John's mild misadventure

“What?”

“I hate your face. So, I’m… punching you.”

My insult was simple, yet effective. The pig had stood up and already approaching me.

“Well… do it then.”, imitating my shaky tone, he was now only a step away before halting. Lowering his head at the same level as his shoulder, his face was now tilting sideways against mine.

“C’mon. You are… here for it, right.”

I could feel endless little movements in my hand, however, I tried my hardest to make a bold fist. Finally, a sudden motion accompanied.

Thump

For some reason, my face was now falling towards the ground. Before I even had time to digest what had happened, I was now kissing dirt.

“You really thought I would let you, Ha!”

As his unbearable laugh filled the hallway we were in, my perception started trembling uncontrollably.

Fuck, I should have known my place.

And I thought you had grown. Don’t pussy out now.

No, what was I thinking? Did I really think I can just stand up to him? Just because today felt different, so was my ego?

“Get up, you’re not done right?”

Though quavering, I followed his order and got back up. As troubling as it was, my eyes were set in his direction. However, something was missing from before. Something has run away. And so, I curved my lips upward.

“What’s up with that stupid smirk?”

“Nothing.”, following my response, I put up my arms with a fighting stance.

However, it didn’t scare him one bit, evident by his enclosing. But that was his mistake, for I was better than him. When he had only made a single footstep, I had already gone through five. When he had only realized the facts, I was already executing them. When he had only shouted at one person, I had notified multiple.

Yes, I was better than him at running.

My sudden sprint and yelp caused everyone to move aside. Although there were a few bumps, they didn’t obstruct my pace, not nearly as much as the fat pig behind me. It was not long after that I had reached my safe place, the group of boys.

“Did you take a shit or something?”, one of them asked.

“No. All of you gather around me.”

“You want a group hug?”, Morgan tried to act cutesy. Contrarily, I brushed it off bluntly.

“Shut the hell up, just do it please.”

Questioningly, they listened to me, and though it looked a bit suspicious, my presence was hidden from plain view. A few seconds later, I could hear heavy stomping on the ground. Which lasted for a few more seconds, before slowly fading away. Finding my situation secured, I signaled them to move.

“What the hell did you do?”, asked Dutch.

“Nothing, just you know… pissed him off. By threatening to punch him.”

“What why?”

“He was harassing a girl that I was… not really having a crush on. But it made me irritated either way, y’know.”

Lenny and Hosea merely looked baffled, while Dutch and Morgan burst out laughing.

“You really are one weird dude.”

“Guess so.”, and, I chuckled along too.

We all headed back to class after lunch. Figuring that the bully might even be more onto me now, I counted every second until recess came. However, contrary to my anticipation, they didn’t go to my class. It was likewise for the second break, the third, and the final one. The clock was now one minute away from five pm, implying the near end of the last period.

I grew impatient waiting, shaking my legs, and scratching my desk, all in an attempt to ease my excitement about returning home. Until, my phone rang, and I opened it. Unlooked for, Kiri sent another message, this time two images she took.

It was a photo taken outside of my school, the other one a broken fence which I used to escape with Stan yesterday. Standing at the gates were two boys who looked familiar, and another two in the latter picture. They were from the bully group.

“You’ve got fans waiting for you, but no worries, there won’t be paparazzi as long as I’m here. They’re going to be distracted for a minute or two, use that time well 😉”

It didn’t take me long to realize what was happening, of course, things wouldn’t go that easily. I didn’t question why was Kiri here, or how she was going to give me an opening to escape, and only executed what she had planned. Since my bag had already been packed, as soon as the school bell was heard, I rushed out of my classroom.

Reaching the ground floor proved to be swift, and I observed my escape paths. Two boys were still standing by the gates, so I turned my heels and sprinted to the other destination. Kiri was right, the fence was vacant, and I managed to climb through without any hindrance.

Finally, I’m safe.

I thought to myself as I strolled through the pavement, heading toward my lovely safe home. But not before long when my pace was diminished, and finally turned to a halt.

Forgetting someone?

No need to remind me, I know.

As I replied to myself, my heels were turned once more, and I dashed back to where I had just left.

“Looks like I’m playing in impossible mode today.”, I mumbled to myself.

Swiftly, I managed to slip back into the school and made my way toward the main school entrance. Looking back, I could see that one guy had just arrived back at the broken fence, and I sighed in relief at my timing.

Knowing Abigail’s class is on the second floor, I ascended the stairs to search for her, only to almost get bumped by the same person.

“Wait, John? It’s nice to see you! I still haven’t thanked you for yesterday.”, she spoke in astonishment. Still surprised to meet her so suddenly, I responded without thinking.

“Yeah, and are you the one I led away from them yesterday?”

“What?”

Realizing that what I had just said made no sense, I tried to save face.

“Sorry didn’t know you were a girl- Oh I mean I didn’t realize you were the girl.”

For better or for worse, a bully abruptly came into my view, forcing me to put a stop to this awkward and torturing conversation.

“Woah hey.”

I grabbed the girl’s tiny wrist and descended down, eluding our predator’s sight.

Where could we hide?

Repeating myself multiple times, I still couldn’t find an answer, and so I observed my surroundings hoping otherwise. And there it was, the bottom landing of the stairs. I wasted no time hesitating and held the girl beside me under the flight. By the time we crouched down, heavy trudges could be heard echoing above our heads, and I could feel Abigail shivering through the touch of our shoulders.

When the coast was clear, I decided to check up on the scared kitty next to me, and only now did I realize that we were so close.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I no girl touch a while you uncomfortable?”

The frightened expression on her face only seconds ago had now been replaced with a slight amusement.

“Do you even speak English?”

“Oh, sorry, I’m just not used to it yet, I mean younger girls.”

Her eyes widened in awe.

“So, you hang around with high school girls? Or… women?”

“No, no. God, it’s so awkward right now.”, I panicked, though it was already a fact that I had fumbled.

“You don’t have to worry, I won’t ever think bad of you. You just saved me from having to deal with those jerks right?”

Following up with a cheerful simper, her assurance made my mind think clearly, and I offered her a returning beam of gratitude.

“All right, then I’ll make you think even better of me.”

Once again, my hands and her wrist made contact, and we rushed out to the school grounds. As expected, the two bullies were still at the gates, impelling us to take the other route. However, unlike last time, the broken fence was also blocked by one of them. Before we were in his view, I and Abigail halted our legs.

“What are we going to do, John?”

I was just as stuck as her, and couldn’t offer a solution.

Yeah, what are you going to do? You can’t pussy out now, can you?

I know, shut up.

With a lengthy inhale, I braced myself for what I’m about to do.

“I’m going to distract him, use that time well. Wink emoji.”

“What?”

I didn’t want to hesitate for even a second, so without elaborating, I rushed to my target. Only to run to the side after reaching a reasonable distance.

“Meat rideeer!”, I shouted. And my taunt worked.

“What the fuck was that?”

I turned around and sighed in relief at the sight of Abigail catching on to my plan. However, it did seem suspicious of me to just anger him out of nowhere, and he caught on to it.

“Hey, get back here Abigail. Your boyfriend wants a word with you.”

The bully reached out to her on the fence that Abigail was climbing, though his attempt failed.

“John!”, she cried out.

I tackled him to make way for Abigail. Sliding my head to the road, I signaled her to escape.

Though hesitant, she jumped down to the pavement on the other side and looked back at me one more time.

“I’m fine.”, I assured her.

And so she managed to elude from our view, leaving me and the side bastard before me.

Hanging both of my hands up, I made a protective stand, one that resembles a goalkeeper.

“You’re gonna have to go through me if you want to get to her.”

The bully got back on his feet. Humored by my cringy statement, he smirked.

“Or maybe I’m more into beating the shit out of you now.”