Prologue
Prologue.
"Look at her. So hideous. Look at her braces" "Brace Trace" "You don't belong here" were the words, Tracy Mariana Bouts heard, the moment the bell rang for school to start, from her classmates in 6th grade.
Every morning, when she goes to her locker, she sees words scrawled on it. Mean words that always brings tears to her eyes and glasses.
A student watched a movie where someone was nicknamed cruelly and decided to give her the name. Only, they changed it and made it more mean.
Madame Froggy Brace Eyes.
MFBE. Pronounced Mef-bee.
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"Oh look, if it isn't Mefbee"
"What do you want Allison?" she asked timidly putting her books on the table and looking at the meanest girl in the entire 6th grade.
"Nothing more than to taunt you" she said with malice dripping in her tone.
"Okay" she said quietly.
That's what she always says to all her bullies.
Okay.
Because while she is a timid little girl, she doesn't have a time in the day for them.
"What are you doing anyways?" she asked looking at the book Tracy was writing on.
"My homework" she said.
"Awwn. Did something happen at your house last night? Where you busy taking care of your frog babies?" Allison asked in a taunting voice.
"Actually, this is the homework he just gave us" she said.
That left Allison speechless.
The moment Tracy said that, she instantly regretted it.
"Oh look, she wants to do her homework now so that she can take better care of her frog babies" Allison jeered making the class laugh and Tracy's eyes tear up.
"Ha ha ha. Froggy four eyes"
"Her name is Froggy Four Eyes" Allison said and the class responded.
"And she is a stinky fool" she continued making the class respond.
"And she is a slave to all of us"
Another call and response.
"Cause we're very -" but she continued because a slam on the table was heard.
"Can you guys just shut up?" a voice said.
"Yeah. I think you have embarrassed the poor girl enough Allison" another voice said.
Tracy remembered them as the new transfer students. She knew the girl was named after a character in her favorite movie, Harry Potter. And the boy's name reminded her of Dust and Austin.
The moment they came to East Ville Middle School, they became popular. Tracy instantly hated them and felt jealous of them.
How could two students who just came become popular within a nick o time and she who has been at East Ville all her life become popular because she was weird and different.
And here they are defending her. Tracy immediately felt dirty and ashamed.
"And besides your noise is sickening" the girl said.
"Last time I checked, no one invited you Hermione Granger" Allison said.
Exactly. Hermione. Her favorite character in Harry Potter. How could she forget that?
"And last time I checked, no one asked you to invite me Draco Malfoy" Hermione retorted back making Allison gasp. Her followers and the entire class gasping along.
"Dustin, are you going to allow your buck teeth sister to insult me?" Allison asked facing Hermione's brother who looked exactly like her.
Dustin. That was his name.
Who names their kids Dustin? It's like saying Dusting but removing the 'g' to make it sound cool.
'Actually, I am. You cannot just go bullying others because you are bigger than them" Dustin said.
"News flash, we are all equal. No big. No small. Even Obama knows that" Hermione said.
"Whatever. I am giving you guys last chance though. Leave Mefbee alone and become popular again or be frogs with her and forget all about being popular" she said. She had a smug look on her face. Tracy had the sickening urge to slap her face to wipe it off.
"This is it. They are definitely going with the former. Who would want to hang with-"
"I really don't care about classes. I would rather have a friend who cares about me than all you losers who only follow Allison like a lost sheep. Even the lost sheep in the bible knew its way more than you" Hermione said.
"Hermy. Calm down," Dustin said then faced Allison. "Sorry Allison. Tracy it is" Dustin said.
"Suit yourself" Allison said with a huff and went to seat down just as the class started.
Tracy noticed that Hermione and Dustin sat down around her. Hermione in front of her and Dustin beside her.
The moment the teacher faced the board, the twins faced her. Hermione had to twist in her seat to look at her.
"Hi, I'm Hermione and that is my younger brother, Dustin" she said.
"You are literally two minutes and six seconds older than me" Dustin complained.
"Which makes me older than you Doodoo" she said making Dustin groan.
"Doodoo?" Tracy asked with a confused look.
"That's my nickname for Dustin. His is Hermy because that stupid giant in Harry Potter nicknamed my name sake Hermy"
"Actually, it was -" he stopped when Hermione groaned.
"Here we go again" she said.
"Mr and Miss Benson, may I ask why you are disturbing Miss Bouts?" the teacher asked.
"Probably to learn how to take care of frogs" Allison's voice said making the class laugh and the teacher snicker a little before he composed himself.
"Language Miss Fairchild"
"Sorry sir"
And the class continued.
"Sometimes, I just want to feed her tongue to Sign" Hermione muttered.
"Sign is our Rottweiler" Dustin explained.
"I gave him that name"
"Which is useless. I wanted Red but she refused"
"Yup. M and D kinda made me choose because I am the eldest"
"Whatever. Anyways Tracy," she looked at him. "Watch out for her. She can be really dangerous"
"And he can be really stu-"
"Last warning Benson"
"Sorry sir" they chorused but the moment the teacher turned away from them, Hermione turned back and quickly whispered:
"-pid"
-*-