they were just having fun

the one with the bully

    The next day at lunch, Race spotted the boy who's been bringing him down. He whispered something to Andi and pointed at the table where she used to sit at. The popular kids' table. The boy caught them looking at him, so he pulled out his phone and started typing something. A second later, Race's phone went off. He looked at it and put it away without reacting to the text message.

Andi snuck glances at the boy, waiting for him to leave the cafeteria to go to the bathroom or get some water. When the time came, she stood up and walked out of the cafeteria without saying a single word.

"where's Didi going?" Crutchie wondered. Everybody just shrugged or told him that they had no idea.

Andi opened the doors to the hallways and started to walk faster. When she was at a reasonable distance, she called her old friend's name.

"Hot Shot!" She yelled angrily, causing him to immediately turn back. Andi stomped towards him.

"Didi! Long time no see-" Before he could finish, Andi pushed him against a locker, held his arms against it, stepped on his foot and put a knee on his leg so he couldn't escape.

"give me one reason why in the fuck you would bully an amazing person like Race, and you better not be playing victim, or I swear to god you will not see tomorrow." She demanded, starring daggers into his eyes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He lied, so Andi pushed her knee harder into his leg, in which he winced.

"ow! Okay okay!" He whined and she lightened the pressure.

"have you ever seen that boy's eyes?" She asked.

"they're the brightest blue eyes anyone has ever seen. They were always full of life, and you killed that." She stated.

Meanwhile in the cafeteria, everybody was still confused on why Andi suddenly left.

"I know I'm new to this group, but even I know that Andi wouldn't leave without saying anything." Davey remarked and everybody agreed.

"Davey's right. Elmo, why aren't you chasing after her? Or Albert, Finch or- or Race! You're her best friends, why are y'all the least worried about her?" Jack rambled.

"I'm Andi's best friend too but alright." Spot reminded, resulting in everybody throwing food at him.

"okay.. so why aren't you guys worried about her?" Katherine asked.

"notice how she left when Hot Shot left?" Jack observed and everybody's eyes went to him.

"what?! I'm an observant person!" He defended.

Race looked Albert's way. "figure out who he is yet?" He riddled. Albert, Elmer and Finch all mouthed, ohhh, and ran out of the cafeteria and Race followed them shortly after.

"somethin' tells me that they go through a bunch of shit without us." Romeo remarked.

Race, Elmer, Finch and Albert walked down the hallway and stopped when they saw Andi pinning a tall boy against a locker.

"is the munchkin super strong and we just never knew?" Albert whispered, making sure they weren't heard.

"she's stronger than ya think." Elmer replied.

"you wanted to figure out who's bringin' me down? Look at the guy she's pinning." Race deadpanned. The three boys looked at the boy and all gasped in shock. Race then pushed them behind the wall so that they couldn't be seen.

"Hot Shot??!!" All boys, except Race, whisper-yelled. The four then poked their heads out and eavesdropped on Andi and Hot Shot's conversation.

"he didn't do anything wrong to you, he never does anything wrong to anyone." They heard her say.

"he's never had any problems about who he is, he's the most confident person I know and you took that away from him." She released Hot Shot from her grip, trusting that he won't run away.

"why?" She asked.

"you won't believe me." He replied quietly.

"why?" She asked again, louder and frustrated.

"I- I'm jealous Andi, of..." He looked down. "him." He confessed.

"Hot Shot is jealous of you? But he's- he's a hot shot, it's his nickname!" Elmer whispered-yelled. Andi couldn't believe it, Hot Shot was jealous of Race, but she couldn't understand why.

"why?" She interrogated.

"he- he has the most amazing friend anyone could ever ask for... you. You were my only real friend and when you left... I- I don't know what came over me I'm sorry." He apologized.

"I want you back. If you can't tell, I don't really like my friends." He added. It's true, Hot Shot really doesn't like his friends. He doesn't even know why he still hangs out with them. He guessed that the only reason he stayed with them was because of Andi, but now that she's gone, he felt like he had no one.

Andi took a step closer. "I don't like them either." She laughed.

"Race!" She called. Race slowly approached the two.

"how did ya-"

"Elmer, Finch, Albert!" She called again. The three boys in question walked up to them.

"how did you-"

"Elm, how long has it been since I started hanging out with y'all again?" She asked, tilting her head in curiosity. She really didn't know.

"a bit more than a month." He answered, putting an arm around her.

"a bit more than a month." She whispered. "Race... that's when-"

"I know." Hot Shot interrupted. He turned to Race and placed a hand on his shoulder, in which Race flinched.

"I'm so, so sorry Racetrack. You have the best friend anyone could ask for." He then turned to Elmer. "you should know, you've been dating her since y'all were five."

Andi furrowed her eyebrows. "wha-"

"come on, we all know that you two have been going out since y'all were five." Finch called out.

"never have I imagined that I'd lose Andi, then I did. I just wanted her back... I'm sorry I took it out on you. I hope you can forgive me." He apologized again. Andi hugged him. She then pulled away and walked backwards, letting Hot Shot and Race talk.

"it's alright, I'd do anything to get Didi back too." Race replied and laughed.

"you deserve everything you have." He added.

"thanks."