AUTHOR'S POV

"The dress is lovely," Mrs. Scott said emotionlessly. "Where did you get it?"

Annabelle seemed to glow just a little at that comment.

"There's a really great dress shop in Merytonburg. The girls took me shopping there and I found this"

"You picked it out?" Mrs. Scott said, not even having the decency to try and hide her surprise at Annabelle's newly discovered taste in clothes.

"It looks expensive. Who paid for it?" Mr. Scott asked suspiciously.

Annabelle's glow seemed to dim just a bit.

"It was a gift from Lili- Principal Kingsley -sort of a bonus, I guess."

The Scott exchanged a look that clearly spoke of...