all rise for the entrance of Queen Jennifer and her court.”  She then stepped backward and offered Susan her arm again who took it with a smile.  Everyone stood and then Mandy started slowly forward and almost at the same time Alison moved around the table and passed the procession and stopped infront of Jenifer who had stopped when she saw her moving and waited for her.  Alison stopped in front of her and smiled at her and she bowed her head to her.  Alison had noted that Jennifer didn’t seem to want too much show of adoration.   Jennifer reached out and took her hands and this made Alison lift her head and they moved  in toward  eachother and did the air kiss on each cheek.  Alison then stepped to Jennifer’s side and held her arm out to her and Jennifer slipped her arm through.  As they walked back to the table Alison could not deny this unexplainable serenity and peace that emanated from Jennifer that seemed to touch the edges of that void she always felt inside her but couldn’t explain.  When that peace touched her she knew she was missing something but had no idea what.  

           She led Jennifer over to her seat and pulled it out for her.    Jennifer sat down and Alison pushed her chair in and then went and sat in the seat just to her right.  Once they were seated everyone in the cafeteria took their seats.  Some began talking among themselves, others stared at the table or had their phones up recording it.  

        Jennifer looked around at the members of the two courts and smiled.  Then she turned to Alison.  “Queen Alison,  thank you so much for your hospitality and for taking the time to hear from us on these matters.”  Alison smiled and bowed her head slightly and said.  “Queen, Jennifer, it is a blessing and our pleasure to welcome you to our table and to hear the wisdom you have for us.”  Jennifer nodded at that and smiled.  “Before we begin, two things. First I must apologize for my breach of etiquette in breaking the formation.  Julie and I have been praying so much for Keri since the spring and seeing her here is nothing short of a miracle.  We needed to let her know how happy we were that she is okay.”  She paused and Alison stepped into the pause as if it was part of a script. “Queen Jennifer, you are our guest and as such have no need to apologize for anything.   We are at your disposal in whatever capacity that you need.”  Jenifer smiled and nodded.  “Thank you Queen Alison.  My second request before we start is to ask if we might open in prayer?”  

          This made Alison quake on the inside, but she held her cool.  “Of course Queen Jennifer.”  Alison looked at her expecting her to lead the prayer but she again did the unexpected.  Jennifer nodded and looked to the boy Terry.  “Terry, would you lead us in Prayer?”  Terry nodded.  “ It would be my honor, your majesty.”    He bowed his head and so did Jennifer, Susan and Julie.  After few seconds' pause due to unfamiliarity, Alison and her court followed what they did.  “Heavenly Father, we praise you and thank you for this time to meet with Alison, Mandy, Megan and Tiffany and we ask that you would give us soft and open hearts to really hear each other and to walk in ways that are pleasing to you.”  Alison risked opening her eyes to see who was praying.  Everyone had their heads down and eyes closed.  As she was about to close them she saw Jennifer stiffen and she turned her head to the side and looked at the table where the rest of Alison’s table sat. Julie did the same thing at the same time, it’s like they were sharing the same brain.  Alison traced their line of sight and it looked like they were looking right at Billy Poke.   Who looked a bit startled.  Almost as quick as it had happened it ended and they closed their eyes and bowed their heads once more.  “Please give Jennifer and Alison wisdom as they speak and may it be all to your glory.  In Jesus name, Amen.”  Everyone on Jennifer’s side answered right away with an Amen, Alison’s side was a bit slow to respond, but they did say Amen also. After Terry finished Jennifer looked up and nodded to him.

          “Thank you Terry.”  She then looked at Alison.  “ Alison I am grateful for this opportunity to share with you what has been happening at the High School table and I hope that some of these ideas will seem good to you and your court and will become a part of your tradition also.  The retro/ vintage theme has served us well as a unique way to continue the tradition of coolness, and I don’t find anything amiss with it per se, but when Amber became Queen last year she really opened our eyes to some awesome ideas and I hope to continue them and expound upon them in my term as Queen.    

       These are some of the things that I’m referring to.”  She paused and opened the bottle of water that was in front of  her and took a drink from it. “Amber added some extra service hours for members of the tables with the idea that if we are to be the leaders at this school we need to be its servants.  She added twenty more hours in addition to the thirty we already have to do for the school requirement.  I am planning on adding ten  more as a minimum.  These added ten hours need to specifically be in service to the school, or the teachers, or the students in some way.   The more hours put in over that thirty, the more credit at the table.   I am also going to be continuing the Bible study that Amber started last year.   We meet every morning at 7:15 am in the mat room.  Our table members are expected to join, but anyone from your table would also be more than welcome.  Terry leads the study.”  She said motioning to the young man across from Tiffany. He nodded, but said nothing.  Alison remembered something Lacy told her and she caught the way Jennifer said Terry’s name.  “They’re dating.”  She thought filing that information away in both Jennifer’s and Terry’s file. A relationship can always be a great tool to manipulate a Queen.  

         “I know you just got brand new cheer uniforms and so I wouldn’t really expect you to follow this change, at least not this year, but I’ve gotten new uniforms for the High School team that are a bit more modest then they have been in the past.   There is a very long history in this country of the Cheer teams inspiring the crowd with their words and their spirits, not their clothes.  We have also begun to curtail the negative way we talk about each other at the table and the other students in the school.  Getting dirt on one another is no longer our focus, but encouraging one another and the other students, this is what  gains you status at the high school table.”  Jennifer fell silent and looked at Alison.  Alison had been prepared for these, and had spent the summer designing strategies around them.  When Jennifer spoke again though, she threw another wrench in Alison’s works.  “I understand that you have taken steps to add to your number someone who was greatly hurt by the previous table.  I applaud you in this, Alison and along this line of thinking  I also want to ask a favor of you?”  She had turned to Mandy when she said this.  Again, a breach in etiquette, but what could Alison do?

        “Forgive  my sidestepping of Etiquette again Alison, but this favor needs to be directed at Mandy as she was the one who requested the punishment.  Mandy, I understand how hurt you must have been to learn of the betrayal of your confidence, and I appreciate that the justice you sought was given, but I want to personally ask you now to rescind your request for Keri’s punishment and not bring any more ruination on her reputation.  I do not require an answer as I think it is best to discuss this as a table, but I just wanted to humbly make the request here.”

        Mandy looked shocked but held it together as best she could.  “I…I will deeply consider your request Queen Jennifer, and I will definitely discuss it with Queen Alison.”  Jennifer smiled and nodded.    “Thank you Mandy.”  She then looked back at Alison.  “That is all I had for today Queen Alison.  Was there anything that you wanted to ask of us?”  Alison had a million questions and statements flooding through her head that she would love to ask  Jennifer, but she knew that they would either not be appropriate in this setting or  she probably wouldn’t get the answer she wanted.  So, instead she placed her most genuine smile on her face and shook her head.  “No, Queen Jennifer, we are just  grateful for you sharing these new initiatives with us and that  they also fit with what has been the atmosphere of this table since I’ve become Queen.  We all witnessed the unhealthy level the game had obtained toward the end of last year and we have been looking for ways to make changes to make it more healthy.   These suggestions will greatly help  us so much in giving  a framework for us to expand out from.   Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to meet with us and help us start this year on a better foot.”   Jennifer smiled and nodded.  “Thank you for being so open to what I had to say Queen Alison, I wasn’t sure how warmly these proposals would be received, but you have filled in all my concerns.”  She looked around the table at everyone and then she pushed her chair back and stood.  Which brought everyone else to their feet at the table.   “If there is nothing else, then we will not take anymore of your time.   Thank you all very much for your hospitality.”    She paused for a moment to pick up her water bottle and to  give any last minute requests a chance to be aired.  When none came she smiled and nodded her head.  “May you all have a blessed day and year ahead.”  Everyone else added a reply along the lines of “also to you” or Thank you so, much the same to you.”   She smiled and then looked to Alison who had moved over to stand next to her.  

         Alison held her arm out for Jennifer, who took it, and then they turned and began to walk down the middle aisle of the cafeteria toward the hallway that held the sixth grade lockers, mat room, Art room and a few “staff only” doors.  Alison didn’t look back, but felt sure that the rest of her court was a little  ways behind her  so Jennifer and her had some space to talk.  

        Jennifer was first to take advantage of the space.  She leaned in toward Alison and so Alison leaned into her.  “Alison, I am very impressed with the kindness you have shown to Billy in an attempt to wipe out the reputation the tables have had for a long time.”  She paused and  leaned in closer and whispered.    “Please be careful though Alison.  From what I understand Billy took a lot of abuse from the other kids throughout his life, and I’m not sure that his home life is very good.   I also hear that he is a bit fond of your sister.  I also feel an unrest deep in my spirit over him, but I cannot tell if it is empathy or a warning of some kind.  That is why I am cautioning you.  My heart breaks for him, and it means so much that I see yours does too, but just don’t let it blind you to danger.  A Cinderella Story is always a tough plate to keep spinning.”  Jennifer then stopped and turned to look her in the eyes.  Out of the corner of her eye she saw the procession of the courts stop also about twenty feet from them.  “Alison.”  She looked deep into Alison’s eyes, it was almost as if it wasn’t Jennifer staring at her, but someone else.   “Do not shut your heart to her,  Alison, you will see her today and you will  need her greatly before the next school year begins.”  Alison felt the words, they seemed to float down into that void and hang there instead of disappearing into it.  

          She then stepped closer and gave her a hug and whispered to her.  “I’ll be praying for you Alison.  If you don’t yet know the full peace that  Jesus Christ brings,  I am available to talk about it anytime.  I’m also just a text away if you want to talk or get coffee sometime.”  Then she pulled away and smiled at her.   “Wow, thank you Jennifer.  I’ll definitely reach out.”  Jennifer smiled and then turned and Alison offered her arm again and they kept walking to the back stairwell and stood there waiting for the others. 

           They all said their farewells and then the High School court left and the doors to the stairwell shut.   All of them collectively let out a deep breath and looked at eachother.  Alison let her eyes fall on Mandy.  “Are you actually okay with Jennifer’s request, or were you just playing the Game?”  Mandy looked down for  a moment but then looked back up again.   She took a deep breath and then let it out.   “Both. It’s been months and I’m not swimming in my need for justice anymore, plus, thanks to you it’s locked safely away,  but also, Jennifer didn’t leave me much choice.  She literally went over to their table and gave Keri a hug, what can I do to her?  The High School Queen gave her a hug, there isn’t anything I can do to her now.”  She said sullenly.  Alison nodded.  “Or Alianna or Jim, because Julie singled them out.”  She took a breath and then went on.  “Look, this really didn’t change our plans any.  We keep going on with things as we have discussed them, okay?”  They all nodded.  The confidence they heard in her voice pulled them away from any despair.  

        It was then that Alison realized the weight and power of the position of Queen.  Deep down she so wanted to  jump right onboard the “good ship pity party”  that they had all been ready to get into,  but she saw as clear as day that she had the power to pull them off of it.   They just needed someone to tell them it would be okay.   As she looked around at them she noticed something.  They all had their bags with them.  It seemed that just as she was noticing it they were noticing that she did not have hers.   Megan blushed and shook her head.  “Oh, Ali, I’m so sorry.  I was so wigged out by everything I forgot to get your bag.  I’ll go back and get it.”  Megan went to turn but Alison touched her shoulder.  “It’s okay Meg, I’ll get it, I need a few moments to myself to get ready mentally for the rest of the day.   I’ll see you on the bus home okay?”  Megan looked like she was going to protest further but then stopped and nodded. “Definitely Ali, I’ll see you there.” She squeezed her sister’s shoulder and then smiled at Mandy and Tiffany.   “Can you…?”  “Let Mr Dulles know you’ll be right there, can do,  I’ll text Alice now and tell her to let Mr Dulles know.” Said Mandy with a wink.   Alison smiled.  “Thanks Mandy, you’re the best.”  They all waved and went up the stairwell in front of them.  Alison watched the door close and then turned and slowly walked down the hallway.  

        As she neared the cafeteria she looked off to her right and there was her bag sitting by Mandy’s seat.  Since her head was turned to the right she didn’t see the person that came around the corner from the left.  That person obviously didn’t see her either.  “Oh, no.  I’m so sorr…” came a very familiar voice that cut off abruptly.  

       Alison’s breath couldn’t seem to leave her lungs as she turned and found herself looking into Alianan’s eyes.  It was then that she truly realized that, except for that dreadful day on the bus last spring,  she hadn’t been this close to her in more than a year.   Both of them stood there looking at each other, frozen like statues.  This was the one meeting today that she had truly dreaded, but at the same time, as the day had moved on, she had begun to believe would not really happen.   “Ali…”. Was all that she could make her voice say.