Tess is a quiet high school freshman who loves reading and stage plays. She has no ambitions to be a cheer leader or date a football player. She could care less about the latest fashions or who's on the cover of Shallow People magazine. Not your typical 15-year-old. Tess hates high school and the feeling is mutual. Her days are filled with taunts: "Tess puts the 'hor' in horrible." Her nights are filled with clever comebacks and should've saids. She dreams of getting even, changing the bullies or changing herself. What should she do? Tess asks her best friend, Derek, for advice, but he has problems of his own. The school's guidance counselor isn't much help. She tells Tess to fit in she has to dumb down and slut up. Tess won't do that. Even Tess's parents don't understand. They think bullies leave a physical mark: a black eye or bruises. They don't realize bullies today use subtler weapons. They lie. They whisper. They spread rumors. Tess's parents' advice is out-of-date. Tess decides she has to solve this problem on her own. She is determined to come up with a way as unique as she is to combat 21st Century Darwinism (survival of the meanest) using humor, understanding and just a touch of payback.