Sudden Bite

Chapter 7: Bullying

“This is for you,” Alexander says holding out a small box inmy direction as we stood on my front porch, having arrived at my place mereseconds ago.

“What is it?”

“A birthday gift,” Alexander states as if it were obvious…which it really should have been. I felt embarrassed for being confused oversomething so obvious.

“You didn’t have to,” I mumble as carefully take the giftfrom him. We’ve only known each other for a month and it’s been a weird month.A month filled of mixed signals and dozens of questions about where we stood ineach other’s lives until I could finally decide that we are in fact friends.

“How could I not get you a present on your birthday?”Alexander replies before urging me on to open it. Carefully I pulled at the endof the ribbon and undid he bow so I could lift the lid off and reveal the whitegold locket that sat inside. It had a simple floral engraving that was honestlyincredibly beautiful. “I left the inside empty so you could decide that photosyou wanted to put in it.”

“This is beautiful Alexander… it’s too much though, I can’ttake it,” I insist, holding the gift out in his direction.

“You can and you will, it’s for you Kit, pretty girlsdeserve pretty things,” he said, placing his large hands over mine and pushingthe gift in my hands back in my direction.

“Don’t think me accepting this means you’re buying me,” Ideclare with slightly narrowed eyes directed at him.

“The thought never even crossed my mind.” He held up hishands in front of him in defense and I nodded slightly in satisfaction.

“When is your birthday?”

“Why?” Alexander asks, looking confused at my sudden question.

“Because I want to repay you with your own birthday gift,” Iexplain as if I couldn’t be any more obvious.

“January,” he replied without missing a beat.

“Figures you’re a winter baby,” I comment with a puff oflaughter. He was cold just like the winter… but deep down I knew he was also warmlike the hot chocolate I drank every winter.

“You should get some sleep, I’ll see you Monday?”

“You know me, I never miss a day of school,” I grin beforethanking Alexander once again for the wonderful birthday and headed insideafter sending him a quick wave. I made sure to be quiet as I made my waythrough the house to my room as I wasn’t sure if my father and brother weresleeping, it was almost midnight so I doubt that Sam was, but then again allthe lights seemed to be turned off. Even though it was late I moved across thehallway with a clean set of pyjama’s and went to take a hot shower, finishingthe day with relaxed muscles and warmth that hugged me.

In the morning dad asked how last night was and I told himall about the puppies and kittens as well as the delicious cupcake I had andthe stargazing we finished the night with. Dad simply said that he was happy Ihad a good time with a genuine smile that made me feel happier. There wasnothing I want more than his trust, and I always had it before, it’s one of thereasons I’ve never had a curfew. Maybe I let it get to me too much last nightwhen dad tried to suddenly implement a curfew and I probably overreactedslightly but I was tired of always being treated like a child, not just by myfather or Sam but everyone else… everyone but Alexander. Well usually,Alexander still refused to let me in completely, insisting that it was dark anddangerous. However, I’d come to accept that he wouldn’t tell me about his pastbecause that wasn’t him, it might be a part that I would be happy to know aboutone day, but for now I was learning everything else about him and I was alrightwith that because either was it was still Alexander.

When Monday morning did come it was nearly impossible todrag myself out of bed. I might have gone to bed much later than I should havetrying to finish my book. In my defense it wasn’t really my fault though, itwas the book’s, because the book was just so good it was impossible to putdown. My daily mug of coffee was definitely needed this morning and I couldn’thave been any happier to find the steaming mug downstairs in the kitchen justwaiting for me.

With a little bit more energy buzzing through my veins I wasable to successfully get myself ready for the day. My day was just like anyother and there was nothing wrong with that because my normal day included myfavorite class and spending lunch with my (new) friend. However, somethingabout today was different.

“Can we go down to the cafeteria?” I asked Alexander as Iclosed my notebook and glanced at the time on my phone; ten minutes till theend of lunch.

“Why would you want to go down there?” He asks in return,face scrunched up in obvious detest.

“I wanna buy a bottle of water, I forgot to bring minetoday,” I explain already sliding my things back into my bag.

“Alright sure.”

“Did you do the reading for English?” I ask as we make ourway down the stairs side by side.

“You mean the poems? Ya, I finished them before picking youup on Saturday,” he explains, the reminder of my birthday causing me tounconsciously reach up and touch the locket that hung around my neck. When dadand Sam say it for the first time this morning they both narrowed their eyes atthe new piece of jewelry and I was honestly surprised that they even noticedsomething like that. When I explained that it was a birthday gift and not aconfession of love they sighed in relief making me roll my eyes at them. Myfamily is so dramatic.

“I liked the second one, you know the Atticus one,” I sayexcitedly, noticing the small smile that appeared on Alexander’s face as I talkabout the modern poem.

“I was surprised it see it along all the other old poems,”he comments as we finally make out way into the cafeteria.

I’m confused when I see a large crowd creating a circle andmusic blasting from speakers.

“What’s going on?” I ask with furrowed brows as I stand onthe tips of my toes in an attempt to see over the many people but failingeither way.

“You don’t want to know,” Alexander replies, his heightallowing him to easily see what was going on in the center. There is a smallstage like place where announcement are sometimes made but right now there aretwo big speakers and a handful of students – one of which I recognize more thanthe others. Oh no.

“Tell me,” I demand while trying to ignore the music. It wassome rap hip hop song with horribly disgusting lyrics.

“There are access kids dancing in the center and other kidsmockingly dancing with them and people recording the whole thing,” Alec tellsme, looking hesitant to inform me of the scene. However, once he does Iinstantly feel angry burn up within me and my eyes instantly snap in thedirection of that familiar person with a furious glare. Without saying anythingto Alexander I suddenly surge forward and walk straight up that concrete stageafter pushing and shoving my way through the crowd only to slap him. Everyone falls silent at the sceneexcept for the access kids who are oblivious to what was going on behind them.

“You are horrible, you are all horrible,” I state with aburning look. “You are taking advantage of them, they think you mean it whenall you’re doing is mocking and bullying them. You are horrible.”

“C’mon lighten up Catalina,” Mason says rubbing his recentlymade red cheek before dropping his hand back down at his side.

“No, I want you all to stop because this is wrong, this is-”Everyone had gone back to doing what they were doing except for Mason since Iwas currently talking to him but even he seemed to be trying to block out my‘annoying’ voice.

All of the sudden the music is cut and everyone looks aroundin confusion, even I look around for the source. Behind the speakers I findAlexander who has unplugged the speakers, coming over to join me.

“If you are not eating f*****g leave,” Alexander demands,most people scurrying away when they notice the boy with the dark and dangerousrumors glaring at all of them. All that is left are the confused looking accesskids and those who were up here on this stage. Jumping down I go over to thekids and kindly smile at them and tell them that I’m going to bring them backto their class. I don’t know what’s going to happen when I leave Alexander,Mason and the other’s behind but right now I just wanted to focus on thesekids. It wasn’t fair to them, they just wanted to dance, to think that theother students liked them and were having fun with them, but in reality theyhad been mocked and it was pure bulling. The access kids excited told me abouttheir little dance party and I nodded and smiled along as if it had beeneverything they thought.

The bell rang but I didn’t care, instead finishing myjourney with these kids until I had safely returned them to their classroom. Itwas a shame because they were allowed to spend their lunch in the cafeteriawithout having the access teacher hovering over their shoulder but that wasexactly when everyone had taken advantage of them. The access teacher had beenin the midst of coming down to the cafeteria to gather the kids but stoppedwhen she noticed us already part way there. She had walking with us as wereturned and asked me why I was bringing them back. It wasn’t until we returnedto their class and I could talk away from the kids that I told the access teacherabout what had taken place in the cafeteria. My anger had turned to sadness butthe access teacher became furious just like I once was. She asked me to staywith the kids while she quickly stopped by the office to inform the principalabout what happened.

They had all returned to doing whatever it is they had beendoing before the lunch break so I allowed myself to look at my phone when itbuzzed.

Did you go to class?

Alexander asked, worry evident even in his text. I explainedto him that I was with the access kids however, I wasn’t expecting him to cometo me… yet that’s exactly what he did. When he walked in none of the kids paidmind to him but my eyes widened drastically.

“What on earth happened to your face?” I demand with concernas I reach up to gently touch his cheek as I examine his busted lip.

“They deserved it.”

“You did not start a fight,” I scold already knowing that hehad in fact done just that.

“Technically you started it, you threw the first hit,”Alexander replied trying to down play it while I simply narrow my eyes at him.“It’s fine, I’m a quick healer, I’ll be all better by tomorrow,” he assuresseeing that I clearly wasn’t satisfied with his other answer. I continued toglare at him for another moment before sighing and giving in.

Before our conversation can go any further the accessteacher has returned and thanked me for keeping watch while she was gone. AsAlexander and I make our way down the hallway towards our classes he comments,

“You know I never thought I’d see the day when you’d hitsomeone.”

“That was a special case,” I justify. If I didn’t knowMason, or at least know him at one point, I never would have hit him because Iwould have felt too shy and guilty.

“Care to elaborate?” He asked curiously causing me to heaveout a sigh.

“Mason and I were friends all throughout middle school. Ournames are right next to each other on the attendance list so we were often sattogether by teachers. When we entered grade ten I confessed that I had a crushon him and he instantly shot me down – quite rudely too to be honest – and Iguess that’s when he revealed his true colours. I was naïve and thought he wasa good, funny person, but in reality he was just a big jerk,” I explain toAlexander recalling my past with the boy I had harshly slapped today.

“That sucks,” Alexander blatantly replies and I can’t helpbut chuckle at his blunt and obvious comment.

“It did,” I agree. Now that multiple years had passed sincethen it didn’t seem like a big deal, just a little crush that didn’t turn outwell, that was normal and I didn’t think much of it anymore. However, seeingMason take part in such a horrible thing, I couldn’t help but react as I did. Iwasn’t just at him though because I had once had ‘feelings’ for him, I was madat everyone but only brave enough to hit the boy I once knew.

“I’ll see you later?” I say as we get closer to my class.

“Course,” Alec replies before waving slightly and heading offtowards his class while I awkwardly enter mine, the teacher allowing mytardiness when I explained I was helping with the access kids.

The next day there was a big assembly about bully held bythe principal since pretty much everyone had been involved, whether directly ornot. It wouldn’t do anything though, it wouldn’t change anything, and that wasthe sad truth.