Toxic: A Sociopath Novel

Chapter 10

"Lyn! Lyn! Donatello!" Wright, asouthern charmer sitting directly behindLyn in history class said. I thought he wassaying she looked like the purple ninja turtlebut really, she was wearing a ninja turtleshirt. I looked across the room at them;Wright was poking her in the back with hispencil."Hey smelly!" He called. Lyn slammedher palm on her desk causing the classroomto jump. She stood up, facing Wright, herfinger pointed at him."That is enough! You do not know meand the struggles I go through every day totry and fit in with you small town people!You are some of the most judgmentalbastards I have ever met! If you touch meagain or say anything about me I will turnaround and smack you in your weird head!"Lyn, had finally snapped. Little did I, or therest of the Lincoln folk know, that Wrightwas the one who changed Lyn's life...for theworst. Our teacher directed Lyn out to the front office, but Wright still got toparticipate in class.I waited a few minutes, and thenasked the teacher if I could go to the officefor personal reasons. She granted me a hallpass and I excused myself with all of mythings, to go eaves drop on Lyn'sconversation with administration.I seemed to have arrived right ontime, because Dr. How, our school'sprincipal and the one who handles Lincoln'sbullying, had just pulled her inside. I snuckmy way around, creeping right outside theoffice door that he left open."Lyn," He started. "Your teacher tellsme you threatened to punch anotherstudent for no reason. Can you tell mewhat's going on?" I heard Lyn sigh."Wright was harassing me.""Harassing you, how? Did he makesexual advances towards you?" I almostshuttered at those words. Wright wouldrather puke than to even kiss her. "No." Lyn responded."Then he couldn't have beenharassing you. Harassment is whensomebody tries to take advantage of youwithout your consent.""No sir," Lyn spat. "Harassment isaggression; it can be physical or verbal.Wright called me names and stabbed mewith a pencil, that's aggressive, andtherefore; harassment.""What names did he call you and didhe leave a bruise on you?""He didn't bruise me, and it doesn'tmatter what he called me.""If he didn't bruise you, then there isno sign of assault or harassment. If youcan't tell me what names he called you,then there's nothing I can do about it." Iheard Lyn sigh again before telling onWright."He said that I smell weird." Dr. Howchuckled."That's not a name." "He called me smelly.""Well Lyn, I have no proof of thatother than your word so I'm afraid there'snothing I can do about it. You, however, aresuspended for two days for making a threattowards a student." Lyn gasped."You can't do anything about himbullying me, but I get suspended for tellinghim to back off?" Lyn argued."I don't make the rules, I just enforcethem.""Jesus effing Christ," Lyn mumbled."Excuse me?" Dr. How was livid now,I could hear the furry rise in his voice. "Wedo not tolerate that kind of language. I wasgoing to let you begin your suspensiontomorrow, but you're now dismissed. I'llcall your mom and have her come pick youup." I watched Lyn stomp out of How'soffice and into one of the main office chairs.She wanted to cry, I could see it in her redface, but she held strong. "LeighAnn," I jumped at the sound ofHow's voice. "Where are you supposed tobe?" I looked around for a moment."I was going to see if I could go home.My stomach hurts." I lied."Yeah, Yeah, I'll call your mom-""No, I can go home with Lyn's momwhen she gets here." I interrupted him, buthe agreed, and I popped a squat next to Lyn,trying to conversate. She ignored me when Ispoke, didn't even look at me. Instead, sheburied her head in her backpack.I made a huge sigh of relief whenLyn's mom walked in to sign our dismissalpapers. I jumped up with a little too muchexcitement. I had to tap Lyn's shoulder tonotify her it was time to leave. She lookedup and threw her backpack over her leftshoulder, walking past her mom and me sofast we were hit with a gush of wind. Hermom shot me a confused look, and then wewalked to the car. We found Lyn hiding in the passengerseat, and I thought it was rude of her to noteven offer it to me. Before getting in the carourselves, Lyn's mom turned to me andasked me not to speak during the car ridebecause she wanted to talk to Lyn only. Inodded in acknowledgement.Once in the car, Lyn's mom drove fora while, the only sound being Bon Jovi onthe radio. Once we were on the main road,the conversation began."Lyn, what's going on?""I hate it here!" She yelled, a crack inher voice."That's because you haven't given it achance.""Atlanta is home.""Not anymore." Her mom's tone wassterner. "Lincoln is home.""Maybe for the people that wereraised here," Lyn was yelling through sobs."Its home for them because it's the onlyplace they know! That isn't the case for me. I'm from Atlanta, I'm used to big schools,the city, walks through town with a group offriends, I don't have that here, and nobodylikes me, not even teachers." I rolled myeyes at all of her complaining."Why do you think that?" Lyn's momasked. Lyn sighed, trying to dry her owntears."I'm stating facts. People here don'tlike me because I don't wear cowboy bootsunder my jeans, drive a muddy pick-uptruck; live with my rich grandparents, raisecows on a farm, and half the school isn't myfamily." I felt the shots fired when shementioned rich grandparents. Her mom andI were silent for a moment, so shecontinued."Students harass me all day long andI get in trouble for it. They say I smell, andapparently I'm pregnant now! Yeah, Wesleywent around telling everybody we had sexso now I stink, I'm a whore, and I'mpregnant! I never even dated this guy, let alone sleeping with him! The school is sosmall the teachers believe the rumors tooand the principal won't do anything about itbecause he hasn't known me for years andhe's not my uncle!""You got in trouble for threatening astudent," slipped out my mouth, completelyignoring the rest of her rant."He started it!" Lyn snapped. She wasangry; so angry her tears turned to sweatfrom the heat of her body temperature. Shewas breathing heavy now too."It doesn't matter who started it,"Lyn's mom said. "It matters how youhandled it." Lyn punched the area of thepassenger seat where the airbag is located.Fortunately, it didn't open."I'm done," were her last wordsbefore entering the house into herbedroom, locking the door behind her.