CHAPTER 4: THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE FOR SALLY
Sally was still experiencing exclusion from most of the kids. Back in their old town she had at least some friends of her own, as well as her brother's friends. Heck, even if most kids made fun of him, Charlie Brown still had folks who were genuinely nice to him, even those who could be as guilty as his enemies of teasing him on occasion. But Sally didn't even have that in Kansas City. She found out the boy who had been heckling her from the beginning that his name was Hawthorne Brooks. Hawthorne, or Thorney as they called him, was always mean to the other kids, and not just Sally. He started picking on her more only because she was the new kid. Charlie Brown never encountered him, at least not yet due to him staying with his small circle of friends mostly, but most of the school had taken a liking to the round-headed kid. Sally, not so much.
One day, Sally was minding her own business, walking to her classroom, when Hawthorne, surrounded by his usual gang, purposely tripped Sally and made her fall. The gang started laughing; Hawthorne more so.
"You need to be more careful, blondie!" he sneered. "Don't want to hurt your potato face!"
Sally almost cried, but then she went from tears to outright anger. And, in a move that no one, not even Charlie Brown himself, expected, after getting up, Sally punched Hawthorne square in the nose, making him fall down in the process. The rest of his gang gasped at what had transpired.
"I AM SICK OF YOU PICKING ON ME, THORNEY TOAD!" Sally spat at the bully. Charlie Brown, along with Abigail, just happened to round the corner when Sally decked Hawthorne.
"SALLY!" gasped Charlie Brown. "What happened?!"
"This brute's been picking on me all week, big brother!" yelled Sally. "Now that I started the process, maybe you can finish the job, so to speak!" But that would not happen, as a teacher saw the whole exchange, and took Sally and Hawthorne to the principal's office.
"Your sister just decked the school bully, Charles!" said Marcus, running up to him and Abigail. "He's been terrorizing all of the first graders since they were kindergarteners! Hawthorne Brooks is one of the worst kids in school, if not THE worst!"
"Oh, good grief!" moaned Charlie Brown. "She just got taken to the principal's office for fighting!"
"Let's just hope for the best, baby," said Abigail, comforting Charlie Brown.
A little while later at lunch, Charlie Brown, Abigail, Marcus, Tyler, and Charlotte were discussing what happened with Sally and Hawthorne.
"So what's the word on Sally, Charlie Brown?" asked Charlotte.
"Well she has detention after school only because she wasn't the aggressor," Charlie Brown replied. "The principal realized that she was only defending herself, but still didn't get off scot-free."
"I heard Hawthorne has a broken nose now," said Tyler.
"Oh brother!" sighed Charlie Brown.
"He did get a suspension for his troubles, as well," Tyler continued. "He's been bullying everyone in his grade since school got started and he's been in trouble before. I heard the next time he starts trouble, he'll be expelled."
"I'm glad we don't have any bullies in our grade," said Marcus.
"Me too," added Abigail.
"Well, Sally will have to spend an hour after school, though," said Charlotte. "The principal doesn't tolerate fighting, even if you were defending yourself."
"I'm just glad I wasn't involved," said Charlie Brown. "I hate fighting of any kind."
"I do too, honey," said Abigail. "I knew we had a lot in common." And she held Charlie Brown's hand, making him blush. They continued to eat their lunch until the bell rang to head back to class. Sally would spend her afternoon in detention. She sulked the entire time there. The kids hated her, the teachers hated her, and now the principal hated her (even though two out of the three was only in her head: the teachers and principal didn't hate her). She began to miss Sparkyville and especially Linus, her knight in shiny armor. Sooner or later she would have to plan to go back there one day.
"I hate Kansas City!" muttered Sally.
NEXT CHAPTER: WOODSTOCK GETS THE GO-AHEAD