Over and Over

Chapter Twelve

Twelve

Friday had always been my favourite day of the week.  There is something about the prospect of two days off in row that just agrees with every part of me.  Friday night in particular is especially awesome.  You’re tired from a hard week at school but you don’t have to set your alarm for the morning.  That’s special.  This particular Friday night had the potential to make it to the history books.  I was going to the skating rink with Mathew.  But Friday night was a whole school day away as I stepped off the bus.  What made things worse was the fact I was alone.  Michelle was in bed with the flu.  Or as she put it, the plague.  Still only seven hours to the end of school.  I couldn’t wait.

My head was so far in the clouds that I didn’t notice the group of senior kids until it was too late.  One of the girls, I think her name was Mandy stepped right into my path.

“Going somewhere honey?  All alone today I see.”

Ice water ran down my spine.  How could I have been so careless?  It’s one of the reasons that Michelle and I had been such close friends.  Bullies never bothered you when you had friends. 

“To class,” I said without looking her in the eye.  I knew what would happen if I challenged her.

“Where’s you’re little girlfriend today?” said Mandy in a singsong voice.

“Home sick,” I said without thinking.

“Recon we should take her lunch money?” said Mandy flicking her hair back and laughing with the others.

“I don’t have any,” I said then something inside me snapped.  “And lunch money?  Seriously, what are you five years old?  If you’re going to bully a year eleven kid surely you can do better than lunch money.”

Many stood there opening and shutting her mouth like a fish.  I had never seen her speechless like this.  It gave me strength.

“Now are you going to move out of my way or do you have to get your friends to back you up because you have nothing to say?”

Mandy screeched and flew at me.  Her nails dug at my skin and her hands ripped the bag from my back.  She was smaller than me but fought like a wild cat.  It was all I could do to stop her from hurting me let alone get in some blows of my own.  I looked up at her friends with pleading in my eyes, they just stood there laughing, enjoying the spectacle.  Mandy had me in headlock and was starting to choke me.

Suddenly Mandy was ripped from my side and the laughing stopped.  I looked up to see Mathew standing over Mandy who was sprawled on the ground, her eyes wide in shock.  A boy, much bigger than Mathew stepped in and grabbed Mathew by the shoulders.  He fought back and the two boys went down onto the cement wrestling with each other.  Mandy jumped up and started tearing at Mathew too.  Then I heard a whistle blow, loud and clear.

I looked across the car park to see Mr Jensen the vice principle headed straight at us.  The whistle was in his mouth and he was blowing it loudly as he ran.  The year twelve kids that weren’t directly involved in the fight turned and melted away in amongst the cars.  Typical, all bullies were cowards.  Then Mr Jensen was there pulling Mandy off Mathew and the other boy.  He had Mathew by the scruff then let him go.  He rounded on me.

“Jessica!  I would have though much better of you!  Fighting in the car park in plain sight of the school.  You too Mathew.”  The year twelve kids stood there trying hard to rearrange their clothes.  “All of you to the office!  Move!”

I followed the year twelve kids.  Mathew fell into step beside me.

“Don’t worry,” he said squeezing my hand.  “It’ll be all right.”

“No it won’t.  We’ll get a detention for sure.”

He looked at me and smiled past a split lip.

“At least we will be there together.”