CHAPTER 3: RUNAWAY!

"You actually stood up for Sally?!" Those were the words coming from Linus's mouth as Charlie Brown Zoom chatted with him.

"I can't believe it, either, Linus," said an equally surprised Charlie Brown. "It's like moving to Kansas City has built up my self-esteem and has made me do things I never dreamed I'd be able to do back in Sparkyville."

"So what happened to this Hawthorne kid, Charlie Brown?"

"He's been expelled. He was warned that this would happen the last time he got into it with Sally. He's done this to other kids before her."

"Well hopefully he can get his life together so he doesn't do the same thing at whatever school he goes to next."

"I hope so, too. At least Sally won't have to deal with him anymore." As if mentioning her name summoned her into the room, Sally appeared at the door.

"Is that Linus you're talking to, big brother?" she asked, strangely sad.

"Yeah, you want to talk to him?" asked Charlie Brown.

"Can I alone for a moment?"

"Sure, Sally. Linus, you don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all, Charlie Brown."

"Here you go, Sally. Just don't hang up. I still need to talk to him about a few things."

"I won't." And Charlie Brown briefly left the room so Sally and Linus could talk.

"So what's on your mind, Sally?" asked Linus.

"I'm sure my brother told you about what happened to me today," Sally began.

"We were just discussing that before you came in. Are you okay?"

"No I'm not!" The tears began to form in her eyes.

"Hawthorne's not harassing you at home too, is he?"

"Thankfully no. Actually, that jerk is the least of my problems right now. I hate it here in Kansas City. I get bad grades, worse than what I did back at the old school, Hawthorne aside the kids hate me, nothing I do is ever right!"

"It's like things have flipped over there. What your brother was here you are now there."

"Oh no! You're right! I've become the failure! Is your sister going to pull the ball away from ME now?!"

"I wouldn't go that far, Sally. Just try to hang in there. With that kid now out of school, things should look up for you."

"I hope so, Linus. It goes without saying that I miss you, but I also miss everyone else there, as well! Lucy, Schroeder, Eudora, Pig Pen, even that awful Tapioca Pudding!"

"Try to get through it, Sally. I'm sure everything will work out in the end."

"Thanks, Linus. Here's my brother again. Hold on." And she went to grab Charlie Brown and brought him back in to finish his call with Linus.

"Hey, Linus," he greeted.

"I'm worried about your sister, Charlie Brown," Linus replied. "It's like the roles reversed between you two. You're having luck with people and she's failing."

"I know. I tried to talk to her myself, but she's acting worse than I did when I couldn't do anything right."

"I think I know what it is, Charlie Brown. Yes you got teased mercilessly by my sister, Violet, and Patty daily, and yet, you still had a support system to help build you back up with me, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and others. Sally doesn't have that, so she feeling worse than you did when you got depressed."

"Good grief! You may be on to something there, Linus. Sally needs to find supportive friends."

"One thing you two have a difference in is attitude. Yours is pretty good and down to earth. Sally can be a bit of a loose cannon and talk before she thinks, which makes it harder for her to make lasting friendships, save for Eudora."

"Yeah, I try not to say the wrong thing, but she says the wrong thing without knowing it, or thinking she's not in the wrong."

"Exactly. Well I better get ready to study before dinner. I'll talk to you later, Charlie Brown."

"See you later, Linus."

Later that evening, while everyone else was asleep, Sally was packing some clothes into a suitcase. She tiptoed out of her room. She snuck past Charlie Brown's room so he wouldn't wake up. Then she went out the back sneaking past Snoopy's doghouse. The beagle was in a deep sleep with Woodstock laying on his stomach like he often did. As Sally exited the backyard, and as soon as she felt like she was a safe distance from the house, she made her way to the bus terminal. She had some money she saved from allowances. When she got to the terminal, she placed her money on the counter for the clerk.

"One way to Sparkyville, please?"

NEXT CHAPTER: RENEGADE SISTER