The One For Me(39)

“Mr. Hayden,” the teacher finally yells, slamming her fist down on the table. “Could you please leave this poor girl alone?”

Hayden’s face is red when I finally look over at him. I kind of feel bad. His girlfriend did dump him and know he gets called out in front of the class. But, that’s no worse than him worrying about my reputation because it affects him, not to mention him dumping me like I’m a sack of potatoes.

“Um, yes ma’am, sure. Sorry to interrupt.”

She rolls her eyes and goes back to writing on the board.

Hayden doesn’t bother me for the rest of the period.

Time is dragging on. There is still no sign of Liam. He hasn’t text me back, called or even emailed me. I was hoping for any of them. By the time Science gets here I’m completely tired and sick of the day.

“Still no sign of him?” Jen leans back and asks.

“Nope, no sign of him,” I whisper.

She shrugs her shoulders. “I bet he is just cooling off. He probably just needs some time. I think so.”

“Probably so,” I say.

Mr. Fringe starts to call the roll. I say my name and give him a little shrug when he calls Liam’s. I don’t really hear what Mr. Fringe is saying. I can’t make myself care. I’m halfway through the lesson when I hear some whisper my name. I turn back and Justin is smiling at me.

“Guess since Hayden is single now, you’re gonna jump back to him?” Justin says.

My face heats. I flip him the bird. “No thanks, heard everyone has already had it.”

“Fuck off,” I yell, standing up. “I’m so sick of you. I don’t know why you insist on being mean to me. I’ve never done anything to you.”

“Just telling the truth, sweet cakes. Everyone is thinking it, just too scared to say anything.”

“Sit down, Katy. And shut up Justin. I don’t want to hear a word from either of you two again.”

Anger roars in me. I ignore Mr. Fringe. His voice is fading out. I just want to hit him. Without thinking this through, I pick up my Science book and hurl it at his head. It hits the tip of his eyebrow. “Shit! Stupid bitch.”

“Out! Both of you now!” Mr. Fringe is pointing his finger toward the door. His face is red and I think he is on the verge of screaming. I turn on my heel and stomp toward the principal’s office.

Mr. Fringe is in there a while with Justin. I hope that means bad for him. He starts it every time. Thirty minutes later Justin walks out, a scowl on his lips. He stops in front of me. I look around him, begging someone to help me. He looks like he wants to punch me. I’m pretty sure he’d take me out too. “I’m sorry,” he blurts out.

“What?” I ask.

“Sorry, I won’t say it again.” Mr. Fringe walks up behind Justin and nudges him. He groans. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called you those names.” He turns around and gives Mr. Fringe the fakest smile I’ve ever seen.

“Okay, good enough, go,” he says, pointing down the hall.

When Justin leaves I suddenly wish he would come back and block me from Mr. Fringe’s disappointed stare. “Katy, what has gotten into you?” he asks, shaking his head.

I guess it’s a rhetorical question because he sends me in the principal’s office. I’ve only ever been in here when I received the honor roll and got an award. I’m not a trouble maker.

Mrs. Shaw is a very manly woman. Her dark eyebrows are heavy, her lips are full and she has a wide set nose. “Katy Taylor take a sit, dear.”

I sit down, feeling small compared to her and her huge desk. Who needs a desk that big? “So, Mr. Fringe tells me that you threw a book at Justin, Katy?” She looks down at me. It’s very intimidating.

“Um,” I whisper, looking over at Mr. Fringe. If he wasn’t here I might try to cry or lie. But, I don’t dare risk it. “Yes, ma’am, I threw my book at Justin.”

“You made him bleed.”

I did? Damn I wish I would have gotten to see it. “I guess, I didn’t see it.”

“Hmmm,” she says, intertwining her fingers that look like white tootsie rolls. It’s weird that her hands are so large and her fingers so small. “Did you hear me, Katy?”

“Um, no ma’am.”

She sighs. “You’ve never been in trouble. I hate to let you go with a harsher punishment that you deserve. So…I’m going to have you go back to class and apologize to the students. Then after lunch you have to go home for the rest of the day. Cool off.”

Whoever told teachers, sending a child home is punishment was seriously high. I smile. “Thank you Mrs. Shaw. I appreciate it.”