Indifference (boyxboy)

3. The Bullies' Radar

Elijah

I felt tense all day. I knew that all I needed to do was avoid Freddie for the rest of the day and I would be fine. But if he saw me, I was in trouble.

"I'm sorry," Franz said, giving me a pitying glance as he watched me frantically scanning the corridors for Freddie's mop of red hair. "You should have just walked past like everyone else."

"I know, I should have," I said, flinching as I saw someone who looked a bit like Freddie turn the corner. It wasn't him.

I heard Franz sigh at my response and I turned to look at him to see him shaking his head.

Everyone knew that the best way to stay off the bullies' radar was to avoid them at all costs. And I was more than happy to stick to that code. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a horrible person. If I had muscles and another 8 inches on my height, I would love to show the bullies what I really thought of them. But I had to be realistic. I was below average in height, and had the athletic prowess of a baby deer.

But I just couldn't help myself when I saw the mess on the floor. I just needed to pick it up. That had been my undoing today - my obsessive need for tidiness! God, I hated myself sometimes.

The number of people in the corridor was thinning out, so I took my opportunity and bolted towards my next class.

"Goodbye then," I heard Franz shout, but I was too intent on getting to my goal as quickly as possible to reply. I barely knew Franz anyway. He just played violin alongside me in the school orchestra.

I could see the door to my next class up ahead and so I increased my speed.

I was almost there. I could hear the chatter of the rest of the class just as a hand shot out from an empty classroom and dragged me inside.

I was immediately pinned up against the wall, Freddie's big, ugly face grinning at me like the cat that had caught the mouse.

I felt every muscle in my body tense, and I felt my stomach churn like I was going to vomit. On the outside though I kept a blank face. I never let them know just how scared I was. That would just encourage them further. They preyed on fear. I knew because I'd seen it.

"Elijah, Elijah, Elijah," Freddie said with a smirk, "now what've you got to say for yourself?"

I felt my nose crinkle up at Freddie's close proximity.

"Can you move back out of my personal space," I said, "your breath stinks."

I felt my back thump into the wall.

"Don't you dare sass me!!" Freddie growed out, and I almost gagged as I felt a droplet of spit land on my cheek.

I wasn't sassing him. Or at least I didn't think I was. I wasn't even sure what sassing was. I was just telling him the truth. I decided that maybe to avoid upsetting him further I better keep my mouth shut.

"So tell me," he growled, "what business of yours is it to clean up the lovely mess I made in the hallway."

I kept my mouth shut.

"Answer me!" He shouted, banging my back into the wall again.

If he kept this up I would definitely have bruises. Maybe being quiet wasn't helping.

"I don't like mess," I replied.

Freddie frowned at my response, but at least he didn't push me against the wall again.

"Hmm, you hate mess?" he said thoughtfully. Then he let go of me, finally letting my feet rest on the floor.

I felt myself let out a sigh of relief. It was only short lived though as I watched Freddie lean down and grab my bag from where I'd dropped it on the floor.

"So you don't like mess," he repeated then he unzipped my bag and turned it upside down, giving it a good shake as all my stuff dropped out onto the floor.

"Stop it!" I said, feeling my anxiety start to spike.

Freddie grinned evilly and then began to stamp and kick my books scattering them round the room. It was when he kicked my pencil tin, which opened up and sent all my stationary flying that I lost it.

I ran over and gave him a hard shove, which despite my pathetic upper body strength, sent him stumbling forward, probably because I'd caught him by surprise.

I took advantage of this and grabbed my bag, shoving everything in as quickly as I could.

"Oh fuck, you did not just do that!" Freddie said and before I knew what was happening, I was flying through the air and crashing into a cupboard with an almighty bang before crumpling down to the floor in a daze.

By the time I'd caught my breath and looked up, Freddie had gone.

I slowly dragged myself onto my feet and surveyed the damage. And then I saw it. The glass trophy for the school's debating club, smashed into a thousand pieces on the floor.

No wonder Freddie had taken off so quickly.

I felt a small sob leave my body uncontrollably, and I quickly started gathering my items and throwing them into my bag. I needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.

I stumbled out of the classroom, my whole body humming with pain. I couldn't go into class now. I knew I looked like shit and I couldn't stop the tears that were running down my cheeks. I also couldn't afford to be marked as truant, so I went to the only place I could think of. The nurses office.

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"And what did Mr Phillips say when you told him it was Freddie?" my mum asked while she scoured my arms and legs for bruises.

Mr Phillips was the headmaster. When the nurse had seen the state I was in, she called for him to come over straight away.

"He gave Freddie detention for the week, and advised me to take some self defence classes."

"Detention for a week!!!!" My mother exclaimed crossly. "That's it??? He could have given you a concussion or broken your arm. He's a bully. A big, nasty bully and it needs to stop."

My mum by this point was pacing frantically across the floor and pulling slightly at her hair. I could see that she was building herself up into a fit of anxiety, so I knew I needed to calm her down. And quick.

"It's fine mum, honestly. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It won't happen again, I'll make sure of it."

"And how are you going to do that?" she asked rather sharply.

"I don't know," I said with a shrug, "but i'll think of something. I've not got all these brains for no reason you know."

At last I finally managed to make her smile.

"That's right," she said, pulling me in for a hug. "You are the smartest person I've ever met. You'll think of something I'm sure."

And that's how we remained for the next 30 minutes. In each other's embrace. Not quite sure who was comforting who.