The morning was overcast but warm. It felt as though it would be a warm day. Perfect to be out and free, but the morning fog and dew restrained its potential. Trapping the day under its gloom. It was too early and sad even for the sun to come out completely, even though it was there wanting to. Most of the kids walked to school together, especially the girls. Liz had been walking with the Nicole, the Quinceañera and her friends. Since the events of the weekend and since Liz was jealous she didn't get the same rite of passage, she chose to walk to school alone. She felt anxiety, maybe even fear, but she kept telling herself she was overreacting. It was probably not that big of a deal. Already on the way to school she got a preview of things to come.

A group of kids on their way to school walked up to the same stop sign she was waiting to cross. Liz recognized them and knew they were friends of T.J. It was hard to avoid his friends since he was so popular. She looked back at them but they did not acknowledge her. They were mumbling to themselves and she could not make out what they were saying but of course she knew it was about her.

She felt increasingly uncomfortable as they waited to cross. The light seemed to take forever to turn. When it did, she boldly walked across the street not wanting to lead on that something was wrong, so she just walked fast and decided to take the long way to avoid other people. A few minutes later she saw the group again behind her talking loud and being openly demonstrative with each other. As if they were trying to indirectly get her attention by making her aware of their presence. But none of it was directed to her specifically. It was as if they were actively making her know they were ignoring her.

Liz kept cutting through the streets changing sidewalks but the group kept following her. It was clear now they were messing her. As she approached another stop light the group caught up to her. They were being louder now than they had been on the last light. The guys were rough-housing with one another and one of them bumped into her but none acknowledge it. Liz didn't say anything either to not escalate things.

As they all waited, the group of kids now crowded around Liz. She felt surrounded, trapped even. When the light turned, the group of kids walked right through her, bumping her and pushing her aside. They pushed her so hard that she was thrown into a stopped car.

"What the shit!?" she said restrained as this is what she had expected and didn't want it to go further.

She picked herself up and let it go. The group carried on as if nothing happened. Nobody had looked at her once. Not even as they surrounded her. She was left shaking, her lips quivering as she looked on. She felt her emotions on her chest rising to her face as she fought them from coming out.

"It's barely morning!" she said to herself as she physically felt like she could not go on and wanted to head back. But she decided against it. She didn't know why but she resolved to go on and get this day over with.

As she walked on she saw another group of girls approaching. This was Nicole. Liz feared Nicole's reproach as well so she hurried across the street to avoid them.

"Liz!" shouted Nicole to her.

Liz tried to ignore her and kept going at a quick step but Nicole was persistent and caught up with her.

"Hey hold up! Hi how are you?" asked Nicole in a friendly manner that caught Liz by surprise. She thought Nicole would be mad at her somehow for the party and for her outburst the night before.

"Are you OK? You look upset." Asked Nicole, not aware of the incident that had just occurred with the other kids.

"Yeah I'm Okay," sheepishly replied Liz. Her face down, as if to hide her emotions from Nicole.

"You looked mad last night and with your brother beat up and everyone ganging up on you. It just looked hard," sympathized Nicole.

"I always be getting blamed for everything, it sucks," replied Liz.

"You're not really happy about what happened to your brother are you?" asked Nicole.

Liz was still mad but she hesitated to answer. She didn't want to think about it because it made her feel conflicted with what she said and how she felt. She wanted to mean what she had said.

"I don't know, maybe," she finally said.

"Don't be like that. He's your brother don't be mean," said Nicole.

"Nobody asked him to be looking for trouble," Liz replied.

"He saved my party," continued Nicole.

"You know how nobody does anything about those things. Everyone is always too scared. You know they pulled a knife on him?" she continued.

"I didn't even invite them, why did they even show up? T.J. is a jerk," Nicole continued.

"I don't believe that. Those are just rumors. T.J. can be emotional but he's not like that," said Liz.

"I was there Liz. I saw it myself."

"I heard they was attacked first. They was just defending themselves," tried to reason Liz.

"Come on Liz, you know that's not true. Why are you trying to be like them so much? You're not like them," said Nicole reminiscing of when they were closer.

"Geez why you say it like they are some sort of criminals. They not so bad, just have a bad rep. People just shouldn't talk about what they don't understand," said Liz.

"Maybe you just don't understand," replied Nicole.

"Listen, please thank your brother for saving me and my party and wish him my best to get well soon. He was very brave. And I hope you don't get caught up in something you don't understand," said Nicole as she parted.

Liz looked disapprovingly at Nicole as she left but she was moved by the kind interest she had shown her. Needless to say she had not received much of it lately. She still believed that her current path was the only available to her and she was holding her ground on it. At this point it wasn't so much her faith in it but rather she had put so much effort into it. She willed it to be her best option. She finally made it to school without further trouble but her day was just beginning.

She walked into school feeling everyone's eyes on her. In reality not too many people knew of the incident, and if they did, didn't care too much either way. But she did not know that. She felt sentenced and judged either way. Her anxiety came at the prospect of running into the squad. That is what the group called themselves. The group of people T.J. lead and the group Liz was trying to be a part off. As she walked into the school it was clear that some of the students were eyeing Liz. It was no longer just in her imagination.

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