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seemed to be paralyzed) and turn the thing off? After all, sooner or later she'd be making her own cameo in this film.
    The class was catching on now, and the howling began. As far as Gaia could tell, they hadn't recognized the female lead just yet. The star herself, in response to the provocative remarks of her classmates, had only just looked up from something she was scribbling on her desktop.
    The graceful fingers were now clawing at the broad back.
    Out of the corner of her eye, Gaia could see Heather studying the screen. Heather's first instinct, it appeared, was to smile. Hell, it was funny! Funny, as long as it wasn't your inaugural sexual liaison being screened in first-period advanced-placement economics.
    Gaia kept her eyes slanted in Heather's direction and watched as the perfect smile flickered once, then vanished. Realization flared in Heather's eyes just as her video incarnation was uttering her first line of dialogue.
    "Oh my God . . . Sam!"
    To which oh-my-God-Sam replied,
"Heather!"
    Busted!
    Gaia snapped her attention back to the screen. Sundance, eat your heart out. Whoever this independent-film director was, he certainly had a flair for timing, because it was at this point that AP econ was allowed to enjoy the first close-up shot of the movie.
    And it featured none other than Heather Gannis, perspiring elegantly, eyelids fluttering, flawless teeth clamped down on her lower lip.
    The class exploded in reaction. Some of them shrieked in disbelief. Some laughed, some applauded wildly. Most just gasped. Heather, in a surprising gesture that made Gaia feel almost sorry for her, covered her face with one trembling hand and began to sob.
    Gaia wondered absently if anyone had seen her stick the tape in the VCR. If they had, this could get really ugly really fast. As if it weren't ugly enough already.
    Two of Heather's girlfriends sprang to her side, ostensibly trying to comfort her.
    "Somebody eject it!" one of them demanded.
    "No pun intended!" replied someone on a choke of laughter.
    Another of Heather's sidekicks -- a girl named Megan -- got up and moved toward the front of the room to turn off the television. Was it just Gaia's imagination, or did Megan seem to be taking her sweet time getting there?
    AP econ was treated to a few additional renditions of "Oh my God, Sam!" before the electric-green-painted acrylic nail of Megan's index finger connected with the off button.
    Instantly the class shut up, as if some cosmic off button had been punched as well.
    The room went completely silent. Silent, except for the muffled gulping of Heather's crying.
    Shame washed over Gaia.
    Worse than fear, she guessed. It had to be.
    Suddenly Gaia found herself silently pleading with Heather to go: Run. Get out. The silence pulsed as she kept her eyes glued to her desktop, willing her sworn enemy to escape. The girl was a bitch, sure, and a monster. But nobody, not even Heather, deserved this.
    And then, as if she had sensed Gaia's unspoken plea, Heather catapulted out of her seat and stumbled toward the door. Megan and the other two handmaidens went running after Heather, looking appropriately concerned. But just before Megan disappeared through the door, she turned and fixed Gaia with a glare that Megan probably thought was menacing.
    She knew. Which meant that in about 1.5 seconds Heather would know, too.
    Ed made his exit as well, and the teacher picked that moment to arrive, stepping through the door but looking over her shoulder into the corridor.
    "What's happened to Miss Gannis?" she asked.
    "I think she lost something," one of the boys answered, biting back laughter. A giggle rippled through the room.
    The shame swelled. Who was the monster now?
    "Turn to page thirty-four," the teacher said.
    In the wake of the X-rated video they'd just seen, the teacher's lecture on inflation and upward trends incited a few scattered chuckles and snorts. But Gaia was barely aware of them.
    Numbly she wondered what Ed would say. He