We laugh a little before heading off to our classes and while my actual high school day is over in two hours I hang around working on the computer in the library on college work till lunch and decide to grab my usual meal and find Syd catching up to me smiling a bit.
"Decided to start doing concerts last week," she asks and I laugh a little.
"Yeah I didn't plan that but it does feel a little good to show off," I reply and she smiles.
"Well next time you sell tickets or something and give me the proceeds, I'll be your manager," she offers and we both chuckle.
We head away from the cafeteria and sit down in a common area to eat and talk. Really she's my only real friend and it is nice to just talk about the things I want to do and things she has planned. It's all feeling good when she sees something and both of us look over and see a small group of varsity jackets heading our way led by Brandon.
"You get lost," Brandon tells Sydney who gives him a 'fuck you' look," Seriously get lost girl, me and Guy have business."
"I'm sorry but screw you asshole," Sydney spits before one of the larger goons grabs her arm and pulls her away from me," Hands off dickless."
I stand up to help her and find myself in the hands of two more football goons being held against the wall. Brandon doesn't look like he's enjoying the display of power but my heart is beginning to pound in my chest.
"Jenna sent me to ask you to drop out of the scholarship, she explained how important it is to her and you spit on that. Now I'm telling you to walk away, you don't need it rich boy," Brandon states and I don't answer," I'm only gonna tell you once."
My heart is pounding so loud I can't hear much of what he's saying, my muscles are tight and I feel like I'm going to throw up.
Hit him
"Now you're going to call that lady your sister got to give you the audition and you're going to cancel," Brandon tells me, taking my phone out.
Hit him
He tries to unlock my phone but he doesn't know the password. He holds it out to me to unlock but my arms are being held. He motions to his boys to let me go and hands me my phone, I look at the screen and put it back in my pocket. He scoffs before shoving me and when I move forward I'm grabbed again and put to the ground by his two teammates.
Hit them
"Brandon he's struggling," one of the two says as I try to push myself up.
Brandon reaches for my bag and I move at him about an inch and everyone but the two holding me move back in a little shock.
Hit him, hit him now
He gets it open and begins pulling my books; all two of them out when Sydney surprises everyone and kicks the bag out of his hand.
"Asshole that ain't yours," Syd spits at Brandon.
Brandon is pissed, well from my angle on the floor he is and he raises his hand just in time for a whistle to sound. Everyone stops everything as Coach Hayes, large white and with a mullet, steps into everything.
"What is going on here," He asks and Brandon holds his hands up.
"We were just talking coach," Brandon gets it out of his mouth and Coach looks at the rest of the team as they slowly back off.
"Well no horsing around on campus, understand me," He tells everyone and I stand up.
"They assaulted me," I say it and everyone looks at me like I'm delusional.
"Okay everyone to the office now," Coach Hayes orders and off we go.
They separate us in the office, us being Syd and I as Coach Hayes takes the football team into a conference room. I see the principal, the same one I've had for four years now, step into the conference room and everyone is talking calmly when I smell a bullshit session. Finally Principal Copeland, another white male only bald and heavy set due to a sugar rich diet comes out and escorts Syd into his office. I can't see them talk but Coach Hayes walks the team out of the conference room and the office all together before coming back standing alone watching me.
"You're Mark's step brother aren't you," he asks and I nod," You might want to listen to him sometime, he'll help you out with how things go."
Syd is released from the office and Principal Copeland signs her out of school for the day and finally turns to me.
"Mr. Donnelly, I thought your days of visiting me were over," He jokes, "I don't laugh," So I've spoken with the team and your friend. I understand young people have disagreements and that's what this was, a difference of opinion. I'm going to sign you out for the day and you can come back tomorrow with a better attitude."
"What about Brandon and his goon squad," I ask and Copeland grimaces.
"They were talking to you and you reacted in a way that forced them to restrain you, they don't want to make a big deal out of it so I'm not suspending you for engaging in a physical altercation on school grounds," Copeland says the words and my heart rate picks up again.
"They assaulted me and Sydney and they get to walk while I'm threatened with a suspension," I state standing up.
"Mr. Donnelly this isn't the first time you've accused another group of harassment," Copeland gets that far and I am spitting mad.
"Harassment? You allowed people to kick the crap out of me for over three years and when I said something you did nothing. Now here I am again and you still do
nothing," I get the words out and Copeland is taking his authoritative stance.
"It's your word against theirs," he says and I'm about to overload.
"It's always their word against mine and for some reason you still seem to think I'm the problem. He just tells them what to say and the football team is let off easy," I point at Coach Hayes," while I'm threatened and my friend is sent home?"
"Mr. Donnelly you will show some respect," Hayes says and I turn on him.
"Respect has never been shown to me by anyone but maybe five people at this school and neither of you are on that list so if you want respect find someone who isn't being screwed around with," I bark at Principal Copeland.
"Fine, since you obviously have trouble controlling yourself and need to be restrained by others enjoy your three days off Mr. Donnelly," Principal Copeland informs me and turns to the secretary," Have the on staff officer escort him to his car or have them ensure he calls a ride."
I am fuming mad and watch as Mr. Copeland enters his office and closes the door; Coach Hayes shakes his head before leaving the office. I think for about four seconds before following him out and get about five feet behind him when I decide to let him know I'm there.
"Hey Coach Asshole, I'm not done with you," I state and he stops to look at me surprised.
"You're suspended son," he informs me and I agree," You might want to leave before you get arrested."
"And you might want to think about the fucking hell you just brought onto your team," I bark and he gives me a skeptical look.
"You needed to be restrained and now you're overreacting," Coach Hayes says and I get in his face.
"No I'm thinking very clearly, I'm going to have three days off so I wonder what I can do with my free time," he doesn't look impressed," I know, first I'll do what you suggest and speak with my brother, you remember him. I'm pretty sure between the two of us we can find every big sponsor the football team has. Second, I have five days now to contact every single person on that list and with my family's connections have them pull every single cent out of the program. You promote bullies so you should be punished for it."
"Now hold on a second kid," Coach Hayes tries to stop me but I'm just getting started.
"Between the socialites and the legal counsel I don't think you'll be able to get anyone to kick a penny into the football team next year. Well not anybody who has the spare cash makes a difference. And last I'm going to contact my Step Father the lawyer and he's going to bind you and that hack of an administrator up in so much litigation you'll be lucky if they let you into the schools in Mexico," I get the last part out as the security officer finds us.
I don't let the officer touch me as I head towards my car and leave the grounds in a quick manner. I get home and find Rosa there and she's surprised that I'm home early and concerned when she sees my face. I don't talk to her now and instead head to my room and change before hitting my weight set. I don't know how long I've been lifting weights for but when Mom comes in she's upset.
"Guy what the hell happened, Rosa called me and told me you came home and were angry," Mom gets it out and I drop the weight in my hand.
I explain all of it, what happened in the commons and after, and Mom listens quietly before giving me a hug and telling me to take a shower. Showering helps me figure out how tired and sore my muscles are and when I'm done Mom calls me down to Mr. Delauter's office and I explain everything to him. They listen and ask very few questions when I'm told by Mr. Delauter 'I'll take care of it'. I have trust but I really want to see everyone squirm for screwing with me.
Wednesday comes and goes with me sitting around doing nothing while Mom is out at work or a home or something and Mr. Delauter is at the office. Thursday on the other hand is completely different as my phone begins to explode with news from students at school. Coach Hayes and Principal Copeland have been put on administrative leave and formal questioning is being brought before the school board about my incident. I get a message from Jenna about Brandon and a couple of football players are being questioned about them asking me to drop out of the scholarship but I don't respond, fuck her. Bethany and Abigail come home from school the same day and Beth has a reserved look on her face while Abby is smiling.
"So Dad was at school today with half the district administrators," Abby informs me and I shrug," They handed Mr. Copland and Coach Hayes their leave papers and are bringing what happened to you before the district."
"Good, about time someone got screwed with someone other than me," I state and Beth shakes her head.
"Yeah but half the school is gonna suffer now, you threatened their money and now every sports team is looking at zero big sponsors next year," Beth explains and I shrug.
"I won't be there and neither will you. I understand that those are your people but that school has been hell for over three and a half years for me and if the people who turned a blind eye and laughed at me suffer because I finally put my foot down then so be it," I keep it short but I'm feeling angry all over again.
"Okay but look at it from a larger stand point, they pull all funding and the sports teams will have to use funding for other events like arts and sciences. They have done it
before," Abby explains and again I shrug.
"Well then if they want my demands I'll make it simple when I talk to your Dad, nothing major really. Fire Copeland and Hayes and suspend Brandon and his posse," I state and while Abby smiles Beth cringes.
"That will screw everyone but you, can't they just apologize," Beth asks and immediately realizes what she said.
I can spout off at her right now but I don't. I don't because I don't need to, for once I'm feeling like I'm in control and doing something to make the world right again. I settle in my room and talk with Sydney online a little; she's being avoided at school but has been asked to speak on behalf of the team if needed. She laughed in their faces and left, I reminded her to watch her back and she informed me she was watching mine when this started. I'm settled in my bed and thinking about everything before drifting off to sleep.
Hurt them
Hurt them all
Make them bleed
Make them suffer