Rimwick

An Invisible Force

Between failing a history test, getting pelted with spitballs in math, and being picked last for dodgeball in gym, my day does not improve. Actually, I'm not even picked. Coach Ritter has to assign me to Dave Jorgenson's team after he pretends not to notice that I'm there and tries to convince Rita Hernandez, who has a broken leg, to join his side instead. To top it all off, Jay knocks me over with a well-aimed ball to the head, then sends me a sneer to make sure I know he did it on purpose.

I hate Jay.

After the game, I sit on a bench and wait for class to be over or the dizziness to stop, whichever comes first. Isaac Lamarr sits down next to me. What is his problem? I think I've made it pretty clear that I don't like him.

"Your head okay?" he asks.

"No," I snap. "I probably need surgery."

"Hey!" Jay jogs towards us. And by 'us', I mean the bench that Isaac and I both happen to be sitting on. "What are you doing with Dizzy over here?"

"Making sure she's alright," Isaac says. "You hit her pretty hard."

Jay blinks at Isaac's bold honesty, but quickly recovers. "So? It's not like she felt it." His mocking voice switches to a monotone. "I. Am. Riley. I. Am. A robot." He laughs and high fives Dave and Lee.

"Knock it off, Jay," someone says.

Jay turns and is hit full force by Daria Holden. Not literally hit, of course, but I imagine that's what it must feel like to turn around and BAM! There she is.

How do I describe Daria? Wow. That's difficult. Okay, take the most beautiful person you know and turn them into a teenage girl. Give this person flawlessly tanned skin, deep green eyes, faint freckles, and long hair that cascades in flowing waves even after playing dodgeball. Imagine that this charming teen won an art show, was in the school play, has a swimming pool in her backyard, and is captain of the volleyball team. Now give her the stone-cold heart of a demon. That's Daria.

Jay stares at our school's resident diva-queen in shock. "What?"

"I said knock it off," Daria repeats. "And you too, Isaac. Don't talk to her."

I don't know why Daria hates me. But she's the one who, last year, convinced the entire school to stop talking to me. They didn't tease me, didn't notice me, didn't acknowledge my presence at all. It's like she made me disappear.

"I'll talk to Riley if I want to," Jay says.

"No!" Daria's voice is unusually sharp.

The bell rings and I stand up. "No one's talking to me because I'm leaving. I hate you," (I nod to Jay), "you," (Isaac), "and especially you." (Daria.) "Have a nice day. Or not. I don't really care."

"Wait a sec, Riley!" Isaac calls. I ignore him and push through the crowd by the door, so full of hurt anger that I can't see straight. Or maybe that's because of the ball Jay hit me with. Either way, facing all three of them at once was too much, and I don't completely process what's going on around me until the gym door slams shut.

The entire room is filled with wind. Around the gym, kids start whispering as their hair whips around. The windows are shut, so even though the storm outside is growing, we shouldn't feel it's effect in here. What the heck?

A hand closes around my arm. It's Coach Ritter, the P.E. teacher.

"You," he says. "Come with me. And you three." He jabs his finger at Daria, Isaac and Jay, then leads us out the gym and down the hall. Dang it. This is so NOT what I need right now.

The strange, inexplicable air stirs around us as we arrive at the principal's office. Ms. Kay is in a board meeting, but she dismisses everyone when she sees us. That's odd. Normally, when I'm sent to the office, I have to wait. This time she beckons us in.