New Life

23|Snapped

Three weeks later everything has almost returned to normal. Zoë and Olivia didn't move into the pool house, they stayed in the guest room. Everyone had settled into their new schedule and it seemed as though Olivia and Zoë had always been there. Zoë had gotten the job at Yodephy and would soon have enough saved up to move into an apartment. Every morning either Jermaine or Zoë would take Breaunna to school, Janet kept baby Olive unless she had to go to the studio, Janet would pick Breaunna up from school, Thursday's and Saturday's were Breaunna's ballet lessons and practice for the talent show.

The talent show was three days away and Janet couldn't be happier, that was one less thing for Breaunna to do. Outfits had been bought, rehearsals lengthened, attitudes adjusted, and invitations sent out. The kids were excited but Janet was ready for this all to be over- she was stressed and needed to relax but that was definitely not going to happen. She was almost ready to start recording her album, she had about four scripts to read, the court date was quickly approaching, she had a wedding to plan and Jermaine was going to New York again; she was tired and rest was slowly becoming something foreign.

While everybody was out Janet sent Krystyn, her personal assistant, to run her errands so she could sit and read a script after talking with the wedding planner while Olivia took a nap.

**

It was recess and Breaunna was happy, Marie and Jenna weren't at school because all the third graders went to the Science Museum, and Stephanie and Paola would probably leave her alone today. She was watching the older girls double dutch when somebody pulled her hair. She looked around but there were too many kids to figure out who did it. Soon after she returned her gaze back to the girls a group of boys ran past her-one knocked her over without realizing it- and kept going.

"The hell?"I'm really not in the mood today. She murmured before standing up to dust off her uniform. When she was satisfied and finally looked up she saw Paola headed her way. Knowing shed try to mess with her Breaunna decided to go into the girl's bathroom- knowing Paola would follow her.

Breaunna may have been smaller than the other second graders but she knew how to use it to her advantage. She knew exactly what she was going to do. She knew the other girls never bothered her before her incident with Paola and she'd fix it herself.

When she went into the bathroom a girl was leaving; in no less than thirty seconds later Paola waltzed into the bathroom and shoved Breaunna into the wall.

"Good idea coming in here you're making it easy for me..." Paola said snidely.

"Making what easy?"

"This." As soon as the word was off her tongue Paola struck Breaunna across the face. Breaunna was surprised she had hit her since they would only push her around but just as quickly as she was shocked it turned to anger.

Her eyes filled with tears, her fists clenched tight, she pushed Paola backward sliding a foot behind one of Paola's feet, causing her to fall. Not giving Paola a chance to figure out what to do Breaunna sat on her and started hitting her wherever her hands landed. She couldn't take it anymore when another girl walked into the bathroom and saw them she called a teacher.

She knew she was in a heap of trouble but she didn't care anymore. Undoubtedly both her mom and Paola's mom would be called into the office and her mother would kill her. She sat outside the principles office and patiently awaited the arrival of her mother. Her face still stung from the hit and her arm throbbed- more than likely from being shoved into the wall.

"Breaunna Jackson?"

"Yes, ma'am." Breaunna looks up at Ms. Taylor.

"I called your mother but I want you to go over to the nurse and get some ice."