Only Girls Allowed by Debra Moffitt Page A

site.
    What was she doing—blowing our cover? Is this what she was doing that day I caught her in our office?
    My heart was beating so loudly I heard it in my ears—
kunga, kunga, kunga
. The audience was hushed.
    â€œHave you heard of the Pink Locker Society? If you have, I bet you’re a girl,” Bet told the camera in a serious anchorperson voice.
    She went on to say how the Pink Locker Society was performing “a vital service for the young women of Margaret Simon Middle School.” Her voice sounded a little thin, but before anyone could shout “Bor-ing!” she asked the audience a question.
    â€œSo why would someone vandalize this reputable site with horribly rude comments?”
    Bet showed some screen shots of those awful remarks splattered over the Pink Locker site.
    â€œThose of you who frequent the Pink Locker Web site probably have seen these wretched commentaries. To someone who was having body-confidence issues, the hacker wrote ‘La-ha-looooooser! Boys will never like you.’ ”
    â€œWell,” Bet said, “I think the hacker is the la-ha-looooooser.And I’m pleased to say my investigation has uncovered the true identity of this person.”
    Bet waited—a dramatic pause. I myself was rapt with attention. I shot a look at Piper and Kate, whose eyes were locked on the huge video screen in front of us.
    â€œI was concerned about accusing this person,” Bet said, “because a good journalist does not just blindside someone without giving them a chance to speak. For my investigation, I partnered with a very fine computer consultant, and I had a hunch of my own. But what if I was wrong?”
    As she spoke, Bet was seated at an anchor desk, her hands neatly folded in front of her. She looked so calm, cool, and collected. I, on the other hand, was at the edge of my seat.
    â€œWhat I’m about to show you proves that I was not wrong,” Bet said. “But before I get to that, my investigation also has uncovered some surprising bits of history about the Pink Locker Society.”
    OK, under normal circumstances, I’d be very interested in whatever historical odds and ends Bet had dug up. But right this minute? No. Like everyone in the entire auditorium, I wanted to know who it was. Who was the hacker?
    â€œDid you know the PLS mysteriously halted its operations in 1976?” Bet asked.
    In her video, she scanned over old copies of
The Pink Paper
on the screen and an open copy of the 1976 Margaret Simon yearbook. We were all waiting, waiting.
    â€œMore to come on that in future reports,” Bet said finally.
    â€œBack to the hacker who vandalized the Pink Locker Society Web site. It is someone familiar to us all. And, to my great surprise, she freely admitted what she did on camera. She said she was not worried about getting in trouble. She said her comments, which led to the temporary shutdown of the PLS site, were meant to be—her words here—‘funny and edgy.’ So who is this mystery girl?”
    Another generous pause. The entire auditorium watched and waited. Then the screen cut to Taylor Mayweather.
    â€œYes, I did it,” Taylor said, flipping hair over one shoulder. “I saw it as an elegant prank—an extension of my ‘Gotcha!’ brand and persona. If I want to be a reality TV star, I can’t take careful little steps. I have to be bold and daring.”
    I was stunned—so stunned that I had to remind myself to breathe.
Inhale, exhale,
I told myself.
    â€œBut Taylor, what about the girls whose feelings were almost certainly hurt?” Bet asked.
    Taylor laughed in an irritated way, like Bet was asking a dumb question.
    â€œI was going to tell everyone it was me as soon as I won the MSTV contest and started my weekly show.”
    â€œBut again, I have to ask, what about the people you hurt?” Bet asked once more.
    â€œI-I didn’t think about
hurting
people. I was just