"I don't see why you didn't just go to school with Charlie like usual," Gregory told Elizabeth as he dropped her off that morning. "Usually you're running to Laura's car before your mother and I have time to say goodbye."

"Well, that won't happen for awhile," Elizabeth told him. "Charlie wants me to stay away from him cause I'm human. Either that, or be nice to some girl that I hate. Isn't that mean of him?"

"I don't see why you shouldn't be nice to the girl," Gregory replied. "But what was it that you said about him not being nice to you because you're human?"

"He said that I was never gonna be as good as any of you unless someone turned me, and that I just got lucky to be adopted by you and Mom," Elizabeth replied. "It's a paraphrase, but that's what he said cause he was mad that I wasn't being nice to this human girl, Hannah."

"Well, that's a bit cruel," Gregory replied. "Honest, but cruel. He probably could have phrased it another way. My sister's genetics flaring up in him, I guess."

Elizabeth smiled. "Tell Mom, so she can yell at Aunt Laura and Charlie will get his butt kicked!"

"I don't think that's necessary," Gregory replied. "I'll talk to Edward. He's the one with the good head on his shoulders."

But before Gregory could talk to Edward, Elizabeth had already told Katherine, which led her to make an angry call to Laura and made for a very uncomfortable ride to school the next day.

"I can't believe you told your mom what I said to you," Charlie spat at Elizabeth. "It wasn't that bad. You're a big, whiny crybaby."

"Well, that will teach you to be mean to me!" Elizabeth shot back. "I hope you got in big trouble. And to make you feel better, I'll start hanging out with human boys. Ones who are a heck of a lot better looking than you. I'd rather date a handsome human than a stupid vampire."

"Oh, and I'm supposed to care?" Charlie shot back. "I don't, so you can do whatever you want!"

"Fine," Elizabeth replied and stuck her tongue out. "I will."

"Okay, enough," Laura replied. "I know things aren't the best between you two right now, but could you not fight in the car, please? It's giving me a headache."

"Sorry," Charlie apologized. "I'll be quiet. I don't know if Elizabeth can, though."

Elizabeth, to her credit, ignored this remark and stared out the window until they reached school and she got out of the car just as Laura parked it and headed inside alone.

"Are you gonna go after her?" Laura asked.

"I don't think so," Charlie replied. "I think it would be best if she was just by herself for awhile. Are you mad at me for what I said to her?"

Laura sighed. "It wouldn't be right of me to yell at you too much cause I say the same sort of things and worse to her mother every day," she replied. "And I have no doubt that Elizabeth will make you feel very sorry for your remarks on her own without me having to add to what she does. You just go on with your day and we can move on from this."

"All right," Charlie nodded. "Have a good day, Mom. See you later."

"Bye!" Laura waved and drove off, then Charlie entered school at a much slower pace and found Hannah standing at his locker. "Hi," she greeted him. "I saw Elizabeth come in alone. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Charlie sighed. "Elizabeth and I are just having a fight, that's all."

"Oh, I hope it's not cause of me," Hannah replied, looking concerned.

Charlie shook his head. "Don't blame yourself," he said. "Sometimes she's just a pain in the butt and it's no one's fault but hers."

Hannah nodded. "Okay. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't ruining anything." Charlie then escorted her to class and came to pick her up after and take her to the next one.

"Thanks for your help," she said. "I'm not quite aware of where I'm going yet. Without you, I would be completely lost."

"It's not a problem," Charlie insisted. "Really."

He made a definite effort to stay clear of Elizabeth, until lunch time, when she, carrying her lunch, sat down next to him without invitation. "Hello," she greeted.

"Hello," Charlie returned. "What do you want? Why are you sitting here?"

"Well, it's not cause I want your attention," Elizabeth replied. "This is a free lunch room. I can sit wherever I want." She paused. "Me and my friend can sit wherever I want. And before you ask, as you so bluntly reminded me, I'm a human, so no I didn't compel his friendship."

"What else would he think you are besides a human?" Asked Hannah, who was sitting on Charlie's other side.

"She acts so weird that sometimes, I think she was left here by martians," Charlie replied easily. "And I'm still not completely convinced otherwise."

Elizabeth glared at this remark, but said nothing as she twirled some pasta around her fork and then popped it in her mouth.

Hannah, who had been waiting to get her food, then got to her feet and said, "I think I'll get my lunch now."

"Get the spaghetti," Elizabeth recommended to Charlie's surprise. "It's good. I think you'll like it."

"Okay!" Hannah replied. "I'll do that."

She left and then Charlie smiled. "See? That was a nice thing to say," he said. "And it wasn't even that difficult."

"Well, I realize that I acted incredibly selfishly," Elizabeth replied. "Leo helped me see that."

"Who in the world is Leo?" Charlie asked. "Is he some invisible person you made up in a sad attempt to make me jealous?"

"No," Elizabeth shook her head. "Not everything in my life is about you, Charles. Get over yourself." She then turned and waved at a boy with long, straggly curly hair, wearing ripped jeans and a Led Zepplin t-shirt. "There's Leo," she pointed.

Charlie's jaw dropped a little. "Him?" He asked in shock. "What would you possibly like about him?"

"He's nice to me," Elizabeth replied. "Unlike you."

"He's not coming over here, is he?" Charlie asked.

"Why not?" Elizabeth asked. "You have your friend at our table."

"But he's-" Charlie began. "But he's-"

"Do you think I should introduce him to your mom?" Elizabeth asked. "I think she'd like him."

"That's sick!" Charlie cried.

"Not as a date!" Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. "What do you think I am, an idiot? But I think with his hair, she'd really be interested in him!"

"I don't know," Charlie replied as the boy came closer. "Doesn't look like he likes haircuts at all."

"Hello, all," the boy said easily. "Elizabeth told me I could sit here. I hope you don't mind."

"Go ahead," Charlie replied. "I don't care."

Leo sat and surveyed Charlie's arm, which had another one of Laura's marker drawings on it.

"That's cool!" He cried. "It's not a permanent tattoo, is it? My dad won't let me get one until I'm eighteen!"

"No, it's just washable marker," Charlie replied. "Mom does them for me sometimes."

"That is so neat!" Leo replied. "Maybe I could come over sometime and she could do one for me?"

"No!" Elizabeth cried. "You don't want to go to his house! It's a bad place!"

"I'm sensing some hostility," Leo said calmly. "Elizabeth, remember that poem I taught you to expel bad energies..."

"Oh, the heck with that," Elizabeth scoffed. "Don't go to his house!"

"If he wants to come to my house, he can come to my house," Charlie cried. "Don't be so bossy!"

Just then they heard a yell, and turned just in time to see Hannah, her tray loaded with food, trip over a boy's foot. Her tray flew into the air, and some of it landed on Elizabeth, Charlie, and Leo. Not knowing how to respond, and still a bit angry, Elizabeth yelled "Food fight!" and soon, everyone was throwing food everywhere, at least until the lunch monitor blew his whistle and came over to the table, ordering Elizabeth to stand up. "You started this," he told her. "Go see the principal."

"I don't want to," Elizabeth stood up. "And you can't make me."

"Now, young lady," the man told her, "you don't really have a choice."

"Just go," Charlie sighed.

"And you," The man turned his gaze on Charlie.

"What did he do?" Elizabeth asked.

The man gestured at the marker on his arms. "He looks like a delinquent. In fact, all of you...go see the principal!"

Charlie thought about compelling him to forget this injustice, but then realized it would be too risky, since the room was so crowded with people. Instead, he, Elizabeth, and Leo, marched to the principal's office cause there was nothing else they could do.

"This is all your fault!" Charlie told Elizabeth angrily while they waited. "How will I explain this to my dad? He'll go nuts!"

"Not my problem," Elizabeth said. "You're the one who made friends with stupid Hannah, who spilled all over us. If I'm going down for this, you are too."

Charlie sighed. "You're a real piece of work, you know that? You only care about yourself."

"Of course," Elizabeth replied. "Caring about other people is just too messy. You shouldn't care about anyone. Not even me."

"Oh, I'll be glad to remedy that mistake!" Charlie cried.

"Good," Elizabeth said and smiled. "Give the principal my regards." And she ran off, leaving Charlie and Leo to face the principal by themselves.