Taking Chances

Chapter 19

            Tuesday morning was cold. There had been some rain on Monday – barely enough to wet a spider's tongue, but enough to make Tuesday one of the coldest days this winter.

Ryan was standing in front of his Home Room Class reading the morning announcements. There were twenty-three Year Eleven students in Ryan's Home Room. Today was school photos. Usually it was a day of disrupted classes, over-excited students, too much make-up, and the ubiquitous odour of hair-spray.

Today was a little different. Ryan was looking forward to seeing Bec.

Ryan spoke to the class, "The Year Eleven whole-class photo is at twelve-thirty. Individual photos will be immediately afterwards. I'll be there to speed the process along."

There was a groan, "But that's lunch break. How come we don't get lunch? Do we get a longer break?"

"No. So make sure you're on time to the group photo and don't mess around with the individual photo."

The student who had spoken sunk low and leaned back in his seat to signal his dissatisfaction with the situation.

The bell rang and everyone moved out to start another day of teaching and learning.

Bec frantically rushed around in the school gym. As Ryan had promised, several students from the Junior Art class had arrived to help set up. Bec would have been lost without them. She had to remember to thank Ryan for organizing their help. She smiled and looked forward to seeing him, even if it was rushed.

One student was particularly keen and Bec made a point to remember his name, Adam.

He asked a lot of questions about the cameras and settings Bec used. Bec wanted to explain more, but time was short.

No sooner had the tall tripods and ladders been set up, then the first class arrived: Year Nine.

Bec's helpers went off to their first class of the day. Bec caught Adam just before he left and said, "I'd be happy to show you around the photo studio sometime. Make sure you come in, okay?"

Adam thanked Bec and rushed off to class. The noise of rowdy teenagers filled the gym and Bec wondered how she would ever get the adolescents to do the same thing at the same time. Mercifully, there were a couple of teachers assigned to each year level. Time to earn that pay check.

At twelve-twenty-five, Ryan dismissed his Year Nine English class. He stuffed his papers and laptop into his bag. He wanted to get to the gym to say hello to Bec before the Year Elevens arrived.

Ryan skipped down the stairs, his feet bumping over the stairs like a drummer tapping out a military tattoo.

He didn't go back to his office. No time. Instead, he went out into the courtyard intending to take a short cut to the gym.

He reached the side-door of the gym and was about to push through when he heard a thump like a watermelon hitting the concrete.

Ryan looked around and saw Adam Lee sprawled on the ground with Tyler Brooks standing over him, leg cocked back as if about to kick a soccer ball. Bayden and Foster stood behind Tyler. They were just around the corner of the gym.

"Hey! Get out of it," yelled Ryan as ran over to the boys.

Tyler regained his footing and casually strolled away, calling over his shoulder, "You can thank me later Adam."

Ryan reached the scene and helped Adam to sit up. "You okay?" Ryan asked.

"I don't need any help," said Adam and he shook Ryan's helping hand away. Blood flowed bright red from Adam's lip. Ryan looked Adam over, but Adam insisted, "I'm okay Mr. Anderson!"

Turning his attention to Tyler, who by now was on his way to the lunch hall, Ryan called out, "Tyler Brooks. Take yourself to the office. We'll talk there."

Tyler turned, a big grin on his face, "Whatever Anderson. I didn't do nothin'. I ain't goin' to no office!" Bayden and Foster laughed loudly and jeered at Ryan.

A wave of anger rolled through Ryan. He went after Tyler with long, deliberate steps. Ryan caught up just as Tyler reached the glass double-doors to the lunch hall.

Ryan reached out and put his hand on Tyler's shoulder. "Tyler Brooks, come to the office. I saw what you did and you're not getting away with it!"

Tyler spun around, slapped Ryan's hand away, then launched into a two-handed shove.

Ryan stepped to the side and Tyler, suddenly without an object to push, stumbled forward.

The wave of anger passed and coolness returned to Ryan's head. Tyler was still a kid, after all. "Tyler, this isn't going to help. Let's walk over to the office together and you can tell me what happened on the way."

Tyler stood with his fists clenched. Foster and Bayden were on Ryan's left, in front of the doors to the lunch hall.

They were big lads and if they decided to attack, Ryan wouldn't have much of a chance.

A crowd started to form at the windows of the hall. The lunch duty teacher arrived. It was Mark.

"Away from the windows!" Mark shouted. "C'mon, get back to lunch." He burst through the doors to where Tyler stood off against Ryan.

Bayden looked at Mark and said, "Let's go Tyler."

Foster echoed Bayden and began to walk away. Tyler hesitated and shot Ryan one last glare before stalking off.

Ryan exhaled and the tension left him. Mark asked, "What happened? It looked like Tyler was about to throw a punch at you."

Ryan rubbed his jaw with his thumb, "Would have been easier if he had." He filled Mark in on what he had seen.

"Best get it all down in writing and e-mail Janet. Knowing the Brooks family, she'll be hearing from the father soon enough.

Mark went back into the cafeteria and Ryan went back to Adam, who was now sitting at the back of the gym in solitude.

"What happened?" Ryan asked.

Adam kept his head down and eyes averted as he answered, "Just tripped. Tyler was helping me up."

Ryan stood directly in front of Adam, but Adam still wouldn't look at him. "That's a lie. Tyler hit you. All you need to do – "

Adam looked up, anger in his eyes. "Don't tell me what I need to do! I tripped. That's all." His head dropped and Ryan heard a gentle sob.

Ryan pushed a little more, but Adam wouldn't budge. He was scared, and with good reason. It was Adam's word against three others; Ryan hadn't actually seen the punch.

It burned Ryan that this had happened. People had to stand up against bullies. For the sake of the victim and the bully.

After leaving Adam with Delores at the nurse's station to ice his swollen lip, Ryan went back to his office to type up his incident report for Janet.