Running on Insulin

Chapter 61

Samantha's POV

I walked into English class a little earlier than usual, since Jenna dropped me off.

"Hey there, Samantha," Mrs. Wilson said. 

"Hi, Mrs. Wilson," I said. 

"How are you? I heard yesterday was supposed to be some special day?"

"Yeah, it was," I said. 

"You don't seem very happy about it. Want to talk about it?"

I sighed. 

"Well, yesterday I was officially adopted by my foster parents, uh, my parents now, I guess."

"Congratulations! That's very exciting. So why aren't you happier?"

"My dad - my old dad? What do I call him?"

"Your birth father?" Mrs. Wilson suggested. 

"Yeah. That makes sense. My birth father wants me to go up to the prison tomorrow to visit him or he'll contest the adoption."

"Your birth father is the one in the news, right? The lawyer?"

"Yeah," I said. 

"I see. So I take it you're worried about tomorrow," Mrs. Wilson said. 

"Yeah. I'm worried he's not done. He's going to do something. He says he wants to say goodbye, but I don't believe him."

"I can't imagine how you're feeling," Mrs. Wilson said. 

"Sometimes, I think it might be easier if I just ran away. It would be safer for Jenna and Tyler. My parents. My new parents," I smiled a bit. 

"I think they'd disagree.  Their job is to protect you. They obviously love you. They adopted you. They chose you. I think they'd be very, very upset if you left them."

"They said the same thing," I said. 

"Then it sounds like they are also very smart people. Samantha, none of us can imagine what you've been through. What little has been said in the news probably doesn't even touch the surface of what you've gone through. And now you're safe, with loving parents who clearly care very deeply for you. If ever you need to talk, please feel free to come see me any time, okay?"

I nodded and thanked her as people started coming into the classroom. 

Jill came in smiling.

"Hey. I missed you  out front," she said, sitting in her seat. 

"Yeah. Jenna got me here early, so I came in," I said. 

"How did yesterday go? I mean, besides what you told me on the phone?"

"Okay. They overheard, and then when I tried to leave, Josh found out, and he was waiting downstairs.  We wound up having a talk. They think they can keep me safe from my birth father, but I'm not sure. They don't know what he's capable of. I'm not even sure of what he's capable of."

"Then why worry? He's in jail, you have to see him, and that sucks, but then after tomorrow, you'll be done and you'll have Tyler and Jenna and they'll protect you. Sam, you're really, really lucky to have them."

"I know."

Mrs. Wilson called the class and then took attendance. 

English class was fine. We were finished with The Giver, and we were moving on to some short stories. We had to write something from our own perspective. I didn't know what to write about. I had a lot of things to write about, but I wasn't sure what to write about.

Class ended and Jill and I went to our next class. 

"Hey Freak!" Adam said as I walked into the classroom. I just rolled my eyes and went to my seat. 

"Hey, Freak, cat got your tongue again?" Adam continued. I tried to ignore him. He wasn't worth my time. 

"Maybe the freak forgot how to talk," one of his friends said. "I mean, she didn't speak her first day, and maybe she forgot again."

"Hey, freak, did you forget your freak juice today?" Adam said. 

"Would you just shut up already?" I turned around and looked at Adam. "What exactly are you trying to prove? Just how much of an asshole you are? Because you've already managed to prove that over and over again."

"Sam, shh." Jill said quietly to me.

"No. I'm  not going to be quiet. That's what he wants. He wants the attention.  He gets off on the attention he's getting when he makes fun of people. You know what Adam? You're pathetic. Your friends aren't even your friends. You probably intimidate them enough that they're afraid not to be your 'friends'. Why don't you just get a life, and leave me alone."

The rest of the class 'ooohed'. Adam shot me a death glare, but he shut up. 

Class was marginally better. I left the science class and started walking towards my Social Studies class. I was pushed, hard, from behind. 

"Listen, Freak," Adam said, pushing me up against the lockers. "Don't you ever talk to me like that again. I'll mess you up."

"Big words, little man," I said to him. 

"Do you want me to mess you up? Because I will. You're a freak. Plain and simple."

"So? I'm a freak. So are you. I mean, you think you're a big, strong guy, but really, you're just a puny little shit," I spat at him in his face. "Daddy doesn't love you very much, does he?"

"Fuck you," he said. 

"Aww. I'm right, aren't I? Believe me. When it comes to daddy issues, I know all about them."

He punched me in the stomach and I fell to the ground. 

"Shut up, you  little shit!" he said. I curled up into a ball, because he started kicking me. "You're nothing! You're just a stupid freak!"

"Hey!" I heard someone yell.  "Adam Trainer! What the hell are you doing! Stop!" 

Adam landed one more blow to my chest which hurt the most. I stayed on the ground, coughing and trying to catch my breath. My nose was bleeding, I think I had a black eye - or would - and my chest was on fire. 

Someone took Adam away from me. A teacher, I'm not sure who, bent down and said my name. I tried to look up at them, but my chest hurt so badly. 

"Someone get the nurse!" I heard someone call. I lay on the ground, coughing to catch my breath. 

"Samantha? It's Nurse Taylor. What happened?"

"Adam Trainer beat her up," the teacher said. "John pulled him off her. He's in the office."

"Samantha," the nurse said. "Can you get up?"

"I don't know," I coughed. 

"Okay, let's try to get you up slowly," she said. She started by helping me sit up. I held my side as I leaned back on the lockers. 

"Your nose is bleeding," Nurse Taylor said.  She handed me some gauze, which I put under my nose with my free hand. "What happened? Why did Adam try to beat you up?"

"Because," I coughed, " I called him out on his bullshit."

"What bullshit?" she asked. 

"He was bullying me. And Jill. He kept calling me a freak. So I called him out for it," I breathed. 

"Let's try to get you to stand up, okay?" she said, trying to help me stand up. 

"My side really hurts," I coughed. 

"Okay, let's take you to my office, and I'll get you checked out, okay? We'll call Jenna and Tyler and have them take you to the doctor."

I wheezed a bit as we walked down the hallway. My side really hurt.