Initiation (Sapphires Social Club)
by Nicole J. Knight

It’s the last Monday in September. For sophomore girls at Moreland High, it’s the most important day of their lives. They rush to their lockers and hope to find that one-of-a-kind invitation to the Sapphires Social Club. For the lucky few who are chosen, there is the promise of popularity and high school fame if they complete initiation. Queenie, a cheerleader with a basketball star boyfriend, believes that being a Sapphire is her destiny. Taylor, a tennis player, is a reluctant participant in a bet that she can’t complete initiation. Chanel, an honor student from a low-income neighborhood, is looking to secure her status among Moreland’s rich kids. Anna Maria, who is struggling to lose weight, sees the Sapphires as a way for her peers to accept her. The girls soon discover that the Sapphires Social Club is different from their expectations. Ultimately, they will have to decide if being a Sapphire is worth the total price of admission.