The sun was just rising on that bright autumn day so many years ago. Amy could hardly contain her excitement as she bounced up and down, ready to start her first ever day of school.

Her caretaker smiled as she put her hands on the little girl's shoulders. "Hold still, Amy. I can't tie your bow if you keep moving around."

Amelia smiled and looked down sheepishly. "Sorry, Carol."

The young woman quickly finished tying the bow in Amy's hair before picking her up so she could see herself in the mirror.

"Oof, you're getting heavy," she commented as she let the child's feet rest on the sink. "Aren't you so pretty today, my little Bambi?"

A giggle escaped the girl's lips as she looked over herself. She was wearing a new dress that Carol had gotten her for the first day, and her pink bow matched it nicely. Amelia put a finger to her lips as she pensively looked at her caretaker in the mirror. Her curly brown hair looked awfully plain.

"Carol, you need a bow too!"

The woman laughed as she put the girl down on the floor again. "We'll do that later, kiddo. You don't want to be late, do you?"

Amy gasped and ran to her room to retrieve her backpack and lunch box. Carol trailed after the girl before taking her hand and leading her out to the bus stop with the other children in the neighborhood. The orphan smiled brightly and waved to her caretaker as she excitedly boarded the bus.

The first few hours of the day went without a hitch and it was now time for lunch. Amelia was sitting with other kids from her class as they discussed their lunches.

"My mommy made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich," one boy proudly boasted.

"Mine gave me soup!" a girl chimed in.

Another little girl showed off her tuna sandwich. "My daddy made me this!"

The boy next to Amy peeked over at her lunchbox. "Who made your sandwich, Amy?"

She smiled brightly. "Carol did!"

"Carol?" a girl leered in disgust. "Who's Carol?"

Amelia tilted her head. "She's Carol...? She takes care of me."

"Is she your sister?"

She frowned. "No, I don't have a sister."

"Is she your mommy?"

She shook her head. "I don't have one of those either."

The boy in the corner pointed and screamed, "You weirdo! Everybody has one."

The brunette furrowed her eyebrows as tears began to well up in her eyes. "I don't."

"Weirdo! Weirdo!" he teased.

Tears poured down Amelia's cheeks as her classmates gave her funny looks. The teacher rushed over as the boy continued to tease the orphan. She took the boy into the corner to scold him before sending him into time-out.

Amelia sat by herself when recess came around, none of the children willing to talk to someone with such an apparently unusual home situation – or at least, that's what she thought was happening.

"Hi!"

She looked up to see another girl sitting in front of her with a bright smile on her face.

"I like your bow," she told Amelia.

The brunette sniffled and thanked her before taking in her appearance. She had pretty blue eyes, and her face was covered in freckles – just like Carol. Her red hair was tied into two pigtails on the sides of her head.

"My name's Melinda. What's yours?"

The orphan smiled at her. "It's Amy."

Melinda nodded. "Do you wanna play jump rope, Amy?"

"Sure!"

Amelia stood and began to follow her to the other side of the playground when the boy who made fun of her earlier approached them.

He narrowed his eyes at the brunette as he growled, "You got me in trouble!"

Melinda put her hands on her hips. "You were being a meanie!"

He clenched his fists and pushed her to the ground, making her cry. Amelia's eyes widened as anger engulfed her entire being. She screamed as everything went red.

Amelia was later informed that she tackled the boy to the ground and bit him.

After a long meeting with the three children, their parents, Carol, and the Principal, they were all sent home early. Amelia pouted as her caretaker strapped her into the car seat. It wasn't right that he was able to be so mean and push people around like that. Once the woman started the car, the orphan nodded to herself.

"Carol, I want to learn how to fight."

She glanced back at the child, worry clear on her face. "Amy, you can't go around fighting people you don't like."

"I just want to protect people who are being picked on," she explained.

Carol smiled slightly and nodded. "Tell you what, Bambi. I'll sign you up for self-defense lessons when we get back. Does that sound good?"

She grinned. "Yes!"