no personal business on company pond

seriously, don't apologize. I've been hearteying like crazy reading everyone's brilliant comments, including yours

I definitely don't want to side with either Rachel or Mercedes - I love both of them, and I get where both of them are coming from - arishako has some great points in defense of Rachel above that I definitely agree with. For me, it really comes down to Will, in the end, and the fact that these are two 16-year-olds who aren't and shouldn't be accountable in the way that Will, as the presumed adult, is in this situation. Even if, as kitsune13 points out, Rachel isn't at all powerless in the dynamic between her and Will. It's a delicate balance with Rachel - yes, she's ostracized and bullied in a lot of ways that are unfair and troubling, but she also benefits quite a bit in ways that aren't fair to others. She and Mercedes, I think, are so interesting in part because they each have what the other lacks - Mercedes is personable in ways Rachel isn't, while Rachel gets the recognition Mercedes craves.