Mallory walked home slowly, head down. Despite all her trying, a tear slipped out and ran down her cheek. Stupid Bitches. Shethought. Just a bunch of kids sitting for kids. Dawn's face flashed into her mind. Well...not her.

"Mal! Mal!" Mallory turned around, wiping the tear away firmly.

"Jessi." she said, flatly.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Mallory said, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

Jessi smiled. "I don't know. You're right. There's no law against you changing your clothes."

Mallory nodded curtly, feeling a bit better. Not Jessi?

"So..." she said a trifle awkwardly."How's ballet?"

Jessi grinned. "I have a lead in a production we're doing, it's in two weeks. Here, I'll show you" Mal watched Jessi demonstrate some moves for her, and despite herself, she smiled. "Great."

Jessi stopped. "What about you, tell me about boarding school."

Mallory tensed up. "Um...nothing really special to tell...I have to go...mum wants me home...seeya." without waiting for Jessi to reply she headed for home, aware that her friend was staring after her.

Can't tell you Jessi. Look at you. None of you would get it...you're all still stuck in fairyland. It's like you live in Sweet Valley or something. Still, despite her boredom, her sadness and her frustration with the rose-tinted streets of Stoneybrook, Mal felt a little happier knowing that Jessica Ramsey was capable of rising above the stupid crap the others put out. Kristy for example. Mallory scowled. Kristy the sanctimonious. Claudia and Stacey the air-headed bimbo's with small minds and smaller tops.

Mallory smirked to herself as she rounded a corner and saw her house. And Mary Anne, who probably died on the spot when she saw me. Jesus Christ! It's not like I've got lip studs and tongue studs and all the other metals my other friends have. It's just in good old rosy America, black clothes equals' evil.

The next morning, Mal woke at 6am, and padded downstairs. She quickly and quietly fixed herself a cup of Milo, shaking her head at her mug all the while. At school, they had coffee in the morning if they wanted it, but despite all her trying Mal had never managed to like coffee, or tea, and so would sit down at her table with a mug of Milo. "Like a first year."

She sipped the hot liquid slowly, leafing through yesterday's newspaper. 7:27am, precisely, and the triplets appeared in the kitchen, sporting identical sleepy grins.

"Hey Mal" "Hey Mal" "Hey Mal"

"Hey." She replied.

"Make us breakfast?"

Mallory looked up from the paper in disbelief. She vaguely remembered doing that for them when they were 10. "You want me to make you breakfast?" she said irritably.

"Yeah."

She sighed. "Fine."

When she was done, and the triplets were eating pancakes happily, Mallory remembered why she didn't make them breakfast. The boys tended to wriggle out of cleaning up, leaving her to clean it all up.

"Okay guys, you are washing up, you are cleaning the kitchen, and you are doing it before you go to school. If you don't do it- that's your own problem, I'll just leave all the dishes and pans and stuff in your rooms, possible on your pillows so that you can find it easier. So don't fuck with me." Mallory ordered, watching their faces. They looked shocked, but nodded.

"Good morning sweetie," Mr and Mrs Pike entered the room.

"Hey. I'm gunna go now, get to school early."

The Pikes looked at each other, and smiled hesitantly. "That's good kiddo, getting right back in the swing of things." Said Mr Pike. "But are you sure," he hesitated. "I mean, those shoes can't be comfortable."

Mallory looked down. She was still wearing slippers.

"Oops."

Later, as she was heading into school Mallory couldn't help but laugh. One, because despite everything she was still the kind of person who would forget they had slippers on, and also because her parents thought she'd changed so much she'd do it deliberately.

School was weird. Some part of her expected everyone to turn and stare, then yell "Spaz Girl!", but it didn't happen. That is, people stared, but there were no snickering comments. No nicknames. At lunchtime, Mallory headed over to a table by the window, not worried about being alone.

She sat down and stared out the window for a few minutes before a voice called out. "Hey Mal!"

Jessi came over to her table. "Uh, hey Jess." Mallory said.

"How's your first day back been?" Jessica asked, not noticing Mallory's cold expression.

"Fine." Except that the teachers are incompetent, the guys are try-hards and the girls are ugly.

"You haven't told me anything about your school you know."

"So?"

"Do you want to have a sleepover?"

Mal stared. With hairdressing and laughing and 'scary' movies? Jesus. Haven't done that in years.

"Uh, sure." Anything to get out of the house.

"Okay. Jessi said enthusiastically."The others too? Well, Kristy and Mary-Anne and Dawn?"

"Are they really your friends Jessi?" Mal asked, searching her friends face.

"What do you mean?" the other girl replied. "I mean, sure they are, I guess." She looked uncertain.

'Things changed whilst you were gone. The club...it's really more of a business now. This is weird, because they take it less seriously. Even I do. I've got ballet, and whilst I still want the money, I don't have as much time." Mallory nodded. I've got time- but if I start that baby crap again I'll die. They'll force me back into the old spot. Good old Mal, always ready to be everyone's doormat. Patronised and condescended to.

"And," Jessi continued, "We're not close. Stacey and Claudia have kind of, broken away."

A new voice interrupted. "And Kristy is clinging desperately to the shreds of her club, unwilling or unable to see that no-one is interested. Even Mary Anne isn't, but she'll let Kristy dictate to her forever."

The two girls turned. Dawn Shafer nodded to them both.

"Sorry to interrupt- but I knew Jessi wouldn't be able to say it." She grinned. "It might be impolitic."

Jessi laughed.

"Anyway, I have to go, it's great to see you Mal," Dawn smiled at her again, and walked away. Mallory stared after her; despite herself a smile came to her lips.

"Invite Dawn." She muttered, turning away from the dancer. "Gotta go home. Seeya."

Jessi shook her head. What's going on with that girl?

Next chapter: Mallory talks about her school and the person she just broke up with.

This is 'T' for a reason, and unless I get strenuous objections it might go up to M. So speak now or forever be silent. Lol.