Part 3--Confrontation


Adora woke to the sound of her alarm at 5:30 am. Instead of
hitting the snooze button, like some people did, she sat up.
She was used to being up early in the morning.

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Adora took off her
nightgown and put on a robe. On her way to the bathroom she
got a clean towel from the linen closet. She passed her mother
in the hallway.

"Morning, Adora," said Marlena.

"Good morning, Mom," Adora replied as she entered the bathroom
to take her shower.


After her shower, Adora sat in her room, using a blow-dryer to
dry her hair. Her bedroom door was open, so her mother poked
her head in. "What is it?" Adora asked.

"Your brother. I can't get him up. He keeps hitting that snooze
button on his alarm," Marlena said. "I need to fix breakfast for you
guys. Would you please get him out of bed?"

"Sure," said Adora. When her mother was out of the room,
she smiled mischievously.

Adora went into her brother's room. Adam was sleeping soundly,
his blankets twisted around his body. Adora shook him. "Adam,
wake up," she hissed.

"Go 'way."

"All right, you asked for it," Adora said softly. She went into the
bathroom and filled a Dixie cup with water. She then went back
into Adam's room and stood next to his bed, holding the cup over
his head. She allowed the water to drip onto his forehead.

Adam turned his head this way and that. Finally he opened his
eyes. "Adora Elizabeth Glenn, what the hell are you doing!" he
snapped.

"What Mom wanted me to do. Wake you up," Adora replied,
looking innocent.

"Well, I'm up." Reaching over, he turned his alarm off.

"Oh, and you don't need to swear, Adam James Glenn," Adora
said lightly as she sailed out of the room. "Mom's almost got
breakfast ready, so move it along."

"Hard to believe I'm the older twin," Adam muttered as he reluctantly
got out of bed.


At school, Adora noticed that Adam was tacking something to the
inside of his locker door. "Where did you get those?" Adora asked.

"Get what?"

"Who's that, Xena, Warrior Princess?"

"Yeah, I downloaded these pictures off the Internet and printed
them out."

"Bow got over that crush when I mentioned that Hercules was kind
of cute." Adora smiled and shook her head. "Hey, that dance is
this weekend."

It was October and the student body was talking about the annual
fall dance. "Bow taking you?"

"Of course. You find a date yet?"

"I'm going alone. I can dance with a whole bunch of girls that way.
See, then I wouldn't be obligated to dance with whomever I came
with."

"Well, I don't think you'll have a hard time finding a girl to dance
with," Adora said. "Hey, where is Bow anyway?"

The twins got their history books and went searching for him.
They had fifteen minutes until the first bell.

Several guys rushed by. "Hey, man, there's a freaking fight about to
break out!" one of them shouted.

Adam and Adora looked at each other. Then they ran, following
the boys.

Soon they came into the main lobby. Adora gasped. Derek Jones
was facing Bow. "Look, Adora is my girlfriend, and she wants
nothing to do with you," Bow was saying in a reasonable tone.

Derek had a switchblade in his hand. "That girl is mine!"

"Adora, go get someone, quick!" said Adam. "I'm gonna break
this up."

Adora ran to find a teacher or anyone else who could help. Meanwhile,
Adam pushed his way through the crowd. Bow couldn't have gone
anywhere if he wanted to, Adam realized. These kids wanted to see a
fight.

Derek slashed at Bow with the knife. Bow, having plenty of fighting
skills, blocked Derek's arm, knocking the knife to the floor. Just then,
Adam took the opportunity to knock Derek down and pin him. "I
think you should leave my sister and friend alone," said Adam.

Moments later, Adora came running up with the principal, Mr. Sims.
The crowd parted; the fun was over. It was just as well, for the first
bell was ringing.

"He had a knife, sir, and was going to use it on my friend here,"
said Adam. "He's been harassing Adora."

"He has? Why haven't you told me, Adora?" asked Mr. Sims.

"I thought if I ignored him he'd leave me alone," Adora replied.


A little later, Bow and the twins sat in the principal's office, telling
what had been going on the last month. Mr. Sims nodded and looked
grim.

"Sexual harassment, having a weapon on school property--he was
on probation but now he blew it. He's going to be expelled," Mr. Sims
said. "He's been here five years and wasted his time--and mine. Kids,
you might want to get a restraining order against him. I will notify the
police of this incident."

"I'll be okay," said Adora. "We know how to fight, and we will if
necessary. Off school grounds, that is."

Mr. Sims smiled at the trio. "Well, when the police come, they're
going to want you to fill out reports, make statements. I'll have the
secretary tell your history teacher where you are."


Adam, Adora, and Bow sat in the conference room near the
principal's office, filling out reports. A friendly police officer sat with
them.

Finally the three were done writing, and they handed the forms to
the officer. "Don't worry, kids, you're not in any trouble," the policeman
assured them. "And what Adam did was rather brave. I think you
three handled the whole situation pretty well."

The policeman glanced at the forms, making sure they were filled
out properly. Adam James and Adora Elizabeth Glenn, born December
23, 1979...Bow Archer, born March 21, 1979...addresses correct...
good. "Okay. I guess you'll have to get hall passes, if you're going
back to class."

"Oh, we are," said Bow.


Adam and Adora jumped into their mother's car after school that
day, clearly excited. "What's up with you two?" Marlena asked
as they fastened their seat belts.

Between the two of them, the story of what had happened that
morning came out. Marlena's eyes widened. "He pulled a knife
on Bow?"

"Mom, we've faced much worse on Etheria," said Adora.

"I'm glad that they're locking him up," said Marlena. "I'm surprised
you haven't told me what he'd been doing to you, Adora, harassing
you like that."

"I can take care of myself," Adora replied airily. "Mom, you've
forgotten that I know how to fight and I can defend myself if
necessary."

"Yes, and the so-called 'code of the schoolyard,'" said Marlena.
"I'm glad that you finally told someone. What if one day he tried
to rape you?"

"There have been Hordesmen that tried that before," said Adora.
"Not one of them succeeded. As Adam would say, I kicked ass."
She leaned forward and rested her chin on the headrest of the
passenger seat. "I'm saving myself for when I'm married and no man
is going to take my honor from me."

Marlena glanced over at her daughter quickly and smiled. Adora
was a smart girl.

"I'm saving myself, too," said Adam. "I don't want to be a father all
of a sudden."

"Good," Marlena said emphatically. "Besides, with your little
brother or sister due this spring, I'll have my own baby to worry about.
I sure don't want to be a grandmother yet."

"I hope it's a sister," said Adora.

"I already have a sister. Make it a brother," said Adam.

Adora swatted Adam on the arm.

"Your father and I have been discussing names," said Marlena.
"And we'd like input from you two."

Adora sat back in her seat and looked out the window. Finally, that
creep Derek would be out of her hair. Fortunately he wasn't one of
those super-powered types that only She-Ra could deal with.