Lives Gone By

Bus

  Jerome was a sophomore in highschool when the bomb went off. He didn't have an amazing life and he knew it. He was constantly bullied for being the only black boy in the public school of John A. Binion. It infuriated him, but he managed to keep it mostly in. The day he did it he was dropped off at school by his father as usual. He went to Algebra where he was top of his class. Proceeded to his other classes afterwards until he was on his way to science where he ran into Jeremy Gwartny and his gang of thugs. They were the most feared bullies in the school. "Where you going JJ?" He asked close enough to Jerome for him to smell the eggs he had for breakfast. "Science, Jeremy." Jerome muttered.
 
  "I need lunch money."

  "I'm not giving you my money."
 
  "Funny. Now hand it over."
 
  "No."
 
  "Then I'll just take it!" He yelled as he shoved Jerome to the floor. Jerome stood up, and spat at Jeremy's feet before proceeding to punch Jeremy in the jaw. "You're gonna regret that you  n-" he was cut off by none other than the sophomore assistant principal, Mr. Burrell, walking up. "Jerome," He yelled "my office! Now!"

  "Why did you do that, Jerome?" Mr. Burrell asked as Jerome sat on one side of a desk across from him. "I understand that you were standing up for yourself and everyone else who has ever been bullied by Jeremy, but now I have to punish you."

  "Won't matter."

  "What?"

  "Won't matter after today."

  "I don't know what you mean by that, but I'm going to let you off on a warning since this is your first offense. Now get out of my office." Jerome stood up and left.

  Jerome went through the rest of the day perfectly normal. There was some chatter about what people referred to as 'Jerome's Revolution', but otherwise everything was fine.

  At the end of the day Jerome was the last to get on the bus, so he had to sit with a Senior. Luckily it was in the middle. He sat and clutched his bag grinning. This was it. After this his problems with Jeremy Gwartny and everyone else were over. That's when he heard it. Ever so quietly he heard. "I'm doing God's work." From the Senior, and everything went away.