Genius

Chapter 3

A week flew by quickly and it was Monday again. As usual, I did what I normally do, waking up at 4 then going to school at 7:20.

As I was walking to my last class of the day I ran into Rachel Reed and 2 of her accomplices, Hanna and Mavis.

Rachel has tormented me since first grade. Though I can see right through her mean famous girl facade that she sets up for everyone to see to know that she does it because she looks down on people who aren't like her or to people who don't fit well with her standards.

I must've zoned out cause I didn't see her.

"Bitch" she said then shoved me towards the lockers.
I gave her a blank look. I just kept looking at her my face void of any emotion.

"You emotionless freak. Even if you have glasses you still struggle to see."

Still, my face didn't give anything away. I feel the anger towards Rachel but my face didn't let me express that. Although I can talk back I knew better. Sometimes it's better to not react at all because the aftermath will be less worse than when I talk back. Believe me when I say that I tried to defend myself 2 years ago but it didn't end well.

Her patience must be running out because I hadn't said anything. So she took off my glasses. Just before she was going to throw it on the floor the bell rang. But that didn't stop her, she threw it anyway.

"Listen here freak, you are nothing, you're never gonna be like me. Someday I will be successful and you, you're gonna be nothing but a low life. Just look at yourself, you have no brains or beauty."

I don't let her words get through my head. But there are just some days when I'm alone with my thoughts that make me believe everything that she said. Rachel makes it seem that she has everything, money, beauty, brains, friends, and a perfect family. Sometimes I pity her though, I don't know what made her like that, I don't know her full story just like how she doesn't know mine.

She gave me an evil look. I wanted to talk back to her but I remained quiet. My face was still unchanging. She smirked and was about to go when we heard footsteps. I turned to look who those belonged to, it was the principal. She wore an angry look on her face.

"Why are you not in class?"
Rachel tried to explain but the principal shushed her.
"Detention after class" she gave us detention slips and told us to not even think of not going or else. Then left.

I struggled to look for my glasses, everything was so blurry, but I felt it between my fingers and picked it up and went to my last class. The teacher was about to speak but I showed her the detention slip. She nodded and I proceeded to find a seat.

After the last class, I headed to the detention room. I was greeted by the principal. I handed her the slip and searched for a seat. Mrs. Kingston, the principal sat on the front desk and told us to keep quiet and other things that are not allowed to do in detention. There are 6 other people here. Rachel, Mavis, Hanna, another girl that I don't know the name of, and 2 boys that I don't know also. I sat still and zoned out.

"Claire...Claire " I came back to reality and realized that the principal was calling me.

" Come here please" I obliged and stood in front of her.

"The teachers have been complaining about you...again about your test scores. Claire, it's just the first week of senior year and you're already failing the tests. We talked about this already, you need to study and listen to the lectures. You need to pass high school to go to college and get a decent job. I'm just thinking about your future. Please, just try "

Mrs. Kingston had this pleading look on her face. I just nodded.

"Oh and one thing, I want you to join the science fair. "

"What?" I said quietly.

"You will be participating in the upcoming science fair. You can make whatever you like as long as it is related to science, but all I'm asking is for you to be on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd ranking. If you do so you'll be exempted from the rest of the projects and tests, till the end of the year. It's in March, you have enough time to think of something. I will add your name to Mr. Dallas' list of participants. If you failed to do so then you will not be exempted from all the projects and tests but I will give you a passing grade in science for effort. That's all, you can go back to your seat now."

"Okay" I sighed then turned back.
I arrived at my seat. I don't know if I'm gonna make something amazing or not. I'm still contemplating.

After much thought. I finally decided on listening to what the principal said and make something great for the science fair.

Mrs. Kingston stood up and said. "I will be back, don't talk to each other, if I ever found you standing, then you will have detention again" she eyed us then left.

After she was out of sight Rachel laughed. A mocking one.

"I wonder what she's gonna do. " she and her friends laughed again.

"There's no chance she's gonna win, Chad said he's gonna make a cool rocket," Mavis said.

"She's gonna fail," Rachel said as if she's sure I'm not gonna win.
I didn't say anything. Didn't they hear what Mrs. Kingston just said? She said no talking. I shouldn't be surprised, we have been in the same situation last school year, this isn't my first detention as is Rachels.
Rachel always says that I lack some needed brain cells when it's actually the other way around.

I looked at her then in the corner of my eye I saw one of the boys looking at me, so I looked back at him then looked away. Odd.
Rachel stood up and came near my seat. She officially did everything the principal said to not do. I ignored her but she came and got my glasses again. She threw it across the room. This happened two times already.

"Rachel stop." the boy that stared at me a while ago said.
I stood up to retrieve my glasses then went back to my seat and looked at Rachel again.

"Seriously Brian you're siding with this freak?" now everyone was standing except Mavis and Hanna.

Brian gave her a challenging look. Rachel gave me the stink eye then sat down. Right in time when Mrs. Kingston came back. She looked at the 4 of us left standing.

"Detention for you 4 tomorrow, the same time. Now sit back down"