During the car ride to school with Two-Bit and his sister, Sarah, Julie replayed the recent conversations with her brothers. They made her anxious. She tried to be good, but things never went in her favor. Sarah, Julie's best friend, chatted the entire way to school, into the building, and up the stairs before they parted ways and Julie walked towards homeroom.

The idea of upsetting her brothers, again, caused a pain in her stomach. It seemed to be all she did lately, and she hated it. She missed when they simply adored her, their baby sister. She missed the calm. She missed her mom and dad.

She kept her head down as she entered her homeroom class, but it shot up when she heard her teacher calling her name. "Julie? Can you come here, please?"

Miss Sampson doubled as Julie's English teacher and was one of her favorites. When she arrived at the front of the room, Miss Sampson continued, "Julie, honey, your name is on the suspension list."

"What?"

"I'm sorry. You need to go to the office."

This could not be happening. Trouble assaulted her. The pit in her stomach grew. "No! Please! Miss Sampson, there must be a mistake. I am NOT suspended!"

"Well, I hope it is a mistake, but you still need to go to the office. They can straighten it out down there."

"No, just let me stay. It'll be ok. Please!" Heat rose up her body, suffocating her. The whole class watched.

"I'm sorry, Julie. I can't. You really have to go. I'm sure everything will be ok." She worried for her student, one of her favorites, but she doubted there was a mistake..

Julie dropped her voice to a whisper, aware that kids were listening. "I can't be suspended."

Miss Sampson put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure everything will be just fine."

The walk to the office felt like she was going to the gallows and the crater in her stomach ballooned with each step. She thought about leaving. Walking out the front door and continuing until her legs could no longer carry her. But she figured Miss Sampson had buzzed down to the office. Maybe she could smooth things over with Principal Roberts when she got there and they could keep her brothers out of the whole situation.

That idea flew out the window the minute she stepped into the main office. Principal Roberts stood right in front of her as she entered, hands on his hips. "Well, well, well, Miss Curtis. I take it your presence in front of me right now means you did not deliver that letter to your brother." He knew her living situation. Sometimes it felt like the whole damn school did. Not waiting for her response he said, "Well, don't you worry. We have called your brother and he is on his way here. We can tell him together. Sit down." He pointed to a chair in the waiting area and returned to his office.

She stood there frozen in her spot, trying to determine if she was going to throw up or burst into tears. Spotting her worry, the school secretary rose from behind her desk, grabbed a tissue and led Julie by the elbow to a chair. She seemed to be saying something to her as well, but Julie could not make out any words through the whooshing noises in her head. Time seemed to speed up and slow down simultaneously. Her thoughts scattered. Was Darry going to kill her? He was certainly going to hit her. He had told her that much. She found she didn't even care if he did. It was his work she worried about. Was he going to lose his job? He could not be out of work. They couldn't afford it. And, his boss would be pissed. Would he take his anger out on Darry? Was Darry going to have to pay a price for her behavior? God, she wanted the chair to swallow her up! Maybe they got confused and called Sodapop instead. He could talk to Roberts and sound stern, then take her away and hide the whole story from Darry. He would take her back to the DX with him and they would spend the day working side by side. He would show her how to pump gas, and they would torment Steve while he worked on the cars. They would eat candy for lunch. Maybe everything would be ok.

She started to calm when the door swung open and her oldest brother entered looking bigger than before and more tense than she had ever seen him. He swiveled his head to her and she shrunk back from the icy stare, averting her eyes to her hands in her lap. The deep pit in her stomach threatened to erupt. He spoke to the secretary and remained standing in front of her desk as she picked up the phone and called the principal. Replacing it on the receiver, she told both Darry and Julie they could enter the inner office. Julie stood and waited. Once Darry opened the door, he stepped back and she took that as her cue to enter.

Ignoring her, Principal Roberts walked around his desk and approached Darry with his hand out. "Mr. Curtis," he said, shaking hands, "nice to see you. Unfortunately, the circumstances are not good. Will you both please have a seat?

Julie's eyes remained down as she entered the room and took her seat. She decided to never lift them again for as long as she lived.

"Well, Mr. Curtis -"

"Darrel, please."

"Yes, Darrel. I'm sorry we had to get you from work today. I take it Julie did not give you the letter she received yesterday."

His head swung to hers. "No, she did not." The biting tone pierced her.

"Your sister has been suspended."

"What? I thought she just had detention."

"Well, after so many detentions," he opened her file on his desk, "looks like about half a dozen times in the last couple of weeks, and then yesterday's incident, I think it's best we suspend her."

"I thought there were three detentions. What happened yesterday?" Darry asked, already trying to figure out the logistics of her suspension, and how he was going to kill his sister.

"Would you like to fill your brother in, Miss Curtis."

"No," she said.

Darry snapped, "No, sir! And sit up straight!"

Julie slid up in her chair and replied. "No, sir."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist," Roberts said. God, she hated this man.

Darry picked up the chair he was sitting in and turned it so it faced her before sitting again. She did not know what to make of that, but took a deep breath and began, "Yesterday I went to biology class. Mr. Harper was going over the homework and I raised my hand to ask a question. There was this one problem I have been trying to figure out, but I can't." Tears started and she wiped at them, annoyed at crying in front of her principal. "He would not call on me. He called on everyone else and just kept ignoring me like he always does."

"Miss Curtis, I think we can skip the theatrics and get to your role in this situation."

Darry spoke before Julie could, "Actually, Mr. Roberts, since you were so insistent that she tell the story, I would like to hear what she has to say." He turned back to his sister, his volume low but tone sharp. "Go on, Julie."

She ventured a peak up and was startled to see his eyes had softened. Confused by, well, everything, she looked down again and continued her account. "I yelled out. I told him I had a question and he said it could wait." The story started to tumble out with increased speed. "I told him I was tired of waiting. That I needed his help and he said to be quiet. He said if I couldn't figure things out, I shouldn't be in the class." She looked up at her brother and her volume increased. "But he doesn't say that to the boys. He answers their questions every time."

"Miss Curtis -" Principal Roberts started, but Darry turned on him.

"Let her finish."

Julie rolled on as if the interruption had not occurred. "I got angry. I'm sorry, Darry. I was just so frustrated. I'm trying so hard in this class. I pushed a pile of books off my desk and ran out of the room. I told him to fuck off as I left. I'm sorry." The steam escaped her and she took a breath and looked down again, hands wiping at her face. She noticed then that Darry's hand was on her shoulder. She did not remember him placing it there, but it felt nice.

His voice now matching the gentleness she saw in his eyes, he said, "Is this why you've been getting so many detentions? Has it always been in this class?" She nodded and he continued, voice rising, "How long has this been going on for?"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "All year, pretty much."

Darry, wide-eyed, turned to face the principal. "I'm confused. Why exactly is my sister suspended?"

"Well, you heard her. She threw books across a room and swore at a teacher."

"She didn't say she threw books."

"Well, um, we can't always take the student's word for it, can we?"

"Does she look like she's lying to you?" Before he received an answer, he continued. "Have you even heard her side of the story before right now?"

"We don't make it a habit to question our teachers, Mr. Curtis."

"Maybe you should! She's been in detention on numerous occasions?" While trying to keep control of his emotions, he did allow his voice to raise. "And you never bothered to ask her 'why?'" Aware and ashamed that he had not asked her why either, he buried those feelings for the moment. An idea dawning on him, he asked, "Julie, is he like this with the other girls in the class?"

"I'm the only girl in the class?"

"What? How?"

"It's considered an elective. No other girls were interested." She was planning a career in the medical field and had all class schedules organized for the next five years. Most twelve year olds were not so driven.

Roberts said, "Yes, well, maybe we should have investigated. . . Julie, were there ever any other adults present when this occurred?" He was sure he could find a loophole somewhere to exonerate himself.

Julie nodded and looked up to address her brother as she answered. "Once. He told me I didn't need to be in biology. I just needed to read a book. He took me out of class and walked me to the library. He told the librarian that I needed a book to read during his class since I couldn't understand the material."

Darry rose and decided he no longer needed to control his anger. "Where is this teacher? How could this happen? What kind of school are you running here?'

Roberts stood as well and tried to placate the man in front of him. "I'm sure this is all a big misunderstanding."

"Mishandled, absolutely. Misunderstood? I don't think so. How do we get her out of his class?"

It was Julie's turn to stand. "No! I can't be pulled from the class. Darry, please! He is the only teacher who teaches it to eighth graders. If you pull me, I have to take it as a freshman, and I am trying to get into higher level classes in high school."

He turned his sympathetic eyes from the child to the administrator, morphing them back to angry as he did. "Is this true? There's no other class for her?

"Yes, yes it is. Unfortunately. But I'm sure we can work something out. I'll talk to Mr. Harper." If Julie was not so overwhelmed by the entire situation, and the fact that the brother was scolding Roberts and not her, she would have enjoyed the stammering of the principal.

"I will talk to Mr. Harper! He is not to be anywhere near my sister until I do. Now, I'm sure Jule is no longer suspended."

"Yes, yes, I think we can cancel that. Until we figure out what is going on. Mr. Harper is teaching right now. We will need to set up an appointment. After I investigate, of course."

"Make no mistake about it, Mr. Roberts, Julie will not be suspended for this incident. I will deal with the swearing and pushing of books, but given the extreme circumstances, there will be no further punishment by the school. There is no doubt in my mind that what she is saying is the truth and she is to have no contact with him until I talk to him. That man should not be teaching anyone!"

"Yes, yes I understand your position."

Julie witnessed this baffling scene and willed her emotions to remain in check. Her brother, who she had been certain was going to start beating her ass before they left the office, supported her and defended her to the school principal! He used his eloquent grammar which he hid from their greaser friends, and left that principal shaken. And his hand still comforted her. He moved it up and down her arm now as he turned to her. "Julie, sweetheart, do you want me to take you home?"

She gave her face a final definitive swipe in an attempt to erase all tears. "No, I have classes I need to be in. I don't want to get behind."

"What time is biology?"

"Not 'til last period. One o'clock."

He spoke to Roberts. "She is leaving school at one. She has my permission to leave on her own."

"Yes, yes, fine. Of course." Darry led Julie out of the office as Roberts continued talking. "I will speak to Mr. Harper as soon as possible and I will be back in touch with you to discuss next steps."

"Today," Darry said.

"Yes, yes of course." Roberts spoke to his secretary, who no doubt heard the majority of the conversation, as Darry walked his sister out of the office.

He pulled her into a hug. "Oh, baby I am so, so sorry."

"It's ok," she said into his chest.

"None of this is ok." He pulled back but held onto her shoulders. "Are you sure you don't want to go home?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Are you in trouble at work?" That remained her biggest fear.

"No, not at all. Don't worry about that. But I should get back there. Can you find Two-Bit at lunch? Tell him to take you home at one." They both knew Two-Bit would not mind leaving school early. Hell, Darry half suspected he kept going to school to monitor and be of assistance to the gang.

"Yeah. I'll find him."

"Ok, kid, we have an awful lot to talk about, but it can all wait. Get going and we'll talk tonight." He pressed a kiss on her forehead which she hoped nobody witnessed. "I love you."

Frazzled from all the events of the past hour, she said, "I love you, too," and rushed off to class.

Author's Note: I loved writing this chapter. I think is healing some part of me. Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!