5
The Meat of the Matter
2001-06-23
Alden, who's working in a meat packing plant to raise money for his band, encourages Sharon to apply for a job in the office. She reluctantly accepts the job, but winds up becoming a vegetarian and quitting when her braces begin picking up sounds from the slaughter house next door. She tries to encourage Alden to quit also, and becomes somewhat disillusioned with him when he won't. But her resentment doesn't last long when it's announced that there's a fundraiser barbeque for Alden's band. Sharon wants to go, but is reminded by her nemesis, Nina, that it would be against her principles, since they're serving meat. Sharon decides to go to the barbeque to offer a meat-free alternative, but winds up in an altercation with Nina which results in Alden's guitar getting smashed. Sharon feels awful, but all is well when she discovers Alden carries no resentment over the loss of his guitar. It turns out that he's gotten a raise, so he can afford to buy a new guitar.
21
Skipping
2001-11-03
Alden, Brock, and Carmen have auditions for their band. Sharon and Maria audition and they get the part. Brock gets a phone call and tells them they're up for an audition in a neighboring city but it's at 11:00 A.M on a school day. The 5 teens pretend to be sick so they can go. They make the audition but afterwards, they get on the wrong bus. They get off in the middle of nowhere until they find a golfcourse with a golf cart lying around so they steal it and make it to a highway just as a heavy thunderstorm blows into the area. Nina and her mom show up and give them a ride back to Elkford. However, Brock is caught by his Dad and winds up out of the band. Meanwhile, Nina and Allison try to prove that Sharon's skipping but it backfires.
23
Angels Among Us
2001-12-01
It's Christmas in Elkford! Sharon prepares to draw Alden's name from a gift exchange in homeroom, but her party is pooped when Nina's name is on Sharon's card. Sharon, at first, wants to get her something cheap, but she decides to get her a plastic angel. Sharon procrastinates, and at the exchange, Sharon has five dollars in pennies for Nina! Just as Sharon is giving Nina the bag, Nina says she does not want anything that year.
Sharon could not wait to get home and put the tofurkey in the oven,(Sharon is a vegan) decorate the tree, and sing carols. However, her plan backfires when Ellen has work, Josh celebrates Channukah, and Adam has to camp out in the freezing weather in the driveway with tthe family's pioneer-like uncle. Sharon gets so angry, she storms off telling her mother she is going somewhere a ""real Christmas"" is happening.
On her quest to find her ""real Christmas,"" Sharon stops at Connor's, but she leaves because relatives constantly argue. She then goes to Maria's where
