As I trudged home from school on the third day after the incident at school. Martha had won. I allowed her change my life.
I knew I was in trouble as soon as I entered my house. There was no "how was school?" Instead, I almost bumped into my waiting mother who was waiting on the stairs.
"Your school called?"
My eyes dropped before returning to my mothers face. What could I say? Of course the school called her. What had I been thinking?
"Well?" My mother asked in that tone I hated.
"In sorry."
After a very long pause, she said "why haven't you been going to school? I want an answer, young lady."
Shit!! She called me young lady. I was in deep trouble.
"Mom, it's just that I'm not getting along with the other kids at school. It became to hard. Why can't we just move back home—?"
"Hannah martina Lowbridge!"
Double shit. She used my full name. I was in serious trouble.
"We are not moving back this is our new home. Your not even trying to get alone with the other kids."
"That's not fair."
"It's not? You haven't tried."
Maybe she was right. I hadn't really tried. I was gonna do it my way no matter what. But u liked wearing skirts. I like the way they made me feel. I'm a girl and it made me feel pretty and sexy. There, I said it.
"In waiting." My mothers arms were still crossed and the fingers of on hand tapped her other arm.
"Mom I'm an individual. What if everyone came school naked? Would u want me to—?"
She turned red. She pointed a finger at me but no words came out. Instead she stormed into the kitchen.
We were well into dinner before a word was spoken.
"Your going to school tomorrow"
"I know sorry"
When she woke me the next day she stayed in my room for a while. She didn't leave until I was dressed.
"Well, at least your dresses for school" "I should have known something was wrong when u started to wear jeans.
She always told me that I'm old enough to take responsibility and her telling me what to wear is the opposite.
When I got of the school bus, I headed for the main door without making eye contact with anyone. I stopped when I heard a voice.
"Hey hanz, wait up"
I turned to see it was Tyler.
I just smiled.
"So u decided to come back" he said.
"They called my mom."
"Oh that sucks. Did ya get in trouble?"
"She's to mad right now. I'll probz be grounded,"
"Sucks.. Cmom ill walk ya to ur locker."
I heard several nasty comments and a few giggles from the other kids. I wanted to turn home, but Tyler toke my hand.
I was putting stuff in my locker.
When Martha and her two
Friends showed up.
I felt better with Tyler next to me. Martha just lucked at Tyler.
"Didn't think u be back,"
Tyler pushed throw them.
"Yeah she continued, "everyone's been talking about u the girl who doesn't were panties..."
I didn't know who I was angry at Tyler for walking away or Martha the bully. It was a glint of light that made me look at the knife as Tyler slicked the strap of Martha's overall. She stopped taking.
"What the fu—" she cried, but before she finished Tyler grabbed her overall and yanked it to her shins.
Martha stood before me in a dirty yellow top and a pair of big and old white panties. The kind my nanny would wear.
And holes all over them...
She bent over to pull her overall up, but screeched and stood up straight when Tyler smacked her butt so hard the sound reverberated in the hallway. And then Tyler grabbed her panties and dragged them down over her fat thighs, past her knees all the way to her ankles.
Martha spun around. It was a mistake. Her feet caught in her clothes and she toppled over,
Crashing to the floor like a puppet whose strings were cut. After a while everyone burst out laughing. She grabbed her clothes and ran.
Her face was bright red all the way to the neckline of her tee- shirt, her eyes looked side to side. She started to cry.
I noticed Tyler's red handprint on Martha's butt. When they were gone I was looking for Tyler. He had been watching too, but now turned towards me. I mouthed the words "thank you" and then I just smilled.
"You better get out of here," I said. "And get ride of that knife.
" if u get caught with it—"
Tyler placed his finger on my mouth and smiled. "No problem" see ya later
All through first period class I stared at Tyler with one eye on the door. At any minute I expected someone to come for him maybe even the police.
It was all my fault.
"We had I been so selfish?"
Tyler was my only friend and he would of been in trouble because of me.
When the bell rang I jumped in my seat. I must have screamed or something because all eyes were on me. I saw Tyler smiling at me. I just smiled back at him
"Hanz can we talk?"
"Next class is starting."
He just lucked away. I thought he was gonna cry. I knew he wanted to talk to me about what happened.
I placed a hand on Tyler's shoulder and waited for him to look up. "Let's have lunch
Together."
He said " I wanted to talk to u alone"
Okay let's skip lunch. I'll meet u in the field.
"Yeah"
"Good, see u there. I have to go"
I ran to my next class. The halls were so empty so I knew I was gonna be late for my next class English. "I wonder wat Tyler is gonna tell me. Must be serious.
