Claudia, Amber, and I sit down at a deserted table in the corner of the candle lit dining hall. In the center of the hall, was a huge crowd of boys who were obviously fawning over something. Claudia glares at the crowd, annoyed that someone other than her had all the attention. Knowing Claudia, she wants to make a big scene, but nobody is paying attention. Suddenly, a cloaked girl, who'd been laying on the table sits up. Looking at Claudia, she says, "What are you looking at, bitch?"

"You-" Claudia starts to say.

"Shut up!" She thrusts her hand towards Claudia, a blast of hot pink magic hitting her in the chest and slamming her into the wall. "Bi-" Claudia starts to screech, but Amber rushes toward her, covering her mouth. 'What is she doing?' I wonder.

"So." she says awkwardly, "I'm AmberDawn, and you are?"

"Crystal." She throws off her hood, pink hair glistening. The boys once again crowd around her.

"This is Claudia, and Eve." Amber says, pointing at Claudia and me.

"Come, sit at my table. I'll make you popular." She says grinning at Amber, thinking her a pushover.

"Only if my friends can come."

"Of course, that's what I meant in the first place." When Claudia and I don't move, Amber nudges us, and skips over to the crowded table. Claudia grabs her things and walks slowly away from our usual table. I quickly stand up and rush awkwardly over to the table. Glaring at crystal, the boys are now staring at me waiting for my next move.

I walk over and say "Oops." I pretend to trip, flicking my finger at her lunch, and sending it flying into her face. "I guess it's karma. You shouldn't mess with my friends like that. If you do it again I have a feeling something worse will happen to you." I threatened. Totally ignoring my last statement she says

"Wow, you are as strong as I have heard." she now has a terrifying smirk on her face, she gets up and walks over to me. "So strong, you could probably kill someone with power like that. maybe your parents?" She coos, as though talking to a child. Everyone looks at me, horrified as usual. Crystal gets in my face. " Even if you don't like me..." Crystal stops me in the middle of the sentence, "Don't get me wrong, I like that kind of poWer, I was just curious." I reply with one simple word.

"No." Just then Amber grabs my arm and drags me over to our original table. I glance back once or twice to see Claudia's tear streaked cheeks, she really did care. Even though she was the one to start the rhumor, you can't help but know that she did regret it, even more now that our relationship is beginning to bond back together.

"Eve this is our only chance to be popular. Why are you doing this?"

"Did you see what she did to Claudia? Did you hear what she said to me?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Amber!"

"Eve. I will do whatever it takes to be popular. If you don't care that right now we're practically friendless freaks, go ahead let this once and a life time opportunity fly by. But just don't hold me back." She turns, and goes back to Crystal's table. I couldn't believe it. Where had the sweet, quirky Amber I knew gone? Her words had really hit me hard. How could she say that? I had gone my whole life really being a friendless freak. Two friends is much much better than none. I could hear Amber laughing from here. Claudia had come back right after Amber left and we ate our first-meal in silence. Crystal walks over to our table, a tangle of boys swarming behind her. At the back is Amber, feeling amazing being with the populars. We would have to have a little talk tonight at the dorm room. I knew she wouldn't be sitting with us today. Still upset about the incident, Amber stops near my chair. She just stares at me and Claudia for awhile but then leaves without saying anything. She was falling behind from her new group.