Henry Dashwood and Alistair Payne were both at the Jasperstone Academy for Girls, there in person to obtain permission from the headmaster that the school's auditorium be used for an upcoming campaign rally.

"I still don't see why you couldn't have just called the man." the bald one muttered as they walked.

Such was Alistair's character, to be so impersonal.

Henry said nothing as they entered the school and inquired as to Mr. Raspron's whereabouts. They were told that he was in the courtyard, having tea with some staff members.

"I wish I were blessed with such good fortune." Henry commented to Alistair, knowing full well he wasn't paying attention. "To be able to sit down and have a nice cup of tea in the afternoon, rather than having my nose buried in paperwork."

The two kept walking toward the doors that exited into the courtyard. Henry caught a faint smell wafting through the air of what was probably the day's main course. He pitied the ones who would have to eat it.

They traipsed through the kitchen, where a few stragglers were filling their trays, and approached the magical doors that led to the outside.

And from inside, they heard a frantic, familiar voice.

Five minutes before this, Meghan had finally realized that she could no longer stall the inevitable facing of Clarissa, holed up in the bog.

How funny that she was exiting the bog only to face a quivering swampland monster.

But when she actually came out, what she did see was the last thing she'd expected.

Her white envelope, held high in the air by Faye Winthrop.

"I'm about to knock you off your throne, Queen Clarissa!" came the shout. And panic immediately gripped Meghan and twisted her from the outside in.

"FAYE?!" Meghan screamed. "What are you DOING?!"

Faye only slightly tilted her head mechanically toward Meghan.

"What I should've done a long time ago." she stated, immediately turning back to Clarissa, who for the record was still nothing short of amused.

"Ah, Miss Reynolds." she sneered, Blithe-style. "How nice of you to join us."

Had it been in most any other situation, any other day, Meghan would've pondered the downright creepiness of Faye's frenzied behavior. But in this case, she didn't have the time.

"Faye." Meghan stammered. "Put that down."

"I will." Faye replied, still locked on Clarissa and moving closer to her by the minute. "As soon as I show you all what's in it."

Meghan couldn't believe what she was seeing, what she was hearing. That Faye not only knew her secret, but was about to betray her with it.

"Faye." Meghan said again, louder than before as started to come forward. "Put. That. Down."

But Faye never faltered from her walk toward oblivious Clarissa, who now was finding this even more entertaining.

"Ooh, Meghan doesn't like what you're doing. Now I'm intrigued."

Neither Meghan nor Faye heard what Clarissa had just said. They were both focused on one thing, and one thing only.

"I'm going to tell you ONE MORE TIME." Meghan said dangerously, anger coating her words. "Put that envelope away."

Faye lowered her arm, with the envelope in it. But instead of turning to put in back in Meghan's bag, she opened the flap - and began to reach inside.

Meghan lunged forward and was on Faye in a flash. She grabbed the envelope before Faye could move it, and pulled as hard as she could.

"Give it back, Faye!" Meghan furiously demanded as she desperately tried to wrestle the envelope out of Faye's hands.

"No. I refuse." Faye retorted.

Suddenly, all movement stopped. Faye and Meghan found themselves staring at each other, frozen, and linked by the precious object that to Meghan meant life or death.

For a few seconds, they just stayed that way, eye to eye, face to face. Then, Meghan released what hold she had, and stood back, still looking at Faye.

"If you don't give me what's mine, right now." Meghan told her severely. "If you show it off to the rest of the world, then I promise you, Faye - I will be on the first plane back to New York."

It was an earnest promise. And Faye knew it.

For a few seconds, the silence returned. Everyone in the vicinity had stopped eating. The headmaster, who should've been on them for disturbing the peace, was simply enjoying the show. Faye's friends were huddled together as they watched, horrified.

And then there was Faye herself. All of a sudden, a new demeanor seemed to drape itself over her being. The fury and mania melted away from her face, leaving only its original pained expression. Her senses seemed to return as she fully realized the enormity of what she'd just done.

She stepped forward, and dropped the envelope at Meghan's feet. And then she walked away.

Meghan had picked up what had been layed out for her, and was trying to process all that had just happened as she started to move back toward the ladies' room, intending to cry her eyes out.

"Hold on, Reynolds. You know you can't leave us all hanging like this."

It was Clarissa, taunting her yet again.

"Not today." Meghan told her in a resigned breath. She began to move again.

"Oh, don't be silly. Now's the perfect time." Clarissa said. "I'm interested in that letter of yours."

Meghan, exhausted, turned to look at Clarissa.

"I'll make you a deal, Reynolds. Show me what you've got there, and I'll leave you alone. I was obviously meant to see it, as your friend has just shown."

"Clarissa." Meghan breathed. "Please, just leave me alone."

Once again, she began to move away.

"Well then." Clarissa declared. "I guess I'll have to make you."

Meghan stopped. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Clarissa reach into her pocket.

"Show me your letter, or this becomes mine, forever." Clarissa said, as she pulled out a shiny silver object on a shiny silver chain. Meghan's locket.

At this, Meghan whirled around.

"That," she said coldly, "does not belong to you."

"Maybe not now." Clarissa replied. "But it will."

Meghan quickly approached Clarissa and grabbed at the locket, instead grabbing only air as Clarissa pulled it away.

"Trade me?" Clarissa suggested, still eyeing the envelope.

"My father gave me that locket." Meghan pleaded. "Give it back."

"Oh, is that so?" Clarissa sneered, slipping the jewelry back into her jacket. "Well, don't worry then. I'm sure he can get you a new one."

"Give that back!" Meghan repeated. "Now!"

Unbeknownst to the two arguing girls, Alistair and Henry had both just stepped into the courtyard, looking for Mr. Raspron - who was nowhere to be seen, having just run to the kitchen for another helping of beef stroganoff.

"Just call up your father!" they heard Clarissa say. "Where is that man, anyway? In bed with your mother, in the trailer park?"

These words made Meghan's blood boil more than anything Clarissa had ever said before. She glared daggers straight at Clarissa's face.

"My father is in Kosovo. Right now. In some terrorist prison. And you know what?!" she spat in Clarissa's face as she burst into tears. "He's probably dead!"

With Daphne's information still clutched firmly in her hand, Meghan ran away from Clarissa - and almost ran right into Henry and Alistair. She gave them a quick glance before moving around them and throwing herself into the building as fast as she could.

The two men looked at Clarissa, who only shrugged as she realized they were standing there, before sitting down with her friends to a scrumptious meal.

Well, there you go. A twist and then some...ended on a pretty sour note, but next two should be better.

Back soon

-rf-