Monday morning Pixley was sitting in her usual seat in biology, next to Joel. Mr Schmit was going on about something, Pixley didn't pay any attention, she just focussed on blocking out the pain in her side by listening to Joel.
"Mr Madden, will you please shut up and listen?"
"OK." He smiled. A few minutes later he was talking to Pixley again. "So anyhow, do you wanna go out with me and Benj tonight?"
Pixley smiled. "Sure. Now be quiet before we're kicked outta class."
"All right, stop talking Miss McKenzie."
"Yes sir." She smacked Joel's arm and frowned.
"Whatja smack me for?" He grabbed his arm.
"Shh!"
Mr Schmit slammed his hand on his desk. "That's it. Miss McKenzie. Mr Madden."
Benji stuck up his head. "Huh?" He had been sleeping.
"All three of you, out of my class."
Pixley sighed and put her books in her bag. Joel stood, grabbed his bag and Pixley's and left the class room with her and his brother.
Pixley sat in a chair, pained look on her face.
"Way ta go, Joel." Benji yawned.
Pixley sat with her hand on her side. She could feel the bandages under her shirt.
"Sorry. I like to talk."
"And all I wanted to do was sleep, but nooo, you have to go and get us thrown out of class."
Pixley watched as the twins argued. "Guys. Stop it. You two are driving me nuts and I don't like nuts. I've never liked nuts. Nuts are too salty and crunchy..."
"Uh, Pix?" Benji scratched his nose.
"And they're always on my ice cream.."
"Pixley!" They shouted.
"And-- What?" She snapped back into reality. "Was I babbling?"
"About not liking nuts." Joel smirked.
"So, you don't like nuts. How do you feel about balls?" Benji grinned.
Pixley looked at the floor and put her hand on her forhead, trying to hide her eyes from Benji. "Shut up. Just leave me alone. Those aren't the nuts I ment."
Joel laughed and put an arm around her. "C'mon, Pix. It's fun to pick on you."
"Oh, yeah, really fun." Pixley slumped in her chair.
"Oh, come on. I'm sorry." Benji stood. "Gimme a hug."
Pixley stood. "Don't squeaz." She said, hugging Benji. She turned to sit back down; she looked at Joel. He looked left out. "Would my poor Joel like a hug?"
He smiled and stood. He embraced Pixley and kissed her temple.
"Question." Pixley pulled away from Joel. "Why do you do that?"
"Do what?" Joel acted as clueless as possible.
"Nevermind. Not important."
They sat in the hall for a few minutes in silence. "What are the scars on your arm from?" Joel asked.
Pixley looked up. The question disturbed her thoughts. "Nothing. I told you it wash rasberry bushes."
"No, you said rose bushes." Joel looked her in the eye. "Do you cut yourself?"
"What? No! That sorta thing makes me sick." Pixley crossed her arms.
"Then what are they from?"
"Dude, she doesn't wanna talk about it." Benji tried to smack Joel from the other side of Pixley. He missed and hit Pixley's shoulder.
"Ow!" Pixley grabbed her shoulder.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to hit you." Benji jumped out of his chair and to the other side of Pixley. He pulled her shirt down to reveal a huge bruise. "Oh my God. Pixley, what happened?"
"Nothing. Why does everyone ask what happened when I get hurt?"
"Because we care. And when you get hurt it's more than a small bruise or a paper cut. It's a life threatening gash or a huge bruise or that goth kid that bit you. So please, don't lie anymore."
"OK. Fine. You want the truth? Here's the truth: The scars are from my dad. He wanted to know something that I didn't have an answer to so he grabbed a knife and said that if I didn't tell him he'd cut me for every time I said 'I don't know'. When you fell on me last week after I tripped over you, it wasn't a gym injury, my dad pushed me down the sement steps outside my house because I was late for school. Then the gash is from Thursday night. He was swinging a butcher knife at me and I got too close. The bruise is from last night. I got home and he just slammed on me with my Edgar Allen Poe book because I was in the hospital." She was out of breath and pail.
"Pix, calm down. Sit back down, OK?" Benji put a hand on her other shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I just worry about you." Joel hugged her.
