01-My Plight

Walking down the wide school hallway, I bent to pick up the scattered paper and garbage. I slowly rubbed my bruised cheek and tentatively touched my split lip.

Once again, the memory of how I had gotten the stingy wounds made me scowl. An annoying girl by the name of Sierra had leapt on me as I innocently passed by, on my way to the cafeteria. Sierra had pounded the snot out of me, it's true. Unfortunately, before I could retaliate the teachers were pulling us apart.

The reason I had not been able to fight back while she hit me was because I had been so stunned. Not because Sierra had hit me, I mean I had always known the girl had something against me, but that she had actually hit someone. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I was impressed. The girl could pack a punch.

So after getting punched a couple of times in the face, I was hulled off to the nurse for some medical attention. I was actually kind of surprised the teachers didn't just stamp a suspension on me and shove me right out the school doors. It was no secret that they all hated me, and honestly, who could blame them? I was a handful, but see it was not on purpose. I just don't think they understand my brand of humor, truth is, no one really gets me around this place.

So anyway, once in the nurse's offices I sat in a chair with my head between my knees, seething. I knew they, the teachers of course, were somehow going to pin the whole thing on me. It was impossible that beautiful Sierra would ever hit a fellow student, I mean, come on, we're about talking the female Student Council president for the entire high school, Miss Popularity herself. While on the other hand here I was, aggressive Rena: spray painting lockers every other day, starting fights, skipping class and—the horror—never dressing up for spirit day.

Sadly, the system was against me.

Just when I thought I had been sitting around in the nurse's office for too long, and Ms. Cain (the nurse) was not about to come sooth my battle wounds, the door unlocks and in steps my second worst enemy. Right after Sierra of course.

My whole demeanor changed, I stopped the whimpering and the helpless rocking back and forth motion.

"What are you doing here?" my voice was positively cold,

The intruder shrugged, "I just came to check on you, Ms. Cline went home so I thought you might need some help."

"Help…from you? Don't make me laugh." Ironically, my number two mortal enemy happens to be the male president for our entire school and Mr. Popularity himself, maybe I just have a problem with lame a** Preps. Who knows. Cue laughter.

He winced, "Aw, Rena must you always be so hostile?"

"And must you always annoy me every chance you get? Isn't it enough that I have to share the same hallways with you?"

He shook his head in a very condescending way and walked over to the freezer. He pulled out an ice pack and held it out to me. I ignored it and walked over to the freezer on my own to take out an ice pack. He swiveled around on his heels with his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah…this is the last one," he said slowly "want it?"

I rolled my eyes, of course it was. I closed the freezer door, and quickly snatched the ice pack out of his hand,

"Alright, thanks so much, now you may leave."

I bet you're all wondering why I was being so mean to someone who seemed to only want to help me, but helping was the furthest thing from this guy's mind, trust me.

I knew I was pretty clear, but all he did was pull himself on to the bed in the middle of the room, "I heard you got your a** kicked by Sierra, is that true or did you just walk into a wall?" he asked innocently with his head propped up on his hands.

"Ezra, you're not going to bait me and you will not get a rise out of me, so stop trying. Now."

"Trying what? It's a simple question, did you or didn't you?"

"I think you already know the answer to that, why bother asking?"

"I just want to hear you say it. Hmmm… I wonder, how's your ego right now?"

I glared fiercely at him, was the guy kidding me? My ego really did feel like crap but I did not want him to know that. I mean, I had a reputation to uphold. I was the big bad guy… well, bad girl in school, a complete rebel, I couldn't be taken down by anyone or so rumors said. But now? I wasn't sure what I would do with my life, maybe I should completely change my tune, become a good girl. Nah, the thought bored me to no end.

I decided I was not going to honor him with an answer, nose in the air, I turned around on my heel and proceeded to storm out. I could not believe he would dare challenge me on a day like this, I mean my usual confidence had totally deserted me and I had let Sierra get the upper hand.

I promised myself that upon our next meeting I wouldn't let him off so easy. He was just lucky I had enough self-control to hold myself back. Concerning the whole Sierra deal, I realized I had no choice but to get revenge and only then would I forgive myself.

"I hope you don't plan to get Sierra back." Enemy number two called to me before I could successfully leave the room.

Angry that he had anticipated my plans, I spun around, "Of course not! Who do you take me for? She won this round fair and square and I would never do something so underhanded!"

"Right…" he narrowed his eyes at me before smiling slightly, "Oh by the way, I meant to tell you, you've been given clean up duty as punishment."

My mouth hit the floor.

"Whoa hold up one minute, I'm getting punished? For what, not being able to defend myself?" my voice was laced with sarcasm,

He smiled wider, "Now that would be funny wouldn't it? But no, you know school policy—even if you don't start the fight, both combatants get punished equally"

"No I did not know that, that's absolutely crazy!"

He nodded his head thoughtfully, "Yeah, it's not a very good policy."

Enemy number two hopped off the bed and walked past me to the door,

"Well, anyway you start tomorrow, right after school."

Grinding my teeth I asked in a dark voice, " And exactly who am I suppose to report to?" I had a bad feeling I would be stuck with my evil interior design teacher Mr. Sigurdsson.

He gave me a wide malicious smile, "I gallantly offered to take you off the hands of Mr. Sigurdsson, you won't believe how relieved he was. I'll decide tomorrow what I'll have you clean or fix up around the school, see ya then!"

And just like that he walked out the door, I was unimaginably irate, and I think you can understand why. This was an absolute nightmare, there was no way I could refuse to do the work, I mean I was already on shaky ground with the principal. Not to mention my mother who was furious enough with me as it was.

Seeing that my situation was helpless, I sighed heavily. I decided to cheer myself up by skipping the rest of school and heading off to the mall. I was by myself the entire time, but I still managed to have blast. I always did do better on my own.

Which brings me to my current situation, enemy number two, whom I have sworn never to refer to by name, assigned me trash duty. That's right, trash duty. So here I am, busy cleaning up after all the spoiled kids in this school who cannot be bothered to pick a single thing up. Hmm… now that I think about it, just yesterday I had been one of those kids. Anyway, by six o'clock this evening I'm suppose to have emptied and re-bagged all the trash cans in the school. First, second and third floor. What is that, like 300 different classrooms? Sigh…at least the twin building adjacent to this one wasn’t included.

Well anyway, back to the present, by now I've finished all of first floor and am half way through second when I realize that I'm too tired to do anymore. Staring at the over flowing trash can, I'm amazed at how disgusting my fellow students are, crumbled papers, pencil shavings and random chip bags and soda cans litter the entire area beneath the trash can.

Rolling my eyes, I quickly pick all the junk up and stuff it into the black garbage bag before dumping the trash cans contents also into the bag. I pull the draw stings of the bag closed and push it out the door.

I had six overflowing black bags lined up against the wall, part of my job was to take all the bags outside to the school dump. I glared at the bags in disgust and wondered what on earth this 'punishment' was suppose to teach me. I was not a slave, and there was no way I was going to continue this.

Just as I am thinking this, I see enemy number two walking down the hall in my direction with Mr. Sigurdsson following behind. They seemed to be in some sort of deep conversation. As I watch them approach, my mind starts formulating a plan all on its own. My eyes widen at what I have just thought of, I do not want to do it—I really don't!

I can't afford to get in anymore trouble and something like this was just not nice…

However, my eyes narrow to slits and an evil smile finds its way across my face. I step back into the classroom, sure that they have not seen me and run over to the teacher's desk. My smile becomes even colder as I see that this particular teacher continently happens to have two ice-cold water bottles sitting on the desk. Very appropriate for such a hot summer afternoon, but also very useful for my idea. I grab both bottles, unscrew the lids and walk towards the door.

I lean against the wall and wait patiently, when Mr. Sigurdsson and enemy number two are right outside the classroom, I shoot forward and spill the entire bottles on my unsuspecting victims. I know this isn't right, but they're always mean to me, can't you understand my plight?

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