The Crush: The Bully

Liam Wilson

This week of school was a blur. No one talked to him, and some even ran from him. So far, so good for having a fresh start. He heard a few conversations calling him a bully or a criminal—even a killer. Noah was confused because, had he been a bully, wouldn't he have been beating up others? Wouldn't he be bullying? And the thought of him being a killer was just ridiculous. He couldn't kill a spider mainly because he was terrified of them. He has to pay Melanie a dollar to get them out of his room. And yet word around the school is that he is a reformed killer.

Noah was happy his first week went by so quickly, but unhappy the weekend went by just as quickly. It was Monday again, and he growled at the thought. Thank goodness this day was going by quickly.

Noah had a free period during the third period and wanted to find a place to avoid the stares of judgment. Most students used this time to leave for food or hang out in the gym or library, but Noah's mother packed his lunch, and he was without friends, so those two were out. He recalled a set of benches located on the side of the school and thought that they would be perfect. No one ever seemed to go there because there was nothing except the benches, a trash can, and a crude poster depicting women as good for only one thing.

Noah thought about bringing a sharpie to ruin the poster, but he was surprised to find someone had taken it upon themselves to paint over the sexist message with rainbows, flowers, and butterflies, plus a message that read, "Women are people too." His curiosity got the best of him as he wondered who had done this act of bravery and if they had gotten into any trouble for doing it.

Noah settled down with a book his mother gave him, an idea he usually wasn't open to. But being stuck outside of school had changed his perspective on reading, and it was either that or staring at the trees. He opened the book and inserted the bookmark before starting to read. Then he heard harsh tones coming from close by him.

"I told you to make my paper look like I wrote it. Now the principal wants to talk to me." The voice growled angrily.

Noah can hear others chuckling in the background as if they enjoyed the show.

"You said you wanted an A plus, so I wrote an A plus paper," the smaller voice replied.

Noah knew it was none of his business. He tried to ignore the voices and focus on his book, but his sense of morality got the better of him. He peeked over to the corner, in the back of the school's big dumpster, to see who the voices belonged to.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw a group of guys surrounding a smaller guy. They were all taller than him, making him seem vulnerable in front of them. The smaller guy had a look of fear in his eyes as the taller guys closed in on him.

Noah knew he had to do something, even if it meant risking getting beaten up. He couldn't sit by and watch someone get bullied. He took a deep breath and walked over to the group.

"Hey, leave him alone," he said, trying to sound braver than he felt.

The group of guys turned to him, surprised to see Noah standing there. One of the guys stepped forward, menacing, moving closer to Noah.

"Mind your business," the boy said.

Noah stood his ground. Noah isn't a tiny guy; he knew his size would depict him as strong. "Let him go, and don't bother him again," Noah demanded.

The taller guy standing a few feet from Noah smirked, looked back at his friends, and c****d his head to the side. "You don't know me, do you?"

"A bully, how original," Noah said, rolling his eyes.

Liam Wilson, the school's bully, initiated this unfortunate encounter.

"I know you. You're Noah Thompson—the new guy. Got sent to jail for beating up half his school," Liam said as his cronies continued to chuckle at his words.

Noah was filled with rage upon hearing how others felt about him.

"Look, this is my school, and I'm the one calling the shots," Liam's fist balled up as he readied himself for a fight.

Trying to avoid confrontation, Noah appealed to reason in hopes of peacefully coexisting. He explained his desire to get through school without any conflict. Noah just wanted to exist. But the bully wouldn't take no for an answer, and before Noah knew it, he was sent crashing to the ground with a shove. Anger overcame him, and he stood up, ready to fight back.

"What's going on here?" A woman's voice called out in alarm.

She rushed over to assess the situation and quickly concluded that Noah was the aggressor based on the clench of his fist. She pulled Noah away from the group as loud laughter echoed behind her.

"Welcome to Evergreen High - we have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying," Liam said mockingly.

Noah found himself ushered into Principal Henderson's office, the scent of the principal's lunch still lingering in the air. Principal Henderson had just finished eating but still had a few crumbs on his face. He grabbed his napkin and wiped his mouth.

"Noah, please have a seat," Principal Henderson pointed to the chair.

Noah complied, his body tense, his knuckles still sore from clenching his fists.

Principal Henderson sighed heavily, "What happened?"

Noah told his side of the story as the principal listened with his full attention.

Principal Henderson looked Noah in the eyes, "Noah, I believe you. It's clear that you were provoked, and your reaction was a result of self-defense."

Noah exhaled, a sense of relief washing over him. He had feared the repercussions of being wrongly accused.

"Thank you, Principal Henderson. I don't want trouble. I just want to get through school," he breathed out.

Principal Henderson leaned back in his chair, assessing Noah with thoughtful eyes. "Noah, I understand your desire just to blend in and not make any waves; however, I think it's crucial for you to form connections and engage in extracurricular activities. It might be beneficial for you to try a sport or some other after-school program where you can make friends and find support."

Noah wore uncertainty on his face, questioning and hesitant. "I don't know if I'd be any good at sports," he said.

"Noah, sometimes it's not about being the best; it's about the journey and the connections you make along the way. How about spending the next two weeks with Coach Williams? He's organizing meals for people experiencing homelessness on Sundays and looking for students to lend a helping hand. It will give you an opportunity to meet others outside of school, and who knows, Coach Williams might have other suggestions for after-school activities that resonate with you."

Noah pondered the principal's suggestion. He hated giving another day to school. His mind was swirling with possibilities of actually making at least one friend. Perhaps this community service endeavor could be the catalyst for the change he desperately needed.

"Alright, Principal Henderson," Noah sighed. "I'll give it a try."

Mr. Henderson gave a small smile, "Thank you. I know you think I am forcing you to do something you don't want to, but maybe this will be the fresh start you've been searching for."