The words cut through her daydream. Betty nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning around, she saw it was one of those guys from across the aisle. She had seen him swaggering down school corridors before, eyeing all the pretty girls. Betty remembered hearing stories about him – about how he homed in on a girl and how he kept on bugging her until she gave in.

"Go away!" she said sullenly, turning away from him. She could hear the others laughing softly behind her.

"You don't want me to go away, do you?"

His voice! It was like satin, purring into her confused mind. She sat there, feeling him almost touching her. That awful conversation she had had with Annie. It had made her like this, respond to him like this. Where was Annie? Why was her friend away so long in the john? Why didn't that bell ring?

"Yes. Just… just leave me alone," Betty whispered, wishing in a strange way he would touch her.

"I'm not gonna beat you."

Chills swept over her body as she felt his warm breath blowing over her flesh. She waited, expecting to feel a tongue being shoved into one ear. Then, catching herself, Betty moved away, twisting around and staring angrily up at the smirking young athlete.

"Or anything else. Just… just get out," she said, her voice quavering.

"It's a public place. This is school, man, and like it or not I'm part of it."

"No!"

He had put one hand around her. She had almost shouted as she jumped up in a panic.

Her sudden move, sent all her books crashing to the floor. She couldn't help it! He was upsetting her so, tilting all her fine moral defenses to crazy angles. Betty couldn't think. And now there were people staring at her, smirking at her. It was as if she had shouted to them just bow she felt, just what she secretly wanted.

"Hey, take it easy, chick."

He put his hand on her narrow shoulders, forcing her back down.