Daylight is Mine to Protect

Becoming the Norm Part Two

When the school bell rings, I quickly slip outside before people can ask me awkward questions about my "dad". After memorizing all the parts of the throat, I had tapped into the database and started to create a mock slideshow on them. I could already tell that Coach Lawerence has trouble teaching a class he knows almost nothing about, so, assuming he is going to try and teach the parts of the throat tomorrow, I would have the perfect use for my slideshow.

I wonder around, becoming familiar with the campus, before I head to my dark blue locker. I enter the code, open the door, and observe the empty space inside. It's smaller than I had expected, but has enough room for me to neatly place all of my belongings without cramming.

After placing a few decorations inside my locker and shutting it, I hear Steve's loud voice drifting through the school. "What's the problem Eli? Don't like tight spaces?" I turn the corner with my backpack slung over one shoulder and see Steve half-heartedly trying to push Eli into a locker. "Scared?" he asks. Even from a few places away, I could see and hear his uncertainty. My mind whizes through the possibilities, and I finally decide that upon discovering that trolls really exist and that Jim is a Trollhunter, Eli and Steve had become friends. To avoid questioning, they had tried to keep their former images: Steve bullies Eli; Eli has no friends.

I roll my eyes at their actions and think of the millions of ways I could help them correct their mistake. The most logical and obvious comes to mind first and I casually walk over to Steve. I relax against a locker and innocently ask, "Why are you bullying Eli?" Steve turns around with a scowl on his face.

"Mind your own business new girl." Apparently he only isn't mean to the people he considers his friends, and everyone else is fair game.

"I would," I say, shrugging. "But I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks you should be nicer." Murmurs of agreement come from the other students who had started to gather around us.

"And who taught you what's nice and what's not? Your dad? Oh right, he was killed by a teenager," sneers Steve. That hurts. I wince. But not for the reason he think it does. Having no parents really sucks.

"I just think you should pick on someone your own size," I reason.

"Yeah but, newsflash, I'm the most fit person here, so there is no one my size."

"Then why are you picking on people at all?" Steve opens his mouth to respond, then leaves it open like a gaping fish as my words sink in. He wasn't the brightest fish in the sea.

"Well, why don't I just pick on you?" questions Steve, trying to hide his confusion.

"Go ahead then," I say, smirking. "Try to hit me." I open my arms to show him that I am an easy target. I see his punch before he even steps forward. Ducking under his speeding hand, I note that his stance, power, and aim is extremely bad. I would've had to either be really slow or stupid to not avoid that. I come up behind him and push lightly. Because Steve had put all of his force into the punch, he easily topples over onto the ground. By the time he quickly stands up and brushes the dirt from his pants, I am already walking away. "Next time," I call out over my shoulder, "try to be more kind."

*    *    *

The day finishes quickly and I exit the last class of the day with a feeling of accomplishment... Which quickly diminishes when I see Steve stalking angrily towards me. Shoot! I forgot to include Steve's reaction in my calculations. I curse myself quietly as I slowly walk towards my locker. A hand pushes me from behind, and I stumble even though I could've stayed upright. Best to give him the feeling of power for now.