Heat boiled inside of me as I watched her bully Brandi for the last time. A plan gave birth in my mind. I just had to work on the details.

Doesn't the new kid usually get bullied? Instead of the other way around? I did when I came to this school about a year ago. That is, until I fought back. I caught every single one of my bullies alone and let them have it. Bullying was pretty much nonexistent after that and since then, that is, until Lori's arrival.

Lori started school about a month ago. Most go out of their way to avoid her. Even teachers try to avoid her. She will bully pretty much anyone that comes into contact with her. She is larger than most at about five foot ten. She is built like a brick wall with long stringy blonde hair and braces.

She has never bullied me personally. I think that she goes out of her way to avoid me, due to my reputation. It baffles me that she targets Brandi. It is pretty common knowledge that Brandi and I are friends. Maybe it is a challenge for me. Challenge accepted.

The rumors are that she was kicked out of three schools before arriving here. I wonder why. She's not going to last long enough here to get expelled. I'm going to handle this, with a little help.

So I start scheming and planning. I just pretend to pay attention in my classes. All of the while playing scenarios in my mind. Working out what to do if something doesn't go according to plan. Thinking about who I want to help and what I want them to do. I have to pick loyal people. I don't want her to see my hand too early. Normally, I would say to pick the ones that she bullies the most, but there is no guarantee that they would keep my plan secret. No, they have to be loyal and they have to be able to keep a secret.

We are dismissed at the end of the day. I rush to my locker, which is right next to Brandi's, and wait for her. She shows pretty quickly, due to her trying to avoid Lori. Brandi doesn't live on campus like I and so many others do. I walk the two blocks with her to her beautiful white house with black trim. I would love to live off of campus. I would love to have a family again. I hurry back to the school before the doors are locked.
I hurry to my room to find my roommate, Leslie, lying in her bed reading. She too has yet to be accosted by Lori. She even has a class with Lori. Lori has harassed other students in the class. She has even mouthed off at the teacher. As of yet, Lori hasn't even spoke to Leslie. Maybe she senses fearlessness in Leslie. Leslie is a bit of a daredevil. Nothing scares her. This is why we get along so well.

I start laying out my plan for Leslie. She, of course, wants to help. "Just help you, though," She emphasizes, "it needs to be all you. That may be the only way we get away with it." What she means is that the teachers enjoyed the bully free atmosphere as much as the students did. No one talks about it but they all believe that happened because of me and what I had done. Even the previous bullies were happier. I have the best chance of not getting in trouble or, at least, having minimal repercussions.

"So, who else do we bring into this?" I asked her.

"No one for now. Just us," Leslie answered, "I won't tell anyone."

"Okay," I agreed, "We start tomorrow." She nodded her head yes.

When we are finished discussing the plan it is dinnertime. We don't bother to change out of our uniforms. We just head to the cafeteria and take our place in line. Lori walks in after us, walks past us all of the way to the front of the line and cuts in up front. Pretty much everyone grumbles but no one says anything to her. That's going to change.

"What!" Lori throws her hands up in the air at someone. She gives a small boy near her a little shove, "Why don't you go to the back of the line?" He turns and walks to the back of the line behind us. He looks at me, "you're going to do something about her, right?" I just smiled at him.

We make it through the line. It's pizza night, so everyone eats. We get two pieces of pepperoni pizza, applesauce, sweet corn, chocolate cake and chocolate milk. Leslie and I get our trays and we take our seats two tables away from Lori, but facing her. No one sits with or near her. Several move to our table or take seats near us.

One boy sitting nearby, Josh, whispers, "we are all willing to back you if you are going to do something about her."

"I appreciate that," I whisper back, neither confirming nor denying.

A commotion a table over from us catches my attention. Lori has moved to sit right next to some kids. "Give me your chocolate cake," she tells the boy sitting next to her. I notice that her cake is untouched on her tray. A teacher just happens to walk by, "no stealing food," she tells Lori. Lori grabs the cake off of the boy's tray and shoves it in her mouth, staring down the teacher the whole time. Even the teacher looks at me, as if she is hoping that I will step in and help. As much as I want to help, I say nothing. It's too soon. It's not part of the plan. Leslie even put her hand on my arm, under the table, stopping me. The teacher scurries away.

Leslie and I hurry and eat so that we can leave. I don't want to see the carnage anymore. I am ready to take my shower and curl up with a good book. I notice that the other kids are rushing too. They are probably worried that Lori will take their food. The kids sitting at the table with Lori all stand at the same time. They scrape their trays in the waste barrels and turn in their trays at the window. Even the teachers seem to be rushing. I wonder if Lori is bold enough to demand that a teacher give her their chocolate cake.

Leslie and I finished eating. We stood and went to the waste barrels. I didn't have much to clean off. I liked it all. We turned in our trays and left the cafeteria. In fact, everyone was leaving except for Lori, who was still eating, and the teachers. I wonder if the teachers feel strength in numbers. They never leave the cafeteria until all of the students are gone. One teacher will always stay and wait. I suspect that they are all staying because of Lori.

Leslie and I head upstairs and straight to our room. We both pick out pajamas and our shower supplies and rush to the shower room. We want to be first. We get inside and lock the door. We each take a shower stall and wash up quickly. We get out, dry off and get dressed. We finish getting ready then head to the door. I open the door and come face to face with Lori. I am taken aback for a moment, but quickly recover.

"Why'd you lock the door?" She growled loudly, in her typical bully fashion.

"Leslie and I like to shower alone," I answered.

"Are you two a couple?" she all but yelled, "Are you two lesbians?"

"Whatever," I mumbled and slid past her. There was no use saying that we're not. She would just get louder and more obnoxious. We went back to our room.

"I'm surprised that she takes showers," I laughed when we shut the door.

"Someone needs to tell her to wash her hair," Leslie commented.

"So, did she just bully us?" I asked. "I believe so," Leslie answered, curling up on her bed with her book.

"Let's see if she pushes it," I said, "it may be time to begin."

Leslie nodded her agreement, "just wait until tomorrow. It's late now."

I got my book and curled up in bed. I read until I fell asleep. Leslie always stayed up later then me. She would turn out the lights when she was ready to fall asleep.

I woke with a start. I looked around. It was still dark. Then I heard it. Someone was trying to pick our door lock. I could make out Leslie's form in the dark. She too had heard it and was sitting up. I got up and lightly crept over to her bed and sat down. I had heard that Lori liked to do this. At least twice she had broke into rooms and beat the occupants with a bar of soap or a potato inside a long sock. I waited for the tumblers in the lock to click into place. Right as the door opened, I turned on Leslie's bed side lamp. In walked Lori. She stopped right away. She wasn't expecting to get caught.

"What do you think your doing?" I asked loudly.

"Uh, nothing," she answered, trying to hide the sock behind her.

Leslie got up, walked around Lori and took the sock, "We'll be taking this." Leslie walked back over to sit beside me.

"I also want your lock picks," I told Lori.

"I'm not giving them to you," She grumbled, upset about getting caught.

"You will if you don't want us to turn you in," I told her, "a report like this will go straight to your parents, possibly the police."

I saw a flash of fear cross her eyes, "fine." She took the picks out of her pocket and handed them to me.

"Now, go back to your room before we decide to use your own weapon on you," I commanded. She turned and left, grumbling.

We left the door open waiting for hers to shut. Once it shut, we heard clapping and cheering. I smiled at Leslie as I shut the door. I locked the door and we got back in bed. She turned off the light and within minutes I was back asleep.

I woke to Leslie shaking my arm, "Are you okay?"

"I think so," I answered. I had been having a bad dream.

"You were crying," she told me, "Was it a bad one?"

"It was the one where I got my parents back. I was so happy," I answered.

"I'm so sorry. Would you like a hug?" she asked.

"I think that I'm okay," I answered, "it's actually one of the good dreams."

"Okay. Goodnight," she got back in bed.

Sometimes it was bad and I took Leslie up on her offer of a hug. This time I cried out of happiness. It could've been so much worse. After pondering for a few minutes, I went back to sleep, hoping to continue the good dream. Instead I just slept peacefully. Which is definitely fine.

I awoke to my alarm clock ringing. I sat up and turned it off. It was sunrise. Leslie didn't have to get up yet so I rushed around quietly getting dressed. I chose a jogging suit and sneakers. Finished, I grabbed my collapsible staff and left the room. The halls were empty at this hour, but doors to the outside were unlocked. I went to my favorite spot on the grounds, under a large red mahogany tree.

Normally I would practice fighting with my staff, but today I decided to just sit and meditate for a while. It helps to calm me and keep me focused. I sat down on the ground with my legs crossed and my hands relaxed on my thighs. I closed my eyes and worked to clear my mind. When my mind was clear, I focused on deep breathing.

My watch alarm sounded. That went by quick! I shut off the alarm and got up. I grabbed my staff and hurried back to the dorm room. It was time to get ready for school. I changed into a clean school uniform. The uniforms aren't so bad. It takes away worries about what to wear for the day. The uniform consisted of a pleated maroon skirt that reached just above my knees, a white polo with a black tie, a long sleeved maroon cardigan, black mary janes and white knee socks.

I looked in the full length mirror hanging on my closet door. I looked good in the uniform. Long chestnut brown hair, wide hazel eyes and what Leslie calls a very kissable mouth. I got my hairbrush and put my hair up in a ponytail then put some lip gloss on. I was ready to go. I just had to wait for Leslie to finish.