A/N: This takes place during Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy when they school is out in Roseville during the Founders' Parade before Cammie sees the tail. I don't own anything, sadly. Melanie is just a made up character that I came up with. This is a story to stand up to bullying. Stay by your friends and family! Don't let people ruin your life.
Cammie POV
Zach, Josh, DeeDee, and I walked together in silence. Well, silence until we heard a young girl crying my name.
I spun around just as a she ran strait into to me. Being a spy, I was able to keep my balance, but I did have to take a step back to steady myself. As I held the sobbing girl close to me, I recognized her as a seventh grader. Melanie is her name.
"Melanie, what's wrong?" I asked the girl softly. I noticed my companions stood slightly confused next to me.
"Th-those boys were sneering at me and tried to hurt me because I'm a Gallagher g-girl. They said Gallagher girls are terrib-ble." She stuttered as she continued to cry.
I frowned. This was normal for us to get picked on and glared at for being Gallagher girls. But Melanie, like most of the seventh graders, is still trying to get used to it. I was reminded of when Anna was cornered by Dillon and his gang. Why do people feel the need to single one out and be ugly to the girl just based on where they go to school?
I held Melanie at arms length and kneeled down on one knee, so I was slightly shorter than her.
"Come on," I said, wiping the tears off her face with one thumb. "Everything's fine. There's no need to cry. You'll get used to people treating you like that the longer you're with Gallagher, but no matter what you've got your sisters behind you."
Melanie's tears slowed to a stop. "Have people insulted you for going to Gallagher?"
"Yes," I answered truthfully. It was true, but it was rare. No one really sees the Chameleon. "But I never really listened."
"Why?"
"Because I know what they say isn't true, just like you know whatever those boys said to you is a lie."
"Why is everyone so mean to us?" Melanie asked me, her eyes were desperately searching mine for some reassurance that not everyone was a jerk to Gallagher girls.
"Not everyone is." I gestured to Josh and DeeDee on my left. "They're not mean to me about being a Gallagher girl." I gestured to Zach on my right. "Zach isn't mean to me about being a Gallagher girl."
"That's only three people." She pointed out. Her tears were long gone.
"It's better than none," I also pointed out. I noticed Melanie kept rubbing her arm. "Is your arm okay, Mel?"
"Those boys hit me." Melanie said. I switched which knee I was kneeling on and rolled up her sleeve. There was the faintest color of a bruise.
"This is unacceptable." I stated calmly, but really on the inside I was boiling mad. How could a bunch of guys hit one little girl?
I glanced to Josh and DeeDee to see there shocked expressions.
"Why would someone hit you?" DeeDee cried.
"Because we are Gallagher girls," I responded simply.
"You girls really have a hard time in this town, don't you?" Zach said.
I looked up to him to say something when a bunch of guys sauntering our way caught my attention. I didn't recognize them, but apparently Melanie did because she gave a frightened yelp and hid behind me.
I slowly stood up as one of the boys laughed, "Hey, what do you know? It's another Gallagher girl." His voice was mocking and harsh.
I coolly looked him up and down. "Are these the boys who were bothering you?" I asked Melanie, never looking away from the boy, who seemed to be the leader.
"Yes," She answered meekly.
I moved my hands to my hips. "You know, boys it's not polite to hit a girl." I addressed the group in front of me. They laughed.
"Oh, we're terrified," The boy who spoke first continued. "We'll send you home crying like we did to that one." He gestured to Melanie.
I raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan to do that? Insult me? I don't care. Insult my school? That won't make me burst into tears." I shrugged. "You want to hit me. Fine, then I'll scream and have you arrested for assaulting me."
"You Gallagher girls think you're all high and mighty, don't you?" the boy sneered at me.
"No, not really," I said. "But at least we don't go around in packs singling out girls half our age, cornering them alone, and then hit them and insult them."
The boys seemed stunned at my retort. Josh and DeeDee looked just as stunned, as if they never realized that this is how Gallagher girls get treated. Zach's face was emotionless, like he was assessing the situation, like whether or not he should step in.
The leader guy recovered first. "You're tough, I'll give you that. But you're just another rich pathetic Gallagher brat. Did you fly here in your private jet, princess?"
The guys laughed. I felt Melanie shiver beside me. She had moved to stand between me and Zach.
"Princess? Private jet?" I asked amused, then sarcastically said, "Wow, I've never heard that before. You guys are so original."
"What do you guys think?" The boy asked his gang as he took a step closer to me. "One or two hits and she will start crying?"
"I think it's time for you to leave," I answered steely.
"Oh, really?" the boy mocked me, taking another step closer. I really wanted to punch him right about now. He didn't know that I could kill him with a piece of uncooked spaghetti. But I clung to my cover and I knew I would have to come up with another solution.
"Yeah, really," I replied. I took a step forward, a challenge for him to come closer. I held my gaze against his glare. Out of the corner of my left eye I saw my room mates watching carefully. "Would you like me to prove it?"
"Yeah, sure," He laughed. "I'd like to see you get rid of us."
"Macey!" I called, smiling. "Come here for a second please!"
Macey came over to us with Bex and Liz on either side. "Yes?" Macey questioned.
I looked at her. Gesturing to the boys in front of me, I asked, "Do you think it's time for these boys to leave?" I saw my plan click inside of the girls' heads.
She smirked. "Why, yes, I do believe that they should leave now." She turned to Liz. "What do you think?"
Liz replied with a smile, "I definitely think it's time for them to leave. How about you?" she asked Bex.
Bex grinned. "I think if they have any brains in their heads they would leave now." She looked around. "Hey, Tina! Anna! Courtney! We have a question for you guys."
The three of them came over and the question was repeated. They all replied with the same answer in a varied form- yes. They caught on to what I was trying to do to, and they called more Gallagher girls and asked them the question. Each gave a similar response to the previous.
We were causing a crowd to form around us. I noticed some Blackthorne boys looking on in interest. I kept on arm wrapped protectively around Melanie's shoulder with my other hand on my hip. I stopped the chain when we reached ten of us to four of them.
"Is this enough proof for you?" I asked sweetly, but with an underlying challenge to try to press his luck.
He seemed to realize he was beaten because he grumbled, "We'll be back. Come on, guys."
"Will they really come back?" Melanie asked me when they left and the crowd dispersed except for the Gallagher girls, Josh, DeeDee, and Zach.
"I doubt it," I told her. I looked to my sisters. "Let's make sure no one travels alone or is out of site of another Gallagher girl, so this hopefully won't happen again."
They nodded. And they left in groups.
"Melanie!" Two girls called. "Come walk with us."
"Coming," she called back. Melanie gave me a quick hug. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Remember, you've always got your sisters of Gallagher behind you. If anyone bothers you again you call for us, and we'll be there." I told her honestly.
She nodded and ran off to the two girls. When she reached them, she turned with a smile and waved. I waved back, before turning back to Zach, DeeDee, and Josh.
"Let's continue," I suggested. We continued to walk on as before.
Zach leaned close and whispered in my ear, "Interesting solution, Gallagher Girl. I thought you might've hit him for a moment."