Complications

[ C ]

I still had good grades and I didn’t get in trouble with the teachers.

But Ryder gave me his old board and I rode that to school instead of letting dad drive me.

And then as I was walking through the halls, I heard a girl whisper to another girl, “you know, Marilyn is like that because she doesn’t have a mother.”

And I slammed her against her locker and pulled her hair and I got sent to the principal’s office.

After dad had driven me home and scolded me, I cried.

The next day at school, all the boys told me I was awesome for doing that but one of them told me that I fought like a girl.

And for some reason, I found that offensive.

So I had dad teach me how to fight.

And I felt powerful that day.