My blood is boiling. I can practically feel the heat radiate from my skull. I was humiliated in front of everyone. Everyone! I'm McKenzie Rose Barlow, the prettiest, most popular girl in school. I don't deserve detention!

The three of us are sitting in Principal Mayer's office waiting for him to return. After escorting us here, he barked out orders for us to sit and stare at the wall, not allowing us to talk, not even so much as breathe in one another's direction, then he stormed out of the room in a slur of grumbling words. He's been gone for almost an hour. I don't know where he's at. Every once in a while, I hear voices from beyond that oak door, but nothing more.

There's a creepy looking cat clock above Mayer's desk; its unceasing tick-tocking is digging at my sanity. It's this black and white cat with big, buggy eyes. The eyes sweep right, then left with each tick-tock sound; its tail doing the same. I need something to distract me, so I reach into my purse and withdraw a bottle of clear coat nail polish. Aurora is sitting to my right. She looks over at me to see what I'm doing, then nervously shakes her head, no doubt implying that Mayer will kill me if he finds out. I brush off her silent implications with a casual wave of my hand. I don't care what Mayer thinks. Try as he may, he isn't going to lay a hand on me. I own this school.

The girl who caused this mess is sitting on the other side of me. She's slumped down in the desk chair; the heels of her sneakers are perched on the edge of the seat. She smells worse than I do, like eggs and mayonnaise and a combination of other horrid stenches I can't quite pinpoint.

"So did it take you years to hone your skills or are you that much of a klutz naturally?" I say. The girl squirms in her seat, but doesn't answer. She's probably fearful of my status at this school. If I wanted to, I could plant rumors about her that will spread through these halls and haunt her until she's forty. She's wise to fear me.

Aurora leans in close to me. "You shouldn't be doing that. What if you get caught?"

I dip the brush into the bottle and apply a second coat. "Doesn't matter. I'm suing this school anyway."

"I thought your dad was a criminal defense lawyer. Does he even do these types of cases?"

"Um. Hello! I'm his daughter. If I want something, I get it. And I want justice. No. I want vengeance! I was humiliated in front of half the school on something that wasn't even my fault. It's hers!" I jam a newly polished fingernail in the girl's direction. "Yeah, that's right oaf girl. My dad's a lawyer, so you better be scared!"

I look up at the clock; it's almost two. I'm gonna be angry, like She-Hulk angry if I miss the photo shoot. I overheard one of the students from drama club say that the school has hired a professional photographer from New York City. That's my dream job. Ugh! I can't wait to break free from this building once and for all.

Breathe, McKenzie. Breathe. Only one more day. One more day and you will be a high school graduate, then you can leave this rotting hole in the dust for good.

I look over at the girl again. "So, oaf girl, what's your problem anyway? You got some sort of vendetta against us rich and populars or something?"

I wasn't expecting her to respond, but to my surprise she does. "I don't have a problem. I just wanna go home."

I slowly clap my hands together. "Well, well, well. Would you look at that? She does have a voice box after all. Mind telling me why you bombarded me in the school hallway and again in the cafeteria?"

She pauses. "I'm sorry. Okay? I didn't mean to bump into you. I didn't see you."

"A likely story. Unfortunately, the odds aren't in your favor. I might be willing to believe that lie if it had only happened in the hallway, but again in the cafeteria on the selfsame day? Hardly! That's intentional."

Aurora peeks around me to talk with the girl. "Hello! We haven't officially met. My name's Aurora, but you can call me Rora if you'd like." She smiles sweetly. "What's yours?"

It takes her a moment to answer, as if she's pondering whether or not she wants to disclose such information. "It's Rhea. Rhea Emming."

I chuckle sarcastically. "Rhea? Stupid name. So, Rhea, I haven't seen you in these halls until today, and I would've liked to have kept it that way for one more day, too. Are you purposely trying to stay on the D.L., or do you not have any friends?"

"McKenzie!" Aurora frowns at me.

"What? It's an honest question."

It takes Rhea a long moment before answering. "No—I mean, I don't know. I guess I am. I don't really know anyone here. My dad's work transferred him from Kansas last year, so we moved here to Maine."

"Kansas? Oh, you poor thing. No wonder you're so backward. The only friend you've probably ever had is a scarecrow." I turn back to Aurora and whisper, "Kansas. How dreadful."

Aurora leans forward again to speak around me. "I hope you like it here in Camden, Maine, Rhea. Do you like lobster?"

Rhea lifts her stained shoulders in a shrug. "I don't know. I don't think I've ever had lobster. It's kind of expensive."

I scoff at her words. "Puh-lease! I have lobster every Friday night. It's to die for! Especially when it's paired with a bottle of chilled apple cider. You're missing out, oaf girl."

At that moment, Principal Mayer bursts into the room, slamming the door behind him. The clock shudders from the impact. He marches down the aisle of school desks between me and Rhea, stopping abruptly after passing by. With a deep inhale, he spins around. I don't bother meeting his gaze. Instead, I blow on my freshly painted nails, making sure that they dry quickly. I don't want to smudge them.

"McKenzie Barlow is it?" he says.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." My eyes are still fixed on my nails. Mayer snatches the bottle of polish from off the school desk. "Hey! That's mine. Give it back!"

"You're inside a government building, as is this thing." He shakes the bottle tauntingly. "Therefore, this now belongs to the government. You're in detention, not a beauty pageant."

I snort loudly. "Like you actually know a single thing about beauty pageants. There's a reason why 'awesome' ends with me and 'ugly' starts with U."

He proceeds to move over to his desk, ignoring my remark. "I just spent the last forty-five minutes on the phone with the school board. They are in complete disbelief at the behavior exhibited by the three of you. There's over five thousand dollars in property damage to the school cafeteria, which, such a crime is punishable by up to ten years in prison."

"Open your wax-filled ears!" I say. "I already told you it wasn't my fault. I didn't start that fight. It was all her doing." I then motion wildly at Rhea. She shrinks up in the chair even more.

Mayer's steel eyes fall upon her. "Is this true?" Rhea simply shrugs. That seems to be her favorite action. Mayer raises his voice, as if to ensure he has our full attention. "After speaking with several witnesses, I've received conflicting reports as to who actually initiated the food fight."

Aurora speaks up this time. "Mr. Mayer, I think this is all just one big misunderstanding."

I throw my head back in frustration. "No, it's not!" At this point, I'm ready to scoop my eyes out with a spoon. "Look! You have your criminal or whatever it is you want to call her, so slap her with detention, expel her, bring her in front of a grand jury. I. Don't. Care! But holding me here in this forsaken place any longer is a crime. I have rights and you better believe I will be filing a lawsuit against this school before the sun dips below that horizon!"

A digital beep follows my outburst. All eyes follow the source of the sound. Rhea lifts her arm and presses a button on her digital wristwatch. "I need to get home. Please." The pleading tone in her voice sounds genuine.

"You're not going anywhere until we get this whole ordeal sorted out," Mayer says. "And then, I'm calling all of your parents."

"You don't understand. I'm late for work . . . again. And if I don't get there in time, I'm gonna lose my job." Her voice cracks with emotion, as if she's on the cusp of tears. She's a good little actress, I'll give her that much.

Rhea gets up to leave and swings her backpack over her shoulder, but Mayer commands her to stop. "Sit down!" She doesn't obey. Looks like she's a little rebel after all.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Principal. I really am, but I need to go. I need to! If I lose this job, we might be living on the streets next month."

Mayer studies her carefully. "Are you telling the truth?" She nods weakly. "Very well. But your parents will still be receiving a call."

Rhea lowers her head. "Um. Actually, it's just me and my dad. My mom died when I was three. Leukemia."

Aurora gasps, then runs over to her with open arms. "I'm so sorry! Here's my number." She hands her a slip of paper. "Call me if you need anything. Okay?" Rhea nods, working up a half smile.

I slam my fist against the school desk. "You gotta be kidding me!" I then project a glare towards Mayer. "You're letting her go? Just like that? She caused all of this. She threw the food. She damaged the cafeteria. She's the reason I'm covered in pasta sauce. And you're just letting her off the hook?"

Mayer folds his arms across his chest. "I have reasons to believe she didn't play as big a role in this as you profess."

"You're despicable, you know that? And the worst principal in the history of principals. If you ever release me from this prison, I have to go home and get a totally new outfit, which means I'm going to miss the Blue Jays' photo shoot, and it's all because of that stupid girl. I hate her! I hate her!"

Mayer sticks two fingers in his mouth and blows a whistle that leaves my ears ringing. "Enough!"

A sniffle sounds from behind. I whip my head around, but Rhea has already left the room.

Mayer takes a deep breath. "In all twenty-seven years as active principal over this school, I've never seen someone as insolent as you." His voice is tamer now, but it still sounds as if he's struggling to keep it that way.

"Well, then you've clearly underestimated me."

"No, Miss Barlow, it is you who has underestimated me. I hereby ban you from the cheerleading squad. You are not to perform at tonight's game."

I feel my heart splinter, then shatter altogether at those words. I've been waiting for this game all season. It's my last chance to leave my mark on this school, to be the student everyone references for decades to come, to be the one whose picture is hanging on the wall at the main entrance. I had it. That was mine for the taking. It was all within reach. And then Rhea showed up. That little brat has ruined me. It should be her who is punished, not me! But I'm not about to let her leave without first giving her a piece of my mind.

I shove the desk away from me and leap to my feet. Principal Mayer shouts for me to return, but I don't obey. I blow past Aurora and into the hallway—it's now empty. School must be over. I guess I was held in detention longer than I thought.

Up ahead, Rhea fumbles with the combination lock on her locker door. "You! Get back here!" My voice echoes down the barren hallway. Rhea's fingers fidget with the lock even more. I march towards her, but she quickly gives up on opening it and flees from me. I have to pick up my pace so as not to lose her. "You don't get to disgrace me like that and then walk away!"

Rhea busts through a pair of double doors; they fly open then start to close behind her, but I maneuver sideways and slip through the gap before they slam shut.

I'm right on her heels now. I reach for her shoulder, but she's just out of reach. The hood on her jacket bounces around with her motions. Lunging for it, I yank it back; she stops abruptly, spinning around. "Stop! Please!" She jerks free. "I don't know what you want from me."

"I want you to pay!" I can nearly feel my blood curdle. "Being a cheerleader meant everything to me. And you cost me that!"

"I'm sorry. I'm really, really, truly sorry." She cowers against the row of lockers as I advance forward. "I didn't mean any harm. I wish I wouldn't have come to school today."

"That makes two of us!"

Her back is against the lockers; I have her cornered. She tries to slip past me, but I firmly take hold of her sleeve. She continues to run, but I dig my nails into the cloth. The fibers in the fabric strain from the opposing forces—a ghastly rip sounds as the material splits apart. In my hand lays a shredded portion of her sleeve. Loose strings dangle from the newly made hole. Rhea's face melts into this agonizing, yet mournful expression, the kind of expression you have when you discover your puppy has been hit by a car.

Rhea buckles to her knees, hitting the floor hard. "No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" The sleeve portion is still in my hand. She reaches for it, then draws her hand back, then does it again, like she's afraid to grab it. Tears cascade down her pale cheeks. "No. This can't be."

I toss the sleeve at her face. "Serves you right. Now, you know better than to mess with me!"

She struggles to breathe in between sniffing back snot. "This . . . this was my mom's. She . . ." her voice cracks from tension. "This is the last thing that I have of her."

We remain fixed in the middle of the hallway for a moment. Rhea mumbles a bunch of other things that I can't quite hear. I somewhat feel bad. I mean, I didn't know that it was her mom's or anything. I wouldn't have done that had I known. But she deserved it. Yeah. And really, the tattered thing was already stained with food from the fight. It was practically ruined anyway.

Rhea looks up at me with a stunned look on her face. This is the first time I notice that she has blue eyes like me. They're swimming in tears, glassy and reflective. She stares for a bit longer before rising to her feet and dashing out of the school. I follow her with my eyes across the school grounds until she disappears from view around the block.

What a waste. This is not how I pictured this day going. The photo shoot is probably taking place right now and I'm not there to be in it. Should I just show up in these clothes? As the wretched smell of ricotta cheese wafts into my nostrils, I realize that isn't a good idea. But wait! I keep a spare outfit in my locker.

McKenzie, you are an absolute genius!

Not wasting any more time, I sprint to my locker. As I input the combination, a sick sense of dread washes over me. I think I remember using that spare outfit last week. I had a dentist appointment and I wanted to change clothes before going, but I didn't want to make a trip home first. I didn't think I'd need to put another outfit in there due to the school year ending so soon thereafter. But . . . maybe I'm wrong?

With weak hopes, I swing the locker door open; it squeaks loudly from the rusty hinges. Nothing. I did use the outfit.

It's okay. Think, McKenzie. Think! You don't live far from here: five, ten minutes max. If you leave now, you can grab a change of clothes and race back here within the hour. And if the Blue Jays are anything in particular, it's late. Practice never seems to start on time, so why would the photo shoot be any different? With a little bit of luck, I can still make it!

Aurora shuffles over; the dejected look on her face quickly tells me something is wrong. "Guess we deserved it." She fakes a smile.

"What do you mean we?"

"The principal gave strict orders to help clean up the cafeteria. I'm talking magnifying glass and toothbrush kind of clean." She imitates scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush. "It's either that or he threatened to charge us with property damage, and there's no way I can afford that." She shrugs. "Guess it's time to get my Cinderella on."

"No! You can't. Rora, that will take you all day and possibly most of the night. "You'll miss the photo shoot. You'll miss the game!"

"We'll miss, you mean?"

"Uh, yeah. That's not happening!"

Her forehead crinkles. "You're not going to help?"

"No! And I shouldn't have to. Neither should you. It wasn't our fault. It was that Rhea girl's fault. She should be the one on her hands and knees scrubbing, not us."

Aurora turns her head towards the window; sunlight shines over half of her face. "Yeah, but she had to get to her job. I hope she makes it. Did she happen to tell you where she works?"

"No. And who cares? After tomorrow, all she'll be is a nightmare in the wind."

"I don't know. I'd like to see her again. She seemed nice."

I shake my head in disbelief. "Whatevs. Have fun cleaning. This girl's gotta get home."

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