"Raina Claire Hansen! Will you please focus on the blackboard?" Mrs. Connery, the math teacher called out exasperatedly at RC, whose mind was wandering.

It was currently as far away from geometry as it possible could be. Far away with a certain french fry scented jacket. Which was very far away. So far away that before Mrs. Connery's outburst, she had tried severally to get RC's attention unsuccessfully.

The whole class was in giggles.

"Sorry," RC mumbled, clearing her throat, and trying to concentrate. It was not working. At all.

Her bust up lip was throbbing painfully. Luckily for RC, the bleeding by the side of her eye had stopped, but the pain just would not leave her.

RC knew that it wasn't the physical wounds that were hurting her. It was the unseen ones, the ones that scarred her emotions and thoughts. The bullet holes in her persona.

"In fact," Mrs. Connery added spitefully, "why don't you come up here and solve this particular sum." She glared at RC through her horn rimmed glasses. RC fantasised about breaking those glasses. How satisfying it would feel to watch the glass crumble.

RC slowly stood up, pushed her chair back, as the snickering continued from her classmates, and made her way to the blackboard.

Mrs. Connery held out a piece of chalk to RC, her lips pursed tightly into a thin line of disapproval. She wasn't know as the meanest teacher in school for nothing.

Taking a deep breath and ignoring the loud whispers, sniggers and spit balls, RC took the chalk, and focused on the sum. The numbers flew around in her head, falling comfortably into place as she analysed the question mentally.

"We don't have all day, Miss Hansen." Mrs. Connery commented loudly encouraging loud rowdy laughter from Shay and her band of wannabes.

RC ignored them. All of them.

Instead, she proceed to write out the solution exactly as she could see it in her mind's eye. Slowly, the laughter silenced into a cold inconsistent hum.

RC found solace in that hum.

She put down the chalk on the teacher's table and walked back to her seat.

"Well, that seems satisfactory," Mrs. Connery commented, analysing RC's answer.

Of course it's satisfactory you old bat, RC thought happily, watching the sourness on Shay's face develop into sheer hatred.

Shay, Allie and Mallory whispered quickly to each other and then turned towards RC, looking pointedly at her with narrowed eyes. RC grinned stupidly at them, letting them think that she had lost her already loose mental screws, and batted her lashes at them sweetly.

"Allie Manthy! Come attempt question two on the board." Mrs Connery called out.

Before Allie could stand, however, the end of day bell rang.

"Saved by the bell, Miss Manthy, but only for now. Homework, twenty questions at the end of chapter fifteen of your text book, due tomorrow morning." Mrs. Connery instructed loudly over the loud excited murmuring, picked up her things, and stalked out, her nose leading her way.

Sighing softly, RC packed her stuff up quickly and left class before any of her bullies had a chance to get at her again.

At the gate, she met Simone, and slowly they walked home.

"What happened?" Simone asked, studying RC's swollen lip.

"Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange happened." RC answered.

"You need to tell someone about this, RC, it's getting out of hand." Simone responded vehemently.

"Like who? My parents?" RC rolled her eyes. "I can't. No one will believe me."

"You'll be surprised at who will." Simone replied. "That gang has a pretty shitty reputation as it is."

"I can't." RC replied shortly, choking up.

"RC, you can talk to a teacher." Simone advised softly.

"Yeah, I'm sure Mrs. Connery would absolutely love a breakdown of all my problems, one by one." RC looked at Simone in amusement.

Simone shook her head and jokingly shoved RC towards a bin. RC laughed.

"Speaking of which," Simone started, "did you hear Mrs. Powell is leaving?"

"What?" RC screeched. "Mrs. Powell my English teacher?"

"Yeah, apparently she got a better offer at another school."

"No." RC felt terrible. She adored Mrs. Powell. Why was everything so unmanageable?

Today, in RC's opinion, was the worst day ever.

"It's true. They're going to get a replacement to fill her spot in class though."

"Yeah." Even though this did not make a difference to RC. She just did not want Mrs. Powell to leave.

Just then, a motorbike stopped in front of them.

Jordan took off his helmet. "Need a ride, RC?" He asked, looking her up and down.

"Um no." RC shrugged.

"Are you sure?" He pressed.

"Yes, Romeo, I'm sure."

"Romeo?" Jordan chuckled.

"Okay I get it, I'm lame. Throw that on the list of all the other things I am." RC retorted.

"That is one list I really want to see."

"Me too," RC replied listlessly. "Bye now." She and Simone started to walk away.

"Are you sure?" Jordan called.

"Positive." RC called back without turning.

A few steps ahead, Simone shook RC's arm. "What the hell are you doing talking to Jordan Brooks?"

"What is everyone reacting so wildly to that?" RC frowned. "It's not like we're friends or anything."

"I know, I know, but the dude kind of has a reputation."

"Tell me about it." RC replied dryly. "Apparently Mallory is head over heels for him, hence my run-over-by-a-bulldozer face."

"No shit."

They walked in silence for a while.

"You free this Saturday?" RC asked Simone. "I need help buying a dress for Niomi's wedding."

Niomi was RC's older sister, and in RC's opinion, the best one to ever exist. She was coming back from university that Friday to start preparing for her wedding to her high school sweetheart, Joe Stewart.

Simone groaned. "Damn I can't, I have to spend the day at Grandma's, sorting out her photo albums. And I've been procrastinating for about a year now."

"That sucks." RC shrugged. "Good luck getting the dust off you after you're done," she joked, nudging Simone playfully.

"Oh shut up!" Simone retorted with a grin. By now they were at RC's front door. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye," RC bid, letting herself into the house.

***

Hi!

Welcome to part two! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. If you did don't forget to vote.

What do you think of this story so far? Leave me a comment to let me know your thoughts.

Z.