Sticking Together

Sticking Together

I could see Sandy’s back tighten. She had her head bowed a little and the back of her neck was a bit red. She seemed to be shrinking into her chair.

In the next desk over, and the one behind, Randy and Alex were kibitzing quietly. Snickering. Looking back and forth to Sandy and each other. I knew those boys. As Mr. Grant was busy at the board, they had decided to tease Sandy, just for fun, their fun. Fun for them. Most likely they were embarrassing her, humiliating her over something stupid, trying to make her cry because they knew they could.

I knew them both pretty well. I knew a lot of things. I tended to be one of those girls that nobody paid attention to, so I saw a lot. For instance, I saw both Randy and Alex swiping donuts from the cafeteria this very morning when Mrs. Peck wasn’t looking. I could see a big smudge of jelly still on Randy’s arm.

“Mr. Grant!” I yelled.

He turned around, “Yes?”

“I think Randy’s bleeding!”

Randy jumped up, looking all over his body, as Mr. Grant hurried up the aisle. When Randy saw the jelly, he turned red himself. When Mr. Grant saw it, he seemed to squint a bit, like he was thinking of something else. “See me after class,” he said quietly to Randy, then “False alarm, settle down!” to the rest of the class as he went back to the front.

Randy turned and glared at me. I could tell by the expression on his face he was just angry that I was stupid, and got him in trouble. Nobody ever gives me credit for brains.

Sandy turned too, and mouthed “Thank you.” She knew exactly what had just happened.

We girls stick together.