The Pen and Book Files

  One thing about living in the middle of nowhere is that the people who come to see you are from far away. They show up in droves when the air turns just cold enough for laughter to break out, instead of wilting in the summer heat. They stand by the apple trees with plastic bags in their hands, lifting up children on their backs to get the best apples from high branches.  Ruby ducks under one of the Pink Lady trees, cupping a dropped apple in her small hands. It has a bruise from the fall. Rubbing it against the patch on her jeans to get the shine just right, she climbs out from under the tree. A family of four stands a few trees down, laughing as the younger child grasps an apple in his hand before turning to show off his prize.  A lot of the people who come to the farm are like this. They bring their families, making more people than she’s seen all year. Ruby watches some of these children before she keeps running diagonally along the ground scented with apples, arrivi...

       She didn't get into fights with every person who pissed her off, Miyoko thought as she slumped a little lower in the chair. Just most of them. She pressed the ice pack a little harder to her forhead, ignoring the numbing of her fingers. Besides, that jerk deserved it, chasing around first-years like they were a pack of rambunctious puppies.      Her violet eyes drifted from one corner of the disciplinarian's cubicle to the other. Someone had put out a bowl of candy; Miyoko picked a red one out and twirled it in her fingers like a paintbrush. The bully she had beaten up side-eyed her, one hand still holding their nose. She raised her eyebrows, daring him to continue. "Can I help you with something?" Miyoko said semi-angrily, her temper already kicking up a notch.  A woman with short dark-green hair entered the room, walking over and sitting in the chair. "So," Bella-sensei said without preamble. "Hatano-san, your file has a history of violen...