Wrecking the Curve

This is the worst day of my life, Stephanie thought.  It was likely the worst day of anyone's life, but most certainly the worst for her.  If she believed in reincarnation, today would be the worst day of all her past and future lives as well.  Crying in the bathroom wasn't helping; word had already spread of her humiliation.

Her parents would be so angry with her.  Her mother had already been telling her friends that her daughter would definitely be the next valedictorian, and Stephanie wanted more than anything to make her parents proud.  She had studied, struggled and worked hard for the grades she had, and now it was all undone.  Her dreams of attending college were ashes; no respectful college would accept her after what she'd done today.  How could she have been so stupid?  Now the principal wanted to see Stephanie, probably to expel her.

She opened the door to the bathroom and stepped into the hallway, which was lined with students and teachers.  One by one, they fell silent, turning to glare at her.

"Boo!" the jeers and catcalls began. Stephanie hunched her shoulders and ducked her head before walking down the hall toward the principal's office.  She deserved their scorn; their own lives were affected by what she had done.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" hissed Mrs. Wolfe, Stephanie's favorite teacher.  An eraser came hurtling past her.  Other teachers threw wads of paper while the students, her friends, and even her little brother, threw epithets like rocks at her head.

Near tears, Stephanie stopped outside the door to Mr. Wexman's office.  She slowly turned to face the angry mob.  A gob of spit struck her cheek; she didn't bother to wipe it away.

"I'm sorry, okay?" she yelled above the cacophony. She entered the principal's office and slammed the door. He was waiting for her, tissues in hand.  He shook his head.

"All this fuss over one less than perfect SAT score!"





The prompt is the third definition of "Boo".