And there was school. Macy hated school. Especially on Tuesdays.

  “Do you know what I hate the most about Tuesdays?” she asked Cindi as they walked toward their lockers. “It’s too far from the weekend on both ends.”

  Cindi smiled, ready to enjoy one of her friend’s boisterous rants.

  “Like, I can barely remember Saturday! And I’ve got four more days of drudgery before I can finally sleep for a decent number of hours! It’s salad at McDonald’s! You look at it and you know its only there so anorexics can feel comfortable hanging out with normies. It’s like, why are you even here!?”

  “I don’t know if that analogy quite works, Mace,” Cindi responded, though she found the rant entertaining.

  “I’ll work on it and have something better for you by next Tuesday,” Macy promised with an infectious laugh.

  “Ms. Snow.” A compassionate, if annoyed, voice echoed down the hall.

  Macy turned and smiled brightly. “Mr. Bullinger. To what do I owe the pleasure of your firm yet loving attention?”

  “I need to see you in my office.” He said in that disappointed father tone he reserved for Macy. Cindi had heard it before. All the teachers liked Macy. When she made it to class.

  “And miss first-period English?” Macy feigned sadness. “I guess you’re the boss.” She turned and gave Cindi a half wave.

  Cindi shook her head and walked dutifully to class. As she entered, she was greeted by Sam. “Oh look, it’s our token Indian.”

  This was easier with Macy here, she thought. Ignoring the bitch squad, and their queen as she found her seat.

  Why the teacher didn’t say anything, she didn’t know. Sam and her friends had always been cruel, but this year it was next level.

  English without Macy was her morning torture session. As soon as the teacher turned her back, things were thrown at her. People turned to make faces or put dots on their foreheads. Cindi wasn’t even Hindu, but the nuance was wasted on small-town cliques.

  Sam had added the racism this year. A cruel twist. Today was particularly bad.

  After about twenty minutes she excused herself to the washroom. Once there, she took a breath and cried a little. It was just then the door opened.

  “Oh, buck up,” Sam said, entering. Her cruel sneer betrayed something soulless underneath. “It could be worse.”

  “Would you just leave me alone, Sam?” Cindi begged. How she was able to get out of class, Cindi didn’t know. The English teacher was useless.

  “Would you just leave me alone,” Sam mocked in an exaggerated Indian accent. Of course Cindi had no accent. She had grown up in Alden.

  It was then the bathroom door swung open again and like a trumpet sounding and Jesus returning—Macy strode in.

  “Wow, it’s like we all decided to hide from Ms. Henderson together. Me and Cindi, because God, English sucks! And you, Sam, I imagine because you two had some kind of lover’s quarrel?”

  “The cow has arrived,” Sam snarled.

  “You know, you look great today, Sam. Did you forget to throw up your breakfast or something? You better hurry—you don’t want to risk growing an ass or something.”

  Sam’s face twisted in rage. “I’m about done with this,” she muttered.

  “Well, that’s good because even after adding racism to your repertoire, you still haven’t quite caught up.”

  Sam stepped between them and the door.

  Macy didn’t seem to care. She was an army brat. Even though she’d been in Alden for a couple of years, she had grown up on bases with schools full of over-disciplined meatheads, as she lovingly referred to them.

  Cindi had grown up in Alden. She knew Sam. While they were never close, Sam had never been as bad as she was this year. Or as mad at Macy as she could get. No, the Sam who stood between the door and them was more than off. She was flexing as her eyes fell hard on Macy. Macy, who was nonchalantly putting on lip gloss.

  “Please do, Sam. My dad’s a major or a general or something. I haven’t learned a lot from him and my six brothers, but Lord have I learned how to fight.”

  “Sniveling cow, you’ve never fought anything like me.”

  Macy laughed, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room. “No, I’ve fought men. Not girls who look like boys in dresses. But it’s the 2020s and I’m willing to grow.”

  Sam stormed out of the bathroom. Cindi sighed with relief and hugged Macy. “Oh, poo bear, I’m sorry I couldn’t get to class in time to protect you this morning,” Macy said, patting her head lovingly.

  “She’s getting worse, Macy. I know that girl. This isn't her.”

  Macy shrugged “ Puberty’s a bitch. Lucky for you I’m a much worse one.” Her hands were as expressive as her words.

  “What did the principal want… this time?”

  “Meh, you know, I think he’s either sweet on me, or he thinks I need to start handing in assignments. Either way, I left him smiling.”

  “Mace, you gotta do your homework!”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Yeah… but a dog ate my tutor. Or something did.” She joked dismissively. “Maybe it was a bear. I didn’t ask for the details.”

  “I can help too, you know.” Cindi pushed. Trying to keep on the subject.

  “That’s very Indian of you, but I don’t want to feed into those racist tropes.” Humor dismissing the subject again.

  “Adam told me you saw Kim last night. How’s she?”

  “Well, kind of fabulous actually. I mean angsty and a little moopy. Poor thing can’t eat french fries. But a little retail therapy goes a long way.”

  Macy had done it again—deflected Cindi’s concerns about her grades with her infectious spirit. She caught herself and changed the topic back. “I mean it, I’ll help. I get straight As and you always help me.”

  Macy's face took on an uncharacteristically serious look. “Okay.” Cindi almost hugged her again, happy to be given the opportunity to help her protector. Bur Macy threw up her hands to ward off the oncoming affection. “Okay, let’s not make this a moment. I don’t have anything against gay people, but if I keep hugging girls in this school one of them is going to ask me out.” The humor again. Macy’s shield.

  “Did you want to get together tonight?”

  She sighed, her serious side rearing its head again. “We better. But I promised Kim I would come see her too. Any chance you’re able to do this at her house?”

  “I mean… will she mind?”

  “Meh… as if I’d let something like that get in the way.”

  They didn't notice Sam standing motionless in the empty hallway behind them, as they left the washroom. Watching as they disappeared around the corner.

  ?The anger on her face didn't last. It smoothed out as a plan began to formulate, leaving her expression blank and cold. Her eyes fixed on Cindi's retreating figure.

  ?Sam smiled as the plan took on a form that might just salvage this whole mess.

  And there was school. Macy hated school. Especially on Tuesdays.

  “Do you know what I hate the most about Tuesdays?” she asked Cindi as they walked toward their lockers. “It’s too far from the weekend on both ends.”

  Cindi smiled, ready to enjoy one of her friend’s boisterous rants.

  “Like, I can barely remember Saturday! And I’ve got four more days of drudgery before I can finally sleep for a decent number of hours! It’s salad at McDonald’s! You look at it and you know its only there so anorexics can feel comfortable hanging out with normies. It’s like, why are you even here!?”

  “I don’t know if that analogy quite works, Mace,” Cindi responded, though she found the rant entertaining.

  “I’ll work on it and have something better for you by next Tuesday,” Macy promised with an infectious laugh.

  “Ms. Snow.” A compassionate, if annoyed, voice echoed down the hall.

  Macy turned and smiled brightly. “Mr. Bullinger. To what do I owe the pleasure of your firm yet loving attention?”

  “I need to see you in my office.” He said in that disappointed father tone he reserved for Macy. Cindi had heard it before. All the teachers liked Macy. When she made it to class.

  “And miss first-period English?” Macy feigned sadness. “I guess you’re the boss.” She turned and gave Cindi a half wave.

  Cindi shook her head and walked dutifully to class. As she entered, she was greeted by Sam. “Oh look, it’s our token Indian.”

  This was easier with Macy here, she thought. Ignoring the bitch squad, and their queen as she found her seat.

  Why the teacher didn’t say anything, she didn’t know. Sam and her friends had always been cruel, but this year it was next level.

  English without Macy was her morning torture session. As soon as the teacher turned her back, things were thrown at her. People turned to make faces or put dots on their foreheads. Cindi wasn’t even Hindu, but the nuance was wasted on small-town cliques.

  Sam had added the racism this year. A cruel twist. Today was particularly bad.

  After about twenty minutes she excused herself to the washroom. Once there, she took a breath and cried a little. It was just then the door opened.

  “Oh, buck up,” Sam said, entering. Her cruel sneer betrayed something soulless underneath. “It could be worse.”

  “Would you just leave me alone, Sam?” Cindi begged. How she was able to get out of class, Cindi didn’t know. The English teacher was useless.

  “Would you just leave me alone,” Sam mocked in an exaggerated Indian accent. Of course Cindi had no accent. She had grown up in Alden.

  It was then the bathroom door swung open again and like a trumpet sounding and Jesus returning—Macy strode in.

  “Wow, it’s like we all decided to hide from Ms. Henderson together. Me and Cindi, because God, English sucks! And you, Sam, I imagine because you two had some kind of lover’s quarrel?”

  “The cow has arrived,” Sam snarled.

  “You know, you look great today, Sam. Did you forget to throw up your breakfast or something? You better hurry—you don’t want to risk growing an ass or something.”

  Sam’s face twisted in rage. “I’m about done with this,” she muttered.

  “Well, that’s good because even after adding racism to your repertoire, you still haven’t quite caught up.”

  Sam stepped between them and the door.

  Macy didn’t seem to care. She was an army brat. Even though she’d been in Alden for a couple of years, she had grown up on bases with schools full of over-disciplined meatheads, as she lovingly referred to them.

  Cindi had grown up in Alden. She knew Sam. While they were never close, Sam had never been as bad as she was this year. Or as mad at Macy as she could get. No, the Sam who stood between the door and them was more than off. She was flexing as her eyes fell hard on Macy. Macy, who was nonchalantly putting on lip gloss.

  “Please do, Sam. My dad’s a major or a general or something. I haven’t learned a lot from him and my six brothers, but Lord have I learned how to fight.”

  “Sniveling cow, you’ve never fought anything like me.”

  Macy laughed, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room. “No, I’ve fought men. Not girls who look like boys in dresses. But it’s the 2020s and I’m willing to grow.”

  Sam stormed out of the bathroom. Cindi sighed with relief and hugged Macy. “Oh, poo bear, I’m sorry I couldn’t get to class in time to protect you this morning,” Macy said, patting her head lovingly.

  “She’s getting worse, Macy. I know that girl. This isn't her.”

  Macy shrugged “ Puberty’s a bitch. Lucky for you I’m a much worse one.” Her hands were as expressive as her words.

  “What did the principal want… this time?”

  “Meh, you know, I think he’s either sweet on me, or he thinks I need to start handing in assignments. Either way, I left him smiling.”

  “Mace, you gotta do your homework!”

  “Yeah… but a dog ate my tutor. Or something did.” She joked dismissively. “Maybe it was a bear. I didn’t ask for the details.”

  “I can help too, you know.” Cindi pushed. Trying to keep on the subject.

  “That’s very Indian of you, but I don’t want to feed into those racist tropes.” Humor dismissing the subject again.

  “Adam told me you saw Kim last night. How’s she?”

  “Well, kind of fabulous actually. I mean angsty and a little moopy. Poor thing can’t eat french fries. But a little retail therapy goes a long way.”

  Macy had done it again—deflected Cindi’s concerns about her grades with her infectious spirit. She caught herself and changed the topic back. “I mean it, I’ll help. I get straight As and you always help me.”

  Macy's face took on an uncharacteristically serious look. “Okay.” Cindi almost hugged her again, happy to be given the opportunity to help her protector. But Macy threw up her hands to ward off the oncoming affection. “Okay, let’s not make this a moment. I don’t have anything against gay people, but if I keep hugging girls in this school one of them is going to ask me out.” The humor again. Macy’s shield.

  “Did you want to get together tonight?”

  She sighed, her serious side rearing its head again. “We better. But I promised Kim I would come see her too. Any chance you’re able to do this at her house?”

  “I mean… will she mind?”

  “Meh… as if I’d let something like that get in the way.”

  They didn't notice Sam standing motionless in the empty hallway behind them, as they left the washroom. Watching as they disappeared around the corner.

  ?The anger on her face didn't last. It smoothed out as a plan began to formulate, leaving her expression blank and cold. Her eyes fixed on Cindi's retreating figure.

  ?Sam smiled as the plan took on a form that might just salvage this whole mess.