Chapter 40

Yep.

I was damn happy when that bell rang, even if I didn't show it.

     At the end of the day, I was at my locker, piling my books into my bag, when I feel someone slapping tape on my back. I angrilly ripped it off my back and saw something that was all too familiar: A piece of paper with w***e written really big on it.

     I heard people around me laughing. I crumpled up the paper and shoved it in my locker, slamming it closed.

     As I made my way to the entrance of the building, Zoe and Morgan stopped me.

     "So, you're back?" Zoe said. "As in, for good, right?"

     "It depends," I said, not making eye contact with her. "You gonna be a b***h and pick on me just 'cause you're insecure about yourself?" That was my theory, anyway.

     "Such big words coming from a skank who can't read," she said with a laugh. "I thought you'd learn by now that you don't belong with us normal teens."

     "How am I not normal?" I asked her. "What's one thing that's different about me?"

     "You're a retard who's a military assassin!" Morgan shouted. "You almost killed my boyfriend, y'know!"

     "Simply because he deserved it," I said. I shoved past the two girls and made my way out of the building.

     Two boys stopped me.

     "Hey, hey, hey," one of them said. "That the school s**t?" I grimaced. They laughed idiotically and each grabbed one of my arms.

     "Come with us," the other one said. "Skanks like you need their daily practice, right?" I gasped and ripped my arms free, punching him in the stomach. He doubled over and threw up. I backed away and ran to the parked car that was waiting in front of the school, Lieutenant Hawkeye waiting inside.

     I climbed in and said, "Please, get me out of this hell hole."

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"How was your first day?" she asked, a not-so-hopeful tone in her voice. I lowered my head, and said, "I'd rather be up against murderers than go back."

     "That bad?"

     "Nothing's changed!" I shouted, clenching my fists and squeezing my eyes shut. "All day, people from last year followed me around and called me s**t, and-and w***e! And tramp, skank, and the boys wanted to do things I don't even want to mention! I don't want to go back!"

     Lieutenant Hawkeye stopped the car and said, "You need to be more confident in yourself, and not care what others think of you. Don't be a wuss, and confront whoever started this whole thing." She got out of the car and said, just before slamming her door shut, "Take action. Don't be a baby."

     Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye had never talked to me like that before.

     "I'd like to see YOU try and deal with this," I mumbled, getting out of the car. She, unfortunately, heard it, and grabbed my ear, dragging me in the building. ______________________________________________________________________________

 

She dragged me to my room and pushed me in, saying, "Why don't you do your homework. Stay in here until I come to get you later this evening." She closed the door.

     "Did I just get grounded?" I asked myself, throwing my bag on my bed. I didn't even do anything to get punished! But, maybe she was right. I was kind of a "stone cold" killer, yet I wasn't able to take on high school students.

     "They're more ruthless," I mumbled to myself. I changed out of my uniform into khaki pants and black T-shirt. I then sat on my bed and took out a book we were supposed to read titled, 'The Life and Times of Suzuki Fink'.

     "Who the Hell is this poor girl who's name is Suzuki Fink?" I asked myself aloud. "Bless her heart, her name is fricken' retarded." I opened the book to page one, and started to read. It took a good ten minutes to get to page two.

     "Screw this!" I finally shouted. I threw the book angrilly at the door, and then the door opened.

     Edward walked in.

     "The Life and Times of Suzuki WHAT?" he said, picking up the book and closing the door.

     "Reading assignment," I mumbled. "Stupid school, stupid book, stupid dyslexia, stupid brain!"

     "Even though those are all true," Edward said (I glared at him), "you need to try harder. Are you having trouble reading the book?"

     "Yeah," I admitted. He nodded and opened the book again, to page one, and pointed to a word. He handed me the book, keeping his finger on the word, and said, "Say that word."

     I looked at the small print, and then the letters got jumbled around. Here's what I saw: wndreare.

     "J-Just tell me the word!" I said, giving up. Edward sighed and took the book back.

     "That word is wandered," he said. "The sentence is, Suzuki wandered down the path, her mind full of thoughts of the day she had."

     I felt my brain twitching because it took me a while to get that sentence, while he got it right off the bat.

     "No need to show off," I grumbled, crossing my arms. He grinned, and said, "So, speaking of school, how was your day?" I grimaced and told him the same thig I told Hawkeye.

     "They.....called you THAT?" he said.

     "I thought the colonel told you why I was expelled," I said.

     "Well, he did, but I never imagined it as THIS bad..." The look in his eyes hinted anger.

     "Why did that b*****d put you back in school if they do that to you?" he asked, a low tone in his voice.

     "Because I can't read," I said. "Or write. And I only get picked on for it. They basically call me "retard", and the teachers don't do anything."

     "Okay then, how about this?" Edward said, handing me back the book. "Starting tomorrow after school, Al and I'll help you with your reading and writing. Sound good?"

     It did, actually. I'd finally be getting some help!

     I nodded and said, "Sure."

Author's Note

Dang, it took a long time to get this done!

Reviews

[Luna Northstar]

Hawkeye rocks, and that was really sweet of ed.

[Anonymous]

Aw, Ed and Al are gonna be her reading tutors XD

[Emunah June.]

2 things that made me laugh out loud:

1) "Did I just get grounded?" LOL I'm surprised that she didn't shoot the door down and go after Hawkeye!!

2) She needs Ed's help to read!! XD That must be a blow to her pride.