We join Sharon in medias yammer: "So then she admits that she only joined Yearbook to be near Scott, which is just, like, so low," and the audio on Sharon's voice trails off as Angela pretends to pay attention but really scans the badly lit hallway and AVOs, "Like, with boys, like they have it so easy." She walks past a group of guys -- one of whom looks about thirty-five and has a major mullet -- sizing her up, and AVOs, "Like you have to pretend you don't notice them noticing you." Another guy twirls a basketball on his finger. Two jocks shove Brian Krakow up against a locker, but not with any particular passion, and Angela has no reaction; clearly, this is not an unusual event. More AVO: "Like cheerleaders. Can't people just cheer on their own? Like, to themselves?" Angela brushes up against one of the cheerleaders, who shoots her an irritated backward glance; the contact breaks Angela out of her slow-mo, proto-Felicitarian reverie, and we hear Sharon's voice again, still complaining about the Yearbook deceiver. As Angela and Sharon descend a flight of stairs, we see that Angela is sporting a pair of opaque white tights -- and not, though you might think it, under a pair of Bad Idea Jeans. As Angela passes by a window, she gazes out to see Rayanne and Rickie Vasquez running down the front steps and away from school. Sharon asks Angela who she's looking for, and Angela distractedly replies, "Nobody," though AVO cryptically adds, "School is a battlefield...for your heart." This is me in grade nine, baby. This is me in grade nine.

As wet red hair dribbles over a sink, AVO brings us up to speed: "So when Rayanne Graff told me my hair was holding me back, I had to listen, because she wasn't just talking about my hair -- she was talking about my life." Angela straightens up -- for the red hair is hers -- and we see Rickie beaming appreciatively at her new look. Angela gazes at her new reflection. You'll find she gazes a lot.

Patty Chase, Angela's mom, stands in the kitchen with a bag of groceries on her hip, and bemusedly remarks, "So it is you." Angela appears in the frame, her red hair much brighter, having dried, and she explains, "I had my hair dyed." Patty passive-aggressively busies herself putting the groceries away, and snarks, "Oh, you had it dyed. I thought it had died of natural causes." Is there any wit like the wit of an irritated parent? Before Angela can answer, we hear Rayanne's voice, and then she bounds into the kitchen and, seeing Patty, abruptly shuts up. Rickie, right behind Rayanne, smiles his adorable, friendly smile, and asks Patty, "You're Angela's mom?" Patty stares at Angela for a second, then turns back to the kitchen cupboard, tersely (yet superficially cheerily) replying, "Yes! I am! That's true!" Rickie brightly says, "I like your house!" Patty says, "Thank you. Who are you?" Angela glances from Patty to Rickie and Rayanne and then back again, and introduces her friends to her mom. By way of answer, Patty mutters, "You dyed your hair. Okay. Well, here is some...cheese. And there are drinks in the, um --" "Fridge?" Rickie offers helpfully. Patty says, "Thank you. So, okay. I'm leaving now. Well, not the house -- the, um, room." She boots it on out of there, and well before she's out of earshot, Rickie comments, "She's nice!" "Not really," Angela mutters. Rayanne observes, "She took your hair real calm." Angela notes, "That's just because you two were here." I used to do that to my mom -- only spring news that would annoy her when there were "strangers" around to prevent her from reacting normally. ["That never worked on my mother. She'd just ream me anyway. I hated that." -- Sars] "Good cheese!" says Rayanne. Not around here -- it's just "good," no "cheese."