• 

Misty chuckled at me and winked. Leaving the board and walking over to where Sam, Claire and Sherriel were standing or perched. I felt deflated and confused. ‘ Words that I knew that I have used for many years, were suddenly meaning and used in a different way, in an intolerant, stupid way. ‘
I looked around at all the crossed arms, closed confused faces, the pause which made me feel like I had cracked a popular vase. I shrugged .
” I thought it would help to remind ourselves of the field we are talking about hence, the general subject of Chemistry. I circled Chemistry and wrote Solutions, compounds and Results, just as an aid. ” I whined to Sherriel and Claire. ” I thought I was helping in setting up for the discussion”. I spread my hands at Sam.
I was rambling and defending against those looks that I was getting from all the people in the room.
I’m sure that my face was pathetic.
” I didn’t know that everyone would react this way. What was the big deal?” I put my markers away in my bag, still confused and getting angry over such a small thing. “That I wrote out the outline on the board?” I waved at the board, putting my hands on my hips, I had a thin line of a mouth. ” Really, people” ,I sighed. “Of all the problems going on in the world and they are going to pick a fight over an outline ? ”
Sam and Sherriel exchanged those glances . Sherriel came over and grinned. ” Well, you made THEM confused! Good Job!”
Sam cocked his head and stared at me. ” You are moving cloudy fast, aren’t you?” He rubbed a spot behind his ear, looking down, he smiled at me, like a big brother correcting a little sister .
” I thought we were here to discuss the topics and the general ideas BEFORE we decided exactly who we were going to ask to speak.?” Michael pointed at Megan and the guy with the jazzy headband, “Weren’t they going to present the information so that we could put the pieces in order. But you” He shook his head, his furrow creased. “You! I don’t understand!” He turned away, dismissing me as if I was a three year old with whom he was bored. He looked over at Meghan who was shuffling through papers in a stack, frustration etched in her whole body.

The racket that was made as Joshua hit the top of the large cans he was moving, caught all of us mid sentence.
He moved a chair and attempted to stand on it. “Angie, What are these chairs,? I told you last time. !” He snapped at the girl with the notecards at the sorting table, who jumped at the bark.
I didn’t know who this loudmouth was , but not one deserved to speak to a team member in hostile tone like that. I stood on my chair , ” hey you, blowhard. Where is your work? Her team has been here since long before the rest of us arrived. Who gives you the bloody right to come in here and yell like that? ”

Joshua turn and look at me in shock. ” I am the coordinator . Professor Fields assigned me. Who are you to say ANYTHING? ”
Daisy moved closer to the boys in the back, near the door. Members of my table stood up and Misty helped me stepped down and replaced the chair. Everyone else stared at me or Joshua with anger, and confusion. Angie’s group were worried and were looking at anything except what we going on in front of them.
Sam and Michael put their hands on my shoulders I squared my shoulders ,lifted my face and said in my best protestor yell.
“Aren’t I at Liberty, to speak out when someone has been mistreated?”
There was not a breath or sound in the arching cavern.
Sherriel caught my elbow and whispered. “not another word, kapuchick ”