The Incident

Gracie Samuels walked up the red brick path to school opting to take the side door closer to her locker instead of walking in through the front where everyone could ogle her and whisper. Yesterday was an embarrassing day and if most people hadn't heard about it from gossip on MSN the night before they'd surely know by this morning. No secret was sacred at Bishop Michael High, with 400 students all coming from the same community, everyone knew everyone's business, even the teachers would get involved. It was just last year Ms. Giacomo the junior girl's Phys. Ed. teacher got fired for gossiping about another student. It was quite the scandal, there was a girl named Emily Reeves in the 9th grade, she was sitting in the gym with her classmates awaiting attendance to be taken when Ms. Giacomo looked at her with confusion and in her nasally voice admonished Emily.

"The boys class is on the track today." She'd said, glancing down at her attendance sheet.

"Emily Reeves?" she read looking up at the class. Emily raised her hand.

"You're Emily Reeves?" Ms. Giacomo asked unamused.

"Yes, Miss." Emily's cheeks turned a bright crimson; this wasn't the first time that her affinity for keeping her dark hair short and wearing boy's clothing was confusing for other people.

"I don't have time for this today. The boys class is being held on the track, if I have to tell you to get to your class again you'll be going to the office." Ms. Giacomo threatened. Anytime a teacher didn't want to deal with a student they sent them to the principal, Mr. Vavona. He was ruthless in his punishments but no one respected him. He was one of those people that used his power to hurt others because he could like that soldier from Schindler's List who shot people because he could.

"I'm not a boy, I'm a girl." Emily had replied with embarrassment as the class giggled awkwardly. And that was it, for 6 hellish months Emily was known as "The He-She". Ms. Giacomo started that term and perpetuated it among the students and some teachers until it got so bad Emily went home one day and slashed her wrists. She was lucky her mom got home when she did because Emily was opening a jug of bleach to finish it off. After 3 weeks as an inpatient at a mental health hospital Emily was released home but never came back to school. Her mom raised all kinds of hell at the school until finally one of the students in the class told on Ms. Giacomo. Ms. Giacomo was fired on the spot and the girl who told has been known as "The Rat" ever since.

Gracie was not about to take any chances. She knew once you got a nickname it never left, sometimes it would even get passed on to other schools so even if you went to the mall or out for dinner with your family and someone saw you they'd use your nickname and nicknames were never good. Keeping her head down Gracie made her way passed the cafeteria windows to her locker. Once she got there she paused unsure whether to turn the volume up on her iPod so as not to hear if people were taunting her or keep it down so she could hear what people were saying. Taking a deep soothing breath she left the volume down and pulled her binders and books from her black bag switching them for the other books in her locker. Gracie's phone pinged with 4 different text messages, her stomach churned with anxiety. Here it comes. She thought as she tapped the track pad of her Blackberry Pearl

<<Mark: Hey, where r u?>>

<<Ashley: FML forgot to study 4 English, come to the caff so I can steal ur notes :)>>

<<Will: I'm not gonna say n-e thing so u shouldn't either>>

<<Jenn: OMG DID U WATCH THE HILLS LAST NIGHT?????>>

As Gracie was about to reply to her best friend Jenn's text about their favourite MTV show, the dysfunction of Spencer and Heidi's relationship was always cause for a long gossip session, her phone pinged with another text.

<<Mark: I'm coming to find u stay where u r>>

Just as Gracie put her phone back in her pocket and shut her locker Mark appeared. He loped down the hall suspiciously, checking over his shoulder every few steps until he got to her.

"Hey, you ok?" he said in a low tone. Gracie popped one earphone out of her ear.

"Yeah." Pause. "Fine, why?"

"Well yesterday was really fucked up and you didn't come online last night so I was checking to see you were ok."

Gracie made sure to not let her face give way to the softness she felt on the inside. She didn't know Mark apart from seeing him in the halls everyday and seeing him at the odd party. This type of genuine concern touched her, she didn't have many friends but she could tell from yesterday afternoon and now this morning Mark was fast becoming another true friend.

"I didn't go on MSN because I was studying, have a Gatsby test today in," Gracie paused to check her watch just as the morning bell sounded for first period classes to begin, "Now." She finished. Picking her bag up from off the floor as the halls started to fill with crowds of students rushing out of the cafeteria and heading to their morning classes.

Bing.

Bing.

Gracie could hear the soft bell chime of her cellphone going off in her bag as she completed her test. English was her favourite subject and she welcomed the distraction discussing the inner emptiness felt by Gatsby and the other characters as they forced themselves to put on a front, covering their inner turmoil with lavish parties and material things. Once her test was complete, Gracie placed it on her teacher's desk and headed back to her own. Quietly she took her cell phone out of her bag to read her messages.

<<Jenn: Hellooooo? Holly is staying over @ Lauren's THOUGHTS?!>>

<<Will: Answer me so I know u will>>

While Gracie was replying to Jenn's text she received another ping on her cell phone not realizing that she didn't shut the volume off of her ringtone the bell chime sounded and caused heads to turn toward her seat in the middle of the class. Turning bright red Gracie ducked and hid her phone as the teacher looked up and surveyed the class, everyone went back to writing their test and Gracie went back to her phone. In her inbox was another text message from Will.

<<Will: Don't ruin my relationship with ur jealousy. Keep ur fucking mouth shut>>

Gracie's cheeks flamed red as she read that text message she was so upset and disgusted. She pressed the big Reply button, took a deep steadying breath and began typing out her text.

<<Gracie: Ok. I was writing a test u don't have to swear...>>

<<Will: Bullshit, Gracie. Don't talk to ur lil friends about it either.>>

<<Will: No one will believe u n-e ways. Ur a jealous slut.>>

Gracie took the battery out of her phone and hidthe disintegrated pieces in her backpack.