Chapter 2
1352 Words
Chapter 2
My alarm went off at 6:00am like normal. I tried to open my eyes but realized that I could only successfully open one eye.
I groaned as I tried to force my other eye open but it didn’t work. Damn, I must have been hit harder than I thought. I thought he just grazed me, but this felt like a full on contact punch.
Fucking Andy, what a piece of s**t.
No one in my house was awake this early leaving me free to use the bathroom to get ready for school without conflict. I walked in there and splashed water on my face then dried it, barely daring to look in the mirror.
“Shit.” I said out loud.
I didn’t want to look in the mirror for good reason. This shiner was huge and swollen. And, of course, a deep shade of shiny purple with blue and black adorning the side of my eye, cascading down onto my cheekbone.
My sunglasses would barely even f*****g hide this monstrosity.
I finished getting ready and threw on some clothes. Just a simple black tee and some levis would suffice. I let my long chocolate hair fall to my mid back in hopes that it would possibly help cover my face.
My eyes were a strange color, they were a fiery orange… Almost like someone with red hair, but just their hair color if you can imagine that. Maybe like a copper color? It was the strangest color for eyes I had ever seen, and no one I had ever met had it or anything close to it.
My body was athletic even though I never worked out. I never watched what I ate, drank tons of soda and never cared. But I still couldn't gain weight if I tried.
It was like my body stayed at a perfect 140 pounds no matter what I did or didn’t do. I did feel lucky to have a fast metabolism at least.
One last glance in the mirror with my dark sunglasses on and that would have to do. Hopefully I could get through this day without an incident.
I grabbed some toast and headed out the front door towards my school. Once I got there, I headed inside. I only left myself enough time to get to class and nothing else. I didn’t want to be there any longer than I possibly had to. I went to my first period and sat in the back.
We didn’t have assigned seating so I figured the less people that saw me the better. I was surprised when my teacher didn’t ask me to take my sunglasses off. Me 1, teacher 0. 7 more classes to go. I thought with a sigh. I can do this.
It was just after lunch now, and I had successfully managed to keep my sunglasses on until this point.
One of the guys from the football team ran into me by accident and my glasses went flying, clattering against the tile lunchroom floor.
He picked them up and went to hand them to me when he saw my face. It must have been pretty bad because he flinched, and I could just feel the pity radiating from him. I didn’t want his f*****g pity. I was fine.
“You got something to say?” I snapped. He didn’t say anything and handed me my glasses, but as he turned to walk away one of his friends walked up who apparently heard me snap at him. “I’ll bet your attitude got you that shiner didn’t it? You probably deserved it too!” He snarled.
I snapped, and in an instant, lunged forward toppling us both to the ground. I regained control quickly, straddling the boy and laying blow after blow to his face. “I’ll show you who f*****g deserves it.” I snarled, as someone grabbed me and pulled me off the boy.
His face was bleeding pretty good. I assumed his shiner would look just as gnarly as mine in the morning. Me 1, football player 0.
I ripped my arms out of the person's hands who had me restrained and bent down to grab my glasses.
I put them back on and followed the teacher out of the lunch room and towards the principal's office. I knew the drill, this was a walk of shame. I had done it many times in my years at this school, and many others.
Little did I know this was about to be my last walk of shame here. When I got into the principal's office he, of course, made me take my sunglasses off.
“Are you happy now?” I shot the words like arrows piercing his heart.
His face showed how he was feeling. There it goes again, the f*****g pity. “I don’t want your pity, I just wanted to wear my sunglasses. Is that a crime?” I snarled, while putting them back on my face.
“Rae.” The principal said, and then stopped. I cringed at the use of my name. That wasn’t my name, no one actually knew my name. Hell, I didn’t even know my name. All I knew were the names I was given over the years.
I knew what I wanted my name to be. I knew what name resonated within me, but I refused to tell anyone because they didn’t deserve to say it. And thus they decided to give me whatever name they wanted.
Samantha, Amber, Jessica, Rachel, Rae… All insignificant titles that don’t fit me. Names that never felt like home, never felt right coming off other peoples tongues.
“You have been in 27 fights this year.” The principal stated. “Oh so we are keeping count now?” I scoffed. He rolled his eyes at me. “Rae, we have always kept count.” He reminded me. “I’m sorry but I can't let you stay here. You are too much of a danger to the other students.” He said softly.
“I’m too much of a danger?? Me? How?! When I'm just defending myself!” I roared back. His words had me in complete shock.
I was standing from my chair with my hand on the principal's desk. I was demanding an explanation on how it’s ok for people to press me until I snap…
But when I snap and defend myself, it’s not ok. I was clearly not going to get an answer and could tell the principal was uneasy at my advance.
I stood back and took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose softly.
“Ok, I'm calm… I’m calm… I still think it’s bullshit. But where else can I go? I've gone to every private school and public high school around here. No way any of those schools will let me back in.” I said with an exasperated sigh.
“I know. I have spoken to the headmaster of Obsidian. It’s a charter school across the river. I did this the last time you got in a fight to see what kind of room he had and if he could deal with troubled kids. He agreed that if you needed to transfer he would be willing to accept you. All I have to do is give him a call and you can start there Monday morning.” The principal said.
A f*****g charter school? Jesus. I thought. “I don’t have a choice, do I? I asked. “No Rae, I’m afraid you don’t.” He replied. I looked at him and with a defeated sigh, I agreed to start at Obsidian on Monday.
I didn’t finish the rest of the day, I was expelled, and the teacher who originally brought me here had to walk me out.
I definitely didn’t want to go home, I knew what would be waiting there.
The principal had to, by law, call my foster parents anytime something like this happened.
I knew I was doomed from the minute my fist connected with that football player’s face.
- Writer
