"Well, that doesn't sound fair," said Trixie. "It sounds like social isolation to me. How can you talk to real people when you're surrounded by imaginary friends and the principal doesn't allow other people to interact with you?"
"Because those who do are often very cruel and abusive," said Josie. "I know for a fact that anyone who still has their imaginary friends after the age of ten will never grow up, marry, or have children. They won't hold down a job and they'll be living with their parents for the rest of their lives. No one likes a person who still lives with their parents, so we take great pains to avoid people like Jacey Mayford."
"Sounds to me like you're not even giving her a chance," said Trixie. "You would rather dismiss her and be done with it than try to reach out and perhaps save her from herself? I think that's just what she needs, someone to save her from herself. She might not be here for very long if we don't step in and tell Mr. Tibbles and Mr. Tummels that it's time for them to go away and never come back."
"Wow, you sure are cutting to the core today," said Moira as she stood up. "And now, we have to once again deal with the evil Sheila Baines. With any luck, I hope our little verbal smackdown showed her that she can't just be rude and abusive to everyone around here. Someone has to put an end to her cruelty."
But it wasn't the Teen Rebels themselves who were the cause of a subdued Sheila Baines entering the school. In fact, a student named Reena DePoulignac had started a rumor that Sheila had tried to fight the principal, but was tackled to the ground by Seth Burke. That rumor was enough to keep everyone away from Sheila at all costs. Even the teachers ignored her, which was not a very easy task because Sheila was unusually loud and abusive that day.
But the only person who genuinely felt sorry for Sheila was Jacey Mayford. Jacey believed that Sheila was just lonely and wanted some friends, but most of the school tried to shut her up and told her that Sheila wasn't worth the trouble. Jacey had so far refused to listen to the "lies" that she was being told in favor of befireing someone who she thouht deserved a friend.
"Because those who do are often very cruel and abusive," said Josie. "I know for a fact that anyone who still has their imaginary friends after the age of ten will never grow up, marry, or have children. They won't hold down a job and they'll be living with their parents for the rest of their lives. No one likes a person who still lives with their parents, so we take great pains to avoid people like Jacey Mayford."
"Sounds to me like you're not even giving her a chance," said Trixie. "You would rather dismiss her and be done with it than try to reach out and perhaps save her from herself? I think that's just what she needs, someone to save her from herself. She might not be here for very long if we don't step in and tell Mr. Tibbles and Mr. Tummels that it's time for them to go away and never come back."
"Wow, you sure are cutting to the core today," said Moira as she stood up. "And now, we have to once again deal with the evil Sheila Baines. With any luck, I hope our little verbal smackdown showed her that she can't just be rude and abusive to everyone around here. Someone has to put an end to her cruelty."
But it wasn't the Teen Rebels themselves who were the cause of a subdued Sheila Baines entering the school. In fact, a student named Reena DePoulignac had started a rumor that Sheila had tried to fight the principal, but was tackled to the ground by Seth Burke. That rumor was enough to keep everyone away from Sheila at all costs. Even the teachers ignored her, which was not a very easy task because Sheila was unusually loud and abusive that day.
But the only person who genuinely felt sorry for Sheila was Jacey Mayford. Jacey believed that Sheila was just lonely and wanted some friends, but most of the school tried to shut her up and told her that Sheila wasn't worth the trouble. Jacey had so far refused to listen to the "lies" that she was being told in favor of befireing someone who she thouht deserved a friend.
