Animal Nature

Chapter 9

The assignment was simple: "Choose one of the fairy tales we have examined and write a two- through five-page essay examining the relevance of the fairy tale in our world today. If you don't believe the fairy tale is relevant, give examples."

Ryan Tomey raised his hand. "What does 'revelent' mean?"

Shy sighed.

She already knew which fairy tale she would choose. "Little Red Riding Hood" was the only fairy tale they'd examined which featured an animal and didn't feature a fairy princess. Miss Donoghue had breezed right through the different versions of Little Red Riding Hood. Shy hadn't even read the latest version, a short story called "The Company of Wolves," by Angela Carter that Miss Donoghue had given as homework last night. She had spent the entire evening online, searching for any news about David's return.

There had been nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The implications of that had Shy feeling puzzled and sad. For some reason, David didn't want anyone to know he was back, not even her. His mother had called, though, and David had come to school, so it wasn't a big secret.

She supposed he might have wanted to avoid the publicity. He had never liked being the center of attention, not even on his birthday.

Still, she couldn't imagine anything that would keep her from immediately calling David if she had been the one attacked by a wild animal, the one who had vanished. He must know how worried she was.

As Miss Donoghue warned against using the Disney versions of the fairy tales as a basis for their papers, Shy resolved to confront David. She would ask him what happened up in Maine, and if he didn't answer, she would ask why he didn't want to talk to her.

She had history with David next. When the bell rang, Shy marched out of the classroom.

She didn't expect to bump into Bart Garrison right outside the door of Miss Donoghue's classroom.

"Watch it, dog face." Bart turned as though he were going to leave it at that, but on second thought, he faced Shy again and leered at her. "Hey, I'll see you in gym class. We're starting a flag football unit, but Ron and me are going to tackle. Maybe I'll tackle you."

A hand came out from behind Shy and shoved Bart in the shoulder.

"Or maybe you won't."

Shy looked up at David. He had come out of nowhere to be at her side, like he had been waiting there to walk to history with her like he had done last year.

"I guess your boyfriend's back to protect you," Bart sneered at her.

David stepped up so he was face to face with the star football player. He and Bart were equal height, but Bart outweighed David by a good forty pounds.

"Does that mean you'll leave her alone?" David demanded.

The two boys' noses were practically touching.

Bart shrugged. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't. What are you gonna do about it, nature boy?"

Shy inched away until her back was against the lockers. Several students had formed a circle around David and Bart. Soon they would start chanting for a fight.

"I'll kill you," David said simply.

Bart blinked, then quickly recovered. "I'd like to see you try."

Shy could practically smell the raw testosterone, but before any punches were thrown, Miss Donoghue stepped between the two boys. At five foot two, she was dwarfed by her students. "All right, boys, break it up."