Sandy was happy with her latest task from Annie. She was going get a cup of hot chocolate everyday! That was much more preferable compared to the cold tasteless water from the drinking fountain.
And she really needed the hot chocolate to cheer her up that Tuesday. The weather had been depressingly dark and cold, though the clouds had been considerate enough to rain their burden only in the wee hours of the morning.
The beverage would help keep her warm and would be a welcome addition to her lunch. And if she opened the cover of the paper cup, she could warm her hand with the steam rising from it.
Annie was not in the cafeteria that Tuesday, though.
With her drink in one hand and her lunch box under an arm, Sandy wondered if she should wait for the little girl so she could do as she was told. Standing awkwardly there by the drinks stall, she had to step out of the way for other students.
She had to step aside a few times. She was in people's way.
In the end, she gave up on waiting and went to sit with her gossip group.
On Wednesday the next day, despite the many students in the cafeteria, Sandy spotted Annie right after she had bought her hot chocolate. The little girl was having a friendly chat with the tall redhead Connie. A plump brown-haired girl stood close to them.
Sandy recalled Annie's instructions. All she had to do was to move quickly past the little girl. It was simple for her to do, even if she had to dodge students in the way.
As she walked with a quick pace, she caught sight of Ariel further at the back of the cafeteria, claiming an empty table. Sandy mentally plotted a course to take her beyond Annie to her classmate. She would join the blond and enjoy her hot chocolate.
With her eyes fixed on her destination, Sandy passed Annie. As she did so, she hit something small and hard on her shin. It made her trip.
Annie leaned back to avoid Sandy's headlong stumble. Unobstructed, the brown-haired girl's momentum carried her onward, right into Connie. The redhead instinctively tried to back away. She did not get far enough.
Sandy's forward motion continued until she stopped it with an extended hand on Connie's chest. Unfortunately, that was the hand which held the cup of hot chocolate. The paper cup was crushed, splashing hot liquid onto Connie's red and yellow sweater.
The sudden contact and subsequent heat on her chest caused Connie to back even further. Her long legs could not keep up with her movement. The redhead fell backwards.
Some of the hot chocolate got onto Sandy's long jacket sleeve and hand. The scalding liquid caused Sandy to drop the cup reflexively. The cup landed on one of Connie's foot, spilling it's remaining contents onto her red shoe and yellow leg warmer just as the redhead landed painfully on her bottom.
Sandy stared in shock as Connie glared back.
"I'm so sorry," Sandy apologized frantically. She had just spilled her drink on Connie Baker, one of the most popular girls among the freshmen. That could not be good.
The redhead looked at the damage to her sweater. A dangerous growl escaped her lips and her body trembled.
Annie laughed. "Connie, you look ridiculous down there wearing a hot drink," she mocked as she rubbed an ankle against the calf of her other leg.
"Oh, do I?" Connie thrust a finger at the crushed cup on the floor. "I'm sure there's enough left in that cup for you to try some on."
"I think I'll pass," Annie declined.
"I suppose you're happy about this," snapped Connie.
"It's just an accident," Annie pointed out, "It's not my fault."
Prompted by Annie's last statement, Connie trained a pair of angry eyes on Sandy. Everything was the brown-haired girl's fault.
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