Writing Inktober 2021

*Day Ten- Pick

As soon as he walked through the door with a busted lip and darkening eye, his father said, "You're grounded! Go to your room!"

"Honey, let me clean him up first." his mother soothed.

The older man gave a small nod and left the room angry. His mother, Lily ushered the boy into the kitchen and had him sit in a chair. She spent a few minutes muttering and fussing over him.

"All better. Now, you know your father doesn't want you to follow in his footsteps in this way. What happened? Why did you pick a fight? please, dear, tell mommy." She said to him softly.

"I didn't, mum." he said, looking down.

"Didn't what?" she asked, concerned.

"I didn't pick a fight or start one." he said and added with his hand up when she started to look worried, "and I wasn't being bullied either."

"Then what happened?"

"I saw a kid getting picked on and beat up. I don't really know him that well, but he is in my class. I couldn't just stand by. I told the other kids off and defended him. They didn't like that, but after a couple punches they left. I think maybe they heard someone coming."

His mother was silent.

"Okay." she started, " for now go to your room like dad said and I will talk to him in a little bit about this."

Later that night it was determined that while he shouldn't fight, he had the right idea standing up for the other kid. A few weeks later the two boys were great friends and by the next year the bullies had stopped picking on other kids.