The fact that Rona Langdon didn't throw a tantrum at school was a massive relief. Principal Gage gave Shane Caldwell a token reprimand before letting them return to class.
As they left, Principal Gage watched Vera Xavier and Cara Preston walk away and sighed softly. It was obvious at a glance which of the two girls was more outstanding, yet to Rona Langdon, the opposite was true. He thought, 'Rona Langdon must be blind,' and once again felt a pang of sympathy for Zachary Preston.
Back in the classroom, Vera Xavier turned to Shane Caldwell and said, "Thanks for today."
She had never been particularly fond of Shane Caldwell, but in all fairness, his only real flaw was being a bit conceited. He was usually quite decent to her. Vera had always been one to clearly distinguish kindness from malice; if someone helped her, she would naturally thank them.
