The Blood Trinity

"Nobody likes a victim." Madison Chan, a Chinese sixteen-year-old girl repeats as she writes the same sentence on a dry chalkboard in front of her English class.

Her resentfulness is only accompanied by the snickering of her classmates as they threw paper airplanes at her long, orange hair.

"Stop it," Madison yelled at her classmates.

"That board isn't going to fall itself, Ms. Chan." Brother Phillip Baxter, a 35-year-old Italian man taunted her as he sat against the back of a wall.

"Brother Baxter. Please make them stop."

"They weren't the ones who were late for class for the fifth time this month. When one of us is, late all of us are late."

Brother Phillips stood up as he dusted off a black dress part and threw his matching jacket over his pink dress shirt.

"What are our rules when it comes to tardiness, class?"

"Tardiness is a blameless decision." The class said simultaneously.

"Everyone else understands, Ms. Chan." Why don't you?"

"I tried to get out of practice but Coach Lockwood."

"Oh yes. Coach Lockwood said you were causing trouble with your teammates. I get basketball can be competitive. But that not an excuse for sabotaging your team."

"I didn't sabotage anything."

"The coach says otherwise. He says that you do not work well with your teammates. That you can't follow instructions..."

"That's not true." Madison yelled while holding back tears in her eyes.

"Listen. It is your word versus a man I have known for ten years. Guess who I am going to believe.

Brother Baxter's words cut through Madison's emotions as the young girl felt her shoulders growing in weight and her fingers twitched in frustration.

"Now finish my wall unless you want detention."

Madison turned back to the board as her classmates threw more paper and eventually pieces of garbage at her.

One of her classmates threw a juice box at her head, splattering its liquid against her as she broke down in tears while finishing the chalkboard.

"That's good enough," said Brother Baxter." "Ms. Jones. Your next."

As Madison walked to her desk, April G. Jones; a pink hair with light brown skin, walked up from her desk and reached for the bucket of water in the said.

"Serves you right for making lies about Roxy and her friends being mean to you. Considering that she is one of our brightest students at this institution. In fact, they said you tried to take her pearl necklace."

"But she..."

Before she could finish her sentence, April G noticed a dark skin girl played with the same pearl necklace that Brother Baxter spoke about while smirking at April G in a sinister way.

Biting the tip of her lip, April G begrudged turned around and cleaned the chalkboard that Madison wrote on.

"I'll say this. You might know how to start a fight, Ms. Jones. But by the looks of those bruises on your wrist, you don't know how to finish them."

"Maybe she should keep her hands off of other people's things." Roxy sassed her.

"Come on. You know that isn't cool." Said Jerome Carlton, a seventeen-year-old dark skin student uttered as he turned to her.

"Neither is this."

Roxy polled out an apple and threw it at April G's head.

"Ow." The pink hair teenager screamed before clutching her head.

"You're a bitch for doing that," Jerome said.

"I'm the bitch?" Roxy asked. "You dumped me for that biracial tramp."

"That's not..."

"Hey" Brother Baxter yelled as April G ran out of the classroom out of frustration.

"Poor little mixed girl can't handle a little joke." Roxy criticized.

"That's screamed up, Roxy," Jerome said.

"Ms. Jones didn't finish board. So, we are going to need our third-class delinquent to fix up her miss. Where's Ms. Violet? "

"Here." June Violet; a sixteen-year-old Italian girl with purple hair stead up and walked to the front of the room. Pulling out a dry towel from the teacher's desk and began to clean the chalkboard.

"Clean it up, Freak." Vic Thomas, 16-year-old polish quarterback. Yelled as he threw a pudding pack in June, splattering it against her school uniform.

"Hey."

"That chalkboard still needs to be cleaned, young lady." Brother Baxter said.

"Didn't you see what he did to me?"

"Seeing how you kept his girlfriend, who just so happens to be the leading cheerleader, from making practice several times, I think that more than fair. "

"That's a load of crap. What does that have to do with...."

"Sigmond Ross Institution isn't just an orphanage, Ms. Violet. This is an institution that will benefit greatly from our expert curriculum. That curriculum cannot perform to its highest potential if our star quarterback must worry about his girlfriend being harassed by some hooligan. "

As brother Baxter uttered those words, June looked at a blond girl sitting next to Vic.

"Veronica. Is she still bothering you?" Vic said.

Veronica bit her tongue as she recoiled at her boyfriend's question.

"Please, Veronica. Tell them." June tearfully asked.

"Ms. Hash." Brother Baxter said. "Would you like to tell us something?"

Veronica nervously looked back on forth as the question wayed heavily on her consciousness.

"Babe, say something," Vic yelled.

"She's crazy. Probably because she doesn't have any friends."

"That's not...."

But before June could finish her sentence, Vic threw another pudding pack. This time tanking in her eyes as she feels to the ground.

"Quit looking at my girlfriend, Freak."

Veronica looked away with a sigh of regret as June burst into tears much to the rest of the class's expense. With only Madison feeling sympathy for her.

As the students continued taunt June, a white cat with three circles on its forehead watched from the window outside while standing on a tree branch.

"My poor little girls," said the cat, before it teleported in a puff of smoke.

Furious about being attacked in class, April G rushed down the hallways of the Sigmond Ross Institution in hopes of finding comfort away from Roxy and Brother Baxter.

As the young lady ran away, a crystal ball came across her path and caused her to stumble as she stepped on it.

Her leg snapping from the impact of her fall, April G felt her heart sinking deeper into the abyss of her own despair.

"Ms. Jones?" said a Caucasian man in his late thirty's. His back slick hair shined with the flickering lights as he kneeled to April G. Causing creases in his blue and black gown as he helped her to her feet.

"Dean Trask? What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing. If I am not mistaking, the bell doesn't ring for another fifteen minutes."

"I forgot something in my locker. "

5 / 22

"April G. "Jerome said as he ran up to her.

"Mr. Carlton." Dean Trask said. "I'd hate to think Brother Baxter is scaring all of his students all of his students out of his class."

"Just had to go to the bathroom, Sir." Jerome explained as he held up a pink card.

"Very good than. Perhaps you can escort Ms. Jones to the nurse's office on the way.

"That's fine, Sir." Said April G. "I'm fine."

"By the sound of how your leg hit the ground, I find that hard to believe."

"I don't mind. It is wrong to let you go on your own like this." Jerome added.

"Then its settled. Please make sure Ms. Jones gets the proper guidance to the nurse's office."

"Yes, Sir."

Jerome extended has hand to April G as she reluctantly allowed him to help her up.

As the two students walked away, the dean caught a glimpse at the crystal ball that caused April G to trip.

"It can't be" Dean Trask said as he reached for the crystal ball slowly.

But the ball vanished in a purple cloud of smoke before he could touch it.

"Impossible."

The dean expressed an ominous glare at April G as she and Jerome went on their way to the nurse's office.

The ringing of the school bell prompt him to leave the hallway as he was soon passed by a herd of students making their way to class.

***

The transition of school periods prompts an unsettling crowd of female students who all heckled June as she walked to her next period still dropped in pudding.

"Leave me alone."

June said as she struggled to escape their taunting.

"What's wrong, Freak?" Vic said as he joined them. Too much white on you? Then again, your goth chicks like to be dark and depressing."

6 / 22

"Screw you, Vic."

June kept walking away until three his teammates blocked her path.

"Let me through."

"No problem." Vic said but first, let us clean you off."

As he said those words, tow cheerleaders took out their water bottles and hurled the liquid contents all over June, soaking her clothes.

"Rob a dub dub, Goth girl." Vic laughed as he and his friends left June to suffer.

"I hate those jerks." June complains trying to wipe the water from her eyes.

"Here maybe this will help." Veronica said as she approached her with a dry towards.

"What are you doing here?"

"I stayed behind to get somethings from my desk. When I caught up to Vic, I saw what he did to you."

"Why should you care? I don't have any friends, remember?"

"Look. I am sorry for what happened in the classroom. I was scared that he would hurt you if he knew about us."

"Trust me. It could be worse." Veronica said.

"Whatever. Just leave me alone."

Before she could leave, Veronica Pulled June back and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"I want to be with you" Veronica said. "Really, I do."

"Then why can't you just be with me?" June asked.

"You don't hear the things Vic says about people like us. But I have my whole life. Being gay is like having a target on your back where I come from."

"What makes you think I haven't grown up with the same type of bigotry before my mom died and I was brought here?"

"Because your dad didn't kill your mom when she came out gay like mine did." Veronica said.

7 / 22

"Of course not. My dad was not in the picture. So, you should know that when someone says that they love me, I expect them not to sell me out."

"Vic was there for me since the day I got sent here. Before you and I ever met, Vic was the first person I was ever comfortable with."

"Don't you think I want something like that?" June argued. "But I'm not going to keep doing these secret girlfriend crap if it means being bullied."

"I promise. No more secrets. Just give me till the end of the week to work things out with Vic."

June smiled at Veronica and the two embarrassed in a kiss.

"The nurse has some clean uniforms in stock. You should go there."

"Okay." June said.

As June walked away, Veronica reached out to her.

"What is it?"

"Here."

Veronica slid a bracket with butterflies on it around June's wrist.

"Early birthday gift and an apology." Veronica said.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

June walked off as Veronica looked away with a sigh of shame.

"Bravo, Babe." Vic approached her from behind the hallway.

"Do we have to do this?" Veronica asked.

"That lesbian's been turning you gay. It is time to teach her a lesson. Nobody steals my girls."

Veronica nodded at Vic's statement as she harbored an unsettling pit of regret.

***

8 / 22

The third bell rings throughout the halls of Sigmond Ross Institution as Madison walked to the locker room after playing basketball.

While opening her locker the voices of her teammates could be heard taking the form of criticizing and loathing.

"Chan was terrible. "One voice said med to Madison's disgust.

"I know. She should not be on this team at all. "

"I hear she only got a spot on the team because she is sleeping with the coach. "

As she heard the unsaddle whispers of her teammates, Madison grabbed her bag and shut her locker. Choosing not to change in her uniform.

The other girls suddenly stopped their conversation as she walked past them, not knowing that she heard everything that was said about her.

About halfway across the gymnasium, Coach Lockwood caught up to Madison.

"Ms. Chan. Might I have a word with you?" Coach Lockwood said.

"I really have to get to class." Madison said.

"I don't think your teacher will appreciate disturbing their class with that sweaty jersey."

The coach blocked of her exit.

"It will be. I promise."

Fearful of being in trouble, Madison agreed to Coach Lockwood's request and followed him to his office.

"There she goes again." One of her teammates snickered as they made their way to their next class.

"Don't mind your teammates, Madison. Girls your age tease each other all the time," said the coach.

Madison walked into the coach's office and took a seat across from his desk.

"I can't help but notice that you've had a hard time making friends on the team."

"I don't think I have a problem with anyone personally Coach Lockwood" Madison replied.

9 / 22

"I wish I could believe that Ms. Chan. But your performance during our past few games says otherwise. No one is willing to throw you the ball because you never make a winning shot. Half of the time, you stumble during the games and trip over your teammates."

"I'm trying my best, Sir. I come to practice every day and..."

"Maybe, this isn't the right team for you. I think you should consider a different hobby."

"No, sir. Please. Basketball is the only thing that helps me with...."

"Your depression?" said the coach.

"Yes, sir."

The coach stood up from his desk and pulled a chair next to Madison.

"I hope you know that students who have behavioral disadvantages aren't usually allowed to perform in sport teams."

As he continued the conversation, Coach Lockwood wrapped his arms around Madison's shoulders.

"Sir, please don't." Madison said.

"Just relax, Ms. Chan. We both know how this goes."

The coach rubbed is hand on Madison's back.

The young girl cringed at the touch of his hands as Coach Lockwood began to touch Madison.

"Please Stop" Madison cried.

"It's okay. We have done this before. Just let me do all the work.

The coach began to move his hand down Madison's shorts. But before he could get any further, the bell ring and Madison stood away from her instructor.

"I have to go to the nurses for my prescription."

Madison ran off as the coach watch from a far.

Unknown to Coach Lockwood, the strange white cat from before observed the entire incident.

"Soon, my girls. You shall be ready." The cat said before turning invisible.

Madison made her way to the nurse's office as she harbored an uncomfortable feeling of being approached by Coach Lockwood.

The young girl knocked on the door only to be answered by June.

"Oh. Hey." Madison said.

"Hey." June replied.

"You're that girl that had to write all over Baxter's chalkboard."

"Yeah. That was me." Madison said.

"That guys a total prick. We had to clean it up after you were done."

"We?"

"Over here." April G said as laid on a blue bed mattress while wearing an ankle brace.

"Hello, Ms. Chan." Said Nurse Barbara Lou, a Filipino woman in her late thirties.

"Please take a seat. You too, Ms. Violet. Your clothes should be ready soon."

"Yes, ma'am" the girls agreed as the cash sat on a blue mattress with April G in the middle.

"So, it's April. Right?" Madison said.

"April G." she corrected her.

"What's the G for?" June – asked.

After hearing that question, April G reached for her neck.

"Well?"

But April G just shut her eyes, fighting the tears from escaping.

"You, okay?" Madison asked.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it." April G said ignoring June's original question.

11 / 21

"Okay. Different question. How'd you get that ankle brace?" June asked.

"Tripped on something after I left class.

"Sorry to hear that." Madison said.

"I'll live. Why are you two here?"

"Some stupid jocks ruined my uniform. The nurse said she carries fresh set." June said.

"Why didn't you get one from your dorm? Madison asked.

"Because this is the eighth one that's been ruined. This morning someone wrote "loser" on my clothes."

"That's horrible." You have to tell the dean." April G said.

"Tried that. Nobody is coming forth."

"I'm so sorry." Madison apologies.

"Story of my life." What about you, Chan?"

"I'm here for...pills." She said nervously.

"Pills. As in medication?" April G asked.

"Yeah"

"Why?" What wrong with you?" June said.

"Don't ask her that. It's rude."

"Not like I'm judging. By the looks of it, we all had a tough time here."

"Okay. Ms. Violet." The nurse said as she returned with a fresh set of clothes. "You can change in the bathroom.

"Thanks." June took the clothes and walked into the bathroom.

"I'll be back with your prescription, Ms. Chan."

The nurse left the room, leaving Madison and April G to converse alone.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." April G said.

12 / 21

"It's fine. She was right about one thing. We all had a crappy time here."

"At least you have basketball. Surprised that none of your teammates came with you."

"They aren't very happy about me being on the team."

"How come?" April G asked.

"I've cost us a few games. Apparently, I have two left feet."

"Maybe your coach can..."

"No" Madison shouted as she slammed her fist on the nightstand next to her.

Startled by her outrage, April G recoiled from Madison.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean too...."

"Everything, okay, Girls?" Nurse Lou asked as she returned with the prescription and June in her new uniform.

"I thought I was dramatic." June commented.

"Sorry. I'm fine." Madison said.

"I brought your medicine, Ms. Chan. Take three pills every day. No more than that."

"Yes, ma'am" said Madison as she took the medicine.

"You, ladies should head to your next classes. Here are your hall passes."

The girls each took a pass and made their way out.

"Ouch." April G said as she stood up.

"Perhaps you should stay, Ms. Jones." Nurse Lou said.

"I'm fine. Really."

"Here, let us help you Madison said as her and June helped her.

"You don't have too."

"Come on. We outcast got to stick together." June teased.

April G sighed and allowed her classmates to help her leave.

13 / 21

"Take care, Ladies." Nurse Lou waved to them.

As she wont to the bathroom, a shadowy figure emerged from the floor and watched the girls leave.

"Finally." The figure uttered. "They are altogether.

Throughout their journey to their next class, the girls come across a crowd of students all rushing to their next destination.

"You know I can get to my class on my own." April G said.

"You said that already." June said. "Besides, I'm not in any rush to get to my class."

"By the way, that's a nice bracket, June." Madison said.

"Thanks." June said as she fondled with it. "It feels a little loose though."

The bracket snapped off and rolls away from her.

"No."

June leaves the others to chase after the bracelet, frantically trying to retrieve it.

The piece of jewelry continues to escape her grasp as June constantly pursues it.

"You got to be kidding me."

Eventually, the bracelet reaches the end of the hall. Stopping against a wooden door.

"Gotcha." June said as she picked it up."

"There you are." Madison said as she and April G caught up to her.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to leave you guys." June said.

"I get it. I had a pearl necklace that my mom gave me before she passed away."

April G said. "I would do anything to get it back."

As the three girls were conversing, the school bell rung and the wooden opened.

"What do we have here?" Brother Baxter said."

"We were just on our way to class, Sir." Madison said.

"Let's see your hall passes."

The girls gave Brother Baxter their hall passes.

After a quick glance, Brother Baxter ripped the hall passes into pieces.

"Those were our hall passes." June yelled.

"These passes were only meant to pardon you from missing one class. As you heard, that was the second bell, making you tardy for two classes."

"We were just..." April G said before being interrupted.

"I told you ladies before. Tardiness is not acceptable under any circumstance." Brother Baxter said. "I'm afraid. I'll have to punish you three."

"Look, it was my fault. I lost my bracelet an..." June replied.

"I said no excuses. The three of you will come to my office after you last class. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir." The girls said with an aggravated tone.

"Now get out of my sight." Brother Baxter said.

The girls left Brother Baxter as he shut the door with a loud shout. Making their troubled day even worse.