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    Another one: Lauren Moffit for Treasurer. A Fox in the Henhouse.
    And another: All the Moffits are thieves.
    I closed my e-mail account and immediately got a new e-mail address and notified family and close friends. There was too much animosity. The e-mail messages had helped me make a decision. I would abandon my campaign before even running. I already had enough to deal with. I wouldn’t subject myself to more stress. I didn’t want to be treasurer that bad. The only reason I had agreed to run was because Jay had asked me.
    At Fairfield Oaks each person running for president of the senior class had to pick a slate of people to run for the other offices. Each person on the slate campaigned separately but students’ votes would be for the whole ticket, the thinking being that popular students were chosen by the presidential candidates to bolster their chances of winning. Evidently, my being on the ticket wouldn’t help Jay.
     
    ****
     
    All the lawyers were gone. Dad was in his study. I moved a stack of papers from the chair in front of his desk and slumped down into it.
    “I’m sorry,” I said, hoping he would know I was apologizing for screaming at him.
    “Kitten, you have nothing to apologize for,” Dad said, strain showing on his face. “I’m the one who needs to apologize for what this situation is doing to our family.”
    I looked at my feet. They couldn’t keep still, moving involuntarily from side to side, then back to the front under Dad’s desk.
    “What’s going on?” Dad asked.
    “You have always told me to never give up on anything?”
    He nodded.
    “I don’t want to run for treasurer. I’m already getting nasty e-mails, and it’s just too much.”
    “Lauren, it’s all right. You and I both know that you aren’t a quitter. If you don’t want to run, you don’t have to.”
    “I didn’t want to let you down.”
    “You should always do what is best for you. Don’t worry about letting me down.”
    “Thanks Dad.”
    I sat there not knowing how to bring this other thing up.
    Dad’s eyes bore into mine, as if he could see my soul.
    “What else is going on?”
    “I miss Mom. I miss walking with her in the park in the mornings. She’s either cooking or in bed.”
    “Your mother is having a hard time. We need to give her some space. This has really been difficult for her.”
    “But she doesn’t go out of the house anymore!”
    “I know,” he said. “We need to be understanding and give her some slack. She’ll be all right.”
    “OK, Dad.”
    I went back to my room. There was no use talking to him about Mom. He didn’t understand how much I needed her.
     
     
     
     

13
     
    She was waiting for me in the parking lot. In my car! I pulled Mom’s Mercedes into my regular spot beside hers. I wanted her to go on about her business. Instead, she just sat there, waiting for me to get out.
    Callie entered the lot, followed shortly by Melanie and Stacie. I waited until they were near my car before getting out.
    Steffy took this moment to also alight from her car. “How do you like my new wheels?” she said, smugness written all over her face. “Dad says this car was brought in a little while ago as a fire sale.”
    Callie said, “You didn’t have to drive it. You know this is Lauren’s car.”
    “It is?” Steffy acted as though it were the biggest surprise in the world.
    “A car is a car,” I said, shrugging it off, trying not to make it matter to me.
    “I can take you for a ride in it after school. I know you miss it.”
    “Leave me alone.”
    “Don’t be like that.”
    “We’re going to have a smack down!” Melanie said, grabbing Steffy’s arm.
    “Leave her alone,” Stacie said, corralling her. “She’s not worth it. She’s trash.”
    Steffy’s face turned red. “I am not trash! I belong here as much as you do.”
    “My dad isn’t a used car salesman,” I said. “At least my dad bought me a new car. I don’t have to drive cars other people don’t