Michelle and Her Fight

Chapter One

I looked at myself in the girls' restroom mirror, fixed my emerald gold necklace so people could see it, fixed my unruly brown hair. I walked out as the lunch bell rang for the second time, warning students to get to the lunchroom. I slid in line, grabbed a tray of food, punched in my lunch account number and started to roam around the lunchroom. Everywhere I tried to sit, other kids would lie and say its "saved". So a long time ago I learned to stop and just go straight to what us kids thought as the nerd/geek table.

"Michelle! Over here!" I heard someone shout. I turned to see it was my only friends Jenna and Abby. Both girls were considered nice and not geeks for sure. To me, they were amazing. Abby had dirty blond hair always pulled back into a ponytail. She usually wore sweats which she was wearing green shorts and a school shirt which didn't really match since our school colors are black and maroon. Not good colors anyways. She was athletic and enjoyed P.E. which was torture for me when we played dodgeball if you can imagine.

Jenna had shiny brown hair, no bangs, glasses covering cool and collected green eyes. She was calm but easily excited, a good combination of smart and althletic. She was a great listener and friend.

"Thanks, guys." I sat down beside Jenna and smiled at her.

"Hey guys, have you heard about Mrs. Monroe?" Abby asked after she shoved mashed potatoes into her mouth.

"No," Jenna and I replied at the same time.

"Jinks!" She shouted and we laughed.

Abby snapped her fingers in our faces. "Hey! I heard from Elizabeth that Mrs. Monroe went to the hospital this weekend and that's why she's not here at school this week."

"Hmm. Mrs. Monroe, the science teacher?" Abby nodded. I bit into my sandwich. "So, got any more news?"

"She's sick. I think I heard cancer."

"Aw. If that's true, that sucks. We'll have to pray for her or something. That really is too bad," Jenna said into her sandwich. Her eyes were downcast so I knew she was upset. I patted Jenna on the back as if she were Mrs. Monroe.

"She'll be okay. But it's just a rumor so it's probably not true. Just keep that in mind." Jenna nodded and we didn't talk the rest of lunch.

 "Today, class, is when we'll pick the partners for the project. Go on, pick your partners. Remember students," the teacher said as all the kids started to talk. "You will have to start on Monday!"

"Hey, nerd. You are gonna be my partner."

I turned around to see Jeff. The school bully who took money from six graders. I sighed to myself as he approached me. "Sure Jeff. You know what grade you want?"

"An A+, nerd. Make our project good." He sneered when he said "our".

I gathered my english book and notebook as the bell rang. "Of course, Jeff. Do you doubt that my projects aren't good?" I rushed out the door before he could follow. I ran to my locker, dumped my crap in my bookbag, and rushed to Jenna.

"Jeff is my partner. Who's yours?"

Jenna looked at me with disappointment then tsked. "Jeff? Did he pick you again? Isn't he already your partner in Social Studies?"

I nodded. We walked out into the sunshine and gasped, rubbing our arms to keep warm. Stumbling forward, our eyes adjusted to the dim light of a late December day. "Well, I'll see you Monday."

I got home, dumped my bag in the doorway, and went to find my mom. I found her in her room, taking her necklace off. "Mom, can I go outside?"

She looked at me for awhile, her cool blue eyes searching me. "Yes dear," she finally replied. I nodded my thanks and went to the doorway where I put on my muck boots and a baseball cap. I got outside in the bright light and started to walk. I had decided I wanted to visit my old playhouse that my dad made for me with scrap wood and tin and he placed it all on a spare trailer so I could move it around if it got too muddy in a spot. My playhouse was placed a walk's away from the house but I enjoyed the walk.

I felt like a little kid, going to see a dear friend. Memories of me playing with the little table and pretending I was a mom came flooding back. I was a mother, I had a nice handsome husband, and two kids. We lived in a little house back in the old days. That was during the time I had been obsessed with "The Little House on the Prairie."

I hadn't been to my playhouse in a long time but for some odd reason, I wanted very badly to go now. I reached my playhouse, a dull gray house, two thirds of the small trailer long, with a once painted door, and tin roof. It looked sad as I approached, all saggy and gray, almost like an old person I saw in a nursing home one time. I jumped on the porch of the house as I liked to call it and opened the door.

"What happened, sweetie?" my dad asked.

What? I-I don't understand..."

I laid on my bed, covers pulled up to my chin.

"I found you knocked out cold on the porch of your playhouse. Are you okay? Do you remember what happened?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. And no, I don't remember anything."

"Well, okay." My mom looked worried as she fixed my covers up higher.

"Mom," I complained. She sighed, kissed my forehead and left the room, turning the lights off before she closed the door. I laid in bed, wondering what had happened. I remembered nothing after jumping onto the porch and opening the door. Did I faint? What happened to me? Was it just natural, and would have happened if I was home? How long had I been laying out there? I sighed and snuggled deeper in my covers. Oh well, I could think about it later. Right now, I was too sleepy to think any more.

In the morning I felt better. I got dressed, grabbed my book I was reading, and went upstairs. It was pitch black up there and I tripped over the couch. I tiptoed to the kitchen where I turned on a dim light. I decided to make toast so I put bread in the toaster and crossed my arms, wondering why my mom wasn't up. She was always awake when I came upstairs.

Oh man, am I stupid! It's Saturday! I felt myself blush in the darkness. The pop of the toaster scared me, but then I realized it was my breakfast and I wasn't scared anymore as I buttered it and ate it, thinking that it was probably scared of me.