Chapter 25-1
Trouble Times Two
Part 2
We were divided into groups with one of the five army hulks. In fact, the same hulks that had worked us hard during the Ring of Justice Tournament. Just our luck, but then again, I couldn't think of anyone better that would keep us out of harm's way. I didn't ask how much Stringham was paying them or what was in it for them, mostly because it was none of my business, and if he was. I would soon learn about it when I discovered the bill.
Jake and Adam said as they groaned when they recognized them, said. "Please tell me you not going to watch us do our business?"
Having our hulk pat him on his bottom said. "If I have to change your diaper, I will do it and put talcum-powder on your butt and put you over my shoulder and burp you and wipe your nose then make you do fifty laps and one hundred and fifty push-ups for making me do it." Neither of us didn't know if he was teasing. I had a feeling he wasn't and most likely enjoyed it just to torture us.
We were told to call him Biff. I know a strange name, but I wasn't about telling a guy bigger than Dad and my Pa that, knowing he could squash me like a bug if he really wanted too. His friends call him the human lawnmower because of how he runs you over and spits you out like shards of grass.
Somehow, I believed he would give the incredible hulk nightmares, and there was no way I was going to become his next meal. So, we said yes sir with a smile and got on the bus and took my seat like a good little soldier. We were told the reason why we were dressed in army fatigues was so they could identify us in a hurry among thousands of students. We were told if anyone asks that we signed up for a special training program to improve our skills. Considering most of us were in several after-school events it made the lie believable that we were new recruits.
It helped to spread the lie when Biff walked in and stood before the class with an outline of some sort of training guide, and what we would be going through over the next few weeks. Providing we lived through it as he said it. He gave me the creeps when he smiled. In reality, it was total horse shit, yet very believable, because they had seen us with these hulks training for the match.
Biff took a seat at the teacher's desk, placed his feet on it, and made himself comfortable as he eyed the teacher and us. Leaving the other hulks outside patrolling the school or whatever they needed to do that made it seem normal.
As we worked on class assignments, Biff would talk to the teacher as he or she pointed to the students, the class clowns, and the bullies. I personally got all warm and fuzzy when one of them blew a spit wad at me who used to be one of Shawn's friends, causing Biff to take notice. As I watched him stand up and pace the room while the teacher taught class. My eyes followed Biff and watched him lean down, whispered something in the kid's ear and watching his face go totally white placing his hands over his privates.
Biff went back pacing the room until he found a new seat and watched the room and the bullies from the back of the room. Once more, my friends and I, including Jake, turned in our weeks' worth of homework. Giving the teacher a heart-attack, because not only was Jake's homework done it was typed just like mine and my three friends Ron, Charlie, and Stan. Plus, the girls we were with over the weekend, while the rest of the class looked at us as if we had committed a crime.
It was no surprise when it came to Adam's Dad when I turned in our work and our papers because he knew we had worked on them during the weekend. Yet it didn't stop him from telling the class that I, Jake, and Adam were the first ones to turn in our book reports on a list of books that we were supposed to read worth thirty-five percent of our grade. Not only were they turned in they were typed, causing the cough of brownnoser echoing the room.
I consider Tuesday and Thursday are my light days because I had social Studies, History, Gym, and Institute. Most people struggle when it comes to history, but I excel at it. I learned a long time ago that classes like these it's always good to get ahead. That was why I always turned in a week's worth of homework. So, I could use that time to study for the tests and devote my time to my papers. It had only been two weeks since school started, and I was already ahead. In spite of my free passes that I was given, which I used only when I needed to not because I had to. I felt proud of that fact, knowing I didn't waste my time in school, knowing it would help me later on in college.
Unlike my sisters or even my brother, I took my school education seriously, some say too seriously. I knew what I wanted and how to get it. I didn't care about high school politics or popularity contests. I was there to get an education to prepare myself for my life. I ignored the parties I was invited to; I ignored everything that wouldn't get me to where I was going.
Well, mostly I did except when it came to girls and sex. In the years to come, I regretted that decision because I had thought I had everything I needed and that was always working on my career goals. Yet there was one thing I couldn't ignore and that was two more bras and two more pairs of panties with their names and phone numbers on them. Which I had discovered when I went to my school locker to drop off my books and go to lunch.
However, I felt like the world was staring at us as we all took our seats while our bodyguards took the nearest table next to us and still give us our privacy. Creepy, very creepy, having them watch you and every move you make. Just like Biff and his fellow hulks, they said they wouldn't interfere in a fight unless we were getting our butts handed to us.
Watching some of Shawn's old pals come up to our table and start messing with us by knocking over our trays or swiping food off them … anything to get us worked up. Jake was easily riled as I quickly pulled him down, telling him they weren't worth it. He growled angrily, wanting to rip their heads off.
I knew one more fight or one wrong move Jake would be history, so I stood up and said. "You and me in the ring during gym class; providing you think you are man enough to take me you punk. In fact, I will take each of you on providing you even show up."
The boys quickly said. "Oooh, I am so scared," laughing at us. Biff stood up and cracked his neck and muscles as I watched the boys back away from the table hearing them yell. "Your ass is mine and I am going to wipe it clean off the mat this time, wimp."
I got up and got a new tray and finished my lunch. Jake told me he could have handled it. I shrugged my shoulders and said. "They don't matter. Besides, you really think they can take me?"
Jake smiled and said. "It's not you I am worried about. It's what happens afterwards." He had a point, but for the moment I didn't care. I guess I should have known what would take place.
I cringed when Biff came over and slapped the back of my head and said. "Are you trying to get yourself killed boy? You better pray that I don't kick your ass if you lose. It would have been better if you kept your mouth shut and let them carry on like a bunch of fools."
I knew he was right being hindsight is 20/20. Knowing I had just become the new school bully. Man, I needed to get my shit together, or I was going to end up like my father always looking for a fight. Coach knew what had happened before I even made it to gym class. He let me know it the moment I walked into the gym, ordering me to the corner for a private conversation. He was disappointed in me as he told me all the things I could have done differently.
Yet he realized I had a score to settle, or I would look like a coward for backing out of a fight and he knew my friends and I could take care of ourselves. The kid chose how he wanted to beat me and my three friends, Jake, Adam, and Ron.
My challengers knew I could wrestle. They knew I was in gymnastics and was on the swim team and kickboxing, but most of all they knew I hadn't competed in a while. Which gave them the edge, so they thought, thinking, because I didn't compete anymore. Which meant I was the weakest person on the team, which was their biggest mistake.
Wrestling was out of the question because they knew personally, I could kick their ass and not break a sweat. Because it was me challenging them. It was up to them to choose which sport we would compete in.
My friends wanted in on the action, stating friends stick together, causing the boys that challenge us. Watching as they smiled even more because it was just what they wanted, which was to humiliate not only me but all of us. However, they knew nothing about Adam other than he could wrestle with being new here.
It was Jake, and I they were concerned about, because like me he held the top scores in nearly everything he had competed in. My other two friends Ron and Charlie were not a threat, so they thought … So, they were more than pleased about them getting their butts kicked. Like most people, they underestimate the underdog.
They argued back and forth, mentioning Shawn's name and that my worst was swimming and had learned I was dropping out of that one and possibly kickboxing, so I could make room for wrestling. How they learned that was unclear, considering I hadn't even informed the teachers of that. In fact, I was told not to drop out of my sporting advents by Mr. Stringham. Giving the advice that this time in my life they were my bread-and-butter speech that would make me into a man.
Work was work and I should learn that work should never control my life. I hate to say that was a lesson I didn't learn, and I should have … deep down I knew he was right, but I still didn't know how to balance my life with work. Sure, I had employees to help carry the load, yet I still had learned nothing regarding teaching me to delegate. Stringham told me if I quit because of work, he'd tan my hide and fire me. I knew he was serious.
Coach quietly asked if they decided on which event they were going to challenge me in. They took a vote for swimming and kickboxing. Swimming won by two votes. I knew I was in trouble because the boys that had chosen me were on my swim team, and they held the top scores. Coach said fine, but he gets to choose the handicap, meaning what the challenge would be. The Boys were smug and shrugged their shoulders, thinking they could beat me, regardless.
The challenge was ten laps, the one with the best times wins, and then he smiled as he gave the handicap. Five of those laps would be with weights. We all groaned the moment he said it. He quickly said. "Any of you willing to back out now's your chance, but it will cost you one paper typed on sportsmanship, which the losers will have to do plus twenty hours of community service of my choice to pick a fight in the first place. I am very disappointed in you boys for not settling your disagreements last time like we had thought during our little tournament. Yet I can see that we are going to have nothing but challenges until you all get along."
Having them grumble. "That's not going to happen with a bunch of devils worshiping freaks." Coach warned me and my friends not to say anything unless we wanted to add to our punishment.
Knowing how and where he could inflict it upon us. In fact, he said as much in not so many words, at least not where the walls had eyes and ears. Instead, he made us all run twenty laps with our Hulk buddies and tossed us medicine balls. While he sees if the pool is available.
Laps were easy or used to be until you had to run up and down the gym, tossing medicine balls back and forth as you tried not to trip over your feet or the person next to you. Where do they get these torture ideas and why do they think they have the right to inflict them upon us?
Coach came back as we quickly took a bench, huffing and puffing. He smiled and said. "Ladies, you are in for a nice treat. The pool is free and has just been filled with nice clean and cool water. I hope you like catching hypothermia because I am going to enjoy watching you boys turn blue."
I groaned because I knew how cold it would be because it takes two days for the pool to reach the proper temperature after it has been drained cleaned and refilled which they do over the Labor Day weekend and over Christmas break, and again right before summer. I could already feel my muscles aching from the cold water, but the challenge had been issued. I knew it was better than having an actual fight in the schoolyard, but this was insane. Not once have I ever gone to a school having gym class be such torture devised for school bullies?
True, I wasn't that kid anymore where I would get my ass kicked at school only to turn around and get my ass kicked by my parents and it wasn't for fighting at school it was because they knew they could and get away with it. I was a lean, mean fighting machine, compared to now where I am just a broken-down old man.
If I had three wishes, it would be to look and feel as I did when I was at sixteen forever, seconded I wish for a trillion dollars tax-free, and third brains of a genius. Know of any genies? Hell, I might even sell my soul for those wishes.
One thing about Gym clothes was they were easy to go from one sport to the next. Swimming was something I used to be ashamed of because it involved taking off my shirt and my shoes and socks. Something my father calls immoral and because it was a sport that required you to do so it needed to be band. Now I had lost the shyness completely and didn't hesitate to do so at the sides of the pool with the other boys that were challenging me and my friends.
I, however, apologized to them, watching them shrug their shoulders telling me if I hadn't, they would have … being as we were best friends for life, so we thought back then. I had to say we did look good without our shirts, seeing the soft tan skin underneath and knowing it was a complete tan, meaning there were no tan lines. My tan had faded a little since summer, but I still looked good. The girls liked it and that was all that mattered as we watched them smile at us.
I watched them place a note under my towel right before I jumped in when Coach blew the whistle. The first five laps were without the handicap. Coach never did anything half-way. He included everyone in class to participate, even though they weren't being challenged. Gym class was still Gym class.
The first five laps were easy. I only stayed ahead just enough not to be behind as my challengers gave it all they had. I knew better than to give it at all. I got it right at the beginning. Ten laps were ten laps. It was those last five that would slow us all down and make us earn that win. Coach was looking for the best five scores to be the winners out of the eight of us that were competing.
Which meant three of us would be doing papers and twenty hours of community service. I knew I needed to be in one of those five spots because I had already a full plate as it was. Man, I wish I kept my mouth shut because the water was ice cold, but it was nothing I hadn't done before as I swam my little heart out.
It seemed like a lifetime once the weights had been added to our arms and ankles. My muscles burned, and I soon forgot how cold the water was as I pushed myself to keep going. Listening to the other boys rooting for us to win.
Jake surprised me and so did Adam, taking the first two spots. I took the fourth spot, with Ron taking the third and Charlie taking number five by two minutes of the boys that were challenging us. Yelling that, we must have cheated somehow. The question was how did we cheat? When everyone one of us swam the same laps together, we all wore the weights on the last five laps. We all started at the same time. It became a moot point. Causing the coach to settle it telling them they picked the event, and we beat them fair and square. Next time they better pick a sport where I didn't excel in or think I wouldn't.
Jake and Adam were pulled to the side as the rest of us went inside to shower and change. A fight broke out as the boys circled me, Ron, and Charlie. They had forgotten all about our bodyguards, but by that time they were in knee deep in bloody noses and fat lips and a couple of black eyes when our bodyguards broke up the fight.
They didn't hurry by any means after noticing me and my friends were giving a hell of an ass-kicking. And they had yet to lay a finger on us, well not enough to hurt us any. It was said we had all slipped in the shower due to all the soap on the floor. Not even our bodyguards said who started the fight, but I knew we would catch hell for it later. More so if I was late for my next class knowing Mom and Dad wouldn't be forgiving regardless of if it was an institute.