The Bullies & the Yeti

Chapter 3: Two Steps Forward

     Monday morning... Anji knocked on the door at the stairwell. "Kin, we need to talk before you leave."

     Kin opened the door and gestured for her to come in. "Can I get ready while we talk?"

       "Yes," she stepped into the space "wow... I love what you've done. There are some furniture pieces downstairs that I'll bring up for you while you're at school." She sat down and watched kin for her reaction she smiled and nodded at her mom "Kin... your father has disappeared. Nobody knows where he is, your grandfather is worried sick... he wants to know if there is anything you can tell us."

     "Possibly..." she came out of the bedroom "let me look at his letters again tonight okay." She fidgeted nervously "you didn't tell them about his letters did you?"

     "That was just between us, I haven't even told my mother." She stood up "I know it may be hard to understand but I love your father and if there is a way you can fix whatever this is... I will do whatever you ask, just get me my husband back... okay?"

      Kin nodded "okay mom." Anji left closing the door behind her leaving Kin to her thoughts. She pulled on the black suit jacket she had found in Grandpa Briss's things and buttoned it up hiding the loose rock band t-shirt she had on to cover the bandages. She had the t-shirt tucked into her blue jeans and wore just a pair of her sneakers with a few bobbles on, a dark colored pearl bracelet her father gave her and a necklace that had her mother's old charm on it that she got in elementary school from her grandfather. She ran her hand through her hair one last time then collected her bag and left, locking the attic door as she did. Anji had the only spare key, she didn't want Laila up here yet.

      For all the progress Kin had made this past weekend, she feared she would backslide as soon as she stepped into the school... "kindergarten is down the hill..."

    "Funny," Kin rolled her eyes at the girl as she stepped back expecting her to get violent.

     "Maybe you don't understand," her tone changed to one of arrogance and taunting "this building is for the adults."

     Kin took a deep breath and reminded herself that she didn't need to hide here "What's your name?" Kin's question startled her, Kin remembered how this worked on her grandmother and hoped it would work now "my name is Bernadette Kinley Conte, my friends call me Kin... you can call me Bernadette." She smirked as all eyes around her grew wide; shock rippled through the crowd as everyone stopped to watch. "What's your name?"

      "Lincoln Bardwell."

     "Seems both are parents opted for unusual first names. What grade are you in?" Kin smiled hoping to at least make an impression that could lead to a friend or at least respect but Lincoln only laughed at her.

     "Seventh, don't think we are on the same level child. I am the captain of the cheer..."

     "That's nice..." Kin sighed realizing Lincoln's type, "...as it turns out, I'm smarter than you. I skipped that grade because they thought it would be too easy for me. I'm in eighth." Kin scooted around her as the rest of the nearby students watched with their jaws on the floor. "You wouldn't happen to know where the office is..." the students watching all pointed "thanks." Kin quickly headed that way, wondering why these students didn't attack like the last group did. Glancing back before she rounded the corner, she saw the face of Lincoln and that told her why. She had just made enemies with the school bitch.

     Starting off the day was home room... it was dull. Kin sat looking through her classes and trying to catch up in each of them while everyone just whispered about her and how she managed to piss off the Lincoln Bardwell. When it ended Kin rushed to her first period class; History, taught by Miss Minster... gossip on the local chat rooms said a lot about her, not all nice. Students say that she is a strict follower of the schedule and hates it when anyone falls behind on their studies.