“I was so upset with myself for failing Ali and hurting her back then, but at the same time mad at Ali for making me actually do those extra service hours, when no one else was! but, in hindsight, if she hadn't done that, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Megan Trendale. On Being a Little Sister.

The weeks of September turned into the weeks of October, just as the leaves turned their color. Alianna and Jaius continued to work on keeping the walls up on their relationship getting too deep. Anne went riding with Brittney every chance she had. Keri began producing her podcast and the first episode went up on November first. Within twenty four hours she had 10,000 subscribers. Olivia had created an intro for her, even though she continued mourning her grandfather. Trudi helped her sister produce it. Keri also worked very hard on her dress for the formal and her hair continued to grow back at an almost miraculous rate. She even began to hope that it would be back to normal by the winter formal. Jim had heard about Olivia’s grandfather and had very slowly and respectfully tried to be an encouraging friend to her. Keri had seen Olivia’s reaction to Jim’s presence and had realized what her reaction meant. She had a long talk with Jim to illuminate him to what was going on and convinced him that she would not be the one he was going to the formal with. It took weeks but he finally understood what she was saying and asked Olivia to the formal. Keri and Trudi had decided to go stag together. Keri did finish her dress, and thought it was quite a beautiful piece.

Jim’s asking Olivia to the dance was the turning point for Olivia, she began smiling again. Alianna dealt with some feelings of jealousy, but they weren’t big. She had been spending so much time with Olivia and Jaius had taken such a huge place in her heart that her crush on Jim only made it sting a little. With Julie’s help she was able to deal with it and give it to God and so she was able to be truly happy for Olivia.

Jaius’s proposal for the “Play on Words.” Won the contest. Father Michael loved it and the script was almost finished. Soon there would be auditions and rehearsals. Father Clement, the new dean of students was the complete opposite of Sister Justina. Where she walked the halls with this dreadful aura of authority and discipline, Father Clement wore an open friendly smile, greeting each child warmly and talking time to get to know each one individually. Alison and her table continued the clandestine attacks on Alianna and her friends, although she had done everything she could to tone them down without looking like she was. Mandy declared to the table that she rescinded her call for destruction of reputation to Keri and Trudi and after that the attacks came about once a month. The weird notes continued to show up in Ali’s locker and other places. Always in that weird sentence structure that made no sense. The parties at Britney’s houses were epic, the talk of all the schools, and Lacy scored major points with her table by fulfilling her campaign promise. Everything really seemed to be going according to all Alison’s plans. Her and Beau even started to get close.

Alison swam up to the edge of the heated pool at Brittney’s mountain house, well it was really a resort, just a private one. Megan and Brittney were seated inside on the couch talking and Beau sat in on a longe chair in sweats and a jacket texting on his phone. The cold air on her face took her breath away and she struggled for a moment to get it back. “Beau, could you hand me my towel and robe?” She called out. He looked over his phone and smiled. “As you wish, your Majesty.” He said as he swung his legs around and stood and grabbed her towel and robe as he passed her chair. He bent down and held out the towel for her to step into when she got out. She pushed herself up out of the pool and immediately began to shiver. She had read online that going from hot to cold is healthy for you, so she had started doing this once a week. He knew this and so he waited a minute until she started lifting up on her tiptoes and back down and then he wrapped the towel around her, giving her a hug in the process. The shivers intensified because, despite her best efforts parts of her heart were opening up to him. She didn’t let it show though, a Queen had to keep her heart locked up tighter then Fort Knox. She did smile at him though as he let go. “Thanks Beau, you don’t have to be so formal though.” He looked deep in her eyes and she knew he was seeing right through her walls. “Yes, I do. Your Majesty.” He said as he helped her into the robe. As she tied the the strap of the robe and turned to him and saw he already had his arm out to her. She smiled and slipped her arm through and he guided her back to the sliding door. Brittney and Megan looked up as they came in, they smiled and waved. Alison did the same. A whole conversation was then had between Alison’s and Megan’s eyes. Megan’s eyes looked at Beau and then at Alison’s arms linked, and then got bigger, with her eye brow raised, and a smile touched her eyes. Translation: “Are you two getting close? so excited for you.” Alison rolled her eyes a little bit then stopped them mid roll and opened that door just a little into her soul. Her eyes softened a bit and she blinked once to afirm it, then her eyes became unreadable again, hard even, then returned to normal. Translation: “Com on Meg! Yes, he’s braking down my defenses. But, a Queen cannot fall in love, because it can be used against her. Ultra-Top Secret Meg.”

Megan nodded ever so slightly and then that moment moved on to the next and Beau was leading Alison over to the fire in the massive stone fireplace.

Beau squatted down and looked at Alison and it took everything she had to not just disappear into his blue eyes. “Can I get you something to drink your Majesty?” “Yes, thank you Beau, honey mint tea please. Also Beau, you can call me Ali.” He bowed his head and looked back at her. “As you wish, your Majesty.” She almost got mad at his ignoring what she said, but there was something when he said “…as you wish…” that struck her. “As you wish, from the Princess Bride? Oh, no, is he falling for me too?” Alison began to shiver. Megan saw it and looked at Brittney. “I’ll be back in a bit.” Brittney noddd and smiled. “I’ll be here.” Megan smiled and got up and headed over to Alison. Brittney pulled out her phone and started to text Anne. “Hey…”

Megan sat down next to Alison and placed her arm around her. “You okay?” She whispered. Alison turned to her with eyes that had all their defenses down. “No. I’ve never liked anyone before, I mean, Ali and I would swoon over the romantic scnes in our books, But I never even had a crush.” in her state of anxiety with her senses heightened. Allison caught the flash of anger and Megan‘s eyes when she mentioned Ali’s name. It was there for just the briefest of seconds, but she saw it this time. And all her sister’s rages that Allison has been worried about started clicking together in her head. She let none of the show to Megan, At least she had a clearer idea of what was causing her sister so much anger. She filed it in Megan’s folder in her head, with a big mark next to it as to what the possible reason could be that Megan was so angry with Alianna.

Without skipping a beat she continued. “Lacy told me that a Queen can date the Prince, in fact it’s encouraged, but that the Queen absolutely cannot let herself fall for him, or any boy. It’s a wide open door that a rival will use to destroy her. A vote of no confidence is something no Queen wants or can usually survive. If she gets too focused on a boy, then she can become too distracted from doing the duties of a Queen. The problem is that there are feelings now for him and they are getting deeper. He’s getting into my head and no matter how hard I try to defend against it, he keeps pushing until he has me.” “It will be okay Ali, your strong and you are able to resist it. Maybe think about all the reasons you fought so hard to become Queen in the first place and that might help.” Alison looked at her sister intently and some walls fell back into place. Hard, cold, stone walls around her heart. Then it made sense. Beau was able to get in because she had let her heart open up again to Ali and her parents. The walls had come down and so she was able to let them in, but apparently was able to give an open door to Beau too. Megan’s cheeks grew red as Alison kept staring at her. “I’m sorry Ali, that was probably the lamest advice ever, I need to…”. She stopped as Alison lightly placed her hand over her mouth. “Shh…that was actually really good advice Meg. Thank you. You are very wise and I thankful your my Sister, that I can trust you with these things.” A tear leaked out of Megan’s eyes and she smiled. “Thanks Ali, I’m always here for you.” Alison hugged her sister just as Beau was coming over with a steaming cup of tea. “As you requested, your Majesty.” He said bowing down but always looking in her eyes. “Thank you Beau.” She said taking the tea, but keeping her arm around Megan. Whether he noticed the reason she kept her arm around Megan or not she couldn’t tell, but he reacted the way she had intended. He smiled and then went over to another couch, laid down, and pulled out his phone. After a few minutes of sipping her tea and staring at the fire, trying to patch up the walls around her heart. She set the tea on a nearby table and turned to Megan who was still leaning against her. “I’m going to go get changed, I’ll be back out in a little.” “Okay Ali. I’m gonna go see what Brittney is doing.” Alison smiled. “Sounds good. I love you Meg.” Megan practically beamed. “I love you too Ali.”

Alison grabbed her bag by the wall and went into the bathroom, at least that was what Brittney called it. To her it was a lavish spa room that you could practically live your whole life in comfort in. It had all the normal things a bathroom would have, ina. Room off to the side, but in the main room there was a day bed and a fridge and small kitchenette, a closet, a small hot tub. There was a table for getting a message, and one of those big chairs that you see in a nail salon. There was a red button on the wall. When she had asked Brittney about it, she had nonchalantly said that when you pushed it, one of the women who her father had in staff here would come in and do your nails, give you a massage, make you food, or get you anything you needed. She definitely needed a shower to get the pool water out of her hair, but while she still had her suit on she got into the hot tub and turned on the jets. As the hot water pulled away the last bit of cold from being outside, she grabbed her phone and texted Lacey. When Lacy responded she opened up to her about the whole situation with Beau and what Megan had said. “This is definitely not uncommon, I think only my cousin was able to avoid it totally. Your sister is really wise and has some sharp perceptions, it is a huge asset for you and your sister to be so close and her be part of your court. It’s something that most Queens would die to have. The only thing I would add is, as you said that it sounds like Beau likes you too, is that you should be the one to ask him to the Winter formal, and do it in front of some witnesses. That way you keep your hands on the reins and don’t just hand them over to

him.” “Thank you soo much Lacey, that really helps.” “Any time Ali, thank you for connecting us with Brittney, my table is so happy right now with the awesomeness of the party’s at her places. It has made my term as Queen a lot more enjoyable then I thought it Would be.” “As long as I’m Queen Lacy, you all have a place with us.”

“Thanks Ali.” There was a slight pause and then the three dots appeared. “Ali…”. “Yes?” “Ali, have you ever liked anyone before, or been in a relationship?” Alison shook her head as she typed even though there was no one else here. “No, this is the first time I even had feelings for anyone.” “Let’s have a talk Ali, I’ll call you.” “Okay”. She typed completely unaware of where the discussion would go.

After she got off the phone with Lacey her brain felt like mush. There was so much to process over what Lacey told her that she needed to decompress somehow. She took a shower, but that offered her no respite from her thoughts. Having no Idea what else to do she pressed the red button. Five minutes later a hidden door opened in the far wall and a woman who looked to be in her mid twenties and also a supermodel came in pushing a large cart with many compartments. “Hello miss, my name is Trinity and I am at your complete disposal.” A bit too shyly she said “um….could…could you give me a massage?” Trinity smiled and nodded her head. “I am a licensed masseuse and so I can definitely fulfill that request.” Alison laid down in the table and while Trinity gave her a massage she talked to Alison like they were long lost friends. Weather it was the fact that her brain was mush, or the massage, or Trinity’s melodic voice, Alison found her self telling Trinity everything that has happened this far. While she did Alison’s nails, Trinity gave her some very good and heartfelt advice. By the time Alison left the “bathroom” she felt beyond better and relaxed. Megan and Brittney looked up when she came out. “What happend Ali, did you fall asleep?” Megan asked loookg at her Apple Watch. “It’s been three hours.” Alison smiled wilhimsically. “Nope, I pressed the red button.” Megan looked confused, but Brittney giggled. “Trinity is the best isn’t she?” Alison could only nod. Just then Beau came in from the pool area and went towards the fire. Alsion, remebering Lacey’s advise went over to him before he could sit down. He stoped when he saw her coming and smiled at her. “Yes you’re Majesty.” Alison looked at him with all the cool and control she could muster. “Beau, we will be attending the winter formal this year and we would have you accompany us to the dance.” He bowed low but kept his eyes locked on hers. This also threatened to unnerve her, but she held it together. “As you wish, your majesty.” Again the walls almost cracked, but they held, and she was mostly sure he didn’t see that they had almost faltered. He bowed again and she nodded her head and she turned on her heel and strode regally out of the room up to her bedroom, which was nothing short of a an-suite fit for the Park Plaza in New York City. She flopped down on the sleep number bed and lay there trying to organize her chaotic thoughts. After a few minutes her phone buzzed. She picked it up and looked at it. It was a text from Beau. She opened it.

“Why so formal, your majesty?” She froze. Her response would be crucial. If she lost Beau’s affection now, it could go very bad for her. He had already replaced Jim as the most popular boy in the middle School, and any Queen’s Prince who showed any disaffection for that Queen or worse dated someone else, almost always brought a call of no confidence on that Queen, but if she answered to openly he might exploit her weakness and dominate her, and that would be just as bad. She closed her eyes and thought hard, then the title of an old British TV show came to mind and she sighed with relief. “Just keeping up Appearances, Beau.” She sent it. The dreaded three dots appeared. “Lol, nice! Have a good night, Your Majesty.

Alison knew she had one more tough discussion tonight before she went to bed. The talk with Lacy had brought it on. She looked at her texts and clicked on the string with her sister. “Hey Meg. Can you come to my room?” Almost immediately the reply came. “ On my way”. A few minutes later there was a knock on her doors. Alison got up, reluctantly, and opened the door. She was greeted by Megan’s smiling face. “Hey Ali, what’s up?” Alison’s took her sister’s hand and led her in the room. She shut the door and led her over and sat down with her on the bed. She took a deep breath and turned to her sister. “Meg, the winter formal is coming up in a month and I noticed you didn’t have a date yet. Your My heir Meg, you need to find someone to ask and soon. Words are going to get around that I’m going with Beau and so everyone will be turning their attention to you and who you're talking to.

Do you have anyone that you have landed on?” Megan blushed and shook her head. “I’ve been really busy with my class work and everything and I thought Inhad more time, I’ll …I’ll get on it right away.” Alison had seen her in her room at her desk many nights and did assume she was just working in school work. Alison shook her head. “The table goes with eachother Meg, and right now the only two not going are you and Billy. Meg, I need you to go with him. Jennifer and her court are going as chaperones, if they see Billy by himself it will look bad for what we are doing. I know this is a lot Meg, but I need you to ask Billy, infront of People, One because it give you control over everything and two so it gets back to Jennifer that my Heir is going with him.” Megan was speechless, her mouth was moving but nothing was coming out. Megan felt herself tearing in two. She wanted to do absolutely anything Ali asked of her, but at the same time absolutely did not want to go with Billy. He scared her. There was something in the way he looked at her that sent shivers down her spine and made her want to throw up. She couldn’t even put a name to why she was scared of him. Suddenly Alison’s hand was in hers. “Meg!” She practically yelled. Megan blinked her eyes and could clearly see Alison again. Her vision had narrowed to a very small slit and she realized she was hyperventilating. “Meg what happened?” She should have told Ali the truth, should have let her know how deep her fear went, but she didn’t, she couldn’t let her sister down. “Sss…sorry Ali, I just was so stressed right then that I had let this go so long. I’ll make sure Billy has someone to go with to the Formal by tomorrow.” Alison nodded her head slowly. “Thanks Meg. Why don’t you go down to that bathroom and press the red button, Trinity can really help you with this stress.” “That is a great Idea Ali, I’ll go do that. I..I love you Ali. Have a good night.” She said as she got numbly up from the bed and walked to the door. As she was leaving the room Alison called to her. “Love you too Meg, get a good nights sleep.” Megan turned and smiled oddly and shook her head then she left and shut the door. Downstairs Brittney was texting on her phone. When she saw Megan’s face she dropped the phone and ran over to her to help her to the couch. Megan told Brittney everything and how afraid she was. “Meg, look at me.” Said Brittney after digesting everything. “This is what we are going to do. No matter what you’ll be in the stretch limo SUV I’m renting to take us all there. The head of my Dad’s security team will be with us the whole night, and I'm going to text Ali and see if it would be okay if you took Bradly and I took Billy.” Megan spent about fifteen minutes thanking Brittney and groveling. After Ali texted back that that was fine, Megan went in and pressed the red button. She spent five hours in there with Trinity before going to bed.

Olivia turned this way and that in the mirror at the dressing room at the bon-Ton at the Wyoming Valley Mall. She knew her parents couldn’t afford much, and she knew this wasn’t Macy’s or anything like that, but Bob-Ton’s formal dresses still were kinda pricey. Plus finding one that was covering was almost impossible. She looked at the pale blue dress that came down to below her knees and up to the tops of her shoulders. The puffy shoulder adornments brought a sour look to her face and she made a frustrated noise . “Olivia, don’t worry, remember Keri said she would fix up whatever we find and make us look like Cinderella.” Said Alianna from the dressing stall next to her. “I know, I’m just not sure if black hair with red highlights goes with pale blue?” She said sullenly. “Maybe Keri can make you a beautiful red sash or some red lace to match your highlights?” Said Alianna in a muffled voice as she was trying to extricate herself from the current dress destined for the no pile. Olivia looked at herself in the mirror and tried to imagine the additions that Alianna mentioned and her eyes did perk up a little. “Thanks Ali, those are great thoughts.” “Your beautiful Olivia and no dress can take that away.” Olivia blushed but kept trying to imagine Jim’s reaction when he saw her.

Alianna was having her own troubles. There were only three dresses left in the maybe pile, and ten in the reject pile. She believed Jaius when he said he thought she was beautiful even in a burlap sack, but she wasn’t a hundred percent sure, and so tried to find just the perfect dress. The thing she was fighting was that every time she put a dress on, a memory of one of her dresses from her closet at the Catha-Dral floated in her mind and there was just nothing to compare with those here. She looked at her remaining three and one did seem to stand out. She had never thought much about propriety herself, she had dressed properly mainly because those were the only clothes her parents bought her, but now after months of reading her Bible and going to this new church and listening to Olivia’s and Julie’s thoughts on the matter she had made it her own. She hadn’t quite come to the same place Julie and Jennifer and Susan had about the bandanna’s and coverings, but she was studying it and was. Starting to see what they were saying, but she wasn't there yet. However, the long silver dress that came down to her ankles and up to her collar bone seems the best one of the lot. It was split up one side, but only to below her knee, which she felt was proper. She tried it on again and turned this way and that. She sent a selfie to Olivia, Keri, Trudi, Anne, and Julie. They all responded with the ooh and ahh emoji. A lot of hearts and celebration emojis. She smiled despite the other competing dresses in her head. “ Yep, I think this is it.” “It’s the perfect dress Ali, you look beautiful.” Alianna smiled and her cheeks reddened slightly. “Thanks Olivia, and so do you. Jim is going to be falling over with awe.” “Thanks Ali.” Olivia’s tone was subdued but encouraged. They got their clothes back on, hung their rejected dresses on the clothes cart nearby and folded their chosen dresses over their arms, smiled at each other and then walked back out into the store. Their mothers were sitting in two chairs nearby talking. Alianna could hear them while they were still in the dressing room. Olivia’s mom was telling her mom that her mother had found an apartment and now they needed to get her house in order and clear out a lot of stuff as the apartment doesn’t have much space. Her mom had affirmed their help and that everything would be taken care of and not to worry. They were just finishing this when they looked up and saw Alianna and Olivia. “Well well you two, what did you finally decide on?” Said Alianna’s mom. They both unfolded their dresses and held them up against their bodies. Both moms gasped and oohed and ahhed at all the right places. They both blushed at the attention. “You both will look stunning, especially after I’m done with your hair and makeup.” Olivia’s mom said. She had promised to give both of them the full work up for their hair and makeup for the dance. “Thank you Mrs Parker, that is such a huge gift.” “Ali, it is most definitely no trouble and please child call me Elaine.” “Yes Mrs P… I mean, Elaine.” She laughed in embarrassment. They all smiled and Olivia placed her arm around Alianna and and gave her a side hug. Both mom’s stood up and reached out their hands to take the dresses and the girls handed them to their mothers, and when they pulled their hands back, each had to twenty dollars. Olivia’s mom smiled. “ Now, after all that hard work, you both go and have some fun. We’re going to do some shopping and we’ll text you when we’re leaving. Both girls eye got wide and they both moved forward and gave their moms hugs, then switched and both families had become very close over the past year. “Thank you, Mom!” They both said at the same time. Alianna and Olivia left the Bon- Ton and headed out into the mall. They went through every store they came across, Olivia went to FYE and looked through any new Christian Music that they had and Alianna listened to every tract she played for her and found she liked all of them, and then they went to Bioks a Million and Alianna showed her all the classic books, but when she found out Olivia had never read the Chronicles of Narnia Alianna dragged her over to where it was and used her twenty dollars to buy it for her. Olivia protested but Alianna drew on her Hyress persona just enough to resist any party and repost from Olivia. Olivia thanked her profusely and then proceed to take her to the food court and she used her money to buy them a Cinnabon and Hot tea from Teavana. . Alianna protested that she should go back to FYE and get the CD that she had been playing for her. Olivia showed great fortitude in resisting that suggestion and made it through the line at Cinnabon without faltering. Alianna was impressed. “Thank you soo much Olivia, this is really a great treat.” Said Alianna after savoring her first bite of the cinnamon bun. Olivia smiled and took a sip of Tea. “I want to do more Ali, you have been there for me so much this past month and I want to return that Kindness to you.” Alianna placed her hand over Olivia’s and smiled. “You already have Olivia, your friendships, and I know this is cliche in the world, but it isn’t in my heart, but your friendship is the biggest gift to me.” Olivia blushed. “Thanks Ali.” Then Alianna got excited. “Okay, so, you’ve been promising me the full story of how Jim asked you to go to the formal.” Olivia blushed, took a sip from her tea and then smiled and looked at Alianna. “Well, it all began a few days after my…my pap died. You had left about an hour before, I was trying to push through my homework and my mom knocked on my door. I actually had a small panic attack when she did because I thought maybe someone else had died, but she had a weird look on her face. She told me that Jim was here and he wanted to give me something. My mouth dropped open. I…I have to confess Ali, I think I have kinda liked him since this summer. Since that night his sister brought him to youth group, I’m sorry Ali, I shouldn’t have been even thinking of that while you were missing, please forgive me for that.” She said with her eyes down. Alianna reached out and lifted her head up. “I have plenty of small mason jars at home Olivia Parker, if you keep apologizing to me over Jim I’m gonna make a dollar jar up with your name on it.” She said in a stern voice but with a twinkle of mirth in her eyes. Olivia started to look down again and then stopped and started laughing. Alianna joined her. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. It’s funny to watch with Keri, but I can’t afford it. Anyways, getting back to the story. I went down stairs very slowly having no Idea what Jim Kurtz could want to give me. When I got to our dining room Jim was seated in one for he chairs. My dad was in the kitchen chopping lettuce, very loudly, which was odd because he never helps with the cooking. Jim stood up when I came in the room which made my heart flutter a bit, that he had good manners. He came over and pulled some flowers from behind his back and a card.”

Alianna listened and offered the appropriate responses and nods at the right times, but inside, deep inside she noticed a small root of Jealousy forming. Julie had talked to her about such things and how they can lead to bitterness. She said that you need to kill such things before they grow. So, while Olivia was talking she imagined the sword she had crafted from the crystals in her mind, imagined her holding it, and then imagined her chopping up that root just as vigorously as Mr Parker was attacking that head of lettuce. “Lord, please help me to keep any roots of Jelousy forming that could come between me and my sister Olivia. Please bless her with peace and a future with Jim if you will it. In Jesus name, Amen.” She prayed silently in her head. When she said Amen though, a thought rose up in her. One she didn’t want to bring up to Olivia but knew she had to.

“Well, let me tell you I froze. I wanted to run and hide, and squeal and hug him at the same time and so my brain locked up. He told me how sorry he was about my pap and that he thought that I might be making a song about it and that if I needed any back up he would definitely be available to help. I…I cried right there on the spot, which I think he took as a negative thing, until I stepped forward and hugged him and cried on his shoulder and said thank you. He did put his arm around me and let me cry. Ali, I was writing a song for my Pap, to play at the funeral. He knew me Ali, he knew me enough to know I would be doing that. He… he’s noticed me all this time. That was what really made me cry, he understood me.” Alianna smiled and squeezed her hand. “I definitely understand that. It is so weird how Jaius is

always right there to catch me when I fall.” “It really is a special thing.” Said Olivia smiling. “Anyway we did start working on the song for My Pap’s funeral together, and, well, you heard the results at the funeral.” Alianna noddd somberly. “It was a beautiful peace Olivia.” “Thanks Ali. So we started talking over text and one night he came over and we were talking in the living room. All of a sudden he pulled out this awesome banner that had musical notes on it, and it said “So, Formal?” It was so cool. Ali I’ve never been asked to a dance before, and it was just like everything I thought it would be. Well I absolutely said yes and gave him a hug and, Ali, he actually seems relieved and happy I said yes.” Alianna looked at her quizzically. “Of course he would be happy Olivia you are amazing, and a girl that any boy should be nervous to ask out and reminding you say yes.” She said reassuringly. Olivia blushed. “Thanks Ali, I really appreciate the encouragement. I’m so thankful that we found dresses before the formal this Friday, the only thing is, I..I don’t know how to dance.” She said looking down. “We got that covered. We are all going to Keri’s each night this week to learn from her how to dance, didn’t you see her text?” Olivia nodded. “I did, and I’m really grateful, I just can’t Dance, like I literally failed out of Ballet class when I was a kid. I think you were in that class with Alison also. I’m sad because I think about my inability to dance is fatal .” Alianna tried hard to think back all those years but could only remember blurs of Ballet, she had dropped out after only a few classes. She shook her head. “Don’t give up yet Olivia, I’ve seen Keri dance and she is amazing. She may be able to help you still.” Olivia smiled and looked at her and Alianna swore she saw her smile touching her eyes. “Thank you Ali, I think I just discerned one of your Spiritual gifts. I think you have the gift of Encouragement. It’s not that you just say nice things to people you literally jump into the pit they are trying to fall in to and drag them back out.” Alianna blushed. “Thanks Olivia, what do you mean spiritual gift?”

“When your saved the Holy Spirit dwells in you and He gives you a gift. They are listed in the Bible, but encouragement is one of them. It’s not just that you are skilled at something, it’s that you do it in a way that has power and affects change.” “Wow, I didn’t know that. What is your gift?” “Pastor Aaron said I have the gift of wisdom. I guess I have some good ideas sometimes.” She said shyly. “Well, I will definitely vouch for that…”. Her phone buzzed. She looked down at it and saw it was from her mom. “Hi sweetheart, we are leaving in a few minutes. Can you and Olivia meet us at the J.C. Penny doors?” Alianna sighed and looked at Olivia. “Our mom’s are ready, they want to meet outside J.C. Penny’s.” Olivia sighed. “It’s okay, I’m actually kinda excited, I think Keri can actually help me.” Alianna smiled at her as she picked up her tea and the rest of her Cinnabon. She had saved it for her mom because she knew she loved them. Olivia had too.

Jim looked down at the pile of pants and shirts that lay on the floor of the dressing room. He had found a slick coat, but was having the worst time finding pants and a shirt to go with it. It was hard because he wasn’t trying to impress all the girls in the middle school,like he used to, just the one. He had seen something in Olivia, something that connected them on a deep level. They both loved music? But it was deeper than that, they loved

The structure and complexities of it and how you basically were constantly changing the form of it as you played. That was what had hooked him. It was an added bonus that she was also very pretty and very kind. There was also this crazy peace about her that Juli, Jaius and Ali had too, and it was something he was beginning to want more and moor. He made a small frustrated noise. “You too huh?” Said Jaius from the next room. “Yeah, I usually put something together that will appeal to the most types of Girls, and so I’m not used to trying to impress one type.” “I think Olivia is already pretty impressed with Jim, you could probably go in your soccer uniform and she’d be proud to enter that dance with you.” Jim laughed at the image of Olivia in a beautiful dress and him in his soccer uniform walking into the room. “She might be proud, but I might have a problem with that one, appreciate the encouragement though J.” “Anytime, J.” They both laughed at the running joke that had started two weeks ago when Jaius introduced Sis to Jim’s sister Julie since they were the same age and he had hoped she could help Sis understand her new faith in Christ. Well, Julie and Sis had both called each brother J at the same time and so, it had stuck. “Jaius, I…I got something that I need to get off my chest…”. “You like Ali.” Jim almost fell over. “How…how did you know.” “I was coming up to see her when I saw you sneak in. I was going to go make sure you didn’t do anything but I just felt like I should not interfere. So, I hung out in the hall and listened to make sure she was okay. I guess I need to confess that I heard most of it. Sorry, J, I should have left and not even dropped.” It’s okay J.” He said with a grin. “I don’t blame ya for wanting to keep her safe. If you knew though, why would you want

Me in the group, or want to be friends with me?” “Well, at first it was because I knew there was a part of her heart that was connected to you, and there have been so many people wounding her heart this last year, I didn’t want to become one of them. Then, however, I got to know you and you were definitely more than just another Steven Pennington.” Jaius heard Jim sigh. “Steve actually used to be a pretty cool guy. Then, his mom died when he was in the sixth grade, after that he, well, became who he was. His mom and him were driving downtown and some drunk T- boned their car. The fire department had to cut them free, it took a while, and while they were trapped he watched his mom die. I guess that would mess anyone up.” There was quiet, almost a deafening quiet from the next stall. “J, you still there?” “Yeah.” Came the reply, heavy with emotion. Jim put his clothes back on, picked up some grey pants, a white shirt suspenders and a bow tie and set them apart, then picked the pile of other stuff up and then dumped it in a shopping cart near the exit from the changing rooms and then knocked on Jaius’s door. When the door opened Jaius looked like he wanted to hit something mixed with wanting to cry. “You sure? You don’t look okay.” Jaius looked down. “I’m just struggling a bit. I mean, he’s been the one that was the worst to me all these years, and I thought all this time he was just a jerk, but now you tell me there was a reason, and it is one that could turn anyone into and now instead of feeling confidence at taking him and Pete down a notch now all I got is uncertainty and some guilt. Please tell me Pete isn’t also like he is because his dad died saving his life or something!” Jim shook his head and grinned. “Na, Pete’s been a jerk since nursery school, we’re not sure what’s wrong with Pete.” Jaius tried hard, desperately to hold onto the guilt and uncertainty and anger he had been feeling, but Jim’s timing and delivery, as always, were perfect. He broke and started laughing, which is what Jim had been hoping for. “It’s kinda a relief to know every bully isn’t the way they are because of some childhood trauma.” Said Jaius after he could breath again. “J, Steve’s trauma doesn’t justify what he did to you the past two years. What you did to him in the cafeteria the first day of school this year was even less than he deserved. That was justice J, don’t overlook that. Him and Pete may need a few more lessons before it gets through their heads. Just don’t walk around with any guilt thinking you ruined him more J, Steve and Pete had that coming to them for a long time.” Jaius just stared at Jim with un unreadable expressions. Just before Jim asked him again if he was okay, Jaius existences his hand with his fingers half closed. Jim looked for a second, realized he was starting the handshake they had practiced, and then reached out his hand and went through the practiced motions. “Thanks J, I really needed to hear that. I’ve been carrying a lot of guilt for some things and that helped a lot.” “I aim to please.” Jim said with a grin. “Did you find something?” Jaius nodded and reached back inside and pulled out an outfit with the same idea as Jim, just different colors. Jaius had tan pants, a light blue shirt and brown suspenders. Jim gave him a thumbs up and then pulled his choice out of the room he had been in. “It appears that great minds think alike.” Jaius laughed. “You're not mad that I had something similar?” Thinking back to the time that Steve Pennington had gotten the new style of school sweater last year, thinking he was the first to get it, only to see that Jaius had one too. He tore into Jaius something fierce. “It’s all good J, I’m definitely not going to throw a hissy fit like Steve did last year about that sweater, especially since….” Jim stopped and a bead of sweat appeared on his forehead. “Since what? Now it’s my turn to ask, you okay J?” Jaius said with a hint of concern. Jim took a deep breath and let it out. “I almost said something that I’ve been wanting to talk to you about but was afraid to.” Jaius thought for a moment and then nodded. “You mean about you liking Ali also?” Jim’s mouth dropped open, even though he had trained it never to do that. “Yeah, how did…how did you know?” Jaius shrugged. I had convinced my parents to take me back to the Hospital so I could see if Ali was okay after the Procedure. When I turned the corner onto Ali’s hall, I saw you were disappearing into her room. I started to run to the door because I didn’t know what you intended to do. When I got there I saw you standing there looking at her, I almost barged

In when you turned and I saw that you were crying. You moved off to the left and I felt this overwhelming sense that I shouldn’t go in. So I stayed out in the hall with. My back against the wall and listened for any hint she might need me. I heard what you told her and what she said.” Jim looked down. “Not my best moment.” Jaius shook his head. “I thought you were respectful and you didn't try to argue with how she felt, so I thought you did well.” Jim gave a slight smile. “Thanks. So, hold on, you were okay still being my friend even though you heard all that? How does that work?” Jaius shrugged again. “In the beginning, I knew you had a place in her heart. Far to many people had stomped on her heart, I swore I wouldn’t be one of them.” Jim hung his head in shame. Jaius punched his shoulder. “Owe.” Said Jim looking at Jaius with a new respect. “Sorry, but I didn’t want you spiraling when I wasn’t pointing a finger at you. Anyway, as I got to know you I thought you were pretty cool, so I started to think of you as a friend, not just a way to protect Ali.” Jim nodded his head. “Thanks J, I’m of the same mind

On this.” Just then his Phone buzzed. It was a text from Julie. “I’ll be there in 15.” Jim looked up. Jules said she’ll be here in 15 minutes, we should probably pay for this and head out. Jaius nodded.

Olivia and Alianna were walking towards J.C. Penny’s talking about what shoes to wear with their dresses when they heard a voice behind them. “Hey you two.” They turned, Alianna already with a big smile on her face because it was Jaius that spoke. Jim and Jaius were coming out of Men’s Wearhouse carrying a suit carrier over their shoulders. “Hey Olivia.” Jim said with a warm smile. All of a sudden Olivia got very shy, folding her hands over her bag and swinging from side to side. “Hi Jim,”. She said in a dreamy voice. Alianna almost ran up and gave Jaius a hug, but they had talked a lot over the past weeks about how to put limits and restraints on their relationship. He smiled at her and she almost found herself acting like Olivia, almost. He walked over to her and held her hand. She squeezed it and felt the pressure back from his. It was these small moments, small gestures that they poured all their feelings for eachother into now. It was the avenue for their feelings that they allowed themselves, and, they were content. Something, a thought tried to swim its way through the sea of emotions she was hiding back right now, but somewhere along the way it drowned. Something she had to talk to Olivia about, but then it was gone. “It’s great to see you Olivia.” Said Jim as and moved up next to her. She blushed again. “You too Jim. What are you both here for?” She said. Alianna knew she knew why they were here, but she also knew that at that moment her friend was having a brain wipe. “We’re just trying to find something to wear to to dance that won’t make you both regret asking us.” Jim said with a grin. “Well, I’d take Jaius in his gym uniform.” She said with a smile and a side glance. Jaius grinned and busted out laughing. Soon she was laughing too. “Okay you two, what’s so funny?” Olivia asked. “Jaius looked at Alianna still smiling, then looked at Olivia. “It’s an inside joke. Would take way to long to explain.” “Oh!” Exclaimed Olivia. “I love jokes.” She pouted. Alianna was looking at Olivia with her eyes wide. Olivia looked Alianna and mouthed the word “what?” Alianna mouthed the words “you should know.” She said with a twinkle of laughter in her eye. Olivia looked confused for a moment then she covered her mouth and began to laugh as she finally figured out why it was funny. Jim took it in stride, he didn’t act offended at being the only one not in the know. “It’s all good.” He said smoothly. Jaius smiled and shook his head. “It’s just Ali and I showed up at a fancy dinner one time and I was wearing my gym uniform.” Alianna looked at him. Initially there was fear in her eyes, then as what he meant hit her that terrible day they were seperated at the Catha-Dral suddenly became hilarious. She busted out laughing so hard she had to sit down. She looked up with tears in her eyes and saw him reaching down to help her up, also laughing. She saw Jim laughing now too. “That took guts J.” Jaius shrugged. “I wasn’t going to miss a dinner date with Ali just because I was stuck in my gym uniform.” Alianna almost began laughing again but restrained herself. Just then Olivia’s phone buzzed and a few seconds later Jim’s did too. They both pulled out their phones and got a little sad. Jim looked over at Olivia’s phone and sighed. “Looks like our rides are here.” He said. They all got a little sad, but then Olivia pirked up and smiled. “Come on guys it’s only twelve hours till school, we’ll see each other in no time.” They all brightened up a little and Jim gave Olivia a side hug which made her blush but she didn’t resist. Jaius gave Alianna a full hug that he held for the decided upon thirty seconds. “I never want to miss a moment with you.” He whispered. “Every moment I have is your Jaius.” They squeezed each other tighter and then let go. When Alianna let go she gave Jaius a concerned look and handed him a slip of paper. He looked down at it and then met her concerned look but then changed it to one of commitment. “I’m gonna find out what these mean Ali, I promise.” She smiled a little bit and gave him a hopeful look and winked at him. He winked back, and then they turned and walked away from each other and didn’t look back. “What’s up with that departure?” Jim leaned in and asked Olivia. She looked at him trying to decide if she could trust him. “Everything with us is Ultra Top secret Olivia.” She smiled at him nodded her head. “They are working very hard not to let their relationship get too deep too fast. Ali’s crying right now but she’s not letting us see it. They’ve really put a lot of rules on themselves, I just hope the rules aren’t too heavy. They need to keep a rein on things, but stop tight a grip will tear everything apart.” Jim nodded. “In a lot of ways I feel like they are years older than us, like they went through some kinda boot camp and came out Marines or something.” Jim said as he looked after them. “They did.” Was all Olivia said before clamping her mouth shut. Jim knew what that meant. He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. She turned to him and blushed. “Have a great night Jim.” She gave her another side hug. “You too Olivia. I’ll text you some ideas for that song we were talking about when I get home.” Her smile grew and she bounced up and down a little. “That would be great Jim, I can’t wait to hear your Ideas. Have a blessed night.” She waved at him as she ran after Ali. When she got to her, Jim saw her put her arm gently around Alianna’s shoulders. Alianna leaned in and Jim could see her shoulders shaking slightly. Jim shook his head. “I hope someday that Olivia and I can have those kind of feelings for eachother.” He said softly. He shook his head and then ran off to catch up with Jaius. When he got to him Jim looked at his face which was unreadable. “You okay?” Jim said. Jaius just nodded.. “Five by Five.” Before they got too far away Olivia came running over to them. “I’m sorry Jim, I’m sorry Jaius, I totally forgot to ask you both. My Nanna needs help on Saturday boxing up Everything in her house so she can move into an apartment. Ali and Trudi and Keri already said they could help, but it’s gonna be a lot of things to do so anyone else who wants to help is more than welcome.” She said nervously. Jim and Jaius looked at eachother and then back at Olivia. “Count us in.” They said at the same time. She hugged them both. “Thank you both.” She pulled away and they smiled. “I’ll let Anne know too, I bet she will love to come.” “That’s great, tell her to invite any of her friends too, my Nanna is getting Pizza from Pizza Heaven in Luzern.” Both boys got a big grin on their faces and looked at eachother and mouthed the word “Pizza”. Olivia laughed and then turned and headed back to Alianna. When she got back to her they both looked at Jaius and Jim and waved at them.

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That night Alison sat next to Jake in his room watching him log onto his computer. “What do you got for me Jake?” She said scrolling on Pinterest, still trying to figure out the best hairstyle for the dance tomorrow night.” He didn’t respond right away. She looked up and he seemed to be entering a password to his computer, but it was like he was typing a paragraph. “Jake, how long is your password?” He looked at her while still typing. “It’s long, but at least I've never been hacked.” He said smiling as he turned back to the computer. She shook her head and went back to looking at hairstyles. “Here it is.” He said. “Brent was skipping class yesterday and as he opened the door to the main floor he saw this and recorded it. I slid my Zip drive to his phone to grab it. I installed a scrubber program in that zip drive to erase any trace of the file I am extracting from the place I am taking it from and so he no longer has this video. I’m the only one with it and I can do with it whatever you want. Don’t worry, Ali, Meg is safe.” When he said her sister's name Alison’s head shot up and looked at the screen. There was a video playing of Megan at an eighth grade locker using a small extendable pole to place something through the slats at the top of the locker. “Jake, what is going on? How much of this did Brent record?” She asked, doing everything she could to hide the concern in her voice. “When he started recording it looked like there was a note attached to that end of that little pole she is threading into that locker.” Alison’s stomach was turning. Megan was doing something she hadn’t told her to do, which made her very worried. “Who’s locker is it? What is on the note?” He shook his head. “That, your majesty, will take, well, along time.” Alison sighed, she’d heard that tone in his voice before. “I’ll save you a dance tomorrow night.” She said in her sweetest sugariest voice. He smiled. “The locker is Alianna Oaksen’s, and this is what the note reads.” He handed her a piece of paper. She shook her head as she opened it. “I’m glad his price for this stuff

is only ever a dance.” She looked at the paper and on it was this phrase. “Flood will pour on your Bace tomorrow night.” She scrunched her face and looked at Jake. “What in the world does that mean.” Jake raised his eyebrow. She sighed. “Okay two dances. This better be worth it though.” He smiled. “It will be. It’s a spoonerism, a type of a play on words. You switch the sounds or letters in two words in a sentence which still makes sense in a way, but it is mixed up. The one that gives this one away is where base is spelled wrong. So when you switch it around it says: “Blood will pour on your face tomorrow night. What do you want me to do with everything?” Alison looked at him for Al long moment, all the blood draining from her face. Lacy had shown the old movie Carie, to her and Megan a few months ago to help them bone up on old horror movies, which were a usual go-to for rep quotes. “Meg, you better not be planning what I think you're planning.” She knew deep down though that what she was afraid of was what was going to happen tomorrow. She looked up at Jake. “Can you hack My sister’s phone and find out what she is planning?” She was waiting for his usual clearing of the throat which meant she would have to cough up another dance, but it never came he just said. “You got it Ali.” She smiled relived. “Thanks Jake.” He worked for over an hour but eventually showed her her sister’s text threads. She found the one with between Megan and Bradly Lockman. Within lay their entire plan to use the drone that Bradly had gotten for his birthday, which had a self destruction capability which would leave no evidence behind. It would carry a 4 ounce bottle of pigs blood and release it over Alianna tomorrow night at the dance. Jake turned to her and had his eyebrow raised. She looked at him, letting the walls down, letting him in a little. “Jake, what you have there is enough to destroy Megan, I know you knew that the moment you watched Brent’s video, but you didn’t use it, I want to know, before I tell you what I want you to do with it…”. He cut her off. “You won my respect over the summer Alison, I got yours and Megan’s back on this. Whatever you want I’ll do it, and nobody else is going to see this.” A wave of relief swept through her. So much so, before she could stop herself, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks doesn’t cover it Jake, but thanks.” She took a deep breath and let it out. Everything had been going according to plan. She had thought that it would be smooth sailing from now until the end of the school year. What she hadn’t seen though was that her sister, her Heir, had been running a clandestine operation to destroy Alianna right under her nose. If she kept going with her plans as is this would fall apart. She couldn’t confront Meg about it because even if she promised not to go through with it, she couldn’t trust that promise, plus then Bradly would be a loose end that could unravel her. She needed something else, and that something else came all to readily to her mind. She had been ready to do this anyway at the end of the year, it didn’t really upset her plans if it happens now instead. “Jake. Here is what I need. Meg is going to do this one way or another. I need to know exactly when that drone is flying tomorrow night.” He nodded indicating that that was nothing hard for him. “Next thing I need is for you to take the texts from Meg’s phone and turn them into a detailed plan on a single word doc. Then I need you to plant that document on Billy Poke’s phone. In a place where it will be found, but not too quickly. Then I need you to make sure that all traces of these conversations are gone from Megan and Bradly’s phones. I need you to show a purchase order for that type of drone and receipts and link it also to Billy’s phone. Can you do all that?” He nodded slowly. “Billy’s gonna take the fall huh?” Alison looked at him, and in the cold, commanding voice she had developed as Queen she said. “ He was always going to take a fall, Megan’s actions just made us move up the timeline. This is actually a more perfect situation for him to take the fall then the one I had planned anyway.” Jake shuddered as he heard Alison’s voice and looked into her eyes. He saw a void there that chilled him. “You got it Ali, I’ll be up all night, and might skip tomorrow, but I’ll have everything ready for tomorrow night.” “But Jake, if you skip, you can’t go to the formal.” He shook his head and laughed. “Oh, the computers will show that I was there tomorrow, I just won’t be.” She sighed but nodded her head. “I got to go Jake. Text me if you need anything else.” “Sure thing Ali.” He waved and then she left and headed toward Tiffany’s house.

Her head swimming with all the tangled threads she just exposed and put out into play, trying to find any that she had left too exposed. She pulled about her phone and headed towards Mandy’s house. She texted her. “I need to talk to you and Tiff ASAP. I’ll be at your house in ten minutes.” The reply came swiftly. “We're both here Ali, we will see you in ten.” When she got there she slammed all the walls down around her. She needed her emotions on airtight lockdown if she was going to get through this encounter without a vote of No confidence from Lottie tomorrow. She knew Mandy and Tiffany would never be the ones it came from they would work through those below them. Mandy opened the door and waved at her. Alison placed the correct amount of light bubbliness in her face to not let Mandy know the weight of what was wrong. “I just want to say Ali, the pic you sent me of the dress you chose was awesome! Your definitely going to be th pick for winter Queen tomorrow.” Alison blushed appropriately and shook her head. “Thank you Mandy, the dresses you both sent me are really amazing too, and I know you will be part of my court tomorrow.” Tiffany waved at her from the couch in the front room as she mentioned her dress. Alison waved back with a wink and a smile. “Come in Ali, did you want something to drink?” Alison moved into the room and sat down next to Tiffany. “I’ll take a water, thank you Mandy.” After Mandy brought her a water she sat down next to Tiffany and looked at Alison who was opening the water bottle to take a sip. “What’s up Ali?” She said. Alison tipped the bottle of water to her mouth keeping her eyes locked on them both as she did. A thousand strands were locked up on this one decision. Could she trust them with this. She set the water down and it was Tiffany that spoke, Tiffany who brought the reassurance of what choice she could make. “You can trust us Ali, we are with you till the end.” Alison's eyes softened noticeably. “Thank you Tiff, you don’t know how much that means to me right now, even more so because it rewvolves around someone close to your heart and someone close to mine.” Tiffany’s eyes got large, and then softened. “I knew Bradley was involved with something. What was it? Is he okay?” Alison nodded. “He and Megan, Tiff, and it’s something that could ruin both of them, but, I have got a plan to save them, but it’s going to require both of you to stand with me and support this plan, and do what needs to be done to protect their reps, even if it means destroying someone else’s.” Both of their eyes got wide with fear but they nodded their heads in agreement. “You both remember what I told you of how I have become aware of Billy’s unhealthy interest in Megan, and how if it didn’t stop I would need to take steps to have him removed from School?” They both nodded. “Well, I was going to give him till the end of the year, but, it has just gotten too out of hand. And so I will need to move ahead with the plan for removal now.” Tiffany looked confused. “Ali, I thought you were meaning Bradley and Megan, not Billy.” Alison sighed deeply. “I’m afraid there is something that involves Megan and Bradley. The only way to save them is to let their plan happen, but then make sure Billy takes the fall for it.” She saw their reactions of horror at what she said. “There is no other way Tiff, it’s that bass. I can’t stop it without exposing them and what they are doing as there are too many people who can link them to it. The only way to protect them is for Billy to be blamed for it. Look we really tried with Billy and gave him a chance, but he has gotten worse, not better. Megan might actually be in danger and I can’t have that. One of our table mates is in trouble and we can protect her.” They looked at eachother for a long moment but eventually they nodded and looked at her. “We are with you Ali, what is it that Megan and Bradley are doing?” Alison took a big breath and let it out. “Tomorrow night at the Formal they are going to drop a liter of pigs blood all over Alianna. For some reason unbeknownst to me they have been directing unsanctioned attacks against only Alianna. I would try to stop it by confronting them, but now there are too many others that have wind of it and so that is why Billy needs to take the fall so that all of it falls on him and not to them.” Both their mouths fell open and Tiffany placed her hand over her face and shook her head. “So tomorrow, we will let the drone fly and just before it gets to Alianna, I’m going to push her out of the way and take the hit myself. Then everything will lead back to Billy and he will lose his scholarship and won’t be able to return. My saving Alianna will be another score with Jennifer, and also, she won’t be able to feel bad about Billy being kicked out because it was his fault.” They looked at eachother and something passed between them, then they looked back at Alison and she saw it, they were really behind her. It was mostly out of fear, but she also saw actual loyalty there too. It was more than Alison could have hoped for. “We understand Alison, and we will have your back tomorrow. I’ll bring you a change of clothes and some stuff to get the blood off with.” Said Mandy. “Thank you Mandy, I really appreciate that.” Tiffany looked at her with such a pool of emotions in her eyes Alison had never seen there before. The sudden revelation cracked her wall, and Tiffany saw deep in and Alison knew it and couldn’t stop it, but in that moment when they both saw they were older sisters desperately trying to protect their younger siblings, a bond was forged between them. “Please Ali, I’ll do whatever it takes, just please protect Bradly.” Alison moved over to sit next to her and wrapped her arms around her and Tiffany began to cry softly on Alison’s shoulder. Alison closed her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to defend it, these two who a year ago had been rivals, were now her friends. “It’s okay Tiff, I’ll make sure Bradly is safe.” Tiff squeezed her just a bit harder then let go and got up swiftly. “I…I gotta go clean myself up.” She said as she ran off to the bathroom. Alison wiped at her eyes and looked up when she felt a hand placed on top of hers. Mandy was looking at her in a way she had never seen before. “Ali, you…you’ve had so many hard things thrown at you in your year as Queen. I…I just wanted to say that, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for making your first day as Queen so terribly hard on you. I was so mad at you for how you beat me, but, well, I’m sorry.” That was it, the final crack in the floodgates that had been holding back the tears. Alison dissolved into tears and Mandy caught her and held her. “Shh… Ali, it’s okay, I’m here.” Soon another pair of arms wrapped around them and they stayed that way for quite some time. “Everything tonight is ultra top secret Ali.” Said Tiffany. Alison looked at her and then Mandy with puffy eyes. “Thank you both.” She let herself become just Ali for a moment. “I’m really thankful for you both. I can’t even describe how much the fact that we are actually friends and not just table mates means to me. It…it has been hard since I became Queen, but I wouldn’t trade this year for anything, or you two. You’ve been the best second and keeper that a Queen could ask for.” They smiled and hugged her again. “And you're the best Queen this table has ever had.” They both said at the same time. As Alison got up to go she saw them texting in their phones and an icy fear gripped her heart, but then when they finished their phones dinged at the same time and they both laughed and smiled at eachother and she realized they were just texting eachother. She looked down at them and they nodded to eachother and stood. “We texted eachother the same thing so, Ali…”. Mandy began as she clasped hands with Tiffany and they both knelt before her and both spoke in unison a litany she remembered reading as she skimmed the Chronicles of the Eighth grade table. Tears began running down her cheeks as she realized what they were doing. “Alison Ann Trendale, Queen of the Eighth grade, we, Tiffany and Mandy, pledge our fielty to you as long as we all shall live, whether at a table or not we will be with you and always support you.” Alison knelt down and placed her hands on theirs. “I Alison Ann Trendale swear fielty to Mandy and Tiffany as long as I live, whether at the table or away from table I will be with you and support you.” She looked at all of them and she saw genuine tears in their eyes. She thought back to what they just did meant. This promise was the only binding one that followed a personal the table to Highschool. It meant that they would always sit together whether at the Highschool table or not. It was they only exception to the rule where members of the table could sit at another table and not lose cred. “Thank you both for being so formal with this.” She said with genuine thankfulness in her voice. They all hugged and stayed that way for quite some time.

Megan sat at her vanity making sure all the curls in her hair were perfect. Inside her mind she rehearsed the whole plan that her and Bradly Lockman had worked up. Jake was training Bradley to take over the Tables AV job when he went to Highschool next year, but Bradly was already a tech wizard. He had mentioned off hand about a certain type of drone that he really hoped his parents got him for his birthday but knew they couldn’t afford it, when Brittany had been around and so, she got it for him for his Birthday. Bradly had gotten some pigs blood from the local butcher and added it to a container designed for the drone and has set up the drone to be controlled from his Apple watch. Megan had manipulated enough votes for Alianna for her to be named to the winter Queens court. She knew Ali and the rest of the officers at the table would be out there but she also knew what position Alianna would be standing in, on the outside of the line, so it would hit her and not the others. There was a soft knock at her door and she turned and saw Ali standing there looking radiant in her ice blue dress that sparkled in the light from her lamp. “You look beautiful Meg, Bradley is going to get some major cred just walking in the door with you.” Megan blushed slightly and shook her head. “No way Ali, your the Queen of this Formal and you absolutely look like it. Beau is really lucky to be going with you.” Alison smiled, walked over and wrapped her arms around her. “I love you Meg. I’ll always do whatever I have to to keep you safe.” Megan laid her hand on Ali’s arm and squeezed it. “I love you too Ali. Thank you for always being there for me.” A fear developed deep inside Megan’s heart. It was a terrible feeling that she wasn’t going to see her sister for a long time. She shook her head and pushed it away as the stupidest fear that had ever entered her head. “What’s wrong Meg, your shivering?” Megan turned and looked at her. “Sorry Ali, I just had a stupid fear go through me, I… I felt like I wasn’t going to see you for a long time. It’s totally stupid but it seemed so real.” Ali smiled and shook her head. “Not stupid Meg, just not real. You’re not gonna get rid of me.” Megan smiled and looked up at her. “Even so Ali, I love you so much and I am so thankful that you are my sister.” Alison let a tear fall from her eye. “You are the best sister ever Meg and I love you and we are going to be together forever, now let’s go before we ruin our makeup, Brittney just pulled up, and you have no idea how big the car is she rented. Beau texted me and said it had a 70” T.V. In it and we are having a gourmet dinner inside the car on our way there.” Megan’s mouth dropped open and then she shut it. They had gotten long coats to match their dresses. When they got down stairs Beau and Bradley were there looking handsome in their pants shirts and suspenders each holding a corsage. Their eyes got wide and their eyebrows lifted as they watched them descend the steps. Tonight was a rare occation when their mom was home and so she was taking a zillion pictures, but finally they were able to get into the huge stretch Lincoln Navigator Limousine. Inside there were different color LED lights blinking in beat with the music that was playing and there were mini tables coming out of each seat with amazing smelling food sitting in the tables. It was all Alison could do to keep her mouth from dropping open. Megan more then made up for her lack of gaping mouth. She looked at Bradley and mouthed the word. “Shut Up!” Bradley smiled at her “I know!” He said a bit too loud. Alison looked at the far end of the Limousine and saw Brittney sitting next to Billy. Brittney waved at her and patted a seat next to her. Mandy would be on the other side of Beau. Jake was sitting next to her. Alison had arranged that last minute to help make sure Jake kept quiet. Mandy’s date, a boy from Lacy’s table at Endless Mountain, had graciously agreed to switch and so he was going with Tiffany. “Ali you look amazing! Squealed Brittney, “and Meg I love your dress and your hair.” Alison looked and Brittney and noticed that even though her dress did not look as good as Alison’s, it must have cost a fortune, also the sparkling jewels in her earrings and necklace were undoubtedly Diamonds. Alison smiles. “Thank you Brittney, and your dress is so beautiful, and also your Jewelry.” Brittney smiled and as she sat down she saw Billy and waved at him, she saw that he was looking at Megan, but the motion of her hand caught his attention and he waved at her. She allowed herself the briefest moment of compassion and regret at what she had done, as she waved at him, but then the hard walls slammed back into place as she remembered that he had just been looking at Megan and what it meant. Her resolve became stronger then ever, she needed to protect Megan. She caught Jake’s eye briefly as they all ate and he nodded his head slightly. She smiled at him then went back to talking to Beau. The limousine drove a round about way to the dance to have time to eat and socialize, but all to too soon they were there. They arrived just as the most other kids were arriving and so a good amount of the attendees got to witness Alison and her table exiting the stretch limo with all the pictures and oohs and ahhs that you might find at a red carpet event in Hollywood, at least that is what it seemed like to Alison and Megan.

Alianna and Jaius stood outside the door waiting for the others to arrive. Anne and Jim were coming with Olivia and her parents. Olivia’s mom had offered to do all their hair and makeup and so Anne, Olivia, Keri and Trudi and Alianna had taken her up on the offer. Mrs Bellows had offered to take everyone else, Alianna and Jaius had gone with his parents so they could have a little more time with just them. Jaius had his arm around her to help keep her warm. They allowed themselves a little lessening of their restrictions tonight because it was a special event. “You look beautiful Ali.” She blushed and looked at him. “And you sir look dashing and handsome, just like when you leapt through that window and saved me.” She said as she gently kissed his cheek. He blushed some and smiled at her. He opened his mouth to speak but just then a very long SUV shaped car pulled up and eight doors opened and out poured Alison and her Table. First out was a tall tan boy with sandy blond hair. He reached in and helped Alison out of the Limosine. She stepped out is a beautiful Ice blue dress and her hair looked immaculate. Alianna watched her get out, and saw her eyes lock on her. She gave her the briefest smile. Alison saw it and smiled back. Alianna made some quick movements with her fingers in the code language that they had developed over the years. “You look amazing Ali.” She said. Alison smiled slightly and moved her fingers in another group of motions. “You do too Ali, I’m for you tonight.” Alianna sent her the heart sign they had developed and Alison sent it back before she was whisked away with the others. Not too long after the limo pulled up, the Bellows Navigator pulled up and the rest of their friends joined them. They greeted eachother warmly and let eachother know how great they looked. Then they went inside and the whole Gym had been transformed into a winter wonderland. There would even be periods through the night where drones would fly over and droop fake snow over everyone. Alison looked up in dread as she realized that with all the different drones flying around, she would have no way of spotting the one with the blood. “I need to get as close to Alianna as I can, but how? And how will I know when Bradly’s drone is flying.” She had thought that Bradly was just being techy with the drone idea. Then it hit her, Megan had been on the planning committee for the Winter formal, she must have suggested the drones so that it would fit into her plan. “Hey, you okay your Majesty?” Said Baue as he handed her a plastic cup full of ice blue liquid. His endearing and at the same time frustrating formal way of adressing her actually served to bring her out of her panic attack and allowed her brain to think rationally. She looked up and counted the drones as they flew overhead. “Eight drones, that means that there will only be danger when there are nine drones flying and each one seems to have a set flight path, and so if they have planned everything this specifically then the drone with the blood will have a set path with a targeted spot to release the blood. But how can they know where Alianna will be at any point in the night?” Then in a flash it hit her. “The only time people will be in a predetermined spot will be when they above the Winter Queen and her court. Megan must have manipulated enough votes to get Alianna onto my court. She wouldn’t have put her close to me to protect me, so she will be on the end farthest from me, or Mandy and Tiff.” She looked at the throne and the seats set at the end of the gym near the stage and identified the one where Alianna would be sitting. “I’ll be making a new tradition this year, I’m going to go to each of my court and hugging them, starting with Ali.” “Ali?” It was his lack of formality that brought her full attention back to him. She smiled and looked at him. “Hey Beau, thank you so much for the drink, sorry I got distracted by this awesome idea of using drones to drop fake snow on everyone. I just know it was Megan’s idea to do this. She was on the planning committee for the dance.” Beau smiled and bowed and then offered her his hand. “As you say, your Majesty.” She smiled and slipped her hand into his arm. Olivia and Jim danced to all the songs, and critiqued the sound systems and the songs that were played, and without noticing grew closer and closer. Anne sat along the wall with Trudi and Keri. Brittney kept texting her, trying to coax her into one of the hallways promising Bradly would be there and ask her to dance. She kept telling her she wanted too but was too scared. One time to change the subject, Anne mentioned that they were moving Olivia’s grandmother tomorrow and she would definitely be welcome if she wanted to come. Brittney replied with a “Definitely!” and a Purple Heart. Jim danced with Keri and Trudi and Jaius danced with Anne trying to get her out of her seat. After that he did see her leave into one of the hallways and when she came back she was blushing profusely. Most of Ali and Jaius’s time though was spent dancing with each other. They laughed, and whispered and made every moment a deep memory. After one of the slow dances a spot light appeared on the stage and the New Dean of Students, Father Clement was there behind a Microphone. “Thank you all for being here this year and for having a fun time, but doing it in a very proper and orderly way, I commend you all for that. Now, we will announce the Winter Queen and her court which have all been elected by the students. This year's Winter Queen is.” He stopped for a dramatic pause, even though everyone in the room knew whose name would be announced, it always went to the Queen of the Middle School. “Alison Trendale.” Everyone cheered and clapped as of they hadn’t know Alison would be the Queen and she clasped her hands to her mouth and hugged Megan and Mandy and Tiffany and they all jumped up and down appropriately, and then she walked regally out to the end of the gym and sat in the large chair in the middle. Alianna clapped genuinely for Alison because she was her friend and genuinely happy for her. There were two small parts of her heart that disagreed though. The first was the part that desired to sit on the Thron and again and wield its great power, the other part was just that part of a thirteen year old girls heart that wants to be the Queen of the dance, but neither of those parts really had much impact on her mood right now. The next name was Megan Trendale, and then Mandy Ferlon and then Tiffany Lockman then Alice Baker and Brittany Shaffer. There was only one seat left and Alianna got her hands ready to clap for whichever of the other girls at the A table had been selected. She was already starting to clap when the name was announced. “And the final member of the winter Queens court is…Alianna Oaksen.” Her hands froze and she stared at Alison. Alison moved her fingers almost imperceptibly. “You do deserve this Ali.” And she sent her the heart sign. When she read the hand signal Alianna did seem to relax somewhat and she began to hear a clap here and there which did eventually begin to intensify. She looked up at Jaius who was all smiles and clapping harder then anyone else. It was his enthusiasm that broke the last part of her fear and paralysis. She smiled at him and then turned and walked toward the last seat on the right and sat down.

The drones were in their docking stations against the wall and the propellers began to twirl. Alison knew they would take off soon, nine in total this time. The new one was right in line with the row of seats that her court was sitting in and the first one it would fly over was Alianna. She knew she had to act quickly. She got up and moved to the seat to her right, Mandy’s seat. She took Mandy’s hand and pulled her up and gave her a hug. “It’s time.” She whispered. Mandy squeezed her a bit tighter to let her know she understood. “We’re with you Ali.” Alison pulled away and smiled at her. The drones began to rise out of their docking stations. Then Alison moved another seat to the right and lifted Tiffany from her seat. She gave her a hug. “For Bradly.” Alison whispered. “For Megan.” Tiffany whispered back. Then she pulled away from Tiffany and moved to stand in front of Alianna and smiled at her. Ali smiled back and Alison took her hand and lifted her from her seat. She caught sight of the drone begin to move towards them she looked down the row of chairs and saw Megan with a look of horror on her face and was frantically trying to get someone’s attention with her hand. Alison looked quick they way she was looking and saw Bradley Lockman frantically pounding on his apple watch. She relaxed somewhat, she knew Jake now had control of the drone. She looked up just as the drone was over her and Ali and saw the container underneath open and a glob of dark liquid start to come out. She screamed “Ali look out.” She then pulled Alianna forward and behind her with all her strength. Caught off guard by the sudden motion Alianna had no time to resist the move. She was flung backwards and hit the floor and started to slide until she hit something solid and strong arms wrapped around her. She looked up at Alison just as the glob of thick red liquid hit her head and proceeded to just run down every part of her. “She saved me.” Was all that Alianna could squeeze through the torrent of fear, love for Ali, and a nagging desire to sing.

There were screams and cries and Mandy and Tiffany and the other girls ran over to Alison to see if she was okay. Alison began coughing and even wrenching, which was all genuine. She had not been prepared for the feel or the smell of the blood. She fell to her knees and suddenly Mandy and Tiffany were there. “It’s okay, Ali, we will get you cleaned up.” Said Mandy. Then Alison heard Megan’s hysterical voice. “Ali.. Ali, are you okay, Ali, please be Okay!” She heard Brittney tell Megan it would be okay, but some of the sounds were beginning to be muffled as the blood clogged up her ears. Then suddenly she was being lifted up by strong arms and carried. She opened her eyes and through a red haze saw Beau with his arms around her. At that moment she just put her arms around his neck and fell into his arms. Soon he was setting her down in front of the door to the girls locker room where Mandy and Tiffany took her arms and escorted her inside.

“Ali, are you okay?” Jaius asked her as he looked up at the ceding and everywhere else for anymore threats. He had realized that that hit had been meant for Alianna. They had known someone was after her but not who or why, but it all must have been leading up to this moment. Alianna nodded her head but didn’t answer him, her eyes were locked on Ali desperately hoping she was okay. There was a thick dark red goop making its way down her body. She began to cough and fell to the floor making horrible coughing noises. The other girls ran over to her. Alianna instinctively tried to run to her two but the strong arms that held her prevented her. She looked over her shoulder at Jaius. “I have to go make sure she’s okay Jaius.” Jaius shook his head. “That was meant for you Ali. I can’t let you out of my sight. They may have something more planned for you.” Just then there was aloud explosion in the far corner of the Gym and a burst of flame and light as the drone that had done this thing exploded. Jaius covers Alianna and everyone else ducked, many of the boys covering their dates or just a girl nearby.

The place was in Chaos for a minute or two until a very loud alarm sound filled the gymnasium. Father Clement stood on the stage holding a bullhorn. “Attention students, chaperones, and Staff. The situation is under control. I want all the students to line up against the bleachers on either wall. Staff and Chaperones are to stand at every entrance. No one is to leave this school. The police have been called and will need to take statements. The school is now under lock down protocol until further notice. Mr Dullas, would you please come to the stage. If anyone is injured please sit down in the middle of the Floor. Ms McCormick. Would you move to the middle of the floor Incase there are any injuries?” The students slowly moved to the bleachers on either side which had been folded up to make more room for the dance. The teachers and seniors moved to the doors and the school nurse Ms McCormick went to the center of the floor.

Jaius helped Alianna up and led her over to where their friends were. Keri ran out and embraced Alianna. “You okay?” Alianna squeezed her and nodded. “Yep. Do you think Ali is okay?” Keri pulled away and nodded. “Mandy and Tiffany know what they are doing, she’ll be okay.” Jaius led them both back to the others where they all began to try to figure out what had happened. Jaius pulled out his phone and typed in the weird sentence from the last note Ali had gotten and typed in “how can I make this sentence make sense?” One of the hits was titled Spoonerism. He clicked it because he hadn’t seen it before. As he read every note began to make sense. They had been a play on words called a spoonerism. The letters were mixed up. He looked at the paper Ali had given him in the mall and it made sense now. “Blood will pour on your face tomorrow night.” Jaius told the others what he had found and that he had bumped into Alison while coming to Alianna’s house and she had sworn she wasn’t the one putting these notes I. Ali’s locker. Alianna gave him an odd look when he mentioned this, but it was gone as soon as it came. “Then who did it?” She asked. “Well, hopefully the police can figure it out.” Said Olivia.

The police came, followed not too long by the parents. The dance became a crime scene. Eventually Alison emerged wearing her cheer uniform but otherwise unhurt. Everyone clapped for her and Alianna ran up and gave her a hug. “Thanks Ali.” “I’ll always be there for you Ali.” She said as she looked her in the eyes and smiled.

The police didn’t identify any suspects immediately, but when they got to Ali and Jaius, Jaius showed them the note and told them what it meant.

Alison texted Tiffany on the ride home. It was appropriate as she was on the very other end of the Limo. “I’m going to be ultra formal with Megan tonight. I need to let her know that I knew of her plan, I can’t have her going and running operations without me knowing about them again. I’m going to put her in charge of making sure the extra ten hours that Jennifer wanted starts to be done and no one has done them yet. I’m going to tell her that means her and Bradly will have to have them done by Monday. I know it sounds harsh, but they do both need some sort of reprimand for this. Can you inform Bradley of that tonight and tell him to coordinate it with Megan?” The three dots appeared and Tiffany wrote back. “I totally agree Ali, I’ll make sure he knows. Thank you so much for protecting Him.” “Always! One last thing Tiff this whole thing is way above ultra top secret, make sure he knows what that means.” She wrote back. “ I will Ali. Thank you again.” She sent her a heart and a hug emoji and then she texted Jake. “So, I saw Jaius hand a note to the police. It’s probably the note Megan wrote and put in her locker. Can you find all the notes they wrote and put them on Billy’s phone?” “ Already done Ali, like I told you, I was up all night and all day. Gonna crash hard when I get home. I also found out that. I’ve gone into the company’ files, the one where Brittney bought Bradley’s from and showed that one was purchased by Billy and sent to his address. I transferred some money into the bank account we made for him, so it looks like he had the money to buy it. I’ve covered every base I could think of Ali and researched every other able that I couldn’t think of, we’re good. On Monday the police will receive an anonymous tip about Billy.” “Thank you

Jake, you got a place at The High School table if I ever get one.”

That night after her third shower of the evening, Alison lay on her bed with her eyes closed and going over everything in her head about what she had done and what she still needed to do. She took a deep breath and let it out and then got up and sat in her desk chair. She swiveled so that her back faced the door and then texted her sister. “Megan, would you please attend us?” The three dots wavered for quite sometime before Megan responded. “ Hey Ali, sure, I’ll be right there.” Soon there was a knock at her door. “Enter please.” Said Alison in a tone that was flat, commanding, and without emotion. Megan came in and stood just inside the door. “Al..Ali I’m here.” Alison swiveled around in the chair with the cold look she had developed. She looked at her sister in her eyes and Megan wilted under her gaze. She took a step back as if she were pushed. “Megan Trendale, please sit before us.” Megan could barely talk but was able to get out. “Al..Ali, why are you being so formal with me?” Anger flashed in Alison’s eyes, which quelled any hint of backbone that was left in Megan. Megan stumbled over to Alison’s bed and sat and looked at her, years already starting to leak out of her eyes, a dread washing over her as she began to have suspicions about what was happening. “It has come to our attention that you and at least one other table mate have been taking part in an operation against Alianna Oaksen without making me aware of it, is this true?” She said the last part in a hissing whisper. Megan’s mouth was hanging open and tears were running freely from her eyes, all she could manage was a nod of her head. Alison’s voice stayed the same but there was a fire in her eyes and Megan saw it and she wilted even more. “Yours and Bradley’s chairs should immediately be removed from the table forever for this Megan, the only reason we are even having this conversation is because you are our Sister. You have strained our trust in you and we do hope you can regain it by the end of the year, there is no one more that a Queen needs to trust than her Heir. Please make sure that you have regained our trust by the end of the year.” The threat was plain and clear in that statement and it hit Megan like a rock to the head. “I..I will do whatever it takes Ali….I mean your Majesty. I’ll do anything you want. I’m…I’m so sorry Ali.” She croaked out. Alison looked at her for a long moment and nodded. Her features softened ever so softly as did her voice. “This is how you will begin to work back into our trust. You will now and for the rest of the year not in anyway harm Alianna or her friends, you are removed from any operations against them. I want, by the end of next week, a full description of your hatred towards her and the reasons for it. I am going to make you manager of a new project, you and Bradly. The table has not responded to to our call to add the extra ten service hours that Queen Jennifer requested. You and Bradley will make sure that everyone has them done by Christmas brake. To set a good example we expect you and him to have them completed by this coming Monday morning.” A small fire lit inside of Meganat the mention of doing service hours. She hated doing them, hated having to waste her time with them. She always waited till the last month of the school year and then crammed them in right at the last minute. Now, not only was Ali making her do them sooner than she liked, but she had to have them done by Monday and it had to be something but it also had to be for the school or someone at the school. Alison caught the spark in her sister’s eyes when she mentioned service hours. She knew Megan hated doing the service hours at school. Alison had never heard more whining and complaining come from her sister as she did last May when she was cramming all of her service hours into four weeks. This was one of the main reasons Alison had chosen this task for her, she knew she would hate it, and it would be hard to do. The spark was quickly dimmed, however, and Megan just bowed her head and nodded. “I…I’ll get it done Ali.” She looked up at her sister hoping beyond hope for a softening of her mood, but as she stared into those cold green eyes she just felt a chill, like a door had been slammed in her face. She could feel it coming, the hysterical crying that was welling up in her. Somehow she held it together. Alison kept her locked by her gaze. “See what you do. You are dismissed.” She said in a cold unemotional tone. Megan got up numbly and stumbled out of the room, before she fully got out the door, Alison said, “Megan, you are absolutely forbidden from breathing a word of this conversation or what you and Bradley did to anyone, ever, do you understand!” Megan froze. Slowly, mechanically, she nodded her head.

She grabbed her phone and stumbled down to the basement, so lost in her sorrow, that she didn’t even acknowledge her proximity to the hated closet. She hit dial on Brittney’s icon and dissolved into hysterical crying. Brittney kept trying to calm her down, but could barely get a word in. Megan briefly heard her say she was on her way over.

Alison sat in her desk chair, rigid and unmoving. She wanted to scream, wanted to run after Megan, tell her it was okay and she forgave her, but she knew she couldn’t, Megan could have been arrested for what she did, she had to realize the depth of the hole she had dug for herself. Alison sat there long into the night. She wanted to run to the tree and tell everything to Alianna, but she couldn’t even trust this to the cone of silence. She wanted to run to Lacy, but she couldn’t even trust this to her. She would have to hold this one herself and it was burning her up inside.

She heard the front door open, feet running to the basement. Brittney was the only other one, outside her family, who had a key to their house. She had anticipated this, and so didn’t stop it. She just sat there for hours, trying to reform her cool.

Brittney spent hours consoling Megan before she finally calmed down enough to even speak. Megan couldn’t tell her what happened, all she could say was that she had to find some way to do ten hours of service hours for the school or a student in it, by Monday, and she had no idea how they would be possible. Brittney looked at her and tried to speak but couldn’t. “Wh…at what is the matter Britt?” Megan croaked. Brittney closed her eyes took a breath and then looked at her. “Well, I have a way you can do ten hours tomorrow, but you are going to hate it.” Megan looked at her pleadingly with bloodshot eyes. “What is it Britt, I’ll do it, anything.” Brittney took a deep breath and let it out. “Well, I got invited to help out one for the Eighth grade girls help her grandmother move tomorrow. You could come with us.” Megan looked at her incredulously. “Britt that sounds amazing, why would I hate it ?” “Well, the girl is Olivia Parker, Alianna Oaksen’s good friend, which means that Alianna and company will almost assuredly be there.” Megan froze, rage, anger and sorrow flooding through her. Before she could screen her phone buzzed. She looked down and saw it was from Bradley. She quickly forgot her sorrow and grabbed her phone. “I’m sorry Britt, I have to get this, it’s, it is beyond ultra top secret.” Brittney nodded and gave her a hug. Megan returned it. “Thank you Britt, you will never know how much you being here tonight meant to me. And…and I’ll come with you tomorrow. Is it okay if Bradley comes too?” Megan raised an eyebrow with a thin smile. Megan was confused for a moment but then shook her head. “Ew, no, just I know that he needs the hours too.” Brittney laughed and shrugged but nodded. “Sure Meg, I’ll pick you both up tomorrow at 7 am, they are starting early and her grandmother lives in Sugar Notch near Wilkes-Barre.” Megan groaned at the hour but recovered quickly. “Thanks Britt, I’ll see you Tomorrow.” Brittney hugged her again and then waved and went up the stairs. Megan looked at her phone and there was a long text from Bradley. “Meg! It’s real bad….” She called him and spent the next hour on the phone with him. She didn’t get to bed till 1 am. When she got upstairs Alison’s door was shut. She texted her quick. “Good night Ali, I love you.” She waited for a minute, but the was no response. Through tears she set her alarm on her phone for 6: 30 am. She cried herself to sleep and had a horrible dream about Ali removing her chair from the Table and burning it and then . Tossing her on top of it. All the while Megan was screams at her, “Why are you being so formal!”