"You know Daniel, right Jen?" Cindy asked. Jennifer nodded. "Well, he caught Kyle after school yesterday and threatened to beat him up. He even gave him a black eye so Kyle knew he meant business."
This confused Jennifer. Kyle seemed like a nice guy, although she hadn't gotten to know him very well outside of the two classes they shared. She decided to ask him about it next period.
"This is pretty strange," Liz commented. "First Jennifer starts wearing a funny collar, then some usually nice guy starts beating up geeks. What is with that?"
Jennifer shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"Oh, don't let them bother you," Sophie said, giving Liz and a laughing Claire a mean look. "It's a free country, and you're free to wear whatever you want, right?"
"And then we'll be free to criticize it," Claire retorted. "You said you were wearing it for somebody. Did you dump him yet, or have his messed-up fantasies charmed you?"
"It's not like that," Jennifer responded. Her arms and legs itched as she noticed brown hair beginning to grow. "Can we please change the subject?"
"Okay, okay," Sophie said. "I've got some homework that's giving me trouble in chemistry, and our test is at the end of the week. Does anybody know a good tutor?"
Normally Jennifer wasn't one to offer help, especially when it concerned her relatively wealthy family. But even so, she found herself speaking up. "Why don't you come over to my house tonight? I have a tutor for math and science, and she'll be helping me out around five o'clock. We can study together.
The other girls looked at Mary strangely.
"You have a tutor?" Claire asked. "Why didn't you tell us before?"
Jennifer knew she was opening a can of worms by bringing it up, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. "I...I just never thought it was important."
"That math test I failed last week!" Claire accused. "You knew I was struggling!"
"I...well..." Jennifer wasn't able to offer a good response. The real reason she never mentioned it was to keep a sense of selfish pride. Why should she go offering things to people who didn't have the ability to get them themselves? She believed in an economic survival of the fittest, just like her dad taught her.
"Okay, fine. You don't like me. We all knew that," Claire huffed. She picked up her tray and got out of her chair. "You and darling Sophia can have your little exclusive sleep-over and forget all about pathetic little Claire." She stormed away.
There was an uncomfortable silence at the table. The rest of the lunch period went on this way, until the bell rang and everyone made their way to the doors.
Sophie nudged Jennifer in the side. "I really appreciate the offer," she said. "But maybe it's best we let the others think I didn't accept the help."
Jennifer nodded in agreement. Her uncharacteristic desire to help Sophie now faded, but she had foolishly offered and now had to make good on the deal.
Right now, she had to focus her mind on other things, namely Daniel. Had he really punched Kyle yesterday? And why? She walked determinedly to the math classroom ready for some answers, her tail sticking straight up and her teeth baring a growl.