Winter Week

BALANCE OF DRAFT

a rite of passage earned you a spot on the football team to somehow violate my locker or me in some way. Last week, I vacuumed up the baby powder puffed into my locker which temporarily turned my black jacket more like a pewter look. It has become school tradition or





I am getting a little used to the reputation and that is what is concerning me. It is fitting too well. Bottom line is that I have just learned to accelerate my step based on the size of the hallway pedestrians.








A wise remark here or there was really all I had on the asset side to ward off all the humiliation and stand on my own; problem is there was only ten percent of the class that gets it. It was the quick wit but even more of an asset was my quick foot speed. Being just a bag of bones, I was agile and light on my feet. I was underrated in strength because any one who could carry my entire set of subject books home daily had to have some strength. In fact, on that basis, I was stronger than any of the football players who rarely carried more than one book a night home.


I didn’t have much of an arsenal to ward off the big guys and the more I was picked on the fewer friends I was picking up. I liked that I could make just about anyone I bumped into smile, but at the same time frustrated that it was at my expense.


I really need to change the way the way things are going if I am going to maintain any positive future reputation at all. Even the scholastic and Glee club is having trouble extending the relationship beyond the brick walls of the school. What is it going to take to change the direction of the constant abuse? I’ll just have to discover the stink bomb and that will bring me into the forefront of the popularity as soon as it comes round. Until then, I will jus at keep working on our experiments in the lab under the guise of saving the world or alternative energy solutions. That was all I needed to tell Mr. Helpern to get him to open up his lab to me at off period hours to experiment. He really is a cool guy and I have the suspicion he really knows what I am up to. He even made a side comment that one of our experiments had a sulfur odor and suggested we might be getting somewhere. Up till then it has been the same botch of green that seems to keep repeating itself. One of the reasons is probably the lack of chemical supplies we are allowed to use under school advisement. This led us to working with more natural or manmade materials.








The science room was not normally used for advanced experiments, but since I had such a passion for science and the interest in alternative green fuel standards, Mr. Helpern let me perform some fairly generic tests during his free period without classes. Mr. Helpern got along just great with me. He wore his same uniform from his former career; Grumman's aerospace uniform, the traditional starched shirt, tie waving the USA flag colors and the navy suit pants which at this point in his career ride up slightly higher on his ankles than back in the day at Grumman.


This time Mr. Helpern and I were convinced the Petri dish was harnessing a new form of energy, heck it wasn't that long ago that paint remover was derived from a soybean extract. Today’s experiment was to be a by product of meatballs, school cafeteria style, with a mayonnaised bologna slices mixed together long enough to catalyze each other and just short enough in the catalytic state for Mr. Helpern to keep his extracurricular tutoring job with me.


"OK I, safety protocol, gloves"


"Check"


"Goggles"


"Check"


"Respirator"


"What?"


“Just kidding I, last time the odor was pretty strong though Jeremy, I had to reschedule my class for another room."


“Oh yeah that’s right it was bad.”


"OK, I, lets get it on, 5,4,3,2,remove the lid." Helpern said with one hand over his nostrils like a barred cage.


“Ohhh Myyy Godddd, I am going to throw up." I dropped the lid onto the lab desk and turned toward the exit.


"Wait" said Helpern, Cover it first, it is disgusting."


“I can't, I think I am going to get sick,” I was running to the closet grabbing my jacket and lunch and then started bolting out of the science room like it was on fire. Mr. Helpern with his head tilting away to the side and forehead back is placing an empty plant water dish upside down over it cursing me for dropping the lid.


Just as I get outside, I went running into the back of Alan Bicker, the head football tackle and class bully.


“Hey twerp, out of the way.” He takes one look at me and sees me holding back my recent gag reflex with the palm of my hand.


“Hey look the geek is so nervous, he is getting sick to his stomach. Hurry someone call one of his boyfriends in debate club so they can give me some camel tea.” A few people in the hall were laughing including Suzie Pence, the prettiest girl in 6th grade or even the whole school. It wasn't bad enough that I knew I repelled girls in conversation, but, on top of that to be made fun of in a such a banner like way was just head burying.


Unfortunately when I feel pushed to the brink, as it often happens being the center of ridicule, I suffer and from ,my inability to hold back what is not as deep as I once thought in my mind and blurting out of the mouth. This has made me a great debater, but in instances like now a terrible politician.


I replied, "Actually, Alan, I was making your lunch."


In response to this quip, Alan full fisted my lunch, which was probably tuna or chicken salad, which makes the best lab tests, right into the locker it was dangling in front of.


"Let's move it along boys," Heavyweight Helpern comes to the rescue pulling his pants up a little higher suggesting he would be throwing around his 140 lbs of faculty.


One of Alan Bickley's side kicks started to gag along with me, he said, "come-on, lets get out of here,” as he hand over mouth started to release a little bile of his own.


Yes, I am thinking to myself, saved by the smell. Turns out the rancid experiment fumagated the whole place once again making the lab room unusable for science this afternoon.


Mr. Helpern really didn't mind so much because when they moved us it was usually to a room that had a real desk he could sit in a chair at rather than cheeking a stool the whole day. He had a permanent grin looking over from his chair vs a lab desk, I imagine for the relief he was getting. He also liked that they had a projector in the back so he could watch his latest Scientific America DVD on chemistry or physics advances watching electrons fly around like knatts on a warm summer day. He also liked that he was several classrooms away from the Greek Statue.


Just a minute young man, said Mrs. Didustopus. She was the Greek statue and would always hold us up and request a pass. She was part time, part hearing impaired and part grey in the brows, which is indicative of a true greek. She also had a poorly combed mustache and the worst memory, but she never forgot to ask everyone she stopped "Where's your pass" quickly followed by, "You Greek?" Students knew Mrs. Didustopus, as the gatekeeper.


start- boy and girl as friends walk home he is too shy to ask her to play





The alarm bell rang, everyone was out the door like the building was on fire into the bright light outdoors, this happens every day at exactly 3:20 when the heard of backpacks disperse across the great lawn, and dividing toward the sea of yellow vessels in the parking lot lined up in their usual roll call sequence. The balance of the pack headed toward parent pick up if they lived to far to walk or were to pretentious. That left the difference of the walkers straggling around either parent weren't home to pick them up or we just enjoyed a greater degree of freedom. Today was exceptionally bright due to the new fallen snow. There was raging energy like a thunder-burst, out went the fifth grade class at Green Gate junior high school screaming of release. For a few of us who straggled around, better we are the walkers. Today was just 180 degrees from exciting. It was purely dreadful, it was war games today, as it always is on snow days, and the walkers were the drafted of the lower school. The high school communists lined up like Russia’s army, 7th and 8th grade older kids, had already readied their forts for a battle in anticipation of the wave of foot soldier infantry. The challenge we first had, the walkers that is, was getting to a safe house, a spot behind a swing or a slide or anything for that matter that provided protection. This was doing anything to find cover even if it meant lying flat on the ground to make yourself a smaller target while continuing to crawl to better cover. You knew immediately where the best spots were by detecting the protruding backpacks clustered and the jackets muddled together like a Picasso. There was screaming "Look out! Over here! "Look out over hear!” guiding you across the handball courts as we were all running in stop and go fashion like Nintendo's Frogger traffic crossing game, dodging the snowballs spraying around us. Today was different they were gunning for me exclusively. The difference between 8th graders and 5th graders is only pure human size. It could be argued that it certainly not brains. I could sure support the suggestion that smarts lulls between 5th and 8th grade years for some individuals rather than moves forward. Although for me this could have been an advantage in the smarts area, another difference was snowballs that were twice the size and felt four times the weight, a disadvantage. It was like fighting cannons with muskets. They were using the kind of artillery that if you picked your head up higher than your obstacle wall, you risked getting knocked unconscious by a boulder size snowball and having it remove your hat, earmuff and anything else attached to your head. To a 5th grader, the 8th grade junior high snowballs were lights out, at least until you got the ice out of your eyes.





Quite embarrassingly, I ran right up on Susan Penzinsky, we called her suzy Pense.


"Oh sorry, hey Suzie, it's not that I'm scared or any thing like that, I just don't want my glasses getting broken by snow balls, I could stand up to those guys and toss some snowballs back at them, but I need to get home for music lessons. I didn't want to chance being late so I was running and ended up stuck behind bumping into you just as you see me." I mumbled out as I was almost pressed up into her backside. She thought I was getting cute with her as I was by her bottom slightly bent over ducking and hiding from the barrage of snowballs. Having an eye over my shoulder I did not see Suzie standing right there as I ran up the sidewalk.


It must have been my lucky day or stars crossed that was saving me from the firing line, that was the distraction of Suzie Pence, who could stop even high school boys with her cool style, and bouncing long hair that had a personality of its own. She had powerful stride, long, and a wiggle that swung back and forth with attitude. So my timing was perfect I slipped behind her while the junior high boys were caught in a trance looking right past me staring speechless and drooling over her like a deer in car headlights. Suzie Pence, who would be able to dress in a potato sack and would still, be absolutely pretty. She wore delicate small fancy flowered earmuffs, just perfect in size not to interrupt the style of her hair as it countered her deliberate walk. She has a cool parker army jacket and making it even more cool was a Sonic patch on the back. Everyone liked her jacket, and I admittedly liked it too. My chances of wearing it would be zero to none well maybe 1 percent if she ever considered to throw it out. Except for now annoying her, on any other day she wouldn't even bother to say hi to me.


We walked in single file for about a half of a block and she abruptly stopped turned around and asked


"Excuse me are you following me or what?"


"I said no, I couldn't get past you with the snow on the side of the walk"


"What are you talking about a bicycle could ride right through here, it's four feet wide."


"I thought I would make sure the snowballs didn’t hit you."


"Come on, wait that is sure weak of you. Oh your protecting me now I see. Please Mr. Ger-my Skiddyski give me some space, I wouldn't want to have to slug one of those upper school kids for you."


"How do you know my name?"


"Your the one in science that is always making those disgusting mold blobs, aren't you." Had I known this would have got her attention, I would have worn the schools mascot costume to school everyday to engage in a conversation with her.


"Yeah, I didn't know anyone new about those."


"How could we not, the science room smells like old cheese when your done." That meant the staff was also getting tired of the class switching, we better use different lab procedures going forward I was thinking like drying it out instead of moistening it.


"Yeah well that’s only when you add water to it ya know"


"What ever? What is that stuff your doing anyway?"


"It is biodegrading food, really gross technology at the elementary level. Mr. Helpern and I take old school food left over at lunch and try to break it down into a decomposed matter that gives off gas."


"Have you been successful at anything?"


"Well Mr. Helpern the science lab teacher assisted me in an after school project and I was able to use a lab heat torch burner. After a week of bologna and tuna mixed with some mold growing, we tried to light some of the trapped gases, but it only released a rancid smell in the room. Mr. Helpern still thinks I should keep working on the project, maybe use something to kill the odor though."


"Maybe, you should try peppers and chilies next time. I'll be sure to keep far away."


"Not a bad idea, but they don't serve that in school and we need to make sure if we are successful there is a lot left over to use."





By this point I was at my house and Suzie Pence still had a block or so to go she lived further from school than me.


I said "goodbye"


She said "see you around.


That was great, she would usually scour at the fact that we were standing next to each other.


She walked toward her house and her mother stops near by in a car and shouts out the windo,"what happened did you forget we were going to pick you up? We said that if it snowed? Remember?"


since it was snowing and her student has been waiting for her tutoring she had to say goodbye. Her student was in fifth grade oh I wish I could be me, he had to go to Suzie Pence's house every Thursday to read with her as part of a tutoring program. I think it was just that the tutoree really liked her and convinced his parents to make the arrangements for him. He still couldn't read and tells everyone that he hangs out with her all the time.





"That Your boyfriend waiting for you?"


"Why are you jealous, what do you think, you could make a good boyfriend, that’s kinda cute thought, What kind of Boyfriend would you make? she giggled and turned away."bye she said." as she continued up the street. Holy crap, she actually said the word boyfriend in a conversation with me, holy crap, I was thinking to myself. And to think, she didn't even want to talk to me 10 minutes ago.


As I walked in the house, sliding my feet across the door mats kicking off the snow, I thought to myself, hey I will make her a boyfriend, like one she has never had before. I got to work, loaded up the layers of clothes so to look almost like a body builder and the red snow suit, so it was a little small but who cares I was on a mission. After all Mr Helpern wears pants that are a little tight, I can be an adult too and wear a tight snow suit. I started to the garage and pulled out the snow sweeper.


"I, khhumm, what are you doing Jer?" Mom asks


"Just snow sweeping the walks for you."


"What has the cold gone to your head? Since when do you do anything outside like that?"


I ignored her and regardless of her concern for my health and her blindness for my true physical potential, I blew all the snow from the walks into the middle of the fenced front yard. The snow pilled up about three and a half feet tall and it was solid, the heavy kind perfect for a snowman, kind that packs to a like ice hardness after you pack it. I spent the rest of the daylight rolling several fairly good sized snow boulders that I was able to lift up after halving them with karate chops and then again in quarters, they were heavy. I made the mid section of the snowman and it was looking sweet. Then came the the cherry, a perfect noggin, a rolled head snowball smoothing it out to the point it could be mistaken for a white bowling ball. I finished it off with Oreos for eyes. I used about 10 cookies, but only two made it onto the snowman. Popped in a carrot nose which there really is no substitute. running down to the basement I found a beaded play necklace of my sister's that rightchously inlaid into the most friendly smile of onyx for teeth that one could imagine. I started writing in thick marker on some poster board 'Suzie Pence Top Of The Day To YOU!'.


Wait until she gets a load of this on her way to school. She is going to be surprised like no other. I can't wait to see her face. She said make her a boyfriend and that's what she getting.








chapter 2


1a- I was too excited that sleeping was just impossible, it was still dark and frost was painted on the inside of the window. With the cold weather I have to scratch through the crystallized frost to see outside after moving the model airplanes and cars from my window sill. I looked out to see my new "Man in town", one that could change my life, and earn me my first girl acquaintance. Suzie Pence had noticed me and here was the right time to seize moment for a clever first impression, a snowy boyfriend for her, she'll think its at least cute or maybe cute to the point of weird, but that's ok. Although it stood right outside the front door of the house, it was still too dark to clearly see my masterpiece. The weather was extra cold, so I was certain that the figure would be standing firmly upright just as I left him, bold and ready to start greeting passerby’s as early as daybreak.


I went to the bathroom to ready myself for the day and before I picked out my clothes for school like I normally do, I took a morning shower and got especially well groomed. You never can be prepared enough if Suzie Pence decided to knock on your door and comment on her new neighbor.


I walked back toward the window, the bright sun had just come up and now was glaring off the window into my room practically blinding me trying to see through the glass. I turned away and was glad the window's ice was at least melting and the sidewalk would soon be visible. It was still pretty early and only early band practice people would be out first. Hopefully I would be able to see their test reacton clearly once the sun rose a bit more reducing the glare.


"Honey, It seems you may have left an impression; there are a group of kids gathering by the fence."


I was glad this was the early walkers who got to school a half hour early for band practice. I knew it would only be a few minutes before Suzie Pence came walking by. I knew her schedule, she always liked to get to school earlier than most to talk with everyone, she was like the Mayor. I looked out the kitchen window to see who was gathering around.


"Oh my, Oh my God... Holy.... Help...What the, MoMMMM MoMMMMMM! Wear are my boots, where are my boots, help find my boots", I was screaming at the top of my lungs.


I blasted outside with dads' golasshes, kacki pleat pants that I maaged to jam into, white socks and tee shirt. The snowman stood or worse, was bent over, half the height I left it.


"It can't be, It cant be", I was yelling as I ran out. The small crowd was hysterically bent over and smacking at their knees, some kids were on the ground wiggling around. The snowman was one large ball against two smaller stacked snowballs with a pair of Sponge Bob briefs stacked in the large snowball looking like a backside with carrot peice bulging the middle out of the bloomers. My snowman looked like he was two cheeks to in wind bent arched over casting an unbeleivable image, toward anyone within sidewalk distance. Adding to the authenticity of this new position were my boots that I left outside by my front door, now, turned around right next to the bottom snowball. My mittens are set palms down on the ground in the push up position right next to the head still smiling with onyx, that now looked like a gratyfying premiscuious smile. My tribute sign now rescribbled read, "Suzie Pence, poop of the day to you."


I started sweating in the cold of the morning, my breath got short as my chest tightened up and my eyes started to get white flashes probably from the lower oxegen. I was pretty panicked, enough to cry temporarily,releasing just spirts of tears. I couldn't just stand panicing there and do nothing about it. I said repeatedly circling the snowman, it's not too late, where do I start to fix it. I proceeded to put my hand in the pants staked into the snowman and pull the carrot out of the Sponge Bob underwear that were tacked to the buttocks of the snowman.


I saw out of the corner of my eye another kid coming to make fun, bundled up in a parker hood in front. I knew almost everyone in our small school and really didn't have time for more jokes, not now.


"Ouch, what the heck" I got kicked, blasted in the leg, shen to be exact. She pulled the hood down and I just petrified right in front of her.


"What the heck is right, what are you doing, that's really cute I..., did you think of that all by yourself, or did you and your zero friends think it up." Suzie Pence ran off yelling stupid jerk as it seemed to echo as it kept repeating, sounding a little fainter the farther away she was. She was red as a stoplight, and I think even redder than I was. She was crying not only for the bad publicity she was going to get about the snowman Gig, and more so for my overzealous idea that I made suggesting we were on the up and up, elbow rubbing status, which we clearly were not. Not before Frosty and certainly not now.


Well I cried again for that too; I almost got lost in thinking how bad it was going to be for Suzie Pence, then I came to the realization of the butt-end jokes I am going to make as the laughing stock. This was a 'TuYey', that means two years I'll be hearing about it before the class would get tired of pointing it out each time they saw me. Who could have done such a mean thing? Forget mean, this was pure villianous.


I knew who right away, my sister's boyfriend Benny, he was here late, and it had to be me. He was this cool guy, always punched me in the arm gave me head locks. I'm thinking He was so two faced, how could he make me beleive we were such good friends, driving me here and there when I needed, getting me cool video games and then ruin my entire life, no warning? I'll get him for this, I'll think up something, but first I'll let him know I know.


More immediate worries persisted. How was I going to go to school today. Under these circumstances, for-get-it, It's not in the options, I would be toast. Anyway, I decided to stay home and write my 4 page hate letter to Benny the bastard and let him know all the things I hated about him all along and what I was going to do because of his malicious acts.


Sofia my sister who gets out of school earlier than me, walked into the house and greeted me immediately since I was home already. Of course I practiced my big beef script on her instantly: Blahh blahh blahh Benny, Blahh Blahh Blahh Benny, ten minutes of stupids and jerks and a lot of add lib in between. With a bit of shock to her face, she said "shut up, you twit! Do you want this note from Suzie Pence? or not? I could always chuck it in the garbage, just like you better do with that note or I'm going to kick your ass or at least Benny will."


"Listen, I didn't mean what I said about Benny, I was just...,"


"Don't worry about it twit, It's cool, you have worse to worry about than me and Benny." Benny said smiling as he walked in from the screen door right past me. "Poop of the day to ya"


So I kicked the back of his foot as he walked by for that wize crack. In return, he nuggied my arm into a deep numbing sleep.


I was dumbstruck, "What are you talking about? She actually gave you a note for me?" I asked Sofie


"Yeah, you know the cute girl Suzie Pence you met yesterday or were talking to. she asked me to drop this off to you." as she put the note on the kitchen table flicking it back and forth with Benny.


"Gimeee it", as I was going for my feel better medicine, oreos and washing them down with chocolate milk for the extra hit.


"I already know what it says so why bother opening it." as I continued, "Dear Germ virous, don't bother coming back to school ever cause I am going to kick your head in and I can do it."


She would be right, she could. Another helping of Oreos was neccessary followed by a chocolate syrup shot and then I was ready, the note read:


Jeremy, I think your a jer-k with a big "K", you should not have made a snowman for me, you are not my boyfriend and everyone in school is making fun of me, I am really mad at you. And you should have come to school to feel what it was like hearing everyone say poop of the day to you. Any way, I am mad. But, I have to tell you that I saw Allan in the hall at lunch and he was telling some friends that his brother thought it was so cool that he messed up your snowman.


"That stupid jerk!" I screamed, I am going to show him, but I had no idea yet how because he was the toughest kid in the grade.


(note continued) "In the middle of the night he sneaked out and messed with your snowman. Anyway, I had to tell you how I felt but thought you should at least know what happened. Although I am not your girlfriend, to say the least, in fact I hardly know you, but it was sweet in a kind of weird way what you did, but I am still mad.





chapter three





It was Friday and the next day and I was still furious. I was carefully planning on how to get even, I had my marble spy book and Froggy stuffed animal for safety protection, that's because it is serious and a mission now. I have my belt pouch that my dad gave me from his old photography stuff, a camera with old film inside, recorder, a pencil and spy mini telescope from my spy kit.


That kid is going to be in for it I don't know what yet but it is going to be a super surprise and a big one. I thought to myself. I wrote all my ideas down, good ones and bad ones, peanut butter on his bike handle and pedals, stupid, disecting rat in his back pack another idea just to start off. I needed something big to really make him squirm. That’s it I will make invitations inviting the ninth grade all to come to his house for a party and hang girls underwear all over the porch and say are you ready for the panty twist. Yeah and I'll put a box with a doll hanging out of it with a note saying "You left this at my house Eddie and I new you couldn't sleep with out it." Or, I'll leave girl tights and a feather scarf with a note that says "sorry the show had to be cancelled there was a run in my stockings." Am I crazy nuts, if that prank ever came back to me I would be so dead, who cares. Yeah, I will leave a note that says "I'm probably still on the toilet, don't be afraid of any loud noises." I don't know I can't really think of anything really good. Maybe I will just start spying for some ideas.


CHAPTER CHANGE


It wasn’t too cold today and the snow was melting. Thank goodness I had my favorite boots on, these were my warmest boots, Half way to Eddies house that was only two blocks further than mine from school, I found a bike that was strewn on the ground and two parallel lines that with their mud and dirt kicked up made them easy to follow in the snow. "I wonder what is going on, this is strange, they lead right to Eddie and Allen's house?" So I followed them a bit further and they led into his back yard and the gate was closed. "Eddie is kidnapping people now?" I thought to myself "you can't even ride your bike around here any more."


What was going on, I was a little afraid, had a bit of the jitters and a cold chill. I am wondering what to do. Should I go for help? Call the police and tell them someone is in real trouble? Now, as my thoughts were getting worse, my legs were filling with that tingling stiff sensation and my body was stiffening up. What should I do? I really need to find out what's going on. But, if I get caught staring at the fence, he might come out and get me next! Quickly I ran behind the neigbors hedges to the right of the house next door. The corner where the hedges and fence met was hiding me from the street or anyone coming out of Eddies house or worse the yard. Ewwe, Something smelled, garbage and they must have a baby or something that produces disgusting smells like diapers, this is much more rancid than even my experiments. Squeezing by the hedges toward the fence along side of the neighbor’s property, there was a small hole in the fence where my spyglass could fit in; it made everything look bigger and rounder. I saw some movement on the other side.


"Ahh, that hurts, stop it stop it, I could get killed. Help, Help." It was Eddie.


Then I heard laughing, they are torturing me and laughing at it. All I could really see was Eddies head going back and forth from behind a tree trunk and the 100 feet of rope someone used to spool him up.


Although I couldn't stand Eddie at this point, I also couldn't help myself. Out of nowhere a voice just popped out of my mouth, "Stop it! Stop it! Stop hurting him you jerks."


"There he is I see the red jacket,"


"oh no they are coming and now I am dead," I started running away feeling as if my legs were stilts unbendable and heard the metal fence clang open against the house. When I looked back I saw Eddie still tied to a tree and full of snow. At full steam was his brother and friends flying towards me on foot.


"Hey look it the geek from down the block, you know, the one who likes to make carrot crap."


I started running as fast as I could but I had these big boots on, oh, I hated these boots right now. Why the heck did I ever buy them.


"I didn't know he was a friend of yours Eddie," they were yelling out loud as their pace picked up and mine was slowing down, "get him."


"Ouch stop it" I muffled the words out from under the snow they stuck my face into. It was only for a second before they pulled me back up, but my face was gettin that freeze hurt already.


"What are you doing with all this crap, binoculars?, he was spying on us, and he has a tape recorder, a recorder. He is trying to get us in trouble. Tie him up too."


This has got to be as bad as things could get for me. Now I was being pummeled by the upper school kids, but not like the ones who for fun took target practice on us at the school yard, these guys were professional bullies, and worse, I was tied up to my new archenemy Eddie the snow defigurefiler.


"Thanks I...,"


"What?" I said in the most disgusted tone with a litle shock.


"Thanks for trying to help me, what did you see my bike?"


"Yeah" I said. "Did they drag you by the arms this far?" I inquired quietly as the bully gang was contemplating what to do to us next.


"No, they dragged me by the feet. I still have packed snow in my back and it stings now."


"Those guys are the biggest jerks next to you!" I said.


"I hate those guys too," Eddie said to me as the snowballs were clacking off the tree above our heads.


"You hate them, How bout I hate you!" I said.


The bullies blowing into their bare hands to warm them up,"How about we leave them their on the tree? Come on lets get some hot chocolate I'm getting cold out here. Besides, if they freeze they'll be easier to hit not wiggling as much." Allen and his posse went into the house to warm up.


"Hey listen, you are really an ok guy, I thought you were like a geek or something, but you helping me out makes you either the bravest person or the craziest and either one that's cool. Nobody stands up to my brother, ever. He is always doing the meanest things like this to me. Yesterday he hung me by my underwear on my bedroom door and my toes didn't touch enough to get off. My mom had to get me down as soon as she got home and my butt is still killing. He does all mean things to me. Like on his birthday last month he gave me the last cream filled donut, my favorite. I took a bite and found out he had sucked the cream out of it and put ketchup in it instead. I practically threw up right there in front of all his friends. Everyone laughed at me so I spent the rest of the day in my room, which is what he wanted any way." As Eddie was wiggling his hands and hips sideways to loosen the rope hoping to get out before the hot chocolate was drank.


"You probably don't have those problems at home like me."


"Well sometimes my sister gets in my face all the time and doesn’t stop talking and frustrates me so much."


"That sounds awesome, she plays with you, I wish I had that. My brother is always trying to get rid of me and likes his friends more. Listen; if we ever get out of here alive do you want to play crash bikes or something like that together." "Not really I don't like crash bikes too much. I would play chess or if it’s not too cold maybe catch with the football if you want."


"That would be cool. I have no real friends, I am in trouble all the time because my brother makes me so mad that I am grounded and have to stay in my yard. Except when I sneak out."


"Yeah like when you came over to my house and ruined my snowman and life. That was the meanest thing anyone ever did to me."


What, stick a carrot in a snowman’s butt, that's nothing. Try living here for a while and a knocked down snowman would be like eating your favorite desert. My brother put Ben Gay in my underwear and then folded them back into my draw. I wasn't lying that I was wearing them and there was fire in the hole or something like that, that's mean and rude.


"That's funny," I said, Eddie just looked at me without laughing, so I continued, "No, if we did it to your brother!" and then he started laughing.


I think we were becoming friends in the most unusual way. "Hey that’s an idea, we'll do something to get even. Your smart I with that science stuff you’re always working on."


"I didn't know you knew about that."


"Everyone knows you," Eddie finished.


"And, I think Suzie Pence that girl you built the snowman for even likes you in a strange kind of way, she stares in at you all the time.


Yeah we're practically neigbors.


"No It's not that, I don't know if she is amazed at how smart you are or for a guy who is so smart you pick out the most awful clothes to wear, a pajama top does not go with corduroys."


"This is not my pajama shirt and these are pleated pants not corduroys!"


"Even Worse, exactly my point."


"Yeah right, a geek like me, and not after this mornings nightmare at my house."


"Hey don't be so hard on yourself, it's not your fault your a geek, it's your parents. They saw what you were becoming and they let it happen."





Chapter 4





As much as we were different, we were the same. In ways completely identical and in ways completely opposite. They were united like two estranged paternal twins. What we were starting to realize is that we were more alike each other than we ever had imagined. (Show how) We were different, in so many ways as well, picked on, outsiders and different from the normal crowd if you can put normal in ages between the years 10 through 15 in a template. Although most outsiders looking in at us and our new kindled relationship would scratch their heads looking for the "why?" similarities between us, they would come to be quite surprised of the tight bond.


They agreed to use their differences to their advantage and similarities to build revenge driving them with the nerve to act as they otherwise alone would be too afraid to attempt. We decided to put my head to work and Eddies unbridled inhibition for anything goes and the plans began to be unfold.


"Lets take an inventory of Allen’s day and find out where he is most vulnurable and what hisnhis most popular activities are."


"Your smart, Jeremy, why don't you ever play Bakugon with everyone."


"Cause everybody would only pick on me and steal my pieces."


"That’s too bad I, I have so much fun with them, you should check them out some time."


"No Eddy, I mean I don't play at school, but I have a lot of them I mean."


Then Eddie asks "who is the best bacugon attacker "dracken"" they both shout out at the same time. Ok, who is the most powerful transformer, "Firelaser" "with the force field”, they shout insink. What is the grossest thing you ever ate, "A worm that I was forced to." I said.


"gross," Me too, you are so cool.


"So are you."


"Let's get my brother back for each time he messed with me."


"I don't think there are enough days left for that in your lifetime and if there were do you think that's enough asked I,"


We both started laughing as we rolled on the floor.


Eddie asked his parents to sleep over Jeremy's house. His parents were just glad he had a new friend that took an interest in him, most kids were intimidated by him from his bully antics.


Eddie was walking in carrying a pillow case filled with underwear sweat pants a tooth brush at the bottom full of lint, his dinosaur stuffed animal, his lazer tag gun, his sleeping bag that is flat as thin cardboard and a pillow absent its case, he had all the stuff you'd need for a successful sleep over, and in the other hand, transformer, and flashlight.


Do you have a blow up bed?" Eddy asked.


"Yes and we are going to use it, I already asked my dad to set it up. My room is kind of small, but it is so cool because if fits between my bed and the desk so my floor disappears in my room." I said to Eddy.


"Is your room that small?".


"Yeah," I said, "but it converts into a super dungeon dragon cave."


"That’s so cool or WWF Wrestle areana," Eddy said pumping his elbow down toward the ground like a wrestle power move.


"No it's not big enough for WWF Sorry." I quickly took that idea out of his mind.


We settled in and started playing with all my toys, cars, legos and DS game.


"Let's Go boys time to settle down," My dad yelled up to my room, "Quiet time now." Wow four hours had just vanished before our eyes.


"Five more minutes Dad," I shouted without thinking.


"You got five more but then it's lights out." Dad's final warning sounded.


Exactly five minutes later, "Here try to hit my spot from the flashlight with yours on the ceiling. Jeremy check this out a shadow of my pointer finger, can you guess what is?


"What a stick." I said and we both cracked up laughing,


"Hey, Eddie", geremy says as he sticks two fingers straight in the line of the flashlight beam, can you guess what this is?"


"No what two snakes." Eddy guessed


"That is so stupid,"


"I know", they both broke up laughing.


"BOYS!"


"OK Dad, Goodnight"


"GOODNIGHT BOYS", Dad relaxingly shouted back.


They both start yawning and roll in opposite directions as we pull the transformer sleeping bag over ourselves. The Only difference was I in a tightly tucked end while Eddie lay with his unmatched sport socks protruding out of the bottom of his side of the sleeping bag and blankets.


Over that night and 100 do-over games under the blanket the next few days were being schemed to get back at Allan.


"In Mr. Helpern class, I made an experiment to accelerate degeneration of food to create gas. It didn't exactly create the gas I was looking for but it smelled like gas you and I know well. I even got yelled at for making it at home. One time I made it and my dad blamed my mom for farting; he said Honey how could you? Since I knew what it was I started to laugh my mom got so mad and I was sent to my room early for the night. I was so upset because I didn't really fart but couldn't help laughing. Besides if my father didn't make such a stink about it, I would have not known the experiment was so good.


"Yeah my dad he just farts out loud any time he wants and says better to bear the shame than bear the pain. Hey but listen to this"


"Wait, did you just say butt," we both broke out laughing.


"Yeah that's so funny" They announce together


"anyway, if I mix the cauliflower and chili peppers and let them sit overnight they will smell really like bad gas, but when it drys there is no smell. When you add water though, they both giggled and snorted.


"It smells like crap right!" Eddy excitedly said quickly.


"Hey did you snort? I do that all the time.


"listen, Here is what we can do; this stuff is impossible to get the smell out. I got it on Mr. Helperns lab table and he said it smelled like sulfer but it really smelled like horse manure the wet kind. Let's take a small amount of the powder and put it in his socks and then fold it back up and put it into his draw. When he runs around in PE in the Gym, when his feet sweat they will smell like the backend of a horse.


"Hee Hee," With the most mischievous laugh, Eddy says, "He bikes to School, always likes to put gel in his hair. he brings his favorite transformer to school and he loves to trade bakugon cards for ones he does not have. There weren’t enough ideas to make things right the list just went on and on.
























































They decided sneaking into Allan room while he was at wrestling practice would be the best time. The entered his room and started to collect bakugons to glue them together and paint them girl colors. They did not here Allan come home early from practice due to a potential threat of snow in the late afternoon. Picking up the last game ball they could find in the room, we did not see Allan waiting in the door opening on the opposite side of the room. Allan did not hesitate and lunging right across the bed to grab the slowest limb left behind, he reached out. Surprise guys look who has come in for a beating, while he dropped his wrestling duffle bag.


“Oh your sleeping over your girl friends house again, you better not let me know you goosed his snowman,” Allan says wisely trying to cause friction between me and Eddy. “He already knows, anyway,” Eddy fired back quickly then proceeded to yell, "Dad, Dad,” as Allan is chasing us around the room. Allan claws me and his grip is like a fish hook impossible to get away from and pinching my arm. Stuck in his grip he starts punching me in the arm. Eddy running to the otherside of the room, and I was mad. Some friend I’m thinking to myself, I help him when he is tied to a tree and he bails out on me in his own house. Eddy has different intentions, he jumps over the bed and rifles through a few bed side draws and pulls out a magazine that I had never seen before. Is he joking me I mean com on. He quickly gets Allens attention. To my surprise the magazine stopped Allan in full swing like a stone taking down David. Eddy proceeded to interigate Allan in the few seconds we had left of life.


“Hey Allan is this your new hobby magazine. I bet it is your favorite hobby.” Eddy continued on as soon as their dad was entering the room from the commotion.


"Dad, Allan is trying to get me to read his hobby book, and I told him I didn't like it. Could you please ask him to stop asking me? There is no reading in these magazines, just girls taking baths and showers or something.


"Allan Joseph Brickman! Get down stairs now, your mother and I would like to have a word with you now." Reddening in the face beyond any degree I have seen before, Allan heads down stairs trying to figure out how to explain the surprise topic of the day. I couldn’t tell if it was the embarrassment or the anger that turned him a sort of crimson.





CHAPTER 5





The next morning, They decided to get to work. Having already collected a few of Allans bocugon balls before the beating we were in search of different color nail polish in Eddys mother’s closet. Lucky for us she had a fancy for dressing up for all occasions. We have everything from pink which you would find on a local auto body receptionist to orange and yellow, Haloween stuff; which was freat because it is powerful bakugon colors. I had a collection of model airplanes, and I was no stranger to painting small parts of plastic. The fist assignment was to change all of the bocugan balls to either girl colors or power game point colors that would surprisingly have no power. We took apart the Bakugon ball and remove the magnet so they didn't open and were replacing the magnet with glue. We couldn’t waight for Allans first roll out of a new game. We were looking so forward to sitting by the cafeteria where everyone in school paraded their balls. Usually leading with his strongest color, someone was bound to say, “ what's the matter do you have your moms balls, or are they just plain sissy balls.”


We sent a notice out anonomously that students of the school should visit Allans facebook on Tuesday evening. Allan according to Eddy always left his computer on and he had one of those newer ones that had a built in vieo camera or feed. We snuck in his room two hours before he was waking up for school, he sleeps through anything. We were putting silly putty with fishing string tucked into it up on the ceiling using the end of a broom stick directly above his chest. We knew when he sat up he would probably go forward a little. Once that was set we measured where to cut the line and tie on our new hairy artificial friend. We have already prepared the sticky apricot on the underside and it looks grosser than what we even expected like a slime puss combination. The spider was now hanging directly 12 inches above his neck and we were ready. The only ting left to do is aim his computer optic in his lap top toward him to record. He had his laptop on all the time so he could text and email his friends last thing and first thing of every day. I even read some messages that said he enjoyed beating Eddy and me on the tree. Man did he deserve this big time. So we eagerly reset the time and alarm to be fast so he would be off to school leaving us time to retrieve the spider attack footage.


Eddy’s tough brother hates spiders so when we hear the alarm sound we started giggling right away, of course we were hiding in the kitchen pantry with a note on the table advising Eddy’s parents that we left early to school, knowing the wrath of Khan was going to be let loose in this house. When Allan got up, the spider, as planned stuck directly to his head and he shrieked like an excited opera lady, I tell you I let a little pee out laughing so hard and holding my breath almost popped me eardrums. We heard footsteps of panic followed by screams of mercy screaming that he was being attacked bitten and bleeding and saying it’s poisonous puss I’ll be blind. Since he ran out of the room so quickly we were sure we did not get all the antics on his computer but we were sure we were still getting the words, words that we determined we may have only heard once if that many times before and we just knew they were not regular English nouns.


We were peeking up from the floor of the pantry through the little slats. The jelly looked like puss and goo smeared all over him and the spider still stuck to his hair and part forehead and I definitely wet my pants now. I don't think I laughed that hard being so quiet ever, this was worth a hundred beat-up-on for me. We knew we had some protection as long as we were in the house because Eddy’s parents would protect us in the house, but school, that would be a more lightly treaded battleground.


We stayed away from Allan in hiding for the rest of the day and night. I don't think he thought we would be stupid enough to do something that horrible to me again but he was wrong. Plan two was about to unfold. It was the stinky sock mission.





The biggest trick is getting the concoction in the clothes; it needed to be ground down to flakes and then powdered onto the area. A peppershaker. That would be the perfect way to place the caulichili powder, that’s what we have decided to call it the night before. It wasn’t that bad dry, in fact we could hardly smell it. We knew it would smell when Allans feet got real hot and sweaty.


For The final assignment of the revenge, they decided to give Allan a real taste of his own medicine. Algea from his fish tank mixed in with the caulichili.


We searched the house for something to grind the concoction down in and found nothing. Bamm, An Idea came flying in like a bomb. Pepper shaker!


Putting socks away in Eddy’s room, his mother notices the peper shaker on his desk and appropriately removes it for return to the kitchen.


His mom puts the peppershaker back into the cupboard and the father dresses lunch with it, Honey, lunch was good today, that was a nice treat the chili was very good with the tuna fish. Honey, I made you chicken salad today the one without chili sweetie are you sure you brought lunch today. Are you sure you ate the right lunch, yeah Hun, swear it was tuna though tasted very spicy and a little like fish, strange.





6-





I knew I would catch you jerks you can only hide so long, You guys are so... "You guys got it coming" says Allan. He picks up the huge plastic rake and says I am going to scratch your faces off. Suddenly, a voice comes from the car that just pulled up the driveway, Allan then yelling again not getting his attention the first time, “with all that energy, why don't you grab the broom and sweep out the garage before I pull it in? Thanks that will be a big help.” Hey Eddy and Jeremy, why don't you boys come in for some hot chocolate. With huge smiles we replied we'd love some, I said could we have a couple of cookies to. Both in concert at the same time turned our butts up at Allan, who then yells out a big scream, “I’ll kill you guys!”.


“Hey Allan,” their father says, “why don't you clean the windows inside and out before you come in as well.” Well Allan had that crazy look in his eye that was saying there is only one way out of the garage and that is past me and I don't care if dad is right their, I going to kick both of you heads in and comb your faces with this rake. We could feel the heat of anger as we past Allan just by his nostril breathing; it was strong enough for him to win a bull act alike contest. We followed Eddie's dad in the house and said to each other at the same time “we are so dead for that.” We went on enjoying the cookies like there had never been a better cookie made ever, it was like celebrating winning an Olympic gold metal. We have a lot of those at my house, cause when I keep getting up from the table my dad says if you don't sit down until we are finished I this will be your last supper, but this was the best.





Boys, said Eddies dad, looks like Allan was pretty mad out there. Yeah, we got him back, he was beating us up the other day with his friends and he had it coming. Well I wish you had told me then so I could have spoken to him. Unfortunately, you know Allan, he is going to want to get you back, and I can only watch over you while you are in the house. So try to keep on his good side in school so you don't have any problems with him ok. OK dad, but we sure got him good, well that’s enough.





We agreed t walk to school together early each day to increase our odds of being safe on the way to school. Allan’s friends lived the other way from school so chances were they would not pummel us in the morning. It was the afternoon that was going to be dangerous for us.





Eddie and I were in different classes so we wouldn't see each other until the end of school, I don't know about Eddiet but I couldn't hear one word my teacher was saying, I was too busy looking out the window trying to figure out what the afternoon was going to be like. From experience I already knew Allans friends weren't into just beating kids up for fun, but now for revenge it probably meant torture.





The bell rang it s 3:20 and we're off like every other let out like every other school day, but this time staying after felt pretty good. Aren’t you going to get on your way home geremie, oh of course, I thought I would just get a jump-start on my homework. Taking the cue from my teacher, I packed up and began walking down the hallway quietly in my sneakers, where the crowd was different, the crowd seemed like it was standing still and parting before me. Eddiet was not too far behind and yelled my name, so I waited for me. We both walked together to the end of the hall before it turned right. We looked behind us and the crowd that parted was now coming together behind us, I think they know something we don't, oh we know we know. As soon as we made the right down the second hallway, there he was, the bully, he was ready to charge. By his sides were his equally large football buddies. Upon our eye contact, they charged us. I and I were like squirrels clawing at anything to get away, the hall got crazy as kids started screaming fight and the crowd was moving in four different directions to allow space for us to me. This was to our advantage. We slid by the lockers in back of the crowd down the hall to the exit door and then they spotted us again. We went for it. Get them. Now there was no one between the goon squad and us. It was a matter of time.





We ran past the bikes and they jumped on theirs after us at their. They stopp4ed to get their bikes and began after us, my brother just ran a snowball across the back of my head. That was a good sign, because it meant they stopped chasing us after us. When we looked back, the little extra winter fat caused one of them to crash his pedal into the front spokes of the other which caused those two to fight with each other and that left my brother frustrated that the one chance of the day we escaped. They had put a little winter fat on themselves toward the end of the summer. Today I was sure glad that being younger meant constant observance of our diets by our parents. Older kids were allowed more responsibility of what they eat, that is why they are fat. At least that is what my dad says; he says health is wasted on the youth. They were allowed to have snacks when they wanted and mom and dad still kept us eating healthy food like grapes and yogurt.





7a Coincidentally, we ran into Suzie Pence who decided not to stay for the massacre of the trouble duo. She looked at them with a stunned disbelief look that they seem to be in one piece. Her head was moving up and down as her eyes scoped every part of us, twice. I can't believe it she said, I know you didn't send them home limping, what happened, I had to leave, I just couldn't bear to watch. I'll tell you what happened, you ever hear of flash the super speed hero, well now there are three of me. We ran like hell, that’s what happened. Well there is always tomorrow guys who are you going to be then? For your sake you better be superman I think. It is not a secret, the entire school knows what you have coming, even the teachers got word of it in some of the notes they caught flying around. So what are you plans to deal with these guys? We figure stay close to adults at all times and if they try anything funny then we will just prank them back again until they have had enough. We are not going to be frightened by the school mafia. I like your optimism, but dumb brawn may just outlast clever pranks in the determination department. It is hard to keep playing pranks when you are in body casts. Well since you survived, do you both want to come over and have your last snacks with me. My mom usually makes cookies for me after school, I am sure she has made extra.





As they went in, they all sat around the table and in concert dipped their cookies in milk the exact some time, with the exact same fingers and soaked them for the same 10 seconds. They pulled them out and stuffed them in their mouths and laughed spraying the same amount of cookie and milk, enough to just run down their chins. I and Eddie looked at each other, could she really be a boy in a girl body, if that were possible, she would be a best friend too. They laughed and knew between themselves that as a girl she could never cross the line into best friend hood.





Turns out that Suzie Pence had an older brother as well, and he was a great influence on here when it came to maturity. He brought culture to the house as we soon discovered, she had started her own bionic Bakugon collection, and the most powerful I had ever seen it was awesome. If you can stay for dinner, we can play transformers until then, my brother lets me use all his stuff he has like 8 transformers and doesn't care even if I take them for a while. OK there is definitely something in the milk like the cow had too much candy when she pumped it out, we are in heaven, and it is at a girl’s house, how weird. But that all had to end of course, it could not be real. Suzie Pence comes back into the den from her kitchen carrying a cup of what she called dirt. I didn't think it was true, not until she took a worm out of it and ate it, which made Eddiee gag and throw up a little. Swallowing my own gag up back down, I asked her what that was she ate, and she said a worm I eat them all the time. Before she could clear up they were licorice worms, black in color, Eddie had excused meself to go to the bathroom. I jumped up at the coolness of the trick and screamed awesome, she just looked at me didn't say anything and smiled ear to ear.





It was getting late and we knew it was time to get home before it got too late for homework. It would be impossible to get it done with all the other work ds game, sonic TV show, shower, playing downstairs and snack. Evenings were busy at my house. As we went out the door, we saw the unthinkable. Three bikes, three bullies. Where Are you going, girls, we looked around because Suzie Pence was not with us. Yeah I am talking to you two. "No where" I said to them, leave us alone. We are not finished with you yet; in fact we won't ever be finished with you this year. Several cars passed by as we all glanced with silent prayer at who it might be hoping to get another lucky interruption, but before that happened, the bullies voiced that they had something well planned for us soon and left to get home also, our parents still didn't think they were grown ups and they still had to be in for dinner, they thought that was so dumb, but they knew they were in trouble if they missed the cutoff.





We shouldn't have done those things I, it wasn't so bad getting picked on every once in a while, now they want to really get us, and I mean bad, they are out for damage. Eddiet, Its wrong, and we need to stand up for ourselves even if it means getting pushed around. You think getting tied to a tree was bad, I heard they dragged a kid down the block and pulled his arms and legs off. he had to go to the emergency room to get repaired. I don't think so Eddiet that was when one of their friends was thrown from a quarter horse at summer camp and broke his arm. Yeah but why didn't he talk to them after that? Because they said he looked like a girl with his tight fitting horse riding pants, just before e he fell off, so it only it made me mad, when he turned the horse ran and fell off the horse, since then he stopped talking to them and says it was their fault.





8-





Suzie Pence realized that I had left his jacket at her house while they were playing and did not want to forget it. She decided to put her jacket inside his so when she remembered to put hers on, she would bring his to school as well, or at least remember to bring it to his house on the way. Suzie Pence liked to be one of the boys, she held the record for the fasted 50 yard dash and could do more push ups then anyone in the class, they were girl push ups but that still counts toward the record. What this really meant was she was not at all uneasy about wearing I’s jacket to school, She thought it would be awesome and warm being it was 2 jackets. So Suzie Pence left the house looking like she spent the night lifting weights, scarf double wrapped hair hiding under her hat and a back pack slung over one shoulder. She walked about one block halfway to I’s house, in fact she could see I’s kitchen window, suddenly, she was all discombobulated and could not figure out which way was up or the ground. Out of nowhere, she was slammed from behind and swung around by her backpack, which got her swirling like a top on the ice. A scream of the highest decibel came barreling out of her mouth, while her hair came flying undone from under the hat. That not me yelled one of the assailants, it his girlfriend. Well that what you get from hanging out with a loser like I and Eddiet. Now out of nowhere came a white blur carrying a crooked stick. Down goes one of the bullies whaling like a girl. It was I who was on his way up the block to get his jacket and saw the commotion. He picked up a broken hockey stick that was left in the street and rapped it against the ankle of the biggest of the thugs. He then proceeded to pound me on the back with the stick several times, this was not really hurting me since he had a jacket that was as thick as a sleeping bag, but the swinging action and squirming was enough to scare off the accomplices.





I came running up shortly after to collect my coat and noticed Suzie Pence was wearing it.





Give me that stick, screamed Suzie Pence, Now lick it,





Lick what. Lick the bottom of Jeremys shoe. Its muddy and discussing, that’s not all, he stepped in the garbage truck spill water that I bet had a diaper in it with all that it picked up, now start licking.





I won't





Well Jeremy has already proven that he will wack you with this, and I promise you if you pick your head up without sucking on his boot, I am going to use your head as a puck.





The bully with great hesitation licked his boot from heal to toe, you could see the bulging of Suzie Pence’s eyes that she meant every vowel of what she said.





After he licked the boot, he said you are going to get it from my boys, and me then Suzie Pence put her boot right into the middle of his head and his eye puffed up like a grapefruit. Now we’ll see how your friends stick by your side when they find out you got pummeled by geremy and their next if the utter one bad word about me. So hop along Skippy, and by the way, leave the bike, we're making a grand entrance to school today. Thanks for the ride.





Well the news traveled faster than a phone line. Suzie Pence just had to tell Eddiet presented one person on their way to school they were greeted with a homecoming crowd welcome, and the grand trophy, it was his brothers favorite __________ thing. All that I was able to say the entire day was it was nothing really making me seem all so much more cool about it rather than bragging. Teachers were passing by and winking and smiling at me, Mr. Helpern even said that he hoped there wasn't going to be any problems in school, but "good for you I."





I things are sure different around my house now; my brother goes straight to his room, says hi and bye, politely and asks if I world like anything while he is up. Mom and Dad heard about what happened and how you socked my brother right in the eye. I heard me saying on the phone that Suzie Pencer kicked me then his friend said so loud I heard it A girl kicked your butt, what a wimp, And He said quickly, no I belted me in the head. Wow what a shot, you’re a king. And Suzie Pence told everyone how you made him lick your shoe too and that you are the craziest toughest guy she ever met when you get angry, she even said you were her hero to some of her friends.





Everyone wanted to be my friend today and the halls were filling up around 3:15 getting ready for time to bust out and instead of being the main guy on campus, I said he just wanted to walk home alone like usual. About 5 steps out side the door A voice fro the doorway called out, I, would it be ok if you walked me home,


No sorry I have somewhere to go today.





chapter 9


I would feel much safer that way and she started ahead without even an answer from me. I could hear the crowd murmur in a low grumble as they could imagine us as the king and queen in high school. Problem was that if it got out that Suzie was the one who set the mouse bump on the head, she would be the coolest chick in the school, but the balance would mean that I would become the class mascot again, an internal silem for the rest of his high school career and that could be something that could even spill over into freshman college.


"It would be nice but I need to practice my music. Maybe I’ll see you around.


“What’s gotten into you? You seem different, whats the matter the popularity gone to your head?”


“Yeah that’s it, Because I am so popular I am ignoring you. What its really about is that if it gets out that you put the lights out on Bricky, I will be worse off than before, and besides, you can laugh off getting belted by a girl far better than you can get passed being protected by a girl.”


“Come, on Jeremy, it is not that bad he was down when I booted him.”


“That’s not how they’ll see it”


“Well I noticed that your reading was suffering some with all this attention. How about I tutor you on Wednesdays after school.”


“Yeah, my reading has been suffering a bit, some extra help could be good for me. And if we need a break, we could always hit the cookies and stuff.”


“Great then I’ll spread the word you’re just a dumb brute and we can get started on your tutoring tomorrow.”


Plus, you can return to your science lab and hide behind your geek faux Imposter.


“Yeah, and on Fridays we could have a study group, you, Eddie and Me.” They both laugh and walk home leaving an arms distance between them.


























1. Walk home


2. Meets girl


3. Eddy breaks snowman


4. Jeremy resues eddy


5. They team up


6. Trick 1


7. Trick 2


8. Trick 3


9. Revenge backfires on girl


10. Jeremy comes to rescue


11. She inflicts face wound


12. Girl beats him up


13. Jeremy afraid of tuth to get out


14. Retreats back to the lab


15. Eddy dates girl


16. Jeremy eddie no longer friends