Before I could ask who Anthony was, I heard laughter. It was coming from the other end of the hall. I am sure that you can guess who was laughing.

All eyes were on the four students. Two were boys, and two were girls, and they stood next to each other. They were around the same age as me, and one of them had his arms crossed.

The boy with his arms crossed over his muscular chest took a step forward and said, "Well, well, well. Look at who decided to come in our territory. It is a freak show now!"

I had to process what he said. "Are you talking to me?" I pointed at myself. "Are you seriously talking to me?"

He lowered his arms to his sides. "You are the only one here who has the prosthetic limbs, so I must be talking to you, freak."

"Anthony, stop it," a boy by the lockers piped up. "Stop while you are still high and mighty. Bullying a girl with prosthetic limbs is low, even for you. Putting someone down for something that is not their fault just to make yourself feel good—"

I watched as the guy named Anthony dashed up to him and grabbed his shirt. He brought his face close to his. "Nobody asked for your opinion. You know why?"

The poor boy was silent.

"Answer me!"

The boy's eyelids lowered halfway. "Oh. I assumed that you were being rhetorical."

I frowned. "Leave him alone," I said. "Just because you do not like the truth does not give you the right to beat him up."

Anthony shifted his attention to me and slammed said boy into the lockers. He stormed over to me and balled his hands into fists. "What did you say to me?"

I could feel the anger building inside me. No way was I letting this buffoon treat me like some rag doll. I could not live in fear for the rest of my life. I needed to stand up for myself. Stand up not just for me, but also for the people like me. The ones with disabilities.

I squinted at Anthony. "I am not afraid of you."

"I am not afraid of you either!" my sister shouted. "You are fat!" She pointed at Anthony. "Soooooo fat that you make the fat people look thin!"

I faced her. "What are you trying to do? Tick him off?"

Anthony raised his hands and cracked his knuckles. "I will be more than ticked off, and you will be a pancake once I am finished with you...whatever your name is."

Adalee walked up to us. "My name is Adalee. Allison is my sister, so if you or your goons mess with us or with our friends..." She stood on her tiptoes and jabbed her finger in his chest. "...you will regret it."

I gasped when Anthony grabbed her wrist. I knew that he was holding her tightly because I could see his veins in the back of his hand. I was ready for them to pop. As if that were not a dead giveaway, Adalee was hissing in pain and ordering him to release her. Not begging. She was ordering.

"Let me go, fatty!" Adalee yelled. "If you do not, then I will kick you where the sun does not shine!"

Anthony tightened his grasp on her wrist.

"Ow!"

Anthony spoke in a creepy tone. "You will be unable to kick me at all...because I will break you! I will snap you in half!"

I pressed my hands to my cheeks. "No!"

"Quick!" a student exclaimed. "Fetch the principal or a teacher!"

"That will not be necessary."

We all turned to the double doors. I lowered my hands - and could not believe who it was.

Standing in front of the double doors was Gabriel. Our Gabriel. He had his hands on his hips and was glaring. I assumed that he was glaring at Anthony and his pals. Why else would he be glaring at me and Adalee?

Adalee and I were surprised by what Anthony said. He must have known him.

"Gabriel," he said his name. "I should have known that you would show your face again. But I may never know why, considering that you have an ugly face."

Gabriel swayed his arms back and forth as he scurried up to us. I was shocked by how fast he was. It was as if he were a cheetah!

"I would watch your words if I were you," Gabriel said. He stopped in front of us. "Now let her go."

Anthony looked at Adalee. Then back at him. "Why do you care about this weakling?"

Adalee clenched her teeth and struggled to break free. "I am not weak, fatty! You are the one who is weak!"

"Adalee," I said. "Stay quiet. I am sure that Gabriel can handle Anthony."

"You are not the boss of me, Allison."

"Actually, I am. I am older than you."

She hesitated. "...the principal and teachers are waaaay older than you."

Gabriel sighed. "Just let her go, Anthony."

Anthony's eyes went wide. "Are you crazy? I cannot let her go. Not after what she called me. My buddies and I have to teach her a lesson."

Gabriel held out his hands with his thumbs and fingers spread out. "You do not have to teach her a lesson. No one has to teach her a lesson. Both she and Allison are new students. Someone needs to show them the ropes, and I am just the one to do that." He wrapped his arm around mine. "Just let Adalee go. Let her go, and I will promise that these girls will not mess with you again."

Anthony's face scrunched up as if he were thinking. He was. He finally released my sister's wrist and smirked. "I have a better idea." He then grabbed me and Adalee by our shirts. "I will show them what occurs when you are newbies."