Flipped

Chapter 3- Code Red

Sam

It only takes that first class to decide that I hate history. The teacher is a boring, mean old hag named Mrs. Bork, who probably got so mean from several years of students making fun of her name. She constantly calls me Samantha, even after I told her just Sam is fine, and it makes me want to punch her in her ugly face.

To make matters worse, Callie Dunham is in my class, along with her whole stupid posse. Those girls have been bullying me since kindergarten, and there's absolutely nothing I can do about it because they manage to charm every single authority figure.

I tried to ignore their whispers and pay attention to the teacher as she went over the syllabus, but it's hard to concentrate when people are loudly gossiping about you just a table away. I had to pretend I didn't hear words like "ugly freak" and "dyke".

Hopefully biology will be better. Especially since I have it with Rose.

Unfortunately, Callie also has this class next, and she follows me, purposely stepping on the backs of my shoes the whole way there. Her friends get a kick out of it, laughing entirely too loud.

When I arrive, I can see that I won't be the only one having a hard time in biology class.

Rose has taken a seat way in the back, but Edgar Thompson already has his buddies ganging up on her.

Edgar is a tall, bulky kid with reddish blond hair cropped close to his meaty head, almost military style. One of mine and Rose's main tormenters since middle school, he seems to be especially talented at making new friends and convincing them to torture us as well. I'm not surprised to see that he already has brand new gang of idiots following him around.

"He can't even say anything," Edgar is saying. "Watch this. Hey! Hey Georgie! Come on, I'm talking to you, faggot!"

As usual, Rose is ignoring them. She stares straight ahead, even when she's hit in the head with an pencil.

"Come on little Georgie. Look at me! Fag!" He throws an eraser next, then a water bottle, and his friends laugh and start joining in. Where's the goddamn teacher?

I know that Rose doesn't like it when I defend her in public, but physical bullying is where I draw the line. I march straight to the back of the room and drag Edgar away from Rose's desk by the neck of his t-shirt. "Ow! Hey, quit it!" He whines as I pull him. What a wuss

"Back off if my brother," I say right in his face as soon as I've pulled him as far away from her as possible. "Or I'll kick the shit out of you. You know I've done it before."

All of his new friends snicker at that, and Edgar's face reddens. It may have only been one time back in the sixth grade- before he bulked up and grew a head taller than me- but I haven't let him forget it since.

"Got it?" is say through gritted teeth.

He rolls his eyes, clearly feigning confidence. "Sure, whatever. Bitch."

I raise my fist at him, and at that moment the teacher walks in from the hallway.

Of course, now he shows up. "Woah, what is going on in here?" He says.

"He was-" I start.

"Samantha started it, sir," Callie interrupts, lying so confidently you'd think it has really happened. "She has anger issues, and serious violent tendencies." The entire class giggles. Unsurprisingly, no one comes to my defense, even though they all saw what happened.

"That's a write-up," the teacher says, pointing a finger at me. "I don't tolerate bullying in my class, of any kind. And I expect more from young ladies, especially."