School balls. I hate it how when you get in a fight, they blame the first person to hit.
Why not blame the provoker? Or at least have us both get in trouble.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me? My ...if words never hurt, then why do people commit suicide when they’re bullied?
Why was the term verbal abuse created?
Why do people say, “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all?”
I shouldn’t have been called up to the principal’s office alone!

“Liu Amber, please report to the front office STAT.”  Yeah, just Liu Amber, not Jung Yunho or the rest of his squad. Only me, because apparently I hit Yunho for no reason.

But let’s back up so you can know what really happened.
 

It was homecoming afternoon. I was eating some kimchi and slurping my hot doenjang soup for breakfast minding my own business. All of a sudden, they come out.The Jocks, or Yunho, Lee Joon, Park Jung-su and Kim Hyunjoong, walked with their own personal swagger in their red football jackets and black skin-tight pants.

“OH! Liu Amber! Chinese boy!” The leader, Yunho called out. “What are you doing here on homecoming day?”

I took the spoon out of my mouth and slowly met his gaze, “What the hell is that supposed to mean? So I can’’t go to school because it’s homecoming day? In what twisted world does that make sense?”

“Oh, who cares?” Joon, the second in command, retorted. “What we wanna know is, who asked you out to the homecoming - girl or boy?”

The boys cackled at the little joke he made and Joon was rewarded with high-fives. Losers.
I kept my patience and continued eating. I didn’t have to explain myself to those baboons.

“Eh?!” Yunho had exclaimed. “So, no answer? Aw! You didn’t get asked?!”

“Well of course not,” Jung-su added, “Which girl would ask out another and which guy would ask out another guy?”

The gang cracked up again, louder than before. Pissed, I took my tray and rose from my seat, looking for a quieter place to finish my food, but suddenly, Yunho stood right in front of me, blocking my way.

I slid to the right, but he matched my move.

I slid to the left. No luck.

Annoyed, I spoke with confidence and patience. “Get out of my way.”

“Oh!” Yunho made a dorky look on his face and his tiny eyes widened. “Was that a command? To an elder!?”

What the hell? Disrespect me, and I don’t care if you’re thirty years older than me, I will get in your face. I replied, “What the heck does age have to do with this. Get out of my way!”

He shot a serious look at me, but did he think it was gonna scare me away? HAH!

“Now, listen, you little IT,” he said vulgarly. “I don’t know what they do in China, but here in Korea, you don’t talk to your elders in that manner.”

I slammed my tray on the table and my soup swished in its bowl and escaped with a small splash onto the table. “I’m going to give you one more chance. If you don’t get out of my way, don’t act surprised when I pop you in the jaw.”

He gaped at me for a couple more seconds and exploded into wild laughter. The whole lunchroom fell under silence. Yunho continued to laugh, clapping loudly and bending down for support.

Personally, I really didn’t think it was that funny, and I’m glad his little crew didn’t think it was hilarious either; I could feel their sardonic stares behind me, shaking their heads slowly.
“Hah, like you’d do-”
Bam.

Let’s just say, I found myself sitting outside a very special person’s room for a very special hour, while I was in a very special mood. Jeez, I mean if you’re gonna deal with me, at least do it quickly. Headmistress Gah called my parents about ten minutes ago.

I lifted my wrist and glanced down at my yellow G-shock. 20 more minutes passed since my parents entered the office. I wondered what could be discussed for this long that they couldn’t say to my face. I began thinking of all the possible punishments they could give me.

Suspension? Oh, big whoop. I’ve had that before.  ICS? So?

What’s next, expulsion?

...Oh wait...Expulsion? I’ve never had that before...

What if...what if my parents and Gah are...

Oh no.

A doorknob was turned and the door was pushed open. Gah, Umma, and Appa walked out from it.

Umma’s face was paler than usual, and Appa’s battered face was stricken with grief.

“Ms. Liu,” Gah acknowledged me, “can you please join us at the family table?”
Ah, the family table--the place where delinquents and their disapointed families come to talk about the crimes they’ve committed and brainstorm consequences.
Ah, good times, good times.

I stood up from the couch and entered the room with the the family table occupying it. I grabbed the red chair closest to the door and sat. New fluffier cushions softened the seat. Ah, comfy.

Gah was sitting at the head of a table and my parents filled in the gaps.
Gah was the first to speak. “Amber, I must say that your family is not impressed with the behavior you have displayed today.”

Well, why would they be?

“This has been your fourth offense this year. You have already been assigned two out of school suspensions, one detention, and one in school suspension.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” I muttered. “I understand.”  

“Well, then,” she continued, brushing her long dark brown hair away from her shoulder with the back of her hand, “do you understand that no more referrals can be given unto you, and that I have to go with the last punishment available?”

Oh no. I couldn’t believe the words coming out from . My face froze in shock. I slapped my hands onto the table and pushed myself to stand. “EHH?! Last punishment?! But--bu--but, that means I’m--”

“Expelled.” My father glared at me with disappointed eyes. “Sit down, Josephine. Yelling isn’t going to solve anything.”

I slumped down in my seat and bowed my head in embarrassment. Josephine. I haven’t heard him call me that in years . The last time he did was when I received my first F in junior high.

You know, failing gym isn’t that hard.

But anyways, hearing him call me that really touched me. It was like yelling at your 70 year old father because he bought you an ugly black dress for homecoming, and then the next day, he dies. And then it turns out, he wanted that one dress to be the last ugly dress he buys you, so that you’ll have something to wear at his funeral.

I’m a daddy’s girl. I don’t want to disappoint him, and I sure as hell don’t want him to die tomorrow...

“Amber Liu, because of your actions, you will not be able to come to this school anymore. No visiting or anything.”

“I don’t get a warning?” I asked glumly.

“A warning?!” My mother boomed, tears accumulating in her eyes. “You think you need a warning?” She asked, then continued without waiting for an answer, “Amber if you don’t consider three referrals as a warning, then I don’t know where I’ve gone wrong in raising you! You’re taking advantage of all the chances they’ve given you! Two write ups is the limit! Headmistress Gah was kind enough to let you linger in her school a while longer due to your extracurricular history, but now enough is enough!”

I stared at my lap and locked my hands in shame. I felt like an idiot. I was given a chance to stay at this school because of me being captain of the uni volleyball team, and then I just chose to abuse it.

...Well it’s still their fault for not warning me.

“So... Ms. Amber Liu,” Gah began, “lucky for you, your parents and I have already decided the school you will be enrolling in: a school that will help you with you temperamental issues when it comes to boys, a school that’ll help you find your inner girl.”

Inner girl? Inner GIRL? What does school have to do with my personality?!

“Principle Gah, what’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, rather firmly.

“Amber,” Umma spoke, “your principal and we have came up with an idea. All your problems are because of you arguing with a boy. Isn’t that so?”

“Yes,” I mumbled faintly, annoyed that she was right.

“Well, then,” Umma continued, “we’ve also acknowledged that you are different.”

Oh, well that’s a surprise.

“And what your mother means by different,” Appa picked up, “is that transgenders aren’t as popular in Korea than compared to China. And we think it’s your personality that’s what makes boys here pick on you...several times.”

Transgender?!

“I’m not a transgender!” I exclaimed. I hated it, when they called me that. Have they heard of the word ‘tomboy’? Aish! And I am not a lesbian! I don’t like girls like that. I wear bras. I like guys! Even if it seems like they don’t like me back, I still like them! Maybe not the ones at this school...

“So,” Gah interjected, “your parents decided to enroll you in SeungHyo Blossoming Academy.”

GASP...Seung...Hyo...BLOSSOMING?!!!
“B-b-but,” I stammered, “th-that’s an..an--”

“All girls school.”

I was so appalled that my mouth didn’t move for once. And my eyes, directed at my mother, were so wide, I bet I could’ve passed off as a white American.

“Amber Josephine Liu,” mother continued, “you will be attending SeungHyo Blossoming Academy next week Monday and for the rest of your high school life.”

“We have already registered you in the school while we were discussing,” Appa said, “so say goodbye to your friends, if any, at this school. This will be the last day you set foot inside this building.”

Friends? Who would want to be friends with a Chinese tommy in Korea?

And which Chinese tommy would want to be friends with stuck-up Koreans?

Me being friends with a Korean is like being Jewish and dating Hitler.

“Well, then,”  Gah announced, “go to your locker and collect your things. You may keep the uniform, but turn in the badge. As of the end of today, December 19th, 2010, you will no longer be a student of Jung Nikhun Ray High. Good luck in everything you do, goodbye.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, so that's Chapter 1 :D

Who would you like to see Amber end up with when all this drama is finished?

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