His hand still raised, he balled up another piece of paper and flicked it right at me.

The crumpled ball hit me square in the nose and dropped to the floor.

I didn't flinch. I just stared at him, my mind racing. First day of school, and this guy had the guts to pull this?

"What are you staring at, ugly freak?" He sneered like he was taunting me.

My hands curled into tight fists. Every muscle in my body wanted to lunge at him, to show him I didn't deserve another crap like that.

But before I could move, a familiar voice rang out across the room. "Betty! What the hell are you gonna do, huh?!"

Charlie.

I looked up, my heart sinking.

There he was, standing in the doorway with Ginny by his side, playing the protective brother.

The boy who'd thrown the paper ran over to my brother, still grinning like the jerk he was. "Dude, I just don't get it. Why's your sister so ugly? If I were you, I'd be embarrassed to be seen with her."

This was it. Charlie was going to defend me. He had to, right?

I waited for him to knock the punk out, to put him in his place.

But instead, my brother just glanced at me with a look—one that felt like embarrassment, maybe even disgust.

"Betty, Angus is right," Charlie said, his voice flat. "You always fight people. Just… stop it."

I froze, disbelief washing over me. My fists loosened as the fight drained out of me.

I had been ready for Charlie to stand up for me, to have my back like brothers are supposed to. But all I got was this huge, aching disappointment.

"Charlie…" I whispered, but he didn't glance in my direction like he didn't hear me.

Angus, seeing an opportunity, grinned wider and then turned to Ginny. "Whoa, dude! Who's that pretty girl?"

Ginny blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She shot him this shy smile that made my chest tighten with jealousy.

Charlie, beaming with pride, slung an arm around her shoulders. "Well, this is my other sister, Ginny!"

Angus looked Ginny up and down. "Yeah, no doubt about that. She's way better than that freak over there!" He nodded toward me, laughing.

Before I knew it, a group of boys had crowded around Ginny, eager for her attention.

Charlie barely reacted, but when he did, it wasn't to defend me.

"Hey, hey, hey, back off! Stay away from my sister!" he barked, but there was no anger—just a proud smirk as he looked at Ginny.

I sat there, sinking deeper into my seat as the humiliation burned my face.