I adjusted the straps of my backpack more comfortably onto my shoulders. ‘Better posture- walking straight with weighted pack’ I reminded myself. Good exercise to walk and lift weights, which I had been doing when I went home. I frowned-‘not home-home, but my room and study was MY safety nest. It felt like MY home, nobody else’s. My nose started dripping, and my tears drained out of my eyes as I grieved for my family’s home. I wiped my nose on my sleeve, grimacing in disgust- but I couldn’t find the kleenexes. Diamond came up alongside me as did Dianna. She hugged me and gave me her cloth (‘ handkerchief’)? She always had it in her sleeve. Diamond folded my arm inside of his and took my dragging bag.

” Hey, we heard that you were “escorted” out of the Naval Chemistry group’s project.”
I stopped,confused. Nobody had told me I was not in the project? The sun was a brilliant orange ball reflecting out of the windows, caused us to shield our eyes.
I shifted my backpack, causing Dianna to step sideways.
“I have been in that project group. They are condemnatory and conniving.” Dianna said. ” They delight in hurting people in their cutting ways.” She looked pained and far away in memories not far from the top.
I explained about what happened, what I did and how much hostility, anger and shunning happened . “Josh was the monster! ” Anger making my voice rising and making me furious from down deep. I lost all my control.
I waved my hands in the air, people edged away from me as they walked by . ” He was not interested in what anyone else was saying, neither was Angel.” Shaking my head, I stared at the ground.
“He was condemnatory and commanding and yet he looked right though the people who were breathing with every word he announced. I don’t think he saw them at all.” I crossed my arms and hugged myself, looking up the trunk of the tree to our right, just like I had when I looked up at him in front of the board.
Diamond took my hand and guided me out of the pathway which I was blocking. I was lost in the past.
“He hadn’t been in the room before he blamed Amy for something that wasn’t her fault” I wiped my stupid nose that was dripping.” I was the one that had messed up everything . I tried to stand up for her. They had been there a long time.” I stopped and looked at Dianna, still very confused. “Amy was ANGRY with ME! EVERYONE STARTED CONDEMNING ME!!” I twisted the cloth until my tangled fingers were showing purple. Taking the cloth back,Dianna came forward but with the same fear, the same expression that Daisy and Misty showed when they hugged the walls of the chemistry room. “What did I do that caused so many reactions?”