Chapter 2

"It's time to get up for school, Lacey."

"Okay, mom." says Lacey getting out of bed. She is wearing her cute pink pajamas with the black and white kitty cat on them.

"Lacey, you need to eat faster or you are going to be late to school."

"Just another minute, mom."

Lacey knows what she is doing. If she waits long enough, Beulah and her mean brother will already have left for school. Part of the reason Lacey sometimes feels sorry for Beulah is because her mom and dad are really mean and strict.

As Lacey is walking to school she makes sure to hide when Beulah and her brother turn around to look behind them. This time things do not work out as Lacey hoped. Because Haley was waiting for her at their normal spot, Beulah and her brother are picking on Haley. Even though Lacey is not a fighter, she runs over to her friend's side. If they are going to suffer, they will stand together.

See what I mean about Lacey and Haley's beautiful hearts.

Both Beulah and her brother are really starting to act mean. Just then a group of kids with several parents come walking by on their way to school. Lacey and Haley start walking with them. As they go by Beulah is giving them a dirty look. Lacey and Haley both know it means nothing good. It is a beautiful spring Tuesday in May, and yet both of the pretty girls can feel a chill in the morning air.

Lacey and Haley walk the rest of the way to school under the protection of several grown-ups. They are pretty, sweet little girls who just want to be left alone to have fun and grow into wonderful people, without outside forces trying to hamper what should be a wonderful journey.

Lacey writes about adventures in her stories, and Haley loves to read them, but those stories should pale in comparison to the real adventures of sweet-hearted little girls growing up into amazing women.

Where laughter and sunshine perforates the world and makes kind people smile. Where little girl giggles and rain feed the soul of the human race and mother Earth. What should be an amazing adventure of learning new things and sharing of yourself so prettily.

But when bullies and violators dim another's grace it is a loss the whole world feels, even if they don't know why. As I write this now, one of my own sayings comes to me and that is, please do not impede my journey and I will amaze you.

As the morning progresses, Lacey, Haley and many other wonderful children get lost in the wonder of learning, and for a time harsh things are forgotten. School is a sanctuary for many. Because school is a sanctuary it is twice as wrong when a bully picks on you at school.

By the time first recess comes around, Lacey and Haley are again aglow with wonder, and their precious beautiful hearts reflect through their divinely pretty faces. Their glorious minds are already working at wonders that only sweet-hearted little girls can obtain.

As they are walking out into the playground, Lacey and Haley are smiling and talking with each other. Both of the girls are wearing pretty dresses with matching leggings. It is a gift to the world when pretty girls want to look pretty.

Lacey is getting ready to show Haley a new story she started writing last night called A Day At The Zoo. Haley smiles at her friend Lacey. Haley knows she is writing the story for her because she just went to the zoo. It is wonderful to have at least one person that understands you and believes in you, and will go out of their way just to see a smile on your face.

Lacey and Haley walk across the concrete of the basketball play area and start heading out onto the grass to take their normal stroll. It only takes about ten seconds before Beulah and her three friends, who are weak followers, start walking towards them. Lacey and Haley see them and turn around to go back so they will be near a teacher and they won't get picked on.

As Lacey and Haley are walking away from the group of fools and followers Beulah says, "You can't hide forever, you stupid pretty girls. I'm going to punch you in the face." Beulah's three sheep friends laugh and Beulah thinks she is clever.

Haley is getting tired of it, and yes she is very pretty and smart, but she also has courage, so she walks up to the nearest teacher and says, "Miss Henderson, Beulah is threatening to beat us up."

"What!" Immediately the teacher takes action, because those kinds of things will not be tolerated at school.

Beulah is immediately taken to the Principal's office. As another teacher is leading her there, she gives both Lacey and Haley a really mean look. Lacey is proud of her friend Haley for standing up to Beulah's threats, but she also knows now trouble is really coming. Lacey and Haley won't be at school all the time. Plymouth is a small community and eventually you'll run across everybody, and at some point you'll be alone.

Once Beulah is taken away, her three follower-friends walk away because they are only tough when the big fat mean Beulah and her brother are around.