A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"Yeah. Calliope's not exactly the forgiving type, is she? Did she leave the Jewell family to guilt-trip Lisette into leaving too?"

"Poor Lisette, she didn't deserve that!"

"Calliope's got a personality problem. The whole Jewell family isn't fond of her. How's that Lisette's fault?"

"Wow, Portia, have you fallen under Calliope's spell too?"

People around Portia were quick to voice their thoughts, rallying behind Lisette. They glanced at Portia with a mix of disdain and disbelief.

"Can't you guys see? Lisette's putting on an act," Portia said, exasperated with her classmates.

"Class president, aren't you supposed to be fair? You really believe Lisette's not acting?" Portia asked, hoping for some backup.

Let's have a good time today," the class president said hurriedly. "Lisette's always been like this-kind-hearted and honest. She

Clap! Clap! Clap!

of applause echoed through

entrance commanding everyone's attention.

you just talking about me? Now that

the crowd. No one spoke up. After all, Calliope had been the campus.queen bee, and their entire year knew her.

we can't talk about it?" a heavily made-up girl sneered

high school. A boy she liked had a crush on Calliope, and she had

Calliope replied earnestly. "Maybe you should get your ears checked. What I said was I'd prefer it if you said it to my face. Gossiping is fine. I

chair and sat before Eva, poised and composed. She was graceful,

real world, everyone had changed, shaped by the pressures

something