As We Grow Old

Chapter 3

After G told me about Alan getting bullied, I kept my eyes on the lookout. G told me that he hadn't seen anything for a few days, but then I saw it.

In the back of the cafeteria Alan was sitting at a small circular table with his head down, and surrounded by three boys. I knew that I'd be late for my next class, but something had to be done. The guys surrounding him must have been upper classmen, because they were nearly the same height and build as G. They were sitting next to him, laughing, and picking up his stuff and throwing it on the floor. I don't know how I mustered up the courage to do it, but I did.

"Hey! What're y'all doin'?"

I was standing on the opposite side of Alan, and the three kids looked up.

"Well, well. What do we have here? A tough kid eh'? What'r ya' gonna' do? You friends wit' this nutcase?"

Alan kept his head down, and the one kid stood up.

"I think this weasel wants a fight," he said, "but looks like he's all alone. What's a shrimp like you want?"

I looked the kid in the face. "Leave him alone."

The boys gasped in unison, and mocked me in a girly tone.

"Oh yes sire, we'll leave him alone. Your majesty, how could we ever disobey!" His tone then deepened in a most scary and threatening way, "Get lost kid, or else it's gonna get ugly for you."

Taking what little bravery I had, I responded. "I said, leave him alone."

Two of the kids walked over toward me, one pulling up his sleeves.

"We told ya' to go away shrimp, and now ya' gotta' pay. Shouldn't have stepped to us like that."

One of them grabbed me, and pushed me on the floor. My head pounded to the ground and I could hear the ocean echoing in my ears. I kicked one of their legs, and stood back up. As I did, the kid who had rolled up his sleeves punched me in the right cheek. I could almost hear my jaw click.

I saw an opportunity, a fleeting one at that, and swung my fist right where it truly hurt. He wrenched in pain towards the ground, and I could see a crowd formulating around us.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" They chanted, growing larger and louder with every passing second.

One of them hit me in the stomach, and started to repeatedly kick me to the ground. Then, it suddenly stopped. The crowd roared, and beside me lay the kid who had kicked me, unconscious and motionless.

I looked up, and I had never felt more relieved. G was there, and so was Trev and Jamie. G was a great fighter, and so was Trev. They were taking on the other two, while Jamie was helping Alan.

G and Trev had just won when some teachers showed up, and dragged them away. I tried to stand and follow them, but I could only go so far. G was calling back to me, but I couldn't hear what it was. Then, I felt someone grab onto my shoulders. Surprisingly, it was King.

We hadn't seen each other much since school started, and I was happy to be greeted by his familiar face.

"Hey man, let's take you down to the nurse." He said.

A lot that happened after that was a blur. 

~~~~~~~~~~

I remember waking up in the nurse's office, and a lot of people were there. King, G, Trev, Jamie, Alan, Diana, and Mom. The boys were talking in the corner of the room, and my mom was sitting in a chair next to the bed. When she saw my eyes open, she started talking real fast.