UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T TONIGHT. MY PASTOR—

A familiar shadow stepped in my path, blocking out the few precious rays of sun I'd been basking in. An irritated, deep sigh came, followed by, "So sorry to disturb your good time, Miss Beish."

Childish snickering erupted around me.

I didn't even bother to wipe the bitch off my face as I looked up from Joseph's text. Against common sense, I glared at the thin, strong-jawed man before me; a man who haunted my nightmares.

"I'll forgive you if you let me get back to it," I said to Mr. Hunderbatch, and a few of my classmates gasped. No one spoke back to Mr. Hunderbatch, especially not someone like me.

Mr. Hunderbatch's ears flared red, a nice shade I believed only I could turn them. His chest puffed up, and at the start of the semester that would have scared me, but now I couldn't care less how upset I made him. Maybe he'd have a stroke and forget he knew how to do math or that he taught the subject. Not that I wished him ill, I just wanted him to stop darkening my days.

"Why do you even bother coming here?" Mr. Hunderbatch asked.

I shrugged. "It's a mystery to both of us."

Mr. Hunderbatch snorted like an enraged bull. "Do you know what girls like you will only ever be good for?"

"Uh, Mr. Hunderbatch, I need help with--"

Mr. Hunderbatch gestured for my valiant classmate to shut up. His attention hadn't left me, though. Pure evil intent radiated from him.

"Answer the question, Miss Beish."

All of a sudden, my courage left me. I didn't want to continue this pissing contest; I didn't want to hear his bone-biting insult. I hadn't had thoughts of self-harm since my first date with Joseph, and I quite enjoyed the blissful high I'd been experiencing since smoothing things over with my dad. I didn't need anything to set me back.

I took my messenger bag off my chair and stood. "You want me to go, sure, whatever."

Mr. Hunderbatch didn't respond as I shouldered my bag and headed for the classroom door. He trailed ahead of me and reached it before I did. He opened the door.

"Work on your back, Miss Beish," he said for my ears only as I passed him into the hall. "That's all you'll ever excel in," he added and slammed the door in my stunned face.

No, he did not just imply I'll only be worth anything if I become a whore. He was a vile, terrible man, but even he wouldn't sink that low. He had to have some integrity.

Yet, I couldn't deny what he'd said. It hadn't carried to my classmates, but every word had been crystal clear, and my hearing worked perfectly fine.

Angry tears burned my eyes worse than the time I put lemon juice in them on a dare (I hadn't been the brightest of twelve-year-olds), and I marched away from the classroom, making a beeline for the administration office. I wasn't going to let him get away with this. Getting pissy with a student because they wouldn't do homework was one thing, to emotionally abuse them was an entirely different story.

I didn't cry, though, as I entered the administration office and approached the front desk. If I started, I wouldn't stop, and no one would listen to me then. They'd probably just think I was trying to garner enough sympathy to get a grade changed or something equally mundane.

The receptionist was a stout, long-nosed woman I remembered seeing in my mom's high school yearbooks. She'd graduated a year ahead of my mom and hadn't been well-liked then. She was even more despised now, and no one called her by any other name than The Abominable Bitch (even my mom had).

I stood at her desk for five whole minutes, fuming and grumbling under my breath. The urge to bawl hadn't abandoned me and made me feel a million times worse. The Abominable Bitch didn’t even glance my way, but I knew she knew I was there because as soon as I arrived, she slowed down her typing and filing. My hand twitched to slap her.

Finally, about the time I was ready to hop across the desk and knock her teeth down her throat, The Abominable Bitch tore her attention away from her computer. Glee danced in her large brown eyes and her lips turned up in a cruel smile.

“Oh, sorry, dear. How can I help you?”

I took a moment to calm myself so I wouldn’t scream obscenities at her by mistake. “I need to speak with Dean Roach,” I said, my tone firm but polite.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No.”

The Abominable Bitch shrugged. “Then I can’t help you. Dean Roach has a busy schedule all week. Next week looks better. Can your issue wait that long?”

I couldn’t confirm it, but I was almost certain The Abominable Bitch was lying to me. She looked too smug, sounded so uncaring, that I wouldn’t put it past her to jerk me around. She couldn’t have much of a life, so messing with college students was her only entertainment.

My middle finger itched to be flashed, but I held back my juvenile urge and fled the administration office without another word. I had English to get to, yet I was too upset to focus on that nonsense for now. Instead of going to class, I headed for the Smokers’ Tent. Luckily, it was empty, so no one would give me odd looks as I ranted to myself.

I pulled a pack of cigarettes out of my bag (Jade’s mom had gotten me a whole carton to apologize for last week’s food scarcity) and a lighter. It took me longer than usual to light one because I couldn’t get my hands to stop shaking. I managed to do it, though and puffed on the cigarette like it was the only thing keeping me sane.

Honestly, it was.

Were Mr. Hunderbatch and The Abominable Bitch in cahoots to remind me how horrible life could be? I didn’t need any more proof. My mom dying had cemented that idea for the rest of my life.

What was I going to do? I couldn’t let Mr. Hunderbatch get away with what he’d said to me, but would anybody believe me if I reported him? No one else had heard him. Sure, my classmates had seen him be a dick to me, but I was also a terrible student. If I brought up that comment, most would probably think I was just seeking revenge. I’d be seen as a monster.

My phone started ringing. I pulled it from my messenger bag; hoping it’d be Joseph. It was Karen, just as good of a choice.

“Hey,” I said after accepting the call.

“Guess what? Guess what? I have—Are you crying?”

I patted my cheeks. No, somehow, I’d been able to keep my tears at bay despite how upset I was. I was close, though. One little thing could send me over the edge.

Should I tell Karen? She would drive me to do the right thing. Hell, she might even get herself involved and launch a campaign against JCC. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d taken matters into her own hands.

Most of my high school classmates hadn’t cared one way or another when Violet and I had dated. Those that had, though, had made our lives miserable (and not just verbally). Multiple times, Violet and I had reported the harassment, but no one that could do anything had done anything. Finally, Karen had gotten fed up with the inaction and had taken matters into her own hands. I’d never seen her so furious or so determined. Thanks to her, the policy at Falconer changed, and Violet and I had only had to deal with a snide comment here or there afterward.

If I got Karen on board, Mr. Hunderbatch wouldn’t have a job by the time mid-terms rolled around. Even The Abominable Bitch wouldn’t look good when Karen was through. I’d never have to deal with my teachers treating me like shit as long as I stayed at JCC.

But Karen sounded so happy. I hadn’t heard her this blissful since before her dad abandoned her. I couldn’t ruin her good mood. She deserved this.

“I was reading a great slash fic when you called,” I lied. “You know how Mellow and Matt get to me.”

“You sure?”

I flicked away my cigarette butt. “Yep.”

Silence.

“Okay...” Karen sucked in a deep breath. “So, would you like to hear my big news?”

“Of course.”

“I...I have a boyfriend!”

I almost dropped my phone in surprise. “No, seriously?”

Karen chuckled. “Yes.”

“When? For how long? Who?”

“His name is Arnie Russo. I’ve been talking to him for a couple of weeks, but he officially asked me out last night.”

“Why didn’t you call me then?”

“It was almost two in the morning.”

“News like this is worth the loss of sleep.”

Karen laughed harder. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“What’s he like?”

“Uh...He’s taller than me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Because that’s hard to be.”

Karen blew a raspberry.

I smiled. “He nice?”

“Very. He’s super chill and loves zombies as much as I do.”

“He sounds like your soulmate.”

“It’s too early to tell, but...I hope so.”

“Oh, Karen, I’m so happy for you. When do I get to meet Arnie?”

“He’ll be with me the next time I come to Jamestown.”

I squealed. “I can’t wait!”

“Me, either. Oh, Mo, I gotta get to my next class, but we’ll talk more tonight. Okay?”

“You’re going to tell me every detail of last night.”

“Sure. All right. By, Mo.”

“Bye.”

She hung up.

I returned my phone to my bag and lit another cigarette. I felt better than I had before I talked to Karen, though I still wanted to start shit with The Abominable Bitch. I even came to a quick conclusion on what I was going to do about Mr. Hunderbatch. I just wouldn’t step foot in his classroom again. When it got noticed, he could explain how he’d made the environment too hostile for me, and if he didn’t, well what the fuck did I care?

It wasn’t like I had any real chance of passing math anyway.