Chapter Two: The Punishment
(Townsville Courthouse, Testimony Session—June 18, 1999)
Interview with Butch Cameron Jojo. 11:35 AM.*Interviewed by City Representative, Harold Carson. Filmed with a handheld video camera in front of a live courthouse audience.
Carson: State your full name and purpose, please.
Butch: Butch Cameron Jojo. "Prom Night" testimony.
Carson: Thank you, Mr. Jojo. You may take the stand.
Butch: [whisper]….thanks, I guess….
Carson: [pulls out a file folder with pictures and holds it up] Do you know what these are, Mr. Jojo? They're the rescued pictures we saved from that night. Can you identify what's in these pictures, please?
Butch: [looking at the first picture] This is Buttercup and I, Robin took the picture with her camera. [looks at the second picture] This is….my brother. Boomer.
Carson: [firm and questionable tone] What, or who else, is in that picture, Mr. Jojo?
Butch: ….his date…Bubbles Utonium.
Carson: …and do you know her whereabouts to this day?
Butch: [confused and angry] Excuse me?
Carson: [calm tone] I'm not saying it's your fault...or cause…but do you know where Miss Utonium is?
Butch: [angry and careless tone] Uh, dead?
(There are murmurs and whispers from the audience. The judge bangs his gavel and orders silence. Butch stands up, demanding to answer "simple" questions. He is ordered to sit.)
Carson: Mr. Jojo, are you aware that Miss Bubbles Utonium was bullied by her classmates?
Butch: …well, yeah. Buttercup mentioned it, about once or twice.
Carson: …on February 13 of this same year, didn't your friend, Mitch Mitchelson, take a photo of Miss Utonium's…chest…with his camera as a joke?
Butch: [sighs] Yeah, but I took no part in that. Mitch was a football player—a jock. He went out with Robin for a while; she left him for Mike. Mitch acted…childish most of the time. But when it came to girls…he sort of flew off the wall like he was Hugh Heffner. [chuckles] Oh, Mitch…silly old Mitch. He picked on Bubbles because she was quiet…and he thought she was defenseless and stupid….of course, after Prom Night…we…
Carson: Yes? Like what?
Butch: …..we learned that Bubbles was possibly stronger than anything else in the world.
(Same day *May 23, 1999*. Principal Eisenhower's office.)
The lady at the desk was usually known as "that strict, uptight bitch" to many of the students and jocks at the school. But when Bubbles walked in, that lady—Principal Eisenhower—became as sympathetic as an angel. Ms. Keane placed a hand on Bubbles' shoulder.
"Miss Eisenhower, Miss Utonium here needs to go home," Ms. Keane said politely. "There was an incident in the locker room a few moments ago. It might do her some good to go home."
Eisenhower nodded. "Very well…and what about Blossom and Buttercup?"
"Her…sisters, uh…are witnesses…."
"Okay. And what exactly happened, might I ask?" Eisenhower handed Bubbles a dismissal slip. Bubbles took the slip with her shaky hand, and nodded slowly. Ms. Keane sighed. "Well, it's best if I tell you…after Bubbles has gone home…"
"Alright then…I'll guess we'll see you on Monday, Britney—"
"THAT'S NOT MY NAME!"
Everyone in the room flinched and Miss Eisenhower's computer suddenly sparked and exploded. Ms. Keane squealed and Miss Eisenhower clutched a hand to her chest. "My word…"
Bubbles gritted her teeth. "Whatever…I'm going home now…."
She walked out the door like a lion on the prowl. Everyone just stood there is silence. Miss Eisenhower—slowly—pulled up three chairs and Ms. Keane took a seat with the Utonium sisters. The principal stood in front of them with her arms crossed. "I don't know why or how my computer just exploded—but that's not the case. What happened in the locker room?"
Blossom cleared her throat. "Well, uh, we were showering because we just had a soccer match….they were giving Bubbles a hard time…as usual."
Eisenhower nodded. "Continue."
Buttercup's fingers twined together, nervously. "Bubbles stepped out of the shower…and they saw the blood running down her leg…you see…she was on her period—it just started today—and since she never keeps track of it…."
Eisenhower nodded. "I know how she feels. When I was eleven, I got my first period. My older sister was already fourteen and she didn't have hers yet….so what did the girls do?"
"Well," Blossom started, "they laughed—like they always do." She looked down at the floor and bit her lower lip. "Princess was the ringleader. And there was also Alexis McKinley…and Robin Schneider threw a box of tampons that hit Bubbles in the head…"
"Robin Schneider? The honor student?" Eisenhower shook her head. "I don't believe it."
"It's true," Buttercup shouted. "She threw a box of goddamn tampons at my sister's head!"
Buttercup stood up and Blossom whispered for her to sit back down. Buttercup shook her head. "You can't always think that the honor students are a bunch of sweethearts and all this crap! It's frickin' ridiculous!" Eisenhower put her hands up in defense. "Very well, give me names."
"Alexis McKinley, Princess Morbucks, Robin Schneider, Kayley Carr, Heather Cooper, Dana Phyllis and her sister Ramona, and Georgia Johnson," Blossom said in one breath.
Bubbles walked down the street with her backpack strapped across one shoulder. She was no longer crying—she had no tears left from today. Wearing old jaded sneakers, torn blue jeans, and a tight light blue blouse, Bubbles walked down Providence Street. She passed the cherry blossom trees—the small park and playground—that she remembered from when she was younger. The sun was high in the sky; birds chirped; some kids played in the distance; a man was walking his Labrador; a squirrel scurried across the sidewalk and climbed up a tree—
A car was driving towards Bubbles. An old vintage 1987 Ford—and Snake was driving it.
The loud rock music blared from it:
I wish that I had Jessie's girl!
I wish that I had Jessie's girl!
Why can't I find a woman like that?
Bubbles heard it, and she turned around. Now and then she'd had run-ins with Ace's gang. Mostly it was either Grubber or Big Billy, but today it was Snake. Snake—the slick eighteen-year-old high school drop-out who was dumber than a sack of hammers. Bubbles watched as his car swerved a few feet in front of her—she gasped—and Snake quickly pressed on the brakes. There was a SCREECH and Bubbles watched his gestures.
"Hey, my big-breasted underage broad…how's it goin'?"
Ignore him, she told herself. He'll go away. He doesn't have the nerve—
"You goin' to Todd's next Friday? Or are you goin' to that stinky dumb prom at Pokey Oaks High?" Snake laughed. "Oh wait….you're too stupid to even get a date!"
"Go away, you fucker!" Bubbles had barely ever cursed.
"Tough shit, you little bitch. Go suck off a cow!" he responded.
The car skidded in reverse and Snake gave her The Finger. Bubbles' eyes widened and she watched the car speed away. It hadn't gotten far when she thought—
THAT DUMB BASTARD, SLAM HIS CAR! SLAM HIS CAR! SLAM IT HARD!
Her mind expanded again and the car jerked sideways all of the sudden. A tire blew out and Snake cursed. The Ford skidded across the road and slammed to a stop. Snake's head banged against the wheel—almost knocking him out! He clutched his face, cursing even more. His nose was bleeding. Bubbles smiled. She had done it. Again.
The girls from Second Period were called to the gym.
Ms. Keane stood in the front with her clipboard. The whistle around her neck…she stood 5"9, short black hair, and her orange and white gym shorts. She walked like a drill sergeant and tapped her fingers on the clipboard.
"All of you!" she snapped loudly. "Get quiet!"
The girls stopped whispering and stood still with their belongings. Princess popped her gum and Ms. Keane gave her a death glare. "Morbucks. Spit out that gum!"
Princess smiled coyly and said with a sarcastic tone, "Where shall I put it, Ms. Keane?"
The gym teacher got up into her face. "You can choke on it, for all I care, Princess. Just get it out of your mouth!" Princess took her gum and put it back in the wrapper, she rolled her eyes.
Blossom and Buttercup stood behind Ms. Keane, trying not to make eye contact with the girls.
"Now, I assume you all are aware of why I called you back here," Ms. Keane said. "It's about what you did last period—and speaking of periods—you bullied Bubbles Utonium to a certain level. I don't tolerate shit like that!" The girls froze; Ms. Keane had never cursed before.
Princess tapped her foot impatiently. "Is this gonna take long, Keane? I'm meeting Ace for lunch, so—" Ms. Keane shot her another glare. "Shut up, Princess. You have no right to speak!"
Morbucks crossed her arms. "You can't talk to me like that, you bitch—!"
SMACK! It happened within the blink of an eye. Ms. Keane slapped Princess across the face. It left a light red palm print. Princess busted into a dramatic rage.
"YOU CAN'T HIT ME LIKE THAT! SEE IF YOU DON'T GET CANNED FOR THIS!"
Ms. Keane blew her whistle. "Enough!"
Silence came again.
"You all think you're a piece of work, don't you?" Ms. Keane made a snide grin. "Making fun of someone for having her period, eh? Now, Bubbles Utonium is familiar with…the menstrual cycle. She just hadn't kept track of it. I also want to know…ah! Robin, could you step up, please?"
Robin Schneider, in her jean shorts and white tank top with sandals, stepped up.
Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Guilt was all over her face. Morbucks looked over to Alexis and smirked with victory. She's singling out Schneider, how perfect.
Keane turned her back. "You threw a box of tampons at Bubbles, correct?"
Robin's eyes filled with tears. "I…I didn't…mean to."
Ms. Keane nodded. "I'm aware of that, Miss Schneider. For a moment I just couldn't bear to believe it—you're a straight A student, perfect attendance three years in a row, Vice-President of the Student Council….Robin…for now…you're off the hook."
There were gasps and grunts of disbelief and disgust from the crowd.
Ms. Keane was still frowning. "However, you will come back here after school and clean the bleachers for the next assembly. Got it?" Robin nodded and looked down.
Princess grinned and Alexis chuckled. But their moment of "short triumph" wasn't lived.
"But the rest of you," Ms. Keane continued, "will receive a week's detention." She turned towards Blossom and Buttercup. "You both are excused, and may leave now."
Heather Cooper stepped forward. "Ms. Keane, about the detention…a week's worth…well, it won't work out for me. Sorry." Ms. Keane bared a sarcastic smile. "Yes, dear, why is that?"
Heather twirled a strand of her brown hair in her finger. "I have to help set up for prom."
Ms. Keane grinned. "Impressive. And I assume you all want to go to prom…or are going to?"
Nods of "yes," and Ms. Keane smiled harder. "Well…then…it pains me to say this, but…if none of you show up to detention…the new punishment will be four days of suspension, and refusal of your prom tickets. Get the picture?"
Alexis rolled her eyes. "So? It's just detention."
Ms. Keane held up a finger. "There's actually a catch to that, Alexis. It's to be my detention. Out on the soccer field. Every day for a whole week. An hour's worth of time."
Silence.
Ms. Keane smiled. "Good. Now go to lunch."
Princess gritted her teeth as Ms. Keane left. "That stupid gym teacher! She can't away with this!" She turned towards the other girls. "C'mon, if we all stick together—"
"Shut up, Princess."
Everyone looked at Robin in surprise. "What did you just say to me, Robin?" Princess growled.
"I told you to shut up. I'm sick of being your stooge. Later." And with that sentence, Robin walked out of the gym casually. Princess just stood there—dumbfounded.
"You know what, Schneider?" she called out in anger. "This….this…."
Her face went red as a tomato. "THIS ISN'T OVER BY A LONG SHOT!"
A half hour later, Blossom Utonium was in the library. She was searching through the card catalog. She kept flipping until she found what she needed.
A book entitled Miracles of the Universe by J.H. Grant.
Blossom found it in the index, and kept reading the sentence over and over again to herself.
Telekinesis—the ability to move or cause changes in objects, by the force of the mind.
I've done it again! BWAAA-HA-HAAAA! So how was it you guys? I take criticism. Why do you think Blossom was searching for "telekinesis"? Are you proud of Robin? Proud of Ms. Keane? What'll happen to Bubbles in the next chapter? (BTW, you'll meet the girls' adoptive mother in Chapter 3.) And DON'T WORRY—the Ruffs will be coming in the NEXT CHAPTER, too. R&R! Hope you enjoyed Chapter 2!
