Peter's jaw dropped, and he felt as if tons of basketballs were falling around him. I thought she was my friend. "I'm sorry. I just thought you all didn't believe I truly changed and thought I only cared about my hair. Guess I was right about you."

Jen gave and apologetic glance at Kayla, then sat down behind her and whispered, "Miranda makes me so mad. Why did she have to say that about us?"

Kayla's heart went out for Jen. It was such a pain to have to deal with someone like Miranda. "She's just mean, that's why."

"Oh, you've changed all right," Nicole replied, her voice rising the tiniest bit. "But all you care about is being with Jen, when you're both too young for that kind of stuff anyway. And you're acting like a girl about your hair! It's revolting," she said, her voice laced with disgust.

Miranda found away to slink out of the classroom, away from her humiliation. She slipped a note in Nicole's locker saying: I don't know how you put up with Peter Scrubb. What made you think he would ever be good enough to be your friend anyway?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter ran a hand through his hair. Somehow, he felt "Oh you changed all right" was sarcasm or she was really saying he changed for the worse. What was that about him acting like a girl towards his hair? "Nicole, it was pulled out. I didn't know if it would grow back or not and." he stopped his voice from cracking, "There is always a chance it would get pulled out again and never grow back that time. Jen and I enjoy being together. What's so wrong about that?"

Jen overheard Nicole's rant to Peter about her and his hair. The sting of betrayal from Nicole resurfaced through her veins. She wanted to defend Peter and herself, but knew that would only prove Nicole's point that he was acting like a girl. He needed to defend himself this time and hoped he would defend her. When he did defend her, she wanted something a little more heroic, but that would have to do. What could he do, declare their undying love and prove Nicole's point? Still, why did he have to defend his hair first? Was she less important than his hair? She was going to have to ask him sometime in the future. For now, she looked forward to the basketball games with him. He was not perfect, but tried to be a Godly boy despite his failures and flaws. Watching him fight against slumping his shoulders and lowering his head made her want to change her mind about not helping. No, he has to take it like a man this time. She knew it was going to hurt, having to defend himself with no one else after the events of the day, but he needed some tough love. She tried defending him, but never ever seemed to work. Maybe Nate or Zach could help. What would he do without Nate? She felt a sadness wash over her eyes. Still, she put him in God's hands and focused on her schoolwork.

Peter could hear one of the the bullies mock the conversation. "Yeah let's call Peter 'Patricia'! He's a girl. Peter is a girl! Peter is a girl!"

Peter turned and yelled, "Am not!" He fought the urge to prove them right by running out the room, screaming and crying. He clenched his fists and drew in a deep breath.

Nicole did feel the slightest bit bad that the bullies had heard part of their conversation and started making fun of Peter. She tried to push it out of her mind and focused on answering Peter's question instead, but her mind was a blur and she couldn't come up with a reply. "Oh...oh, never mind!" She dashed out of the classroom and noticed a note in her locker from Miranda. Leaning closer, she read it.

Peter slumped to his desk and sulked into his chair, putting his hands over his ears. He tried to shut the bullies snide remarks out, but it was only getting worse. He turned to Jen and Kayla. He whispred, "Do I really act like a girl?"

Kayla was shaken and couldn't answer Peter for a second. Thoughts blazed through her head. What had gotten into Nicole? Why was she so upset about Peter and Jen? Nicole had been her best friend ever since she was in preschool. She knew how Nicole thought, and she knew Nicole's personality. She must have been jealous of something. Maybe because of the attention she and Jen gave Peter? Kayla let out a silent groan and put a hand to her forehead before answering Peter's question.

"No, of course you don't act like a girl," she said. "You just care about your hair more than most boys your age do, that's all. It's fine, really. Nicole was just upset and blew up. Don't worry, later she'll be kneeling at your feet apologizing and begging you to forgive her. I hope so anyway," she added grimly.

Jen agreed. "You don't act like a girl. I mean your hair isn't long and you don't wear skirts or skinny leg jeans."
Peter smiled. He was happy to have at least two great friends. "I would look kind fo weird in skinny leg jeans," he said with a slight chuckle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MIranda leaned against the locker, sneering at Nicole. "Like my note?"

"You have some nerve to write me such a note," Nicole snapped, tearing the note in two and shoving the remains into her backpack. Curiosity pushed her to ask the next question. "What do you want with me, anyway?"

"Definitely," Kayla giggled. "I know it's really hard, but I think you should just keep trying to ignore the bullies. Their words may hurt, but it's best just to ignore them and not try to get revenge."

Peter asked, "How do I do that? Can you and Jen help?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miranda laughed. "You're so touchy. I thought you had more brains than that. Peter, Jen and Kayla are not your friends and you'er a coward for hanging out with them."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stacey could not help but overhear, and slipped out of the classroom. SHe darted towards Miranda. "Shut up, Miranda!"

Ally saw Miranda spin onto Stacey and begin to rant, but she quietly slipped into the parallel hall to Miranda's locker. She already knew the combination to her locker, because this was her locker last year, and the school never changed combinations.

She reached for Miranda's pencil bag, counted the pencils up, and replaced them with pencils that had clear nail polish on them. So far so good. Ally opened her backpack and slid a plastic bag full of ping pong balls into Miranda's locker. As she eased it closed, she yanked the bag out from around them and put it back into her bag.

--------------

Zach awkwardly waved his hands and started to back away. "Uh... I have to go now," he said, uncomfortable. "See you." He started to walk away hesitantly, even though he didn't really want to leave.

Peter stopped Zach, "Wait. Um, was that directed at me?" HE felt a little uneasy. Okay, maybe he was being a little girly about his hiar, but it had been pulled out. He wasn't like that before.

"I mean, even before The Dance," said Zach, continuing to wave his hands awkwardly. "You still..." he smiled weakly as he searched for a good way to put it. "Liked your hair."

"Not--" he stuck in quickly before Peter could stomp on the previous statement, get hurt, and run out crying, clutching his hair. "I mean, you weren't obsessed about it just because you got it pulled out," he assured Peter. Wait, is that a good thing? I don't think that's a good thing. He decided to stop talking before he messed up even more. What I meant to say, was, you've always been in love with your hair.

-----

Miranda threw open her locker door. "ACK!" she screamed as 50 ping pong balls came spilling out of her locker. They began to bounce all over the floor. She looked at the class. Her argument with Stacey had mad her late for her next class.
She kicked the balls away, causing a 6th grader to fall on his face, his books flying.

As Miranda ran towards her class, she got two pencils out of her bag and sat in her chair just as the bell rang.

Peter gave Zach a confused look. He tried to process this. What it came down to was, he was obsessing over his hair. Well, he lost his hair in the car accident last year, then it grew back, then it got pulled out by Mr. Pole and is now growing back. He shrugged, "Guess I'm just worried about losing it again." For some reason, he felt calmer than earlier. "But..we've been spending most of the day about my hair. Let's talk soccer."

Jen rubbed Peter's arm with her arm. She understood Peter wanting a new guy friend since Nate was leaving for a while, but felt left out. First, he talked abou this hair before talking about her and now he is trying to talk about soccer with Zach? "What about the game we are going to see at Ryan's highschool, Pete?"

Peter blushed, "Yeah, we will have lots of fun. Think Miley will be there?"
Jen shrugged. It was hard on her mom, taking care of the ouse, bills, her and her siblings with her dad in jail. "I have to watch my siblings Saturday. My mom is taking double shift, just to let you know."

Peter really did not have enough time to process what she was saying, when he asked, "Do you need my help?"
Jen glanced up at him. "Not so sure that would be a good idea." She looked down.
This made him wonder why she said that. "Do you want to leave the game early?"
Jen shook her head. "It's not that. We will go, together. "
She brushed the side of his hair with her hand. She looked at Zach, who looked bored. "Are you okay?"

Oh great. They're going to start complimenting each other and making corny jokes now. Zach shook his head. "Yeah, I'm fine." He started to walk away to his seat, but Peter looked like he wanted to say something else.

----

Miranda took her pencil and tried to write her name, but because of the clear nail polish, it wouldn't write. She tried again. "Ms. Bell? My pencil won't write," she whined.

The teacher glanced at her suspiciously, then walked over and took the pencil. By now Miranda had worn off the nail polish with all her efforts to write. Ms. Bell scribbled on some paper. She glared at Miranda. "It does work, see?" she snapped, handing her a detention slip. "Friday at 3."

(OOC: My work is done, EG. Carry on w/ Manda)

Ally gave Stacey a thumbs-up and once again was grateful that she shared so many classes with Miranda. She lifted her eyes to the teacher and pointed out the door. "Ms. Bell? Why are there a bunch of balls in the hallway? The kids are tripping on them."

Peter said, "Sorry I've been acting so weird lately." Then, he chided himself mentally for possibly losing a possible friend. He took his seat next to Jen. "How do I get myself back?"

Jen could see the sadness in his eyes and knew he felt what everyone else felt. That he was going a little crazy over his hair. SHe rubbed his face with her hand. "I can't tell you what to do this time. Everytime I try, it blows up on us." Her eyes held the same sadness as his.

Peter said, "Maybe I should cut all my hair off, then they will think I'm less obsessed."

Jen let out a sad laugh. "You would only be proving them right if you did. Besides, We both know you would instantly regret it and it really isn't worth it. I mean your hair is short enough already. The only part that even hits the middle of your neck is the part that is attached to the top of the neck. The rest is at mid ear or shorter."
Peter answered, "True."
Jen said, "I guess when you went off to cry, they did not realize you were crying about your past and it had nothing to do with hair."
Peter said, "That and the fact MIranda said I only cared about my hair."
Jen decided to change the subject. "Ready to work on the project when we get home?"
Peter said, "Yea, but I need to shoot hoops first."
Jen asked, "To let off steam?"
Peter smiled, "Yeah. I can act like a boy, you know."
Jen rolled her eyes. "Can you do something heroic?"
Peter said, "I used to be able to, before I started using pills." He shuddered, then she put a calming hand on his shoulders. "You will be back. Try harder."
Peter sighed. "I try everyday." Then, he said, "Okay, maybe not hard enough."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter rushed to the basket ball hoop at Nate's house, shooting the ball furiously into the net. He would have been on the team if it weren't for drugs. Then, he would not have been separated form Jen so long and would not have had his hair pulled out. He threw the ball into the net, only to have it bounce around the rim, then bounce out. He let out a few expletives. Now, everyone thought he only cared about his hair. He jerked the ball off the ground anfd aimed for the hoop and made it this time. Now, everyone thought he acts like a girl and only cared about this hair. He pounded the ball, as he bounced it off the ground. Or, they thought he was just some sleazeball dating at a young age. He let out another cuss word. Even Jen seemed to think he only cared about his hair or something was wrong with her. He muttered to himself that he was an idiot, then shot for another hoop, then missed. "UGH! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE HIGHSCHOOL TEAM IF I CAN'T MAKE IT IN THE HOOP?" He slammed the ball at the goal, this time made the hoop. Without thinking he found himself saying, "I DON'tT CARE THAT I"M ONLY FOURTEEN I LOVE JEN! It'S TRUE LOVE, NOT THAT FAKE STUFF ON.." He went for a rebound. "TV!"