Chapter 3

The pot exploded against her face.

Ms. Smith screamed and stumbled backward, blood streaming down her forehead, soil scattering everywhere. She clutched her face, voice piercing. "Madison! Are you insane?!"

I wasn't insane. I was perfectly calm. In fact, I wanted to punch her a couple more times.

The hallway erupted into chaos. People were screaming, someone yelled "Get a teacher!", someone rushed to grab me. Derek cowered against the wall, face white with terror. The troublemakers he'd brought tried to escape in the confusion, but our class's boys blocked them.

Jake grabbed the tallest one, shouting to the others, "Nobody leaves! You think you can just attack someone and run?!"

Sarah, our vice president, rushed over and grabbed my arm. "Madison! Calm down..."

I stood there, fists clenched, rigid.

Ms. Smith was helped to her feet, blood covering half her face. She pointed at me, trembling all over. "You little bitch, you... you just wait..."

I stared coldly at this teacher who'd had it out for me since day one, saying nothing.

Five minutes later, the discipline director and principal came running.

Mr. Anderson saw Ms. Smith's bloody face, eyes nearly popping out. "Ms. Smith! Who did this?"

Ms. Smith pointed at me, voice shrill. "Her! Madison! This student is completely out of control! So young and already manipulating male students, just now she even organized an attack on an elementary student. I merely said a few words to her and she attacked me with a flower pot!"

The principal was an older man with glasses, usually smiling and kind-looking, but now his face was cold as ice.

"Bring all involved students to the discipline office. Call their parents."