Voices of the Heart

A New Friend

"Did you seriously have to change your classes just so we're both in the same ones?" I asked Bumblebee as he drove down the street.

His holoform appeared and gave me an apologetic look.

"I know you think I'm going over the top, but I'm not taking any chances," he told me.

"You being in every one of my classes I get," I said. "But does everyone else have to be in my classes too?"

"The more, the merrier," Bumblebee replied. "... And more protection."

"From what?! It's school!"

"And where was it that Vince attacked you?" Bumblebee shot back.

I glowered at him as he parked in the school parking lot. As soon as I got out of the car, all eyes turned to me. Conversations stopped in mid sentence, replaced by hushed whispers as I walked by. Bumblebee and the others followed quickly, shorting glared at the people staring at me.

"Why is everyone looking at me?" I asked quietly as we walked down the hall.

"Because of what happened over the summer," Dino answered in the same hushed voice. "With you and Barricade."

I looked at him in shock. "They know?"

"They know you survived," Jazz said. "Everyone wants to know who's behind the murders, and they think-"

"Either I know who it is, or it's me," I concluded.

"Pretty much," Sideswipe sighed.

It was then that I saw Ursula and her pack of sluts. She shared a smirk with her friends before walking up to me.

"Well, well," she sneered. "If it isn't the girl who lived."

I scowled as her friends laughed. A small crowd was forming around us, and I could see Ursula was enjoying the attention.

"C'mon," Bumblebee whispered to me as he shot Ursula a glare. "Just ignore her."

I tried to move around Ursula, but she blocked my path. I was very close to smacking that smug look off her face.

"Why don't you tell us how you survived?" she slurred. "I mean, since your aunt didn't, it's a miracle that you did."

I felt my chest tighten at her words, and I could feel tears threatening to spill from my eyes. Ursula's smirk grew.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, faking pity. "Did I hurt your feelings?"

I was seeing red now. Before I could stop myself, my fist shot out straight into the little slut's nose. I heard a sickening crack before Ursula screeched. The next thing I knew, Bumblebee and Dino were trying to pull me off of her.

"You little freak!" Ursula screamed as the others dragged me away.

"I'LL KILL YOU NEXT TIME!" I yelled at her. "YOU HEAR ME?! I'LL KILL YOU!"

The crowd parted as I was dragged into our first class. As soon as we entered the room, I broke away from Bumblebee and fell into the seat next to a pretty girl with long black hair. A look of concern crossed her face as she turned to face me.

"You okay?" She asked gently.

"No, not really," I said honestly as I wiped away my tears.