The ring of the school bell pierced the air. I smiled as I headed to my first class of high school with my two best friends, Ed and Eddy, and my step-sister, Bella. I frowned upon realizing that I had left my highlighter in my locker.

"I'll be right there," I told my friends, "I need to get something."

I raced back to my locker, hoping I wouldn't be late for my first class in high school. What a way to demolish my perfect record! I quickly unlocked my locker and searched around for my high lighter. However, before I could locate it, someone had slammed my locker shut in front of me.

"Oh, h-hello, B-Brandon," I stuttered nervously upon seeing the one and only Kanker brother in front of me. Two other boys I didn't recognize stood behind him. Brandon had changed over the years, definitely. His midnight black t-shirt had its sleeves ripped off and his jeans were torn on the knees. His brown hair had certainly gotten out of control since he lost his crush on Bella at the end of last year, since he wasn't trying to impress her anymore.

"Whatcha doin'?" He asked meanly.

"Um, j-just g-grabbing my high l-lighter," I said, looking fearfully at him. It was well known that Brandon didn't like me, nor any other smart kid, or as he called them, 'nerds.'

"Well, what's in the bag?" He grabbed my over-the-shoulder satchel and started searching through it. He pulled out my fully-stocked pencil case and calculator, "A calculator? Jeez, what a nerd!"

The two boys behind him snickered meanly. Brandon shoved my satchel into my chest, knocking the wind out of me.

"Take your crap, nerd," one of the boys behind Brandon said.

"We'll meet you later," the other one finished as they walked off.

I quickly left before Brandon could inflict any more pain on me and entered the math room, where Ed, Eddy, and Bella were waiting for me.

"What took ya so long?" Eddy whispered so the teacher wouldn't hear him. Eddy had also changed over the years. He wore a long-sleeved white shirt with a short-sleeved black jacket over top.

"I ran into a...snag," I whispered back, leaving out the name 'Brandon.'

"Nothing bad?" Bella asked, a little worried. She now wore a pink t-shirt and jeans.

"No, nothing bad," I lied so Bella wouldn't worry anymore.

The teacher tapped a ruler on her desk lightly to get everyone's attention. She looked around the classroom, taking in all the students.

"Good morning, class," she said. She had a stiff sort of tone, "I am Mrs. Widow, your math teacher."

Mrs. Widow wore a black dress with a red hour-glass shape on the front and back, adding to her name the look of a black widow. She looked around again and seemed to noticed someone missing.

"Where's Brandon Kanker?" Mrs. Widow asked.

I paled slightly as she said that name. Brandon Kanker was in my math class? Oh, dear. Even worse, his sister Marie Kanker was also in my math class.

The classroom door slammed open and Brandon walked in, grumpy.

"I'm here," he mumbled as he sat down in his seat- which was right next to mine! He glared at me with his eyes full of hatred.


After the morning, we made our way to the cafeteria downstairs. I had brought my own lunch, so I told the others to go on ahead without me. I went to my locker and grabbed my lunch, but unfortunately, on the way back down, I ran into Brandon.

"Ooh, what ya got for me?" Brandon snagged my lunch bag and peered inside, "Tuna salad, apple, yogurt...Jeez, nerd, where's the dessert?"

"Um, w-well, t-the yogurt is t-the d-dessert," I answer nervously, hoping that Brandon would hand me my lunch back. I didn't have any money to buy any.

"Seriously?" He asked, "Oh well, either way."

I was about to ask 'either way what?' but Brandon started walking away- with my lunch! I sighed as my stomach grumbled from hunger. I slowly walked down to the cafeteria and found where Ed, Eddy, and Bella were sitting. I sat down next to Ed, across from Eddy and Bella.

"Hey, where's your lunch?" Ed asked me. Ed pretty much looked the same, but he no longer wore his jacket.

"Um, I must have forgotten it at home," I lied again.

"Aw, well, here," Bella handed me the apple she had bought from the school lunch, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."

I smiled as I took the apple. "That's right."

It wasn't much, but it was enough to satisfy my growling stomach. Bella offered me half if her ice-cream sandwich, but I politely turned it down. I didn't want to bother my sister too much.

Brandon walked past with his gang and elbowed my in the back, sending me forward a few inches.

"Oops, my bad," Brandon snickered as he left. Bella glared after him.

My luck became even worse when Marie walked over at sat down next to me.

"Hiya, dreamboat," Marie greeted in her usual way. She leaned over to me and put her hands on my legs.

"Oh, h-hello, Marie," I said nervously, "Um, w-what brings you here?"

"I finished my lunch and I came for some dessert," Marie licked her lips, smiling.

"Oh dear," I started to sweat slightly.

"Beat it, Kanker!" Eddy snapped at Marie rather rudely. Marie glared at Eddy.

"Who's gonna make me?" She snapped back. Felice, who somehow was still allowed in, hissed and clawed Marie's tank top half-shirt.

"Why you little!" Marie yelled at Felice and tried to grab her but Bella seized Marie's wrists first.

"Hurt uno little hair on her, and you'll wish you were never born," Bella growled threatenly. Bella was very protective of Felice. Marie gulped. She could take on Bella with her sisters, but no one could take on Bella by themselves, though Sarah could put up a good fight.

"O-ok," Marie stared at Bella, who released her grip on Marie's wrists. Marie rubbed her wrists as she walked away.

The lunch bell rang and we all headed to our next class.


After school, I had stayed behind to see if any of the teachers had any extra credit. Unfortunately, I ran into Brandon, who I guessed was on his way to detention.

"Where ya goin', nerd?" Brandon asked, "Finally get detention for once?"

"Um, n-no," I answered, "Just l-looking for some extra credit."

"Ha!" Brandon let out a laugh, "You want extra credit?" He shoved his homework into my arms, "Get that done and I might not pound ya tomorrow."

Brandon stomped off to the detention room, leaving me there with all his homework. I sighed as I exited the building and walked home, struggling under the weight from all the papers and books.

I quietly entered my house, where Bella, Ed, and Eddy were already doing their homework.

"Ciao," Bella greeted. She didn't look up, but I assumed she saw me out of the corner of her eye, as she was listening to music while working. I never really understood how she could do both at the same time and still get good marks and not get destracted.

"Hey," Eddy said, looking up from his work. I glanced over at Ed as I sat down and sighed to see him snoring slightly. I gently shook him awake and started helping him with his homework.


After Ed and Eddy left that night, I decided to get started on Brandon's homework. I thought that he should be doing it himself, but I didn't want to get beaten, and I certainly couldn't defend myself.

After an hour, I leaned back in the chair in my room, finally complete. I sighed as I looked at the clock.

9:30.

I was half-an-hour past my bedtime, and I didn't even have a chance to brush my teeth! I looked up when I heard a small creak and looked over to see Felice sneaking in through my crack-open door.

"Hello, Felice," I said as Felice climbed into my lap. It still felt a bit strange to be talking to an animal, even after all these years, but it still felt right somehow. I knew Felice was a smart individual. Bella had translated for her words all the time, and some of her ideas to solve stuff had been quite genius!

Felice meowed slightly and tilted her head towards the clock. She was good at communicating when Bella wasn't around.

"Just getting some last-minute work done," I answered, thinking she was asking why I was up so late. Felice nodded understandably before jumping down and leaving.

I stood up and yawned before getting into my pajamas and crawling into bed.

It had certainly been a long day.