I deactivate my TR and silently wait for the teacher to arrive.
Petra laughs loudly and begins walking towards me.
I was right. Time for the treatment.
Petra leans casually near me and says, "Hey, Lala, how're you doing?"
"Good," I say, noticing her hands are poised to strike.
"Well, that's nice," Petra says, "The girls and I decided that you are a freak and need treatment. It goes like this."
Petra slaps me across the face. Hard.
The blow causes me to hit the floor, cradling my cheek.
"And then this," Petra says, but before she can do anything else, her TR fires sparks.
"Hey!" she yells, waving the TR around, "Quit sparking!"
I try to get myself up, but find that my entire body hurts.
"Petra, move," a new voice says.
Petra turns around, her TR's sparking not as bad, and says in an awed voice, "Derek. Yes, sure, I'll move."
Petra moves, and to both our surprises, Derek leans to me and reaches his hand to me.
I stare at it idiotically.
Derek…the most popular boy in school…helping me, the freak…up from the floor?
"It's okay," Derek says, "I'll help you up."
I take Derek's hand and he lifts me up to where I'm standing face-to-face with him.
"Thanks," I say shyly, wondering why he would do something like that.
"No problem," he says, then he turns to Petra and says, "You deserved that sparking. Any more damage, and you would've been suspended."
Petra scowls, as though she knew she'd fallen out of Derek's good graces.
Derek nods at me and places something in my hand, then walks to his desk in the back.
I open my hand.
A piece of paper with decorations lies in my hand, advertising a late New Year's bash tonight.
An RSVP reads that it's Derek hosting the party at his house, and to bring the invitation as proof.