My New Life

I stopped talking at school. Henry and Lacey tried to get me to talk, but I couldn't. Haley's desk was empty, and it made me sad. I was mad, too. I couldn't keep her safe. I looked down at my picture and colored it. I was drawing a picture of Buster.
"Oh jeez..." Lacey said.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked.
"Hey buttheads!," Sam said as she sat in Haley's seat, "Your girlfriend is gone."
"Shut up, Sam," Henry growled. I looked up and at Sam. She was smiling evilly, and it made me feel weird. She liked making me upset.
"It's true. I heard her family was crazy," Sam giggled, "My daddy said her parents were hitting her." I clenched my fist and kept my mouth shut.
"That's not true! My mommy said she just needed to get away for a little while," Lacey stuck her tongue out at Sam and smiled at me, "Haley will be back." I smiled back at her.
"She's gonna be gone forever," Sam looked at me and spit in my face, "And Kaiser is gonna be lonely forever." I closed my eyes and wiped her spit off my face. Henry slowly got up and went over to Sam.
"What do you want?" Sam asked. Lacey looked over at me and covered her nose. I had no idea what was going on.
"If you don't leave, I'm gonna fart on you," Henry whispered. My eyes got wide, and I thought that wasn't very needed. Sam's eyes got bigger and she stood up.
"You're so gross!" She shouted, then she ran off to her side of the classroom. Henry smiled, chuckled and sat back down in his seat.
"You're so icky sometimes," Lacey giggled.
"Were you really gonna do that?" I asked.
"Yuh huh," he giggled.
"Why?"
"Because I ate too many cookies at lunch," Henry rubbed his tummy, "And she was being mean to you."
"You're gross," I smiled and went back to coloring. I don't think I could ever be as boyish as Henry was. Lacey and Henry talked for the rest of class, and I just kept coloring. When I was finally done, the school bell went off and everyone started getting ready to leave. I couldn't wait to show Landon the picture of Buster, and I didn't want it to get messed up so I kept it on my desk while I packed everything else in my backpack.
"See you later Kaiser," Henry said.
"Yeah, bye bye Kaiser!," Lacey said. I waved at them then watched as they walked out of the classroom holding hands. I frowned and finished packing my things. When I put my backpack on, I grabbed my picture and walked out into the hallway. When I got outside, I didn't see Landon in the spot he always parked at, so I sat on the concrete and waited. I watched all the other kids get on the school bus or get in the other cars. I laid my head on my knees and waited. After a while, I saw a big shadow over me.
"Hi, Kaiser." I turned around and saw Matt. Sam was standing behind him. I stood up and put my picture behind my back.
"Wh-What do you want?" I asked. Matt grabbed my shirt and pulled me up, and Sam grabbed my picture when I dropped it.
"I want you to say sorry to my sis," he said. His breath smelled very bad.
"D-Don't do anything to my picture! It's for my brother! Put it down!" I said.
"You can watch as she rips it up," Matt smiled and looked at Sam. She smiled and ripped it in half before throwing it on the ground and stomping on it. I felt my bottom lip wiggle, and I got really mad. I clenched my fists and started moving.
"Let me down! Why'd you do that?!" I said. Matt and Sam just laughed.
"It was an ugly picture anyway! Your brother wouldn't like it!" Sam said. I got really really mad. Without thinking, I looked right into Matt's face and spit. He threw me down and wiped his face.
"You little jerk!" He said. I grabbed for my picture, but Sam stepped hard on my hands and kept hitting my head. It didn't really hurt much, and when I looked up at her she hit my face a little bit.
"Get off," I said.
"Make me!" She stopped hitting my face and just stared at me.
"I don't hit girls. My brother told me to never hit a girl," I frowned and looked down at my drawing. My hands were bleeding from Sam's shoe.
"You're just stupid," She laughed and pressed harder on my hands. It started to hurt. Matt walked back over to me and shoved me over, making my hands rip from under Sam, which really hurt, and made me fall to the ground. I think my nonbroken arm was hurting pretty bad.
"I'm gonna get you real good now!" Matt said. I covered my face, and I was waiting for his punch, but it never happened.
"Kaiser?!" I took my hands down and looked up. Landon was getting out of his car and looking over at us.
"Let's get out of here, sis!" Matt shouted.
"Right bro!" She said. The both of them ran off towards the playground, leaving me and Landon alone. I quickly ran over to the picture and tried fixing it, but it was ripped in two and it too late. Tears swelled my eyes, and I felt Landon's hands on my shoulders.
"What happened? Did those kids hurt you?" He asked.
"No...," I looked up at him. His eyes got really big, and his hands got tight around my shoulders.
"Kaiser! What did they do?" He asked. I picked up the two pieces of my picture and showed him.
"I drew this picture of Buster for you, broder, but they stomped on it and ripped it up...," I frowned and felt tears go down my cheeks.
"Oh Kaiser...," Landon picked me up and gently wiped my tears from my eyes, "We'll fix up the picture. I promise. But your face is pretty banged up, and your hands are bleeding. The only thing that saved your arm was your cast, too. Did they hurt you?"
"Yeah...," I looked away and Landon started walking to the car, "But I didn't hurt them back or anything."
"Well I'm glad you didn't fight back, but you should've defended yourself, bud," Landon said as he buckled me up in the car.
"You told me to never hit a girl," I said.
"Well yeah, but what about that bigger boy? And where the hell were the teachers at?" He asked as he buckled up and started his car.
"I spit in his face," I frowned.
"Well that's something," Landon started driving, "But I'm going to talk to the school tomorrow."
"I would have done more, but I couldn't."
"Well he was pretty big...," Landon frowned, "I'll get you cleaned up when we get home."
"I couldn't fart!" I said. Landon's eyes got wide, and he started laughing.
"What does that have to do with anything?" He kept chuckling.
"That's what Henry does to them when they don't leave us alone. They never leave us alone. Sam always picks on me. So does Matt," I stuck my tongue out.
"Well I don't think farting on 'em is the best solution but," Landon chuckled more, "It's funny. But they always mess with you?"
"Yup. Matt is Sam's older brother. He's in first grade."
"This has been going on for awhile now?"
"Since the first day."
"Alright. I'll go talk to the school tomorrow," Landon tilted his head, "Unless you didn't want me to."
"Iunno," I shrugged, "I don't like it. But I don't wanna get in trouble..."
"You're just like me," Landon smiled.
"Why can't I beat them up, bro?" I asked. Landon stopped in the driveway and turned the car off.
"I hate to tell ya little dude, but you've been cursed with a good heart," Landon smiled. I stayed quiet while he got out and got me out of the car. He held me in his arm as we walked into the house.
"Is a good heart a bad thing?" I asked.
"Nope. You're just too good of a kid to hurt somebody else," he opened the door and we were met with Buster. I got down from Landon's arms and let Buster lick me a few times. Brian and Shaun were in the living room.
"How was school, dude?" Shaun asked. I looked over at both of them and held up my ripped picture.
"I drew a picture of Buster for Landon, but two stupid buttheads beat me up and ripped it...," I frowned and started walking up the stairs.

~Landon's POV~

I waited for Kaiser's bedroom door to shut before I said anything.
"What the hell happened to him?" Shaun asked.
"He looks like he got the shit beat out of him," Brian said. I ran a stressful hand through my hair and put my keys up.
"These little punks beat him up. I was there late because of traffic. When I got to Kaiser, the little shits were gone," I crossed my arms and walked into the kitchen.
"Why didn't he fight back? Hell, I would've beat the shit outta them," Brian said.
"Because he's too nice of a kid," I said, taking a sip of water. Brian and Shaun leaned against the wall.
"He didn't fight back at all?" Shaun asked.
"He spit in the fat boy's face, but he refused to hit the girl," I chuckled a little, "He said he would've farted on her if he could've." Brian and Shaun laughed.
"Such an innocent kid. I wish we could help him," Shaun said.
"I'm going to the school tomorrow morning to talk to them. This won't happen again," I said.
"I'll go with you," Brian smiled, "They don't wanna mess with me. I'll kick some ass."
"They'll be terrified," Shaun sarcastically responded. I smiled at my ridiculous friends.
"I gotta go clean Kaiser up. You guys figure out what you want for dinner. I'm starving," I said right before I started for the stairs.

~Kaiser's POV~

I took off the clothes I wore at school today and changed into my blue jean shorts and a Sonic the Hedgehog shirt. Buster kept nudging my face and I hugged him tightly around his neck. I heard a soft knock on the door.
"Come in," I said. Landon opened the door and smiled.
"Heya little bro," he smiled and sat on my bed. I sat on his lap and smiled.
"How about we get you cleaned up? Wanna go to my work and see Daniel?" Landon asked. I smiled big and nodded.
"Yes! I love Daniel!" I said. Landon smiled and I hugged him tightly. He hugged me and carried me into the bathroom. He sat me on the counter and gently wiped my scrapes and cuts with a warm rag.
"It doesn't sting, right?" He asked.
"Nope," I smiled, "I'm strong." Landon smiled and put some cream on my cuts. After that, he put bandaids on them and kissed my forehead.
"You'll be a little sore. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner," he frowned. I hugged him tightly and he hugged me back.
"It's not your fault. I'm sorry they ruined the picture," I said.
"I bet we could fix your picture and stick it up on the fridge," he smiled and ruffled my hair.
"You really think so?!" I asked.
"Of course," he walked me back to my room and I grabbed the two pieces of the picture. We walked downstairs in the kitchen and Landon got out some tape. After it taped it, the picture looked good-as-new, and he stuck it up on the fridge.
"Thanks so much bro!" I said, hugging him tight.
"No prob," he said.
"So... You have rocker hair and you're an arist?" Shaun asked.
"Those chicks are gonna be all over you when you're older," Brian smiled.
"Nuh uh!" I stuck my tongue out. They just laughed.