The Snake Pit: Jr. High Can Be Torture (3 page)

Chapter Eight

Mrs. Carter

Of course, her father and I were devastated when
Cinda
was born with a cleft lip and palate.  A congenital defect in a family, that as far as we knew, none ever existed.  We agonized over what we could've done differently or what we may have done wrong, but it was simply God's will, and we accepted it.  We figured with all the things that could go wrong with newborns, heart defects, missing limbs, retardation...this was relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.

Cinda
has always been the brave one.  Surgery after surgery from the time she was a newborn, practically every year since, and she never once
complained.  It
’
s funny, our two older daughters often feel guilty because she was afflicted and they weren't. 
Cinda
laughs that off, says they got the looks and she got the brains.  That's not too far from the truth. 
Cinda
has a near-genius I.Q.

We have always tried to make
Cinda's
life as normal as possible.  We encourage her to try new things and we worked with her from the time she learned to talk so she wouldn't have any speech defects.  Everything seemed to be fine, until we moved here that is.

Her first day at Hargrove Jr. High was very nearly her last.  She tripped in the cafeteria and the other children threw food on her.  Threw food on her, can you believe that?  What's the matter with these children?  And
where were the teachers?   I wanted to head straight down to that school and give the principal a piece of my mind, but
Cinda
wouldn't hear of it.  She said she could handle it and, by golly, she got up the next morning and went right back to school.  I don't think I could've done that...not in a million years.  But, like I said,
Cinda
is the brave one.

And then she met Charlie.  Charlie is a character and we love her. 
She is everything that we hoped for in a friend for
Cinda
.  Charlie is outgoing and funny and she has a stand-up-for-herself attitude that
Cinda
need
ed
.  They are perfect for each other.  Charlie br
ought
Cinda
out of her shell...and
Cinda
ke
p
t
Charlie humble.

Not much I can tell you about Bobby. 
I know
Cinda
was tutoring him for awhile and from what we heard from Charlie, things
kinda
soured after the winter break. 
Cinda
won't talk about it, but I get the feeling that Bobby didn't want the other kids to know that he and
Cinda
were spending time together.

Charlie has told us about that trouble at the
Jr.
high
.  We tried talking to
Cinda
about it, but she just shut
down and
insisted
everything
was
under control.  I should've known that it wasn't, but I guess I just wanted to believe that my baby girl was all right.  I should've put my foot down and went to that school myself.  Hindsight is 20/20, and I have only myself to blame for not protecting my own child.

Chapter Nine

The Winter Ball

I knew it was a mistake the minute I suggested going to the Winter Ball.  I figured that with
Cinda
being kind of bummed out over Bobby, going to the ball would be the perfect pick-me-up.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

At first,
Cinda
wanted no part of any school function.  But since this is the first year 7
th
graders are allowed to attend, I talked her into it.  The whole class was buzzing about our first winter formal.  It was all very exciting talking about decorations and dress colors and how we were going to wear our hair, when all of the sudden, we heard the voice of doom.

“YOU are going to the Winter Ball?”  Lisa sneered...an inch from
Cinda's
face.  I slammed the locker closest to
Cindas
, very nearly, but unfortunately not severing Lisa's ear.

Then
Cinda
did the most amazing thing.  She spoke. 
Loudly.
 
Clearly.
 
Looking directly into Lisa's face.
  “I am going to the Winter Ball.”

Lisa took a step back.  She seemed to be at a loss for words, but unfortunately, she found her voice again.  “Great...now this will be a freak show too.”  And she stomped off without giving
Cinda
a chance to answer.

As I watched Lisa walk away...I couldn't help myself and leaned over and whispered in
Cinda's
ear.

“Gee, Cinderella.  I think your ugly stepsister has some issues.”

Bobby

I heard them all talking...the cheerleaders, I mean.  I heard them all discussing something big happening at the Winter Ball.  When Lisa saw me standing there...she hushed up quick.  Who should I tell?  And what should I tell them?

I thought about asking
Cinda
to go with me to the ball, as my date.  I knew she wouldn't go with me, not after what I did to her.  And if something were to happen at the ball, she would think I was involved.

I figured Charlie would listen to
me, and she did.  She cornered
Lisa in the gym and tried to get her to spill her guts on the deal with the Winter Ball. 
All she succeeded in doing was standing there helplessly as Lisa threw herself off the stage screaming about how Charlie threw her off and her leg was probably broken.  As Charlie was being hauled off to the office I saw Lisa smile.  I knew I had to do something.

I headed to Principal Martin's office, but he would not see me.  He said he had bigger problems at the moment, one of which being Charlie and her upcoming suspension for the supposed attack on sweet Lisa
Kellen
.  I had a sneaking suspicion that Charlie was not going to be allowed to go to the dance.

Yes, I e-mailed
Cinda
.  I tried to warn her about the dance, but I never heard back from her.  No, I never e-mailed her about tutoring me in
math, but I have an idea about who did.  Lisa was at my house with my sister just a few days before.  No wonder
Cinda
showed up at my house.  She thought I asked her.

I didn't think
Cinda
would go to the dance without Charlie
…
but I figured if I got there ahead of time I could stop Lisa before
Cinda
got there.  I don't know what I was thinking...just that something had to be done.

Charlie

Now let's get one thing straight.  I did not throw Lisa off the stage.  I wanted to...I probably will later…but I didn't do it that day.  She jumped off the stage and started screaming that I
pushed
her off and that he leg was probably broken.  Of course, Principal Martin believed her and I got suspended for three days
.  And I was
not allowed to go to the dance.

Funny thing... I saw Lisa as I was leaving the school with my mom...she wasn't even limping.

Anyway...
I was out
of the dance, so I assumed that
Cinda
w
ouldn’t
go without me.  WRONG.  She said she
had to go, or Lisa will win.  Even if only went for a few minutes.  I told her what Bobby overheard...she d
idn’t
care.  I didn't like it but what could I do?

The day of the ball was cold.  Sitting in
Cinda's
room was like being of the set of Extreme Makeover
Cinda
Edition.  Her sisters were both pulling and rolling her hair, her mom was on hand with some special make-up bought especially for covering scars.  She definitely reminded me of Cinderella at that moment.  I just hoped she would make it to midnight before the magic wore off. The dress was beautiful, her hair was beautiful and I'm going to say it...
Cinda
looked beautiful.

I knew I couldn't go, but I desperately wanted to.  I did not want
Cinda
to face the world for the first time with her hair out of her face without me. I was worried,
Cinda's
mom was worried, her sisters were worried and
Cinda
stood there calm, cool and collected.   As her dad pulled out of the driveway....we all sat down to wait.

Principal Martin

Detective, I resent being questioned this way.  I had no idea this would happen, I can't be everywhere at once.

The Winter Ball??
  Well, yes, I heard that there was an unfortunate incident that happened there, but since I was not there, I had to rely on my chaperones for information.

Detective, I stand by my previous statement that kids will be kids. Since there was no physical injury, I don't see what you expected me to do about it.  Kids tease other
kids,
you know that as well as I do.

I do not tolerate bullying in my
school...just before the dance I had to suspend a student for attacking another.

Well, yes, I did speak to Lisa after the incident, and I don't recall whether she was limping or not, but I do know that Charlie threw her off the stage and she could've been seriously hurt.  Of course Charlie denied it...Charlie denies everything.

Well...
I
just assumed....of course, Detective.  I will look into this a little further and get back to you.

Chapter Thirteen

Bobby

When I walked into the gym for the ball...I could not believe my eyes. 
Hares.
 
Hundreds and hundreds of pictures of horrible harelips staring at me from every direction.
  I looked over at Lisa who was smiling at me.

“What's the matter, Bobby?  You don't like the decorations?” 
S
he said in that sweet, syrupy voice.

I really wanted to hit her...I really did, but I thought of something that would hurt much worse.  “You know, Lisa, you really are very ugly.”

Lisa's smile faded but just for a second as we
heard the gym door open. There
Cinda
stood, and I
almost didn't recognize her, she looked so different. 
Beautiful almost.
  That is until she saw what awaited her.  Slowly she turned and
studied
each and every photo of those awful hares.  The
light seem
to leave her eyes as the
other kids started to laugh
. 
Cinda
stood, for just a moment, and let them laugh before she turned and left the gym.  Her Winter Ball was officially over.