Most people think El is perpetually snarky and rude, but the truth is, she's only that way with people who are rude to her, rude to people she cares about, or displaying idiotic levels of unearned privilege. Her mother raised her with a keen sense of justice, not an attitude problem. (The attitude problem in response to injustice is her own unique invention.)

"How did I get here?" she asks -- with remarkable calm, all things considered. She frowns at Precious, who's trying to direct her attention somewhere ... the boy's uniform? Not right now! she thinks, even though there's no reason to believe that Precious is psychic. I can admire the uniforms later! Though there is something kind of familiar about them...