"Piggy!" the boys shouted at his face.
Bogart could not do anything but stare at the spilled contents of his lunchbox. They were his favorite - two hotdogs, two fried chicken legs, baked mac, and several slices of apple. Unsatisfied, the biggest kid, probably the leader of the bunch, snatched his tumbler of orange juice and poured them on the ground, as if offering their tributes to some evil god. The five boys altogether laughed.
"No more foodie for piggy," one teased and the boys once again laughed.
Hurriedly, Bogart collected his box and tumbler and ran away while the bullies laughed even more. It was 1993 and Bogart Randolph Pescador was in second grade. Since kindergarten, Bogart had been bullied because of his incredible size. He was twice as large as any boys of his age. His belly was was too big that his shirts seemed to protest from his weight. Despite the countless mockery from the other kids, boys and girls alike, he could not restrain himsef from eating a lot. His lunchbox contained twice as much food as that from other kids. Amazingly, he would still buy slices of pie after devouring his lunch, just to satisfy his cravings for something really sweet.
Bogart cried, feeling sad about the amount of food that had been wasted. He was on the way to the school canteen when he was ambushed by the bullies. Having no friends, he was alone when it happened and no one seemed to care eventhough they had seen him being harrassed.
"But there is still more food in the canteen," Bogart said to himself and instantly made a cheerful smile. He straightened his back and walked with pride despite his aching heart.
It was uneventful that afternoon and Bogart got through his boring classes. He was leaving the school when the same boys crossed his path again. They were wearing the same evil grin earlier that day.
"What's the hurry, Piggy?" the leader asked.
"My name is not Piggy. I am Bogart!" he answered back.
"Wrong, you are Piggy!"
And the boys laughed together while making a pig's sound.
"Hey," the leader again spoke. "Do you have some coins there? We just need a few to buy some stuffs."
"No more, I used all my money to buy lunch."
"Don't be greedy, Piggy!"
He immediately jumped to Bogart and they were both thrown on the grass. They rolled and tussled as the gang leader tried to reach Bogart's pockets. The bully managed to pin the latter on the ground and with a swift fist, he planted a strong punch on Bogart. He groaned in pain and tasted blood in pain.
"I'll give you more if you continue to refuse me."
Bogart began to whimper and the intimidation he experienced at noon welled up in his spirit. Fueled by rage, he stood up and grabbing his opponent's right arm, he threw him away strongly. Caught off-balance, the latter lost his footing and was easily propelled into a nearby thorny bush. He screamed hard.
Realizing what he had done, fear took over Bogart and he quickly stood up and ran. The boys chased him and one of them sooner caught him. Bogart was undeniably much larger than them but he was slower. He was thrown again on the ground and the bullies encircled him. It was at that moment when Jamie and Tonton heard his cry and they saved him. It marked the start of their friendship.
It was a triumphant experience for Bogart, one that he would cherish for life. The two friends were famous in school - both were good-looking and smart. Their popularity protected them from the harmful kids and being friends with them worked to Bogart's advantage.
Years rolled by and they continued to be friends despite belonging to different sections. Jamie and Tonton were always classmates in Section One while Bogart was either in Section Two or Three. Subangdaku was not a big community so the public primary school had at most three sections per grade level.
Yet, being friends with popular kids had a bit of disadvantages, too. Being the odd man, he had always been compared to them. He could hear other children talking behind their backs, saying he did not belong to their circle or that it was only pity that urged them to take him in. Later, Jamie confronted them and they slowly stopped their murmurs.
Several times, Bogart also felt the need to look pleasing as well. The girls adored both Jamie and Tonton and sometimes, he wished he could also be like them - someone the girls had crush on or that the other boys looked up to. Plus, they were tall and lean. They know plenty of sports and oftentimes, they taught Bogart how to play them. Eventually, Bogart learned how to shoot baskets and bat a ball. He might not be good at it but he also played soccer. Yet, Bogart was still larger (or fatter) than most boys his age. Thanks to burgers, noodles and all the food in Subangdaku.
Bogarts smiled to these memories. Three years had already passed since the duo saved him but they remained friends. The smile on his face widened. Gently, Bogart opened his eyes. He saw nothing but the pitch dark sky with twinkling dots. His mind was in haze.
"Where am I?"
Realization kicked in and he immediately jumped to his feet. He lost his balance and he fell kneeling on the grass. It was moist, he felt dampness on his knees.
"What did just happen?"
He squinted his eyes until they adjusted to the darkness. He saw no movements but there were silhouttes of people. Their bikes were also thrown nearby. A chilly breeze blew and he shuddered to the coldness.
"Am I thinking right?" he asked himself again. "It could not be a dream. Everything we saw was all clear. I thought we will all die. Or am I the only one who survived? "
Unsure of what to do, he continued staring at his friends' silhouettes. He was on the verge of crying when one of them finally moved. His heart leaped high. Instinctively, Bogart approached his friend.