In A High School Far Away…

Franklin High School was a typical high school in a typical suburb in Illinois. It seemed to be a relatively quiet high school. Oh of course there was the usual gambling and undercurrent of drugs. But since most of the students were reasonably wealthy and most of the dealers were smart enough to do their dealings off campus or in very secluded spots, there were very few adults that knew what was going on. Only the relatively normal scandals occurred, who broke up with who, who got drunk over the weekend and so forth. It was the last place people expected things to happen.

It was also the place where Angelica Jones truly hated. She wasn't exactly the most popular student in school, thanks to the very vocal campaign of the reigning queen of popularity, Bonnie Blake. Since middle school a series of odd coincidences happened which labeled Angelica the hated nickname of Jinx.

She was mostly ignored by the majority of the student population and targeted by Bonnie and her social circle for sport. They didn't do anything physically but badgered her by malicious gossip and rumors. It didn't help that she was probably the poorest student in school. Her mother died when she was very young and her father had to work two shifts at the construction site where he worked just to put food on the table. They were on several welfare programs in order to keep the heat on in the house and have running water. This really added fuel to the fire for Bonnie's targets.

The Sophomore Spring Dance was at an all time low when somehow the sprinkler system went off mysteriously. Somehow Bonnie blamed Angelica for that and nearly everyone believed her. Even the teachers accidentally kept calling her Jinx, which really did a number on her self-esteem.

But now that she was in her Junior year of high school, things were somewhat looking up for the red haired teen. By now most people had grown tired of the rumors that she was a jinx, or a troublemaker or a drug addict or secretly working the streets as a prostitute. Especially since Bonnie was the only one spreading them.

You see, Bonnie had made the fateful mistake of spreading a rumor that the quarterback she tried to sleep with was gay. It turned out that he was secretly married to the head cheerleader. This caused quite a stir in the halls especially since Bonnie, after nearly getting her eyes scratched out by the same head cheerleader tried to blame Angelica, who was only an innocent bystander for the entire thing.

"You blame me for everything that goes wrong Bonnie and I'm sick of it!" Angelica shouted. "Just because you have mental problems doesn't give you the right to take it out on me!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING MENTAL YOU FREAK?" Bonnie shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU, SOME KIND OF MUTANT?"

This caused a hush over the crowd. Angelica turned red and shouted back. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MUTANT?"

"I AM! WITH ALL THESE ACCIDENTS YOU CAUSE…"

"I NEVER DID ANYTHING! FOR ALL I KNOW YOU REALLY CAUSED THE ACCIDENTS AND YOU BLAMED ME! MAYBE YOU'RE THE REAL MUTANT HERE! MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN BLAMING ME TO COVER THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A FREAK!"

The words came out before she knew she had said them. But it was a delicious taste of Bonnie's own medicine. Now people were doubting Bonnie and whispering things about her for a change. Angelica was now viewed as a downtrodden hero.

"I still feel kind of bad what I said though," Angelica told her two (and only real) friends in social studies before the bell.

"Don't," Her friend Aimee, a girl with glasses, a pleasant face and a slightly athletic figure told her. "She's getting exactly what she deserves!"

"That's right," Amber, her other friend chimed in. She had short red hair, tank top and blue jeans. "Speak of the devil."

Bonnie sashayed in with her short blonde hair perfectly in place, wearing the latest trendy outfit. Behind her were two of her most loyal lapdogs, Sarah and Mindy who both were looking equally trendy.

"Well if it isn't the Jinx and her loser friends," Bonnie growled. "You must be real proud of yourself!"

"Actually, yes I am," Angelica said sweetly.

"Enjoy your pathetic little moment in the sun," Bonnie told her. "I'm going to blow you away. You're no competition for me!"

"If I were you kiddo I'd be focusing my attention on the real competition," Amber pointed to a very regal looking girl in the front row. She had long waist length black hair, creamy mocha skin, soft brown eyes and was well dressed in an expensive outfit. On her forehead she wore a large white headband. "I heard George asked her out for Saturday's dance."

"My George?" Bonnie sat upright.

"Since when was he yours?" Amber joked.

"Since she decided to land him two semesters ago!" Mindy sniffed.

"Before or after she went after the married guy?" Aimee asked.

Bonnie stiffened. "Come on," She told her friends. "Let's go to our seats, something smells here!"

The three girls had a fit of laughter. "Score another one for the Triple A Club," Amber high fived Angelica.

The bell rang and their teacher Mr. Gall walked in. "All right class before we get into our current events discussion I have an announcement to make. You all know about the National Honor Society awards banquet tomorrow night?"

"Snorefest…" Bonnie grumbled underneath her breath. "Of course since he's in charge of the whole thing he has to make a big deal about it!"

"This banquet honors those students with scholarships that have made significant achievements in academics," Mr. Gall went on. "It pleases me to announce that two students in this class have not only met this requirement but are getting two prestigious awards. First is Ms. Angelina Chakram…" He indicated the regal girl.

"Angelina Chakram," Bonnie growled. "God how I hate little Miss Perfect!"

"Little Miss Perfect is kicking your butt on the test scores," Sarah pointed out.

"Well duh, she's half Indian," Bonnie whispered to her. "I mean all those people do is study. They either end up as doctors or servants. The ones that flunk out of school that is."

"Congratulations Angelina," Mr. Gall said as almost the entire class clapped with enthusiasm. Bonnie barely put her hands together.

"Just Lina sir," She replied. "Thank you very much for this honor."

"Just Lina sir," Bonnie mocked under her breath. "Thank you for this honor! What a suck up!"

"Like that's a shock," Sarah told her.

"And the award for the most improved student goes to…" Mr. Gall paused in an attempt for a dramatic effect. "Angelica Jones!"

"THE JINX?" Bonnie shouted. "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!"

"I AM NOT A JINX!" Angelica fumed.

"Ms. Blake!" Mr. Gall snapped. "Angelica has worked very hard for this honor! I'll see you after class to discuss your behavior."

The entire class laughed. "Busted," Amber grinned while Bonnie fumed.

"All right now let's discuss today's topics for current events," Mr. Gall went to his lesson plan. "We were discussing ways that global events impact our town. Indeed, our very lives. Can anyone name one?"

"The Mutant Registration Act," Bonnie said sarcastically. Angelica tensed. So did Lina. But for different reasons than Bonnie knew.

"Very good Ms. Blake. You have been paying attention," Mr. Gall was oblivious to the insult.

"What does that have to do with us?" Aimee asked.

"Didn't you hear?" Amber asked. "The school board is proposing a mutant ban for our school."

"You're kidding me?" Angelica looked at her. "When?"

"Last meeting," Amber shrugged. "My dad's on the Parent's committee. He's really vocal about this stuff."

"I don't know why we're even bothering with this junk," A jock said. "There aren't even any mutants in this town!"

"That we know of George," Mr. Gall pointed out.

"Yeah but still," George said. "Everybody knows that mutants only hang out in large cities and stuff. They don't hang out in the suburbs."

"What about Bayville?" A girl asked. "That's Mutantville USA!"

"That's only because it's close to New York City," Another jock said. "And everybody knows that's where all the weirdoes are anyway. Lot of 'em must be foreigners."

"That's right," Bonnie gave a calculated glare at Lina. "Probably an un-American group of them are infecting this country."

"Is that a crack at me?" Lina snapped. "My father's an American citizen! And my mother is now! I was born here!"

"Well you have to admit your people and the freaks have a lot in common," Bonnie snapped. "Right Angelica?"

"That is enough Ms. Blake!" Mr. Gall snapped. "I will not tolerate this type of behavior from you! Go to the office!"

Bonnie ignored this. "Come on we all know what a freak she is! She probably is a mutant! Look what happened at the school dance! And the time all the ice statues melted at the Winter Carnival!"

"Are we gonna go back to the fifth grade when your stupid doll broke?" Angelica snapped.

"Bonnie go to the office!" Mr. Gall snapped.

"THAT WAS MY FAVORITE DOLL AND YOU MELTED IT!" Bonnie shouted.

"I DID NOT!" Angelica shouted. "That doll was probably defective in the first place!"

"YOU MELTED IT! I SAW YOU DO IT!" Bonnie shouted.

"Geeze Bonnie are you still playing with dolls?" Aimee asked snickering. "If you're really upset I can get you a new Barbie. How about a Tickle Me Elmo?" The class laughed.

"Ms. Blake to the office! Now!" Mr. Gall was shouting but clearly he had lost control of the situation.

"Don't you dare laugh at me you freak!" Bonnie shouted at Angelica.

"Well how do we know you're not a mutant!" Angelica shouted back. "A lot of that stuff happened when you were there!"

"She does have a point Bonnie," Mindy looked at her. "I mean you were the only one who saw her do that stuff."

"YOU SAW THE DOLL IT WAS MELTED! MELTED I TELL YOU!" Bonnie screamed.

"Maybe you melted it for a desperate cry for attention!" Angelica shouted.

"I DID NOT! YOU…YOU MUTANT!"
"Even if I was a mutant I still wouldn't be as ugly as you!" Angelica shouted.

"SHE ADMITS IT!" Bonnie jumped up pointing her finger.

"I DON'T ADMIT TO ANYTHING YOU…" Angelica stopped when she saw Lina run out of the classroom. "NOW LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE YOU JERK!"

"Ms. Chakram!" Mr. Gall called out to her. "CLASS! CALM DOWN! MS. BLAKE! ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION TO ME! THAT IS IT! I HAVE HAD IT!"

"I'll get her Mr. Gall," Angelica said as she started to go after Lina.

She was about to open the door when the principal, Ms. Takamura opened the door. "What is going on in here?" She spoke in a stern voice.

"Bonnie was being her usual charming self and upset Lina," Angelica told her.

"Yeah she was making a lot of racial comments," A slightly stoned looking boy spoke up. "How she was un-American and a freak. That's not right."

"Shut up loser!" Bonnie shouted.

"Oh really," Ms. Takamura folded her arms. "Ms. Blake come with me. Now!"

The class catcalled as Bonnie got her stuff. Angelica went after Lina. "Bye Bonnie!" Amber snickered.

"Laugh while you can. The Jinx is a mutant," Bonnie growled as she was escorted to the office. "And I'm gonna prove it!"