"Alright kids, it's circle time!" Announced Miss Garner, my favourite person here apart from Norman. But no matter how much I adored Miss Garner, I could never come to enjoy circle time. I think it's boring and baby-ish but Norman and I were always somewhat forced to participate. I fiddled with my gummy ring as I sat next to Norman in the circle. On the other side of me was Bianca, a girl with frizzy, blonde hair who had never treated me very nicely in all the years we'd spent here. I don't know what it was, she seemed to be one of those spoilt brats who would never be happy even if she was taken home to a new family. Norman wore the same expression that he always did when it came to this time of the day. Unmotivated and bored. Circle time was a little game all the children played where we would roll the ball each other and say something nice about them. I guess Miss Garner just wanted everyone to get along, but I could tell by the look in her eyes that we were all just lost and forgotten kids just waiting for a miracle. "Okay everyone, let's start with..." Miss Garner clutched the little blue ball in two hands and scanned us all. "Bianca." I scoffed in disbelief. Bianca smiled enthusiastically, showing her bright pink braces, her curls bouncing in excitement. "Umm..." Bianca peered around the circle in contemplation but we all knew who she was going to pick. "Jordan!" She squealed, her braces a horrific sight. I heard Norman snicker and he was shaking his head in amusement when I turned to look at him. I giggled back and watched Jordan receive the ball that Bianca rolled to him. "I like...the way your eyes look when you smile." The whole circle erupted with laughter, including Norman and I. "Now, now, children. You all know that it's not nice to laugh at our friends." Miss Garner said loud enough to be heard over the uproar. Everybody fell silent at once to listen to what Jordan had to say.
He took minutes to decide who to roll it to and my body stiffened when his big, brown eyes landed on me. Jordan was one year younger than me but was tall for his age and had light brown hair that was always styled to the left. I swallowed nervously. We had never shared even a conversation as he had only been here for a few weeks. I wonder what he was going to say about me. In the corner of my eye, I spotted Norman's hands slowly closing into fists. "Jennifer, I like the way that dress makes you loom fat." My jaw dropped in shock and there were whispers and giggles being shared around the circle. Miss Garner was furious as she stood up and stormed over to Jordan. "Time-out corner, now. We do not say those kinds of things!" I looked down at my favourite yellow dress with white trim and years brimmed my eyes. I looked at Norman and there was a wild gleam in his eyes.
During afternoon outside play I sat underneath the playground bridge, fiddling with some sticks. Norman flew down the slide and ducked underneath the playground to join me. "Jenny, you know you're not fat, right?" He said to me with his arms crossed. When I didn't reply he nudged me with his foot. The sliding door slammed shut, which only meant one thing. Jordan had completed his time-out punishment. After circle time Norman had promised me that he would sort him out. Of course I told him not to worry but I knew him all too well. "Norman, I..." But before I could stop him he had disappeared after I looked up from my stick-fiddling. "Norman, wait! Please leave it alone." I whimpered, getting to my feet to follow. It was too late, Jordan had already been confronted by Norman and Jordan's face looked terrified as Norman held him by his collar, their faces inches away. The other children playing nearby, dropped what they were doing to watch. "If you ever say something about her again, you'll wish time-out went forever!" Norman shouted in Jordan's face. He nodded violently in response and Norman threw him to the ground and turned his back to walk away. "You couldn't hurt a fly, you punch like a girl!" Jordan retaliated, making Norman stop dead in his tracks, his hands balling up into fists again. "Guys, just stop!" I screamed but Norman wouldn't listen. He turned on his heels to face his opponent and one of his fists went swinging into Jordan's face.
