bitchin'

Chapter 15

"Dude!" Dustin exclaims, "I thought you said you weren't fighting."

Lindsay takes her seat next to him on the left, "I wasn't supposed to..."

"What happened?" Mike asks, noticing her black and blue eye, busted lip, and bruise on her left cheek.

"Daniel," she seethes. The boys turn to the front, knowing she got in a fight with her old friend group. The bell rings and Mr. Clarke begins to lecture the class.

"Today we meet... the human brain. I know. I know, it doesn't look like much. A little gross even, right? But consider this. There are a hundred billion cells inside of this miracle of evolution, all working as one. No, no, I did not misspeak. I did not stutter. A hundred billion," Mr. Clarke says enthusiastically. Lindsay keeps her head down, avoiding stares from the other kids.

The door opens and closes, Lindsay looks up, a redheaded girl following the principal.

"Ah, this must be our new student," Mr. Clarke guesses.

"Indeed, all yours," the principal says before leaving the room. The girl walks past the teacher's desk, carrying a skateboard.

"All right. Hold up. You don't get away that easy," Mr. Clarke stops her, "come on up. Don't be shy."

The girl stops and turns, walking back to the desk, facing the class. She too keeps her head down, avoiding the gaze of all the other students.

"Dustin, drum roll," Mr. Clarke instructs. Dustin pats on the desk, "Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California, the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage, Maxine!"

The room is silent.

"It's Max," she corrects.

"Sorry?"

"Nobody calls me Maxine. It's Max," she explains.

"MADMAX," the boys whisper collectively. Lindsay turns to the boys, giving them a strange look.

"Well, all aboard, Max," Mr. Clarke smiles. She walks to the empty desk in the back of the classroom. Lindsay avoids her gaze and the lecture continues.

***

Lindsay sits alone outside, on the stairs eating her lunch. She doesn't want to face the cafeteria and all the stares. Although she won the fight, she isn't proud. In fact, she isn't proud to be Champion anymore. She wants out.

"Someone rough you up?" a voice asks.

Lindsay, head down, answers, "who wants to know? Got a problem?"

She looks up to face the new girl from Mr. Clarke's class. She wears a red jacket and holds her skateboard in her hand.

"No, just wondering," the new girl responds, "looks pretty sick."

"Thanks, I guess," Lindsay sighs.

"What's your name?" she asks. She sets the board down and sits on it, in front of Lindsay. The sunlight shines on the redhead, making her freckles glow against her fair skin. The wind blows gently through Lindsay's brown locks, covering her face.

"Lindsay, you're Max right?" Lindsay asks. She nods.

"Oh, New Girl! You might not wanna sit with her!" Daniel's voice shouts from across the way. Max turns, "hasn't anyone told you what she does?"