Can I Shout Now?
Fourth Grade.
[Six Years Ago]
I sighed as I walked into school to hear the raucous laughter and loud taunting of another innocent kid. This taunting was probably led by who it usually was, Charlie Tenza. He was the future jock, and the worst bully in our school. And he had a stupid crush on me. Every girl thought I was lucky; except myself. I seemed to be the only one who saw him for what he really was on the inside – a jerk – and not just the pretty boy he was on the outside.
Even if he was extremely cute.
My thoughts, and curiousness, carried me down the hall, into the cafeteria. I pushed my way through the buzzing group, thankful that I was so small. Being able to slip through crowds was one of its only benefits.
I gasped when I got to the middle of the group.
Standing by the wooden table, cowering and clutching his backpack, was a boy I had never before seen in my life. Charlie was picking on a kid who hadn’t even been here for a day! That was a new low for him.
I sat there for a moment, arguing in my head. There was a chance, if I went up and defended the kid, that Charlie would go away simply because, for the most part, he went along with what I thought. I had never associated this with him teasing people, but it might work. And even if it didn’t, Charlie wouldn’t tease me for anything, so if I went up to the kid, and tried to be his friend, at least I wouldn’t get hurt doing so. And the kid would benefit.
I glanced at Charlie, whose ear length, thin blonde hair fell into his green eyes. He didn’t seem to notice me; he and his future jock followers were too busy with their tormenting. My gaze traveled again to the boy. His brown hair almost covered his gorgeous turquoise eyes, which were filled with tears he seemed to be trying his hardest to hold back.
I took a deep breath, and walked forward.
The crowd immediately silenced as I stepped between Charlie and the boy. The boy whimpered behind me, seeming to expect Charlie to shove me into him. My heart was crushed with pity, and I glared up at Charlie. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Charlie! Ain’t your momma taught you better? What on earth are you doing?”
Charlie scuffed the toe of one of his sneakers on the tile floor. The crowd watched him, faces expectant. He glanced up at me, green eyes searching my face. “He... he looked at me funny,” he muttered.
I rolled my eyes. “Of course he did." The sarcasm in my voice was heavy, and it made both Charlie and the boy cringe. "Why can’t you leave people alone, Charlie? They don’t do nothin’ to you, most of them! Why don’t you just go away?”
He sighed, looking off; he wouldn't meet my gaze. “I dunno...”
Zach, one of the only of Charlie’s followers who absolutely despised me, made a disgusted noise. “Aww, why can’t you just let us have some fun? Come on Charlie, teach that kid a lesson!”
Charlie shook his head slightly, not meeting anyone’s eyes. He turned around, and the crowd parted as he walked away.
Zach glared at me. “You suck. Fun ruiner. Come on, you guys, spoilsport here just ruined our fun. Let’s find something else to do!’
He turned on his heel and left. The crowd followed, but most of the kids who weren’t part of Charlie’s gang gave me the thumbs up. They all wished they could do some of what I did; but they also knew that if they ever tried, Charlie would beat them up.
I turned around to face the boy, and he flinched and brought his backpack up to his face. I laughed, and wrestled it out of his hands. “I just saved you; you really think I’d turn on you myself?”
He shrugged, looking sheepish as he sat down at the table behind him. I sat next to him, and his gaze traveled to my shaking hands. He cocked his head, eyes full of concern. “Scared?” he asked.
“You have no idea.” I grinned. “What I did, most people wouldn’t dare. That took a lot of guts; you better be worth it.” His turquoise eyes searched my face nervously, and I laughed. “I’m kidding. I hate it when Charlie teases people. And someone he doesn’t even know? What’d you do, stab him with a sharpie?”
He looked at me skeptically, and I laughed. He shook his head. “I... I’m not exactly sure what I did. He just... didn’t like the way I looked, I guess.”
I laughed. “Don’t feel too special. He doesn’t like most people. Oh, I’m Tara by the way. And you are...?”
He looked up at me and smiled. “Johnny. Johnny Carazo.”
I sighed as I walked into school to hear the raucous laughter and loud taunting of another innocent kid. This taunting was probably led by who it usually was, Charlie Tenza. He was the future jock, and the worst bully in our school. And he had a stupid crush on me. Every girl thought I was lucky; except myself. I seemed to be the only one who saw him for what he really was on the inside – a jerk – and not just the pretty boy he was on the outside.
Even if he was extremely cute.
My thoughts, and curiousness, carried me down the hall, into the cafeteria. I pushed my way through the buzzing group, thankful that I was so small. Being able to slip through crowds was one of its only benefits.
I gasped when I got to the middle of the group.
Standing by the wooden table, cowering and clutching his backpack, was a boy I had never before seen in my life. Charlie was picking on a kid who hadn’t even been here for a day! That was a new low for him.
I sat there for a moment, arguing in my head. There was a chance, if I went up and defended the kid, that Charlie would go away simply because, for the most part, he went along with what I thought. I had never associated this with him teasing people, but it might work. And even if it didn’t, Charlie wouldn’t tease me for anything, so if I went up to the kid, and tried to be his friend, at least I wouldn’t get hurt doing so. And the kid would benefit.
I glanced at Charlie, whose ear length, thin blonde hair fell into his green eyes. He didn’t seem to notice me; he and his future jock followers were too busy with their tormenting. My gaze traveled again to the boy. His brown hair almost covered his gorgeous turquoise eyes, which were filled with tears he seemed to be trying his hardest to hold back.
I took a deep breath, and walked forward.
The crowd immediately silenced as I stepped between Charlie and the boy. The boy whimpered behind me, seeming to expect Charlie to shove me into him. My heart was crushed with pity, and I glared up at Charlie. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Charlie! Ain’t your momma taught you better? What on earth are you doing?”
Charlie scuffed the toe of one of his sneakers on the tile floor. The crowd watched him, faces expectant. He glanced up at me, green eyes searching my face. “He... he looked at me funny,” he muttered.
I rolled my eyes. “Of course he did." The sarcasm in my voice was heavy, and it made both Charlie and the boy cringe. "Why can’t you leave people alone, Charlie? They don’t do nothin’ to you, most of them! Why don’t you just go away?”
He sighed, looking off; he wouldn't meet my gaze. “I dunno...”
Zach, one of the only of Charlie’s followers who absolutely despised me, made a disgusted noise. “Aww, why can’t you just let us have some fun? Come on Charlie, teach that kid a lesson!”
Charlie shook his head slightly, not meeting anyone’s eyes. He turned around, and the crowd parted as he walked away.
Zach glared at me. “You suck. Fun ruiner. Come on, you guys, spoilsport here just ruined our fun. Let’s find something else to do!’
He turned on his heel and left. The crowd followed, but most of the kids who weren’t part of Charlie’s gang gave me the thumbs up. They all wished they could do some of what I did; but they also knew that if they ever tried, Charlie would beat them up.
I turned around to face the boy, and he flinched and brought his backpack up to his face. I laughed, and wrestled it out of his hands. “I just saved you; you really think I’d turn on you myself?”
He shrugged, looking sheepish as he sat down at the table behind him. I sat next to him, and his gaze traveled to my shaking hands. He cocked his head, eyes full of concern. “Scared?” he asked.
“You have no idea.” I grinned. “What I did, most people wouldn’t dare. That took a lot of guts; you better be worth it.” His turquoise eyes searched my face nervously, and I laughed. “I’m kidding. I hate it when Charlie teases people. And someone he doesn’t even know? What’d you do, stab him with a sharpie?”
He looked at me skeptically, and I laughed. He shook his head. “I... I’m not exactly sure what I did. He just... didn’t like the way I looked, I guess.”
I laughed. “Don’t feel too special. He doesn’t like most people. Oh, I’m Tara by the way. And you are...?”
He looked up at me and smiled. “Johnny. Johnny Carazo.”