It was December, and the halls of Eastland were brimming with holiday cheer. A light coating of snow covered the ground, and the girls had just finished hauling Mrs. Garrett's holiday boxes down from the attic.
"Is that the last one?" Tootie shouts up from the ladder as she stacks a second box on top of the one Natalie was already holding.
"Don't worry, Tootie, it's not like I need to see anything!" Natalie exclaims.
"Yeah, that looks like everything," Jo calls from the attic. Looking at the large box in front of her, Blair lets out a sigh.
"I don't know WHY Mrs. Garrett insists on doing this every year." Blair complains.
"It's doesn't fall on a leap year, Blair. Christmas has a funny way of doing that- ya know- happening every year!" Jo said, exasperated.
"Well I know THAT." Blair protested. "At my house, mother has the maids handle laborious tasks like this." Jo stares at her, not believing what she is hearing.
"At my house, we always decorate together. It's so fun, everyone working together to get ready for Christmas." Tootie adds.

"Can't relate." Natalie says.
"Come on you guys, let's get all of this stuff downstairs." Jo says, wanting to speed things along. The girls descend from the attic, each holding boxes.

"Oh girls! Thank you! That's everything!" Mrs. Garrett compliments them as they set the boxes down on the tables downstairs. "I'll see what Mr. Parker would like us to put up in the cafeteria, and we can have the rest to decorate upstairs!"

"Oh, great!" Tootie gushes. "I can't wait to decorate with you guys!"

"You say that now, Tootie, you say that now. Oh you young, doe-eyed optimist. These boxes here mean nothing but hours of labor in our futures." Natalie tells her friend, nodding.

"Natalie, don't be such a grumpy gus. We'll have a great time. Christmas is always fun!" Tootie explains.

"I know." Blair adds in a smirking, knowing voice. "My parents are coming down this weekend to take me out on the shopping spree of a lifetime. Then, we're going to eat at Sacree Fluer, which mother says is absolutely to die for!" Blair crooned.

"Wow!" Tootie exclaimed.

"Really? Is he gonna buy ya a pony too?" Jo said, obviously angered by Blair's bragging.

"Again? Of course not!" Blair answered. "Why, he already got me Chestnut for my 8th birthday!"

"I'm gonna throw up." Jo responded.

"So Jo, is your mom coming up to visit for Christmas?" Natalie asked, eager to change the subject. "I know Tootie's father is coming for dinner this Friday. Will we be seeing old Rosie soon too?"

"Well, she was going to but, her boss always changes her schedule at the last minute. She was going to come this weekend, but instead she's going to visit the second week of January." Jo said, looking a bit downcast. Jo didn't like to discuss her parents, especially after Blair had just made such grand claims about her own.

"Well, that's great! She must be a really hard worker." Natalie responded. Natalie was always good at finding the right thing to say to diffuse the situation between Blair and Jo.

"She is." Jo agreed. Jo looked at Blair and watched her staring at the ceiling, smiling, so pleased with herself. Sometimes, she swore she could murder her! It was hard not to be jealous of her, looking so thrilled with herself. Jo shoved the lid of the last cardboard box shut. Her mom would be there if she could… wouldn't she?

The sun was shining outside as the girls walked around the track. The ground had thawed from the night before, and the red clay crunched beneath their feet. Natalie huffed and puffed, catching up to Tootie and Blair.

"This- is torture!" Natalie gasped, holding back Tootie and Blair so she could catch her breath. Natalie was wearing a hat, gloves, and scarf.

"Natalie, it's a nice day outside. This isn't so bad." Tootie responded. The girls were wearing gray sweatsuits with the Eastland logo.

"Yes. And we have these gorgeous trash bags to display while exercising. If you ask me, that's the tortuous part." Blair said, referring to the sweatsuits.

"Well, Jo isn't letting it get to her. Look at her go!" Tootie noted, pointing at Jo. On the other side of the track, Jo jogged with ease. Her blue Nike sneakers hit the dirt, her body moving fluidly. Jo's ponytail trailed behind her like a beam of light.

Although it was cold outside, Jo smiled as she felt the sun warming her face. Once you got moving, it wasn't so bad. It felt good to run again. Jo passed two girls, a redhead and a brunette who were deep in conversation.

"I know," the brunette said, laughing. "I guess it runs in her family... you know, with her father running from the cops and everything!" The redhead burst out laughing in response.

"Yeah, or running around with that trashy gang- the Young Play-dohs!" The two girls keeled over, grabbing each other in a fit of giggles.

"Come on, we can do better than this!" Blair said, feeling a pang of jealously as she watched Jo float around the course. The three girls sped up, getting closer to the pair of girls in front of them.

"God, it's amazing the people they let into this school nowadays." the brunette said. "This school used to have such high standards. Now they just let in anybody who has a good enough sob story."

"Jo Polniaczek is just the beginning. Before we know it, she'll have brought along her entire low-class neighborhood with her!"

"Oh, I bet! I'll be sitting in class next to the leader of the Young Gizmos!" the brunette cackled.

"Excuse me?" Blair said, taking a few strides ahead to catch up with the pair.

"Oh, no problem Blair. We were just sharing a few laughs over Eastland's resident charity case." the brunette explained. The redhead pointed at Jo, now ahead of them by half a lap.

"Laurie, maybe you should leave her out of this." Blair advised the brunette, experiencing an unusual feeling as she watched the two girls snickering and pointing at Jo. Normally she'd be glad to join in. Blair had plenty to say about the multitude of ways Jo bugged her. But... what was it she had said before? That's right. 'When I do it, I know what I'm talking about.' Blair remembered. She watched as Jo easily circled the track, completely oblivious that these girls were trashing her behind her back. Blair felt something inside of her begin to boil.

"Yesterday, Sandy told me that she saw Polniaczek eating out of the trash can!" the redhead declared.

"Valerie, that's ridiculous!" Blair exclaimed. She stopped walking, and Laurie and Valerie stopped as well. "Take it back." Blair demanded, surprising herself as she closed the distance between herself and the two girls. Natalie and Tootie watched with apprehension as the encounter unfolded just a few feet away.

"I most certainly will not take it back!" Valerie shrieked.

"Blair, why are you defending her! What's gotten into you? She's not like us. She doesn't belong here." Laurie added.

"Say it's not true." Blair said again, stepping even closer to Valerie.

"Face it, Warner, your new friend is a vulture! A garbage pail robber!" Valerie shrieked.

"Why you little-" Blair shouted as she tried to remain calm.

"She belongs in the slammer with her dear old daddy." Valerie said, grinning from ear to eat.

SMACK!

Blair had slapped Valerie directly in the face. Behind her, Natalie and Tootie's mouths dropped to the ground.

"Did she just..." Tootie trailed off.

"She did. She absolutely did!" Natalie said. In the distance, the gym teacher tweeted her whistle. The teacher began jogging towards the girls. "Hit it, Tootie!" Natalie exclaimed as she grabbed her and continued on ahead. The gym teacher stormed over, looking extremely angry.

At dinner, the girls are quietly. Always having dinner after everyone else had eaten, the four girls were alone in the cafeteria. Mrs. Garrett had been called away by Mr. Parker to help decorate the hallways in the school for the holidays.

"I just don't know why it's such a big deal." Jo said. "Why won't ya tell me what happened? Did you join the witness protection program?"

"Jo, just drop it please. We got into an argument, it escalated..." said Blair.

"...and Blair did something we thought only you were capable of." Natalie finished. Blair glared at Natalie.

"It was nothing. It's over." Blair said dismissively.

"Well what happened, would ya PLEASE stop being so secretive?" Jo began, annoyance apparent in her voice. "Did old Val have her eye on Cliff, or Wilson, or Biffy?"

"Jo, you wouldn't understand. I'm finished. I'm going upstairs now." Blair said, picking up her plate and bringing it to the kitchen. Natalie and Tootie quietly played around with the food on their plates. Jo eyed both of them. Tootie squirmed under Jo's stare.

"Okay, start talkin'." Jo demanded.

"Well first, Laurie said-"

"Tootie, we promised! I'm sorry Jo, we've been sworn to secrecy." Natalie said. Jo stood up from her chair, and walked over to Natalie and Tootie, grabbing their heads.

"How would you like it if these two worlds collided?" Jo threatened, preparing to knock the girls' heads together.

"Alright, alright! So much violence here." Natalie said.

"Jo... there's no easy way to say this. I didn't hear the entire argument, but I do know one thing. The fight... they were fighting about you!" Tootie explained.

"And our Blair gave Valerie a good old fashioned slappin'!" Natalie cheered. Jo stared at the two girls. She was astounded.

"Me?" Jo said quietly. "Blair slapped Valerie... over me?"

"Hey." Jo said sheepishly, closing the bedroom door behind her. Natalie and Tootie had offered to clear the table and wash the dishes after dinner. Blair looked up at Jo from her bed. Jo gave a small smile. Blair rolled her eyes.

"So they squealed." Blair noted.

"Yeah."

"Well, we all know they're the two worst secret keepers here at Eastland."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jo wondered. "And more importantly... why did you do it?" Jo sat down next to Blair on her bed.

"I don't know, honestly." Blair said truthfully. "They were just... they were spreading vicious lies, and it never used to bother me but recently... I've just had enough of it!"

"You didn't have to do that, Blair. I can take care of my own problems. It's not like this is the first time somebody's dragged my name through the mud."

"Yes, you usually do a good enough job of that on your own." Blair responded.

"Blair..." Jo began.

"Listen, don't mention it. It was my first offense. Mr. Parker let me off quite easily. He even agreed to postpone my detention until after my parents come!" Blair informed her. Jo looked at Blair.

"I always thought you hated me." Jo revealed. "I mean, I kind of hated you."

"Oh, I do, I do!" Blair said, followed by a sly smile. "Just not so much today." Jo's eyes shined as she looked at Blair.

"I don't know what to say now." Jo said awkwardly.

"How about thank you?" Blair asked.

"Oh, alright." Jo said, exhaling. She stared at Blair, and saw something new. Something about the way Blair's eyes were glinting hopefully at her, flecks of gold and brown lighting up. "Thank you."

In the darkness, Blair hangs up the phone with her father, slamming the receiver back down on the hanger. Stomping over to the couch, she sits down with force. Blair can't believe that both of her parents cancelled on her. For the first time since the divorce, they had agreed on spending some time with her together. For Christmas! But then, she thinks to herself- actually, she can believe it. Cancelling. It wouldn't be the first time. How was she going to explain this to everyone? Especially after she had made such a show of telling everyone the plans her father had made. Blair put her head in her hands.
Suddenly, Blair heard the familiar sound of soft footsteps behind her- footsteps that could only belong to someone wearing blue striped pajamas and gym socks. Blair buried her head deeper in her hands.
"Hey." Jo said, her voice quiet. She made her way around the couch and sat down next to Blair. "So uhh- what happened, ya got hungry and forgot to come back up?" Jo questioned. Blair was obviously upset. Jo didn't know what to say. "Okay fine, if you don't wanna talk to me, I'll just sit here." Jo says. She leaned back and watched Blair, her eyes growing wider with concern. "Blair..." Jo says, almost a whisper, "...just talk to me, would ya?"

"You know! You already know." Blair said, picking her head up out of her hands to look away. "It's them! Isn't it always?"

"What, your folks at each other's throats again?"

"No. Well, yes. But they're not coming. Both of them." Blair admits, still looking in the other direction. Jo's mouth forms a tight line on her face. The nerve of these two. They had no idea what they did to their daughter. Wonderful Blair. Beautiful, kind, wonderful Blair. She knew it was insane, but Jo could go from angry to loving with Blair in a matter of seconds. Jo stares at the back of her friend's head, which drops down to her chest. Jo reaches her hand out, and rests it on Blair's shoulder.

"Well, forget about 'em. Who needs 'em?" Jo offers.

"I do!" Blair cries out. "I do!" Blair's voice cracks, and she lets out a telltale gasp as she begins to cry. She turns around to face Jo. "How many times? When will I learn? They don't care about me. They don't. Sure, they throw money at me. Sometimes they call. They make plans with me. My father tells me he's taking me on a whirlwind weekend, visiting all the big stores, all the fancy restaurants. And I get excited! I get this feeling, like finally… finally they're interested in me! But I never learn, I never get it. They can't be bothered with me. They don't want me, Jo! Why? What did I do?" Blair sobs.

"Nothing! They're crazy! They must be nuts not to spend Christmas with you!" Jo yells at Blair, trying to get through to her.

"I'm the crazy one. I believe them. Every time!" Blair screams. The tears are running down her face, and Blair's face collapses as her breathing becomes erratic. Jo looks at Blair for a moment, and the sight of her best friend sobbing on the couch is too much. It's not something she usually does, but she makes a decision. Jo reaches out and wraps her arms around Blair.

Blair flings her arms around Jo's neck, and buries her face in her shoulder, clinging to her like a child. "They... they d-don't love me!" Blair wails. Jo pulls Blair closer to her, rubbing one hand up and down her back. Jo remembers taking care of her kid cousin Mikey in the Bronx. He was about three years old, and when a thunderstorm came, he would climb up on Jo just like this- kind of like a little monkey. "They don't love me!"

"Shh." Jo says softly, running her fingers through Blair's hair with her free hand, keeping the other secure on the small of Blair's back. "It's alright, Blair. It's gonna be okay." What had she done with Mikey? That's right. "Come on, ya gotta relax, kid." Jo says, leaning back into the sofa. What an odd feeling, Jo thought to herself as Blair sobbed into the crook of her neck. Jo kept her hand steady, holding her closely and lightly scratching her back. Her heart felt warm, like she was standing in front of a campfire. But it also felt fiery, full of hatred and anger at Blair's parents. Jo wanted desperately to help her, but how could she possibly put back together what Mr. and Mrs. Warner had destroyed? How dare they treat her this way? Didn't they see how special their daughter was? What a strange feeling, Jo thought again. Like a soft glow through her body. She pulled Blair even closer, and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Please don't cry, Jo thought. I'd give anything to make her stop crying like this. Anything. Jo was worried. Of course, she had seen Blair shed a few tears here and there, but this was outright hysteria. Her body was convulsing against hers. There wasn't anything left to say, Jo reasoned. The two girls held each other on the couch, and Jo prayed for Blair to catch her breath.