[Chasmo]

As was the case for all of Gonzaga's pep rallies, particularly those like this one that included a show by the Georgetown Visitation cheerleaders, the school's gymnasium was packed to the gills. In addition to the 500 or so virile young Gonzaga men who occupied the bleachers along each side of the gleaming hardwood basketball court, chairs had been set up behind the half court line for parents, faculty and guests and a stage had been assembled under the basket at the far end of the court from which Dr. Bloom would address the gathering and upon which would be seated certain students, senior administrators and honored guests, including Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh who, although a graduate of Georgetown Prep, on of Gonzaga's fiercest rivals, was on this day the proud father of one of the Georgetown Visitation cheerleaders.

The open floor between the stage and the first row of chairs was where the cheerleaders had already begun their performance and where the football team and small pep band - each member of which was watching the cheerleaders' every move - were seated. In keeping with school tradition, at the conclusion of the rally, a senior boy - this year Adam Sanin - would let loose from the back of the room "Claude," the school's American Eagle mascot, who would swoop over the crowd in the gym before alighting back on Mr. Sanin's gloved hand to be re-caged by his trainer. Adam, Claude and Claude's trainer - Sister Beatrice - were already positioned in the highest row of the bleachers.

Needless to say, with the team's bright prospects, the cheerleaders provocative choreography and the pep band already in full swing, excitement was at a crescendo as Dr. Bloom, Danielle and Will Parnell and the Duncan and Miras mother and son duos entered the gym - and Danielle loved it. It was in moments like this, when distractions were everywhere and the pulse of a crowd was at its most dynamic, that Danielle genuinely relished here ability to steal focus. Nothing - she would think to herself - is ever going to prevent the limelight from finding me. And so it was, as she made her way from the back of the gym through the crowd and toward the stage, that Mrs. Danielle Marie Parnell, by adding a little extra sway to her already spectacular high heeled strut, began to turn the heads of every man and boy in the crowd and likewise attract the anger and jealousy of every woman and girl.

Fathers and sons alike swallowed (and became) hard as the imperious uber-MILF made her way to the open floor and - despite the cheerleaders being in mid-routine - held out her bejeweled hand to stop them while, as their mouths gaped open in the shock and humiliation of this diva's gaul, striding superciliously through their ranks and toward the small set of stairs leading to the stage.

"Hey lady," came the voice of the cheerleader's captain - one Sharon Miras - "what do you think you're doing?"

Relishing the challenge of the smaller, younger woman, Danielle spun around on her high Prada heels and, with an icy stare, cowed Rachel Miras' daughter just as she had so often silenced Rachel herself.

"I'm doing whatever I please little girl," Danielle remarked disdainfully, "none of which involves gyrating half dressed in front of a roomful of testosterone charged boys. Now mind your place. Or is there something you'd like to do about it. Well? I didn't think so."

Cut to the quick by the woman's unexpectedly harsh rebuke, Sharon Miras turned three shades of red before slinking back to her team. And although the music almost instantly began playing again, prompting the cheerleaders to resume their show, nary a male eye noticed the nubile young woman any longer. Instead - and as usual thought Danielle - those eyes were all glued to her. Although she smirked at them outwardly, on the inside Danielle was smiling ear to ear at how simple it was for her to stir the lust of this pathetic assemblage of men. That she also was able to humiliate that Hobbit Rachel Miras' daughter in the process was just icing on the cake. After all, hadn't that little trollop turned down Will's invite to the junior prom. No one messes with my boy she thought, thrilled that once again she had avenged the Parnell family honor.

Rachel Miras was distraught. Had that hussy really just humiliated her daughter in front of both her cheerleading team and the entire student body of Gonzaga. It was definitely time to teach the arrogant little tease a lesson she thought but, despite her best efforts, Rachel's seemingly ceaseless pulling on the string she held had barely taken an inch off the bottom of Danielle's fashionable skirt. Worse yet, once they sat down on stage, it would be virtually impossible to continue her plan. How could it be that once again the officious Mrs. Parnell would get one over on her and her family. And then she saw it . . . at the rear of the stage positioned to launch a net full of purple and white balloons skyward during the rally . . . a large industrial fan.

* * *

Having made their way to the stage, Dr. Bloom and his train of mothers and sons began to take their seats. As Will went to sit in the front row next to Justice Kavanaugh his mother immediately objected.

"That's where mommy needs to sit Will," she carped at her son while at the same time flashing her perfect smile to the newest member of the high court, "so people can see her with Mr. Justice Kavanaugh."

"But mom . . ."

"But nothing," Danielle sharply replied, "you belong in the second row - behind me."

Quickly realizing that could interfere with the plan forming in her head, Rachel Miras shrewdly offered a compromise.

"Why don't you go ahead and sit next to your mom Will," she proffered, "I can take the seat behind her and Mrs. Duncan can sit next to me."

Afraid to respond on his own, Will Parnell looked pensively at his own mother for her approval.

"Fine," snapped Danielle annoyed now my the continuing clamor of the band, hooting boys and dancing cheerleaders, "just sit down - all of you."

As Dr. Bloom stepped up to the podium at center stage, Rachel Miras and Emily Duncan exchanged smiles due in no small part to the slight loss of poise they had just witnessed in the usually unflappable Mrs. Parnell's personality. To this point only they knew that Danielle's minor psychic unravelling was a mere precursor to a completely different type of unravelling they hoped the audience would soon witness.