Same Difference

~ Chapter 6 ~ The Hero Who Wears Green ~

I ran out of my house, then bolted all the way to school.
Gotta get there, gotta get there, gotta get there, I chanted in my mind as I tore through the forest.
I was a little late as it was. I could just have been walking, I mean, who would mind if I was just a few minutes late? I could just run once the bell rings, but I had to get there before Alex did. I had to be there for him when he walked in with his new clothes. This all felt silly, but he's been bullied before because of the way he dresses, so I need to watch out. I have to help him out if something is wrong. He needs me.
I ran and ran, my sneakers clomping on the floor and my backpack zipper pulls jingling behind me, then I finally made it to our meeting spot. He wasn't here yet, which was probably good. I could catch my breath before he gets here.
A few minutes later, I saw a newly dressed figure walking in my direction. He was wearing the green shirt, which made me smile. He grinned as he came my way, but I could still see how nervous he was.
"Nervous?" I asked, even when I already knew the answer to that.
"Kind of..." he trailed off.
"Don't worry. No one will torment you as long as I'm there to stop it," I say, making him feel comfortable. His shoulders relaxed.
"And you're wearing the green one!" I cheered.
"If I was going to wear the new clothes for at least a day, I though I might wear your favourite." he sweetly grinned.
"Awww! That's so nice!" I smiled widely.
"Only the best for you." he gave me a friendly side hug.
Just then, the bell rang. Alex and I started walking towards the door, and I could sense that he was even more nervous than he had been before.
"I'm in your class this period. That's good. I'll watch out for ya," I said.
"That makes me feel a little better," he sighed in relief.
We walked through the school, and I noticed some people giving him strange looks, but nothing much other than that. Maybe that's because I was there.
We sat down in our seats in class. I sat in the row behind him, and he sat to the right of the person in front of me. I could be a security camera real good from here.
The teacher started teaching his lesson. Throughout the first few minutes, nothing happened. Then, I saw a few people look at him weirdly, like some looks he has gotten before. Someone whispered something, but I couldn't hear what they said. I don't know if it was against Alex, so it's not like I could just tell them to shut up, even if it was most likely about him.
After the teacher thought the lesson, we got a work period, which was a bad idea. That made time for people to talk to Alex and make fun of him.
The classroom was loud as usual, with secretive talking, so it was hard to hear what people around us were saying. I heard Alex's name mentioned a few times, but I couldn't pin point who the voices belonged to.
A few minutes before the end of the period, a random guy came up to Alex. He was a mean kid who wore these glasses. I grumbled, but he obviously couldn't have heard over the noise.
He had a loud voice though, which was bad because it gave people headaches when he talked a lot, but in this case it was goood because I could hear what he was saying.
"Oh? Going all casual now? Who do you think you are?" the glasses kid, Marvin said.
"Um... Alex?"
I smiled. Alex usually didn't respond when people were like this. He was standing up for himself. The way he said it made Marvin look stupid, which was a bonus.
Marvin looked a little shocked for a second, then he returned to his normal state. "Did you just answer?" Marvin asked.
"I mean, you asked me a question. Oh- well lookie here. I just answered again."
The class was a little more quieted down by then, so Marvin heard my snort.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"What do you think?" I asked, still wearing an amused face. "Alex is hilarious."
His expression darkened. "Shut up, you bitch. A girl like you can't fight this." That made me pissed, but made me want to laugh hysterically at the same time. What surprised me was the 'bitch' part, because people never usually called people that anymore, but whatever. This bitch is on fire today.
"Excuse me?" I asked, looking at him.
"Hmmm?...." he responded with a sarcastic tone.
Alex shot up from his seat. "Don't call her a bitch," he said powerfully. I was surprised, and very happy. Alex was sticking up for two people today.
"What?" Marvin spat out. They looked each other in the face.
"You heard me." Alex said it with a tone I just couldn't explain. He was on a roll today. "Don't fucking call her a bitch."
The teacher was looking at us now, but he looked too shocked to say anything.
Marvin blinked a few times. I could only see Alex's back and a little of the side of his face, but I could still tell that his expression was on point.
I looked around the room, and a lot of peoples mouthes hung open. I kind of wanted to scowl at them and tell them that it was rude to have their mouthes open like that, but it would ruin the awesome fight.
I just hoped it wouldn't get physical.
"You're- you're- that's- that's stupid," Marvin stammered. I smirked.
"Only a coward calls a girl a bitch. Especially a girl like Wren. You don't know how helpful she's been. You don't know how much better she is than you and everyone else in this school. So, shut you mouth, and don't you dare ever say anything so stupid again, alright? Especially about Wren."
Marvin looked dumbfounded.
The bell rang just then, so Alex picked up his stuff, came over to my desk to pick up my stuff, smiled at me and said "let's go," then the two of us left the speechless class room.
I don't think I've ever been so proud in my whole life.
My hero wasn't someone who wore a cape, or someone who could muster the muscle strength of a thousand men. He was simply a boy with a voice, strength, a heart, and a boy who was not only able to save me, but himself, too.
And that's something that every hero needs to know how to do.
***
Hi guys! I actually really liked this chapter. I'm really happy for Alex.
I hope that you guys like this too!
Haha I just realized that I haven't called you guys Cookie Bookies for a long time.
And sorry that this chapter was kinda short. I just wanted to really focus on the fight.
So Cookie Bookies, I must be going now. Off to school to learn more.
Oh. I have a test today how wonderful.
Bye!
~Shiveroth