The Color Club

Chub?

I couldn't stop thinking about Alexis's note to Ariel. It opened my eyes to the rest of my dull school. This wasn't right and I knew it. I told myself that I had to ignore them. I needed to be better than that. But what could I do? No one in this school listens to someone of a different color.

•

At lunch, Ariel and I sat at our same table. No one else noticed it. Our table is kind of like a little cave. It's almost hidden in the corner of the cafeteria.

Suddenly I felt a large presence next to me. I felt a shadow envelop the table. "Hey," boomed a loud, masculine voice. I looked up nervously and slowly. No words. I didn't know what to do.

"What do you want?" Ariel said, seemingly careless and as if this giant eighth grader wasn't capable of crushing us with his pinky.

"I heard you had some trouble with Alexis's posse."

"It's not a big deal. We handled it." Ariel replied coolly. I relaxed a little. I realized that Ariel knew this person. But why?

I finally got the lump out of my throat. "Um...So who are you again?"

The booming voice replied with a smile, "Chub."

"Excuse me?" I questioned.

"Chub. That's my name. Alexis gave it to me. She called me fat. I stuck with it."

"Why?" I was confused; why would he be so accepting of a nickname?

"Because I've realized that you can't snap back at a person. You have to be the bigger person. I didn't let her have that power over me. So everyone at school calls me Chub."

This fascinated me. He accepted this name just so Alexis couldn't have the power of pushing him around.

•

After school, I walked out to the courtyard. Ariel and I met there every day at the same spot on the grass. I looked at my phone; 3:21. Ariel was later than usual. I tried not to let thoughts fly around in my head.

I saw Alexis and her shadows walking on the tile near the lockers. They seemed to be looking for something. They seemed to be walking closer to me, even though they didn't look in my direction once.

Ariel wasn't here to protect me, so I did the logical thing for small girls who can't defend themselves; I ran like I had never run before. I darted around the corner before they could see me and hid.

I pulled my phone out of my backpack, my hands shaking from the adrenaline rush I had experienced when running. I dialed Ariel's number as fast as I possibly could, then pushed the call button. The phone buzzed in that annoying way it does right before the person picks up, if they pick up at all.

Finally I heard a click. "Ariel! Where the hell are you? Alexis came dangerously close to me and I took off."

Dead silence on the other side.

"Ariel?" I started to panic. She had definitely answered my call. My face suddenly turned pale and I pushed "End Call." I got up and made sure no one could see me. I knew what was happening and knew exactly what to do.

I sprinted down the hallways at full speed until I stopped dead in my tracks. I heard voices somewhere, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know who they belonged to.