ANDY THE DROID

PENNY WISE

“Penelope Wise?”

“Present,” said a small voice in the front row, near the corner of the crowded classroom.

“Hello Penny,” said Ms. Randolph. Her face was pleasant, like a favorite aunt who knew more than one family secret.

“You’re reputation precedes you.”

“Thank you,” Penny said meekly, sqautting lower in her desk and wishing for all of the world that a hole would rip open in the fabric of the universe and steal her away. She could feel the eyes of the other students boring into her, some glaring with knowledge, some under raised eyebrows, curious.

She wasn’t new to the school, wasn’t a new face to most of the students in the room. But Penny spent as much time as she could trying to be inconspicuios. She didn’t want to be seen, or heard, or even known about. She didn’t want a reputation preceding her.

“I’m glad that you’re in my class,” said Ms. Randolph pleasently.

“Thanks,” answered Penny.

She didn’t want Ms. Randloph to be glad. It would just be one more thing that her peers could tease her about. They would tease her, mercilessly, if not starting today, then starting within the week. It was her curse, her bane, and she weathered under it year after year.