Power Play, chapter 9

Elizabeth forgot all about buying Todd's watchband. As if hypnotized, she followed her sister's friend in silence.

Lila Fowler strolled casually through the mall without looking back and kept her hand in the pocket that held the stolen bracelet. Elizabeth numbly trailed her as far as the entrance arch and then watched her get into her lime green Triumph. Only when Lila's car was completely out of sight did Elizabeth come out of her trancelike state.

"This is too much for me," she blurted out loud as she retraced her steps back to the jeweler's shop.

As she got closer, she saw the saleslady at Lisette's frantically checking the jewelry on her counter. Clearly upset, the woman looked around anxiously, and her gaze fell upon Elizabeth, who seemed to be lingering outside.

"Hey-hey, there-you!"

It was like a scene from a tragic movie, Elizabeth thought later, where an innocent person unwittingly becomes implicated in a crime. Overwhelmed with fright, Elizabeth hurried around a corner of the mall and then, taking deep breaths, forced herself to walk home at a normal pace.

But being safely at home could not erase the terrible secret she had just uncovered. Lila Fowler was the shoplifter! Lila, probably the richest girl at Sweet Valley High! Here was a girl whose father gave her everything she ever wanted! A girl envied by all. Why did she do it?

Resting in her room, Elizabeth tried to sort out the reasons Lila would resort to stealing. She also tried to rid herself of the anger she felt for having to know about Lila in the first place. Elizabeth willed it to go away. Unfortunately, it couldn't be ignored. Not for long.

And she didn't know what to do.

Elizabeth suddenly became aware that she'd been able to question Jessica about the stolen items because she hadn't really thought Jessica had taken anything. But confronting Lila was a whole different thing, and Elizabeth trembled at the idea of handling the problem on her own.

She had no idea what Lila might do if confronted. The possibilities were alarming-and endless. She finally decided to do nothing, hoping the problem would go away.

A wave of guilt raced through her now as she remembered how she had suspected Jessica. She got up from her bed, walked into Jessica's room, and hugged her. There were tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jessie," she murmured. "You're a great sister."

Jessica looked at her twin in confusion. "What's the matter? What happened?" she asked, instinctively sensing a crisis.

"Nothing, Jess. I'm just sorry I suspected you of doing something you didn't do."

"Well, I'm glad you realize that, anyway. Robin Wilson was your doing!"

"OK," Elizabeth said, too tired to quarrel. Speaking of Robin, she hadn't seen much of her lately. "How is Robin, Jessie?"

"I don't know why you would ask me! Elizabeth, that girl has turned weird!"

"What do you mean?"

"Have you noticed her walking through the hall? She dresses like-I don't know what-like a gypsy. She's pale as a ghost, and I swear she acts like she's on something."

"Robin? Come on, Jess."

"Liz," said Jessica, her voice dropping dramatically to a whisper, "Liz, she looks right through me!"

Elizabeth had to agree. She had noticed that odd, vacant expression, too.

"And you know what else?" Jessica went on. "You know how we made her run the track? Well, she still does it-all the time."

That was true. Elizabeth had seen a solitary figure out on the track morning after morning, in baggy gray sweat clothes. Running, running, running.

"Yes, I've seen her."

"Liz, what's she doing? I hope this-this thing you made her do hasn't twisted her mind or something." Jessica seemed quite perturbed.

"I'll talk to her," Elizabeth said, then sighed.

"Would you, Liz? You know how to do things like that. And I just can't. I'm sure she's going off the deep end."

Elizabeth accepted Jessica's attitude that Robin Wilson was now her responsibility. She didn't forget that Robin had been Jessica's "best friend" and that it was the Pi Beta hazing and cruelty that had apparently affected Robin so deeply. But as it often happened with the Wakefield twins, Jessica worked very hard to convince herself and others that nothing that went wrong was her fault, while Elizabeth usually found herself having to mop up the mess, no matter who had caused it.

"But, Jessica, there's one thing I want you to do."

"Sure, Lizzie. Anything."

"Stay away from Lila Fowler!"

"What?"

"And don't accept any gifts from her-no matter what they are or where she says they came from."

"What? Why?"

"Trust me."

"Elizabeth, you can't just ask me to discard my very best friend and not tell me why. Are you still jealous of Lila? Why are you so hateful and mean to her?"

"Jessica, do you believe I love you? I'm your sister, and I want things to be good for you. I think Lila is heading for big trouble, and I'm afraid of the effects it'll have on you."

Elizabeth realized, too late, that she had opened up a Pandora's box. Jessica immediately became extremely agitated, practically shouting questions at her sister, not even pausing for the answers. "What do you mean? What have you heard? How could you be so vile? Since when do you know Lila so well?"

"I can't answer you," Elizabeth replied firmly but reluctantly. She refused to say more. She was sure of her conviction that telling Jessica everything would be a very dangerous move. Jessica insisted angrily that her sister leave her room, and a very sorrowful Elizabeth obliged her. Jessica's fury was a burden she would just have to bear alone.

Early the next morning Elizabeth walked to the track behind Sweet Valley High, and there was the solitary figure running in sweat clothes.

Elizabeth sat in the bleachers and waited.

Robin was like a machine on the track. She looked strong, almost athletic. And, as always these days, she stared straight ahead, blotting out everything else. She ran relentlessly, and it occurred to Elizabeth that perhaps she was running toward something, something only she could see.

Finally, Robin trotted over to the bleachers and stopped. She looked at Elizabeth calmly.

"You must have run a mile," Elizabeth said hesitantly.

"Five miles."

"Robin, I know it's none of my business, but how are you doing?"

"Fine. In fact, super. Do you remember when we had to read The Iliad? Remember the part where the Greeks and Trojans came under the spell of one of the gods?"

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth stammered, wondering if Robin really was falling apart.

"You should read it over again," Robin said. "Especially the part where the person comes out of the spell and finally sees clearly."

"You're not angry at me anymore?"

"Angry? I should thank you. You're the only one of that bunch I would even talk to. But honestly, Liz, I really can't talk right now. See you later."

And off she jogged toward the gym.

The conversation left Elizabeth more perplexed than ever, though one thing was for sure. Robin didn't seem depressed. She was different, all right, but not in a negative way. Elizabeth was intrigued. Her reporter's mind began searching for some clue that would explain what was taking place.

One day she walked through the cafeteria and sat down at a table to wait for her friend Enid. Looking around, she saw Robin sitting alone at a nearby table. Elizabeth started to speak but quickly changed her mind. The clue she had been searching for was right in front of her.

Robin's plate, usually heaped with french fries and double burgers, now held only lettuce leaves, two tomato slices, and a hard-boiled egg. Elizabeth watched her silently, and when Robin got up to walk away, she noticed it for certain. On the track in bulky sweat clothes it wasn't obvious. But now, even in a tent dress, it was: Robin Wilson was losing weight.

Every day before classes Elizabeth checked behind the school and always saw the lone figure circling the track in her sweat suit. Every lunchtime she noticed a subdued Robin looking a little tired and very alone, picking at a scaled-down lunch. One day a week or two later Elizabeth almost bumped into her coming down the stairs-and was astonished to realize the transformation that was occurring. The excess pounds were going rapidly, and the Robin who was emerging seemed like an entirely different girl. Elizabeth remembered the night of the dance-Discodisaster-when she first realized that Robin had a pretty face. Now, as the weight fell away, that face was becoming more than just pretty.

Elizabeth grinned excitedly. "Robin, you're really losing weight."

"Very observant," Robin responded, a note of sarcasm in her voice.

"I hope you're doing it the right way Robin."

Robin fixed her penetrating eyes on Elizabeth, "Liz, I may have been stupid about almost everything-the Pi Betas, Jessica, and maybe even you. But if you're asking me if I'm starving myself to death, I wouldn't give any of the PBAs the satisfaction."

"Oh, Robin, I think you're terrific."

The expressionless eyes seemed to glow with a momentary warmth, but then the mask returned. Nodding a goodbye, Robin hurried down the stairs.

All the way home, Elizabeth found herself humming, her thoughts now on Todd. She'd been neglecting him shamefully lately, but she'd make it up to him.

The phone was ringing as she entered the house, and she ran to pick it up before it stopped. A breathless Lila Fowler was on the other end.

"Liz! Something terrible has happened."

"Lila, what's the matter? Where are you?"

"Liz, I'm at the mall. It's awful!"

"What, Lila? What happened?"

"It's Jessica. She's been arrested for shoplifting!"