Editing Character Vignettes (section)

=='''Hana's Gang I'''==

"Stupid bint!"

Judy could feel the tears starting as the older girl shoved her and she stumbled to the ground. Another day at Bales had just begun, and Carter had started on her already. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

"Not so smart are you now, Nesmith?" The girl nudged Judy with her foot. "Are you?"

Judy curled up and said nothing. She knew, from frequent experience, that saying anything would only make things worse now. Two of Carter's friends had joined her, and they were laughing darkly.

"I said, not so smart, are you?" The girl's voice was raising, and a scowl of anger distorted her face.


Judy only whimpered, and the Carter's pulled back for a kick... and then felt a heavy hand on her shoulder. She turned in irritation, angry words on her lips... and froze.

She was staring into cold, contemptuous eyes, eyes that, despite belonging to a younger girl, had a good two inches on her. Eyes that seemed to burn into her soul. The eyes of Hana Jeong.

Judy looked up at the confrontation and froze. So far, the only good thing that had come out of school was that she'd stayed off of Hana Jeong's radar-- the Korean girl terrified her even more than Carter, more than the teachers, almost more than her father. Hana had already gotten into many fights throughout the year, and she'd won most of them. Even when she'd lost, she never backed down, never gave up. No one got away from a fight with her unmarked. And now she was caught between Carter and Jeong... what if she was the girl's next target?

Hana's voice was cold. "I'd heard you were hard, Carter. That how you got your rep? Pushing girls half your size?"

Carter licked her lips. She had no idea why Jeong was picking a fight with her, and meeting Hana's gaze was harder than she'd ever imagined-- she wanted to run away and hide, and she didn't know why. But everyone was watching. She couldn't back down. Besides, she had two friends with her.

She somehow found her voice. "Back off. This is none of your business, you chi--"

That was when Hana hit her in the mouth, hard enough to leave her senseless for a moment. Her friends, of course, jumped in to defend her. Hana didn't care. She didn't stop swinging until finally teachers arrived to pull the four girls apart, and then only reluctantly.

Afterwards, Judy approached Hana nervously. She had no idea if Hana would lash out at her next, but she ought to do something-- Hana was bruised and bloody on her behalf, after all.

"Th-thank you," she stammered out.

Hana shrugged. "Whatever. It pisses me off, seeing somebody act all tough for picking on somebody smaller than them. That's all."

"You're hurt," said Judy.

"I've had worse," Hana answered, dismissively. A few bruises and cuts weren't important. The important thing was that she hadn't backed down, and that Carter and the other girls would think twice before starting anything with her again.

Judy hesitated, gulping. Hana wasn't mad at her... but Carter would be. But maybe Carter wouldn't say anything if Hana was nearby. So...

"Um, would you mind if I ate lunch with you?"

Hana always ate alone... but, after all, there was nothing wrong with somebody else being there. It was not, of course, that Hana was lonely and would enjoy some company. She didn't need friends. But if Nesmith wanted to, she decided, it would be harmless enough.

"Go ahead," Hana answered, and Judy's eyes shone...

----

Sorcha Burr folded her arms and stared at Hana and Judy, her own followers at her back. Hana had been a thorn in her side, and enough was enough. If she couldn't keep two girls-- both younger than her-- in line, how could she possibly be taken seriously by anyone?

Hana stared back, apparently unconcerned, but Judy was scared. Still, fear was a familiar feeling, and after spending enough time around Hana, it didn't have the bite that it usually did. They were clearly both in trouble, though... She'd known that this confrontation was going to happen, sooner or later, though. And she'd made some preparations to at least try to even the odds a little.

"Here," she whispered to Hana, passing her a scarf. The sash weight she'd sewn into it made one end very heavy. Hana hefted it and grinned.

"Sure you brought enough people, Burr? I think you might need one or two more," she taunted. The odds were seven to two, and Hana knew full well that Judy wasn't anywhere near as good a fighter, but that didn't change anything.

Sorcha snorted and tossed her long red hair. "It's time you learned some respect, Jeong. And it looks like we're going to have to beat it into you."

"Talk while you still have teeth," Hana suggested, swinging the scarf around, getting a feel for it. It would do nicely.

A new voice called out, "Hey, don't start without us!"

Both Hana and Sorcha turned, surprised. A young Pakistani girl, dressed in scanty red clothes, and carrying a heavy stick, was leading two others towards the group.

Judy blinked in surprise. "Malika?"

"Do you know her?" whispered Hana.

"She's my neighbor," Judy whispered back. "I have no idea what she's doing here."

Sorcha was confused as well. "Okay. What the Hell is going on here?"

"We're Hana's gang," anounced Malika.

Judy and Hana exchanged surprised glances, while Sorcha snarled.

"So, boss, we're ready," Malika continued. "Shall we?"

In answer, Sorcha's gang charged, but they were hesitant-- they were less confident with the odds so close.

It ended when the police arrived. Sorcha's gang scattered like the wind, but Hana put a hand on Malika's shoulder as she started to run.

"Are you crazy?" Malika's eyes were wild-- she couldn't let herself be arrested!

Hana tossed the scarf around her neck casually. "We don't back down. That's the rule."

Judy stepped behind Malika. "Drop the stick. Fast! We can talk our way out of this!" she hissed.

Malika nervously complied, and watched as Judy, her eyes full of tears, explained how her multiracial group of friends had been attacked by a gang of racists. She shook her head in amazement as the police left.

"So. You decided you were my gang," said Hana, her voice level and severe.

The other girls looked scared, but Malika, swallowing, nodded defiantly.

"That's right, boss. We are."

Hana sighed. "Fine. But lose the 'boss' business. I'm Hana."

"All right... Hana," answered Malika, relieved. She'd admired Hana from a distance, and her gamble had paid off.

Judy smiled. Granted, she'd had all of Hana's attention before this, but really, Hana needed more friends. She'd realized that Hana was, deep down, lonely. Now there was a solution.

"So... Malika. Do you girls know how to play Hearts...?"