We're Okay

The Holy Trinity of Horrible Hairs

  Ring!

  "Tomorrow we'll be reviewing the pythagorean theorem for our next unit. Mister Lin, please see me."

   That was all I heard. What Mr. Owen said before the bell, I may never know or care about, but I knew I was in trouble. Sadly, I was too tired to understand the meaning of the word danger, much less the danger I was in. Mondays are fun.

   I shuffled to Mr. Owen's desk, wishing I had a black coffee, though it probably wouldn't help.

   "Yes?" I asked, not so sure that I wanted to know his response.

   "Ben, your grades have been at a steady decline this semester. Is the work too much for you? It's only three weeks into the beginning of the year, it's not too late to transfer to another math class."

   He looked at me with concern. It seemed like it was my fault for making him pity me. Mr. Owen was a kind man, and the best teacher in the whole school. He was round and his face had deep creases from laughing. It would have crushed me to transfer from his class, even if my grades suffered a little.

   "I can pull my grades up, I promise. I've just been dealing with some stuff."

   He frowned but didn't argue. "Alright. You're dismissed."

   I started for the door.

   "Ben," he called again.

   I turned to face him.

   "Don't go making promises you can't keep," he said with a small smile.

   I made a valiant effort to smile back and headed for my gym class.

   I was already late from the "little talk" I had with Mr. Owen, and I'd forgotten to get a late pass, so I would probably have to run laps. It's still better than flag football with Ira and the Horrible Hairs. I might have been the only one who called them that, but my sister's face turned red from laughing when I used that name, so it stuck.

   "Hey, man."

   Speak of the devil and he shall come. That is a voice I'd know anywhere. Even in my nightmares.

   "Ira."

   "Lin. Why so late?"

   "Why do you care?"

   "Wow, look who finally grew a pair. And here I thought you were a pushover."

   I heard faint snickering behind me, and I knew the whole gang was there. I was screwed.

   I also knew it was no good to ignore them, but I couldn't come up with anything to say, and you can think again if you believe I'm about to beg for my life.

   Grabbing my uniform and continuing to ignore Ira and the Horrible Hairs, I calmly walked to the stalls to change in peace.

   The creeps followed me. Of course they did. In case I wasn't clear earlier; Mondays are fun.

   I could practically feel Ira's breath on my neck, and it was starting to freak me out.

   Before I could duck into a stall for protection, someone grabbed my arm from behind and wrestled me to the floor. I didn't have room to move. Both of my arms were pinned behind my back.

   Michael, one of the Horrible Hairs got in my face to taunt me.

   "Feeling ready for a fight now, Lin?"

   "Get your mullet out of my face," I gasped out, my lungs being crushed under his weight.

   He grabbed a handful of my hair and shoved my head into the ground. I groaned in pain.