Finding Hope in Texas by Ryan T. Petty Page A

involved in the manure-to-locker prank were already
staring at me with gleams of vindication shining across their
faces, I knew I had little to no time to find my revenge. If I was
to try to attack Jody, her friends would have me down in a
heartbeat and I would be the one to get in trouble. Plus fighting
was not my expertise. I could try to hurt her while we played
basketball, but again the numbers would be against me. Maybe
accepting what was done and being the bigger person would be my
only resolve? I was never much for revenge anyway.
    My pace slowed as I felt the adrenaline in my
body start to fade away, until I saw him, Brad, sitting in the
bleachers with a few of his friends. They were all dressed out like
they were waiting to do something. This would be it. I felt
like the Grinch as he came up with the plan to steal Christmas. It
was fight or flight and I was choosing fight and he was my target.
I made a bee-line toward him, feeling my ponytail bouncing off the
back of my head as I went forward. This girl was going to learn the
hard way: never tick off a redhead! I knew Jody’s eyes had to be on
me, waiting for my reaction to the manure. But my plan was going to
be a direct assault on her heart and revenge would be mine! I
scrambled up the steps and made a swift move between two boys that
were sitting around him. He looked up at me, but didn’t say
anything. Such eyes. Stay focused . As sensually as I could
muster, I slowly planted myself in his lap, wrapped my arms around
his neck and gave him the biggest kiss he had ever seen before! Our
lips entangled with each other as I heard the whoops and hollers
come from all over the gym. His hands moved on my lower back,
supporting me. Finally, I pulled back, making a popping sound with
my lips. His eyes were like saucers as I stood up and began to walk
away.
    “Was it good for you, Bradley boy?” I asked
in my best Marilyn Monroe voice, giving a quick wink, but not
waiting long enough for him to answer. When I clipped back across
the court, you could have heard a pen drop. All eyes were on me,
the instigator, and the antagonist of this little high school
drama. I didn’t say a word, didn’t stop to actually take part in
physical education. The ball wasn’t in my court anyway; I had just
slammed dunked it on Jody and yelled “boo-ya!” And I wasn’t about
to play anything with them, even under the careful supervision on
our coach. My day was done and I was going home.
    I probably dressed the fastest in my life. If
a snide comment could give me a black eye, what would making out
with Brad right in front of Jody do? God, I’m sure they wouldn’t
even find my remains. My jubilation was turning into fear. My
adrenaline was telling me to run to the hills as fast as I could
and hide up there for the rest of my life. Panic sat in.
    “I am so dead,” I said to the empty
room as I threw everything into my bag and grabbed my cell
phone.
    “Come pick me up, NOW!” I practically yelled
at Mags.
    “What? What’s wrong, honey? School doesn’t
let out for another hour.”
    “I...I’ve got a stomach cramp. I feel really
bad. Can you just pick me up, please?”
    Mags sighed on the phone. “I guess. I’ll have
to lock up early. Be there in twenty.”
    “Okay, hurry.” I slammed the phone shut and
ventured over to the door, cracking it to see if anyone was in the
hallway waiting to pounce. The coast looked clear. This might be my
only chance to escape. Come on, Hope! You had enough gumption to
kiss the cow’s boyfriend, but you can’t take your first step out of
the locker room where they will kill you for sure? Get the heck
outta here. Crap. Now my consciousness was starting to sound
like a Texan.
    This was a first for me. Mom would have had
my head on a platter if she would have found out I was skipping
school, even if it was only P.E. But any reasonable person could
see this was justified, that I needed a head start away from these
animals. I pranced down the