I whipped around, and there he was—a boy, grinning like he'd just pulled off the prank of the century. His nameplate read: [Angus Whitman.]
His hand still raised, he balled up another piece of paper and flicked it right at me.
The crumpled ball hit me square in the nose and dropped to the floor.
I didn't flinch. I just stared at him, my mind racing. First day of school, and this guy had the guts to pull this?
"What are you staring at, ugly freak?" He sneered like he was taunting me.
My hands curled into tight fists. Every muscle in my body wanted to lunge at him, to show him I didn't deserve another crap like that.
But before I could move, a familiar voice rang out across the room. "Betty! What the hell are you gonna do, huh?!"
Charlie.
I looked up, my heart sinking.
There he was, standing in the doorway with Ginny by his side, playing the protective brother.
The boy who'd thrown the paper ran over to my brother, still grinning like the jerk he was. "Dude, I just don't get it. Why's your sister so ugly? If I were you, I'd be embarrassed to be seen with her."
This was it. Charlie was going to defend me. He had to, right?
I waited for him to knock the punk out, to put him in his place.