Amazing Isn't Enough Sometimes

        It was just another walk home from school. The spring sun was beaming above the city streets between scattered clouds, slowly beginning its descent into the west. I let out a low sigh, readjusting my backpack as I turned a corner. A pleasant breeze caught me, gently tousling my hair. I stood for a moment, smiling, appreciating the soft touch of the wind. 

        Suddenly, I felt a small sting at the back of my neck. Snapping out of my little trance, I whirled about and scanned the sidewalk behind me. A group of boys from the school stood there, grinning smugly, some of them letting out raucous sniggers. I felt my stomach lurch. 

        The obvious ringleader of the group, a tall youth wearing a black beanie, strutted forward, idly tossing a small rock into the air and catching it with each step. I took a step back, my heart pounding a bit harder in my chest. 

        "Where's the faggot off to?" he sneered. His friends all broke out into laughter. "Gonna go work the corners tonight?" 

        I bit my lip, gulping and taking another step back. "I-I don't want more trouble, sir..." 

        "Who's startin' trouble?" he snickered, palming the stone in his hand, "We ain't startin' anything, are we? Just curious is all." 

        I glanced back, and I noticed that the pedestrian signal on the other end of street had begun to blink. I looked to the boys, then back across the street, and I turned tail, shoes slapping hard against the pavement. I didn't care to look behind me, but they rang out into a chorus of protest as soon as I fled. Once I cleared the crosswalk, I heard the sound of sneakers against blacktop. I took in a deep breath and bolted. 

        "Where ya runnin' to, slutbag?" one of them called. I felt another rock smash against the back of my skull and gritted my teeth, stumbling a bit, but I kept on running. I had no idea where I was running. Away. Away sounded like a nice place. 

        I flew right past a pair of women, shouting out an apology as I tore past them. I rounded another corner, leaping up and over a small construction area, almost losing my balance as I landed. The pedestrian signal on the other end of the street started blinking, and I sprinted faster than ever towards it. 

        All of a sudden, a young man exited a building at the end of the street. I tried to pull back or to stop, but I was going too fast, and in the next second, I had suddenly knocked into him, sending both he and myself sprawling onto the ground. 

        "I'm so sorry," I blurted, jumping to my feet, quickly dusting myself off, "I didn't mean to run into you, sir, I just--!" 

        The traffic signal quickly changed, and a seemingly endless stream of cars flooded into the street. My jaw must have dropped at least as much as my heart had sunk, because after he had picked himself up, the man gave me a questioning look, asking, "Are you okay, man?" 

        Without responding, I turned around, only to see that the posse had caught up to me. Each of them had a rock in hand, and each had a dangerous look in their eyes. I took another step back, unsure of what to do. I glanced off at the cafe to my right, then back at my pursuers. Before I had the chance to escape, the man I had run into suddenly stepped up in front of me, giving the boys judgmental glares. 

        "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded, his arms crossed. 

        "Shit," the ringleader said, giving a dismissive wave, "it ain't nothin' you need to worry about. Why don't you mind your own business and scram?" 

        The man seemed unaffected by the boy's taunt, maybe even encouraged. He took a step towards them, pulling back one of his sleeves in what I understood was a threat.