The Heart Of Friendship

Part 6

Daniel

"What are you going to do now Danny?" Someone said in a mocking tone sending a shiver down my spine.

I was hiding away at the back of the gym locker in the locker room and my heart was thudding out of my chest. I was panicking, on the verge of tears and this close to sobbing. One single sob, one single sound would make the bullies find me. I had to stay quiet.

I had to not cry. I used my right hand to cover my mouth to stop any sound I could possibly make, praying that my heavy breathing couldn't be heard
"We know you're in here Nerdy Kid." Someone else said "If I was you, I'd come out."

But I stayed put, not even daring to make a move. Why did they have to do this in the boy's gym locker room during break, when everyone was more than a hundred feet away? They had managed to find the perfect opportunity to torture me, but then again, they always do.

I couldn't control the sob that escaped my lips then. I covered my mouth hard with both my hands, but it was already too late. They'd heard me.
"He's over there." Some said before I felt someone yanking my feet from the floor, where I had been kneeling at the back of the locker. I screamed at the sudden contact and I kicked my feet as hard as I could.

There was three of them and they were all grinning at me now with the most despicable smug on their faces. I felt my back hit the wall with so much force and I shrieked at the pain that immediately spread on my back.

I felt a punch after punch on my stomach as one of them pinned me against the wall. I screamed louder and I started seeing red. Blood was coming out of my mouth. I felt weak and my scream soon faded into a whisper.

The last thing I remember was someone's fist connecting with my jaw and me falling on the floor. And all I could see was pitch black.

I woke up with a scream in my bed covered in sweat. My body felt hot and my heart was thudding out of my chest. It was just a dream, but it was so real. I panted and tried to calm myself down. Moments later, my bedroom door swung open and my mom came rushing in.

"Daniel what's wrong?" She asked, concern vivid on her face.

"I had a nightmare." Tears swelled up in my eyes and just the memory of it made me want to scream again. My mom climbed on the bed and hugged me so tightly that she just made my tears to fall like droplets of rain.

"Was it about the bullies?" She seemed to already know. It's weird how mothers seem to know a lot about their kids.

"Yes." I said as I cried.

"It was just dream Danny." My mom assured me as she hugged me tighter. If I didn't need her comfort, I swear I'd feel like she was suffocating me. My tears fell on my mom's shoulder, leaving a wet spot, almost like water had spilled.

"It was just a dream." She kept on assuring me until I finally stopped crying and fell asleep again.

The next morning when I woke up, I was grateful about not having nightmares after the one I heard. I felt hot and I had a massive head-ache. I got up but as soon as I started walking, my head felt heavy so I had to sit back down again. I heard a knock at my bedroom door.

"Come in." I said

My mom got in and asked me if I'm okay.

"I just have a head-ache." I said.

"I think you should stay home today." She said. She had already bathed and was heading to work. She always left early because she was a really busy woman. I would usually be bathing by this time for school.

"It's okay." I said. I should go to school anyway so I can stand up for myself. I have it all planned out. I have to stop this bullying or I won't survive. It's not healthy and my mom and Alec were right. I have to fight back. I'm pretty sure that this head-ache is the result of the nightmare I had and the ton of crying I did after.

"Daniel, you need to stay home and rest. You can't go to school with a head-ache." My mom said sternly. I knew her too well to know that she wasn't going to let me go to school. She was demanding and controlling.

"Fine." I huffed with a frown planted on my face. I guess the standing up for myself thing with the bullies will have to wait for tomorrow. Wait, tomorrow's Saturday. Great! Now I have to wait till Monday.

"I'll tell the maids to give you some medication and make sure you rest up." She said "I have to go to work now. Promise me you'll stay in bed."

"Mom, it's just a head-ache." I wined fighting my temptation to roll my eyes. I know she hates it when I do that.  

"Daniel." She scolded me.

"Fine." I huffed again "I'll just stay in bed all day like..." I stopped myself before finishing. I was going to say like I'm dying but I know mom won't take it well and with this head-ache, I need peace.

"Stay in bed. I love you." She said.

"Love you too." I said right before she exited my bedroom.

Alec

I haven't seen Daniel at all at school today. It's not like I was looking for him everywhere because I wasn't. But it was pretty easy to always spot him because people are always staring at him, still checking if he doesn't have his body guards with him and just plain staring at him because of habit.

I don't know why I am so worried about a kid that I still barely even know or get. On top of that, I have just started becoming his friend less than twenty four hours ago. But I feel like it's my responsibility as a friend to him to look out for him so the bullies don't hurt him. After-all if I don't, who will?

"What's got you in the clouds today?" My friend Reginald asked me, snapping me out of my trance.

"Have you seen Daniel at school today?" I asked him as I took a bite of my lunch. It was break time now and we were in the cafeteria. I had already checked for Daniel all around the cafeteria, especially at the table he usually seats at alone.

"The nerd kid?" He asked trying to verify who I was talking about and sounding a bit confused.

"Yah, him." I said.

"No, why?" He asked with curiosity.

"I wanted him to maybe sit with us." I decided to tell him half of my intentions. I didn't dare tell him I was trying to protect him from the bullies. He would ask a ton of questions that I wouldn't quite know how to answer.

"What?" Sizwe, my other friend asked. "Why would you want that? The kid's weird."

"No he isn't." I suddenly felt a need to defend the kid I barely knew.

He was an okay kid and there wasn't anything weird about him from what I've seen of him so far. He just needs to open up a little and get to know people so they won't find him so weird.

It was so fun to play video games with him the other day at his house. He's very observant which was what kept the game tough for me and I am a very experienced gamer. I learned a lot of cool things I hadn't noticed before when playing and also taught him a few cool tricks.

I won in the end though. I bet if my friends knew that kid who's garrulous and observant, even in the silliest but yet significant of things, and definitely just a normal kid even though he himself thinks otherwise, they'd want to befriend him.

"You barely even know him. Besides, he's the weird rich nerd kid. He can't sit at our table."

"There's nothing wrong with him. You guys should just give him a chance."
I said but they weren't having it. They just kept going on and on about how the cool kids and nerd kids don't go together and how Daniel sitting with us would ruin our reputation.