The group watched the proceedings silently, occasionally exchanging horrified looks. After Julianna left the restaurant and Ophelia verified from Roger that S and Charise had left, the four teens left the restaurant.

They silently walked to the parking lot.

“I didn’t know…” Emily whispered. “I had no idea it would be like that.”

She looked over at Ophelia, feeling the tears fill her eyes. “You knew, didn’t you?” Emily asked Ophelia.

Ophelia nodded.


“Why did you let us come then?” Emily cried out, letting the tears fall.

“You all wanted to know. Besides,” Ophelia said, squeezing Emily’s shoulder gently, “I thought you should all see Charise’s motivations for acting as she does. Her one goal in life is not to end up like that. She makes stupid choices sometimes, but her main motivation is to not end up like her mother.”

Ophelia peered silently over at Emily, who wiped her eyes with a tissue that AJ had passed her. “You okay, Em?” she said softly. Emily nodded.

“Let’s get back to campus,” Ophelia said.



The group climbed out of Ophelia’s vehicle and began to walk to the doors of the school. They ran straight into the principal, who was standing in the parking lot, apparently waiting for them.

“Mr. Thornton!” Ophelia cried out.

The principal sighed and looked at all of them. “So she was right,” he muttered.

“Beg pardon?” Emily asked.

“Your little friend Angela. She got in trouble for passing a note in class around noon, and apparently, she had a really guilty conscience. She told me about your plans for playing hooky.”

AJ groaned.


“A week of detention for all of you,” Mr. Thornton said, pulling detention slips from his pocket and handing them out.

Tiffani groaned softly. “Emily, if you’ll do the honors…” she muttered.

Emily whispered, in response, “Saturday… March 24, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois…”