Revolutions of the Heart by Marsha Qualey

Author:Marsha Qualey [Qualey, Marsha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing
Published: 2014-05-26T16:00:00+00:00

10

Cory spotted the white paper as soon as she turned into the hallway. She halted and was bumped several times by students hurrying to their lockers before leaving school for the weekend. When she resumed walking, it was in a slow and wary approach.

She pulled the paper out of the crack and looked behind her at the crowd of students. They were all intent on their business. She wished that just one person would stop and be caught by the horror of what she was holding.

She unfolded the paper. It was a printed poster with a grotesque characterization outlined in red. A cartoon Indian. At the bottom of the page were the date and time for the spearing protest at Summer Lake landing. Saturday, six P.M. Across the cartoon face were two bold red words: Spear This. Her correspondent had altered the printed message. “Spear” was crossed out and scrawled above was a familiar obscenity.

“Not again!” Sasha’s voice cut through Cory’s trance. Sasha grabbed the paper and scanned it. “This is awful. This is worse than anything I’ve ever seen.” She waved it over her head and shouted. “Who did this? Who the hell did this?” The crowd slowed down and people looked up from their lockers and conversations, but no one stopped. “Someone knows,” she continued. “One of you had to see something. Who is it?” She tore the poster into shreds and tossed it over the hallway. A few girls protested when paper bits landed in their hair.

Cory put all her books in her locker. “That was nice, Sasha. A little loud, but nice.”

“Let’s go to Donaldson’s office now and tell him. You have to complain. You have to insist that he make a statement to the student body.”

“Do I have to tell him about the condoms?”

“Tell him everything. Fight back, Cory. Why don’t you want to fight back? That’s not like you.” She spun her lock, missed the release number, and started again.

Cory secured her lock and picked up her bag. “I’m not like me, okay?” She didn’t wait for an answer but walked away.

Sasha caught up with her at the parking lot. “I really think you should tell Donaldson.”

“What can he do besides sound grumpy over the P.A.? It’s kind of perverse, but I’m almost glad this stuff has happened.”

“How can you say that?”

“Mac has put up with harassment all his life. Now I know a little bit, a very little bit, of what he’s gone through.”

“That’s positive, I guess. But I wish I could fix it all for you. Just make it all stop and be better.” Sasha’s outrage was centered on her face in a fierce scowl.

Cory stopped and hugged her friend. “Thanks, Sash.”

The scowl gave way to a smile. “Careful, you don’t want to invite gay-bashing next.”

They reached Cory’s car. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

“No thanks. Six blocks twice a day is all the exercise I get.” She dropped her book bag on the car hood. “Don’t you wonder who’s doing it?”

Cory unlocked the car door.

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