Incompatible

Emme

I walk down the hall, my book bag slung over my shoulder. I have to get to class on time. I walk carefully through the halls toward the geometry classroom, but I know that sooner or later, someone will stop me. “Hey, Horse-face,” Jordan shouts at me.

I turn around. What does he want to point out today? Hasn’t he exhausted everything? “How do you like cleaning, Horse-face?” He grabs my book bag and pulls it open, spilling geometry, history, English, and physical science on the dirty floor. I stoop to pick up my heavy text books and Jordan shoves me down into the floor.

“See ya later, Horse-face,” he calls. I stand up, gather the contents of my bag, and get to class. Even with Jordan and the other bullies, I’m always early. I get out my homework from last night and place it on the teacher’s desk.

“Good morning, Emme,” he nods. Teachers all love me. Unlike my peers, they see what I’m good at, and they see that I have potential. Plus, I’m always the one who follows the rules. Which doesn’t really make me more popular with the others, but that doesn’t really matter that much, really.

After geometry, I practically run through the halls to avoid Jordan, but Kelly finds me in the hall outside of the history room. “What’s up?” she ask. It’s even worse that Kelly tries to be my friend instead of ignoring me. She’s popular and pretty and plays volleyball. She’s nothing like me. She’s perfectly nice, but she and I aren’t really compatible.

“Um, not much,” I say. She scans my face, looking for any fresh bruises. She lingers at my nose.

“Jordan again?” she asks.

“Yeah. Could you tell your boyfriend to lay it off?” I retort.

Kelly giggles a little through a glare. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s just my friend.”

“Oh, right. I forgot. Well, tell your friend to lay it off.”

“I will. He just won’t listen.”

I walk away towards the classroom. “Hey, I’m trying, Emme,” Kelly calls after me.