Brandon Smiling: From the Billy Chase Chronicles (2) - 40. Entry 40

Wednesday

Ok, something is seriously going on with Stevie!

He came into school with a BLACK EYE today!

“Dude! Who the hell did that to you?” I asked him when I first saw him this morning.

“None of your business! Just…stay out of it, ok?” Stevie growled!

“Bullshit! Is someone picking on you, Stevie? Tell me!” I begged.

“I SAID forget it, Brandon!” Stevie almost shouted at me and then pushed passed me, kind of, roughly!

Ok, now I’m really worried! Is someone beating on him at school or just after? Is he getting abused at home? Whoever they are, they aren’t shy about showing their handiwork ‘cause that black eye is a shiner! Someone wanted to do some serious damage to Stevie and show off just how much damage they could do!

I’ve felt a hot anger rising in me all day over that! There’s nothing I hate worse than bullies! I’ve proven that already with my past run-ins with them. Where do certain people get the idea that they have the right to go and hurt someone else? I’ve never understood that! Maybe, they’re taking their frustrations out on those they think are weaker than they are. Maybe, they’re abused themselves and they think that by passing that abuse along they can make themselves feel better. Maybe, it’s just downright cruelty. I just don’t understand and I don’t think I WANT to understand! There’s no excuse for it! If you need help with your own abuse then go get it! Don’t pass it on to someone else! It’s just wrong and these people know it!

Anyway….~sigh~

I decided to keep an eye on Stevie today and maybe figure out who’s screwing with him. I could only spy on him at lunch and between classes when we took the same corridors, but I did manage to see a small confrontation.

I should have guessed…it was Karl and Jason! Both came up behind Stevie and pushed him into the lockers and then walked passed him giggling.

I immediately saw the problem, too!

“YOU FUCKERS BETTER LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!” Stevie yelled at them!

Both Karl and Jason turned on Stevie in unison with looks of pure evil in their eyes. Stevie, black eye and all, stood his ground. He was breathing hard, obviously afraid, but not willing to back down! It was like watching a chihuahua facing off against two pit bulls!

“What did you just call me you little cock sucker?” Karl hissed as he stomped up to Stevie, grabbed him by the shirt, and partly LIFTED Stevie off the ground!

“AN ASSFUCKER, you pansy assed ginger!” Stevie snarled!

Stevie must have a death wish! There must be other ways to commit suicide less painful than being 100 pounds and challenging a 250 pound line backer to his face! Especially a sadistic monster like Karl!

“You’re dead you little buttfucker! I’m gonna hurt you a lot before you beg for it though!” Karl shook Stevie for effect.

“Go ahead. I don’t give a shit! I rather be dead than live on the same planet as you! GO TO HELL!” Then…Stevie SPIT right in Karl’s eye! This cause Karl to drop Stevie and try to wipe the stinging spit out of his eye!

“Oh, little man, you got spunk, but it won’t help your dead ass!” Jason said with a chilling coldness. Now it would be two pit bulls against one chihuahua. Yeah, real nice look guys!

Karl finally got enough spit out of his eye to look red-faced at Stevie. Without a word, Karl balled his fist up and prepared to punch Stevie’s lights out, break his face, kill him with a blow…something. But, then, just as Karl was preparing to become a murderer in plain sight of the whole school, a voice rang out from down the hallway.

It was the Principal Russel.

“What seems to be the problem, boys?” He asked politely.

“…nothing, Mr. Russel. Just…getting some THINGS straight around here.” Jason answered with his usual icy calmness. Ice and fire, that’s what Jason and Karl were. No wonder they were so close. I wonder HOW close?

“Get along to class, everyone. Nothing to see here. Move along…” Russel said as he walked down the hall, clearing the gathered crowd (including me), but I lingered just a bit longer to see how this played out.

Mr. Russel took a look at Stevie and then at the two linebackers.

“Hmmm, that been looked after, Mr. Mitchell?” Mr. Russel asked Stevie.

“Yeah. It’s ok, Mr. Russel.” Stevie said, the adrenaline obviously coming out of him as his voice quaked a bit.

“Well, go see the nurse anyway. She has some stuff in there that can help black eyes.” Russel said this while still keeping an eye on Jason and Karl.

Reluctantly, Stevie left for the nurse. Apparently, the hope of something helping his eye was one thing Stevie was willing to try for himself.

When Stevie was out of earshot (and I was peeking around the corner, hidden) Mr. Russel addressed the two pit bulls:

“Ok. The only thing that anyone’s going to get ‘straight’ around here is that you two are about two seconds away from being thrown off the football team! Coach has already given you two a warning already! Let this be your final warning! LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE!” Principal Russel said with a slow simmering anger.

“But, Mr. Russel. Without us…we aren’t going to the Championship!” Jason DARED to say back! It was then that I realized Jason was the more dangerous of the two. Karl may be the most violent, but Jason had brains and no shame! He’d be the one to think up a way to get at Stevie without the two of them getting caught. It was then that I was afraid for my friend. Jason is…truly scary!

“Then that will be on you two. Get to class!” Mr. Russel waved them off. The two slowly sauntered off, still feeling like they’d gotten one over on the Principal, their arrogance plain to see.

I quickly made myself scarce before Mr. Russel could see me and I got to class on time.

As relieved as I was that Mr. Russel had stopped Karl from killing Stevie right there and then, I am now more concerned than ever about my friend!

Stevie’s bravery is amazing, but maybe not too well placed. Karl and Jason are getting away with things because of their place on the football team. What’s to say they won’t get away with murder too! Maybe, their parents have some pull in our High School that I don’t know about? Maybe, this is why Karl and Jason haven’t been expelled yet for their seriously evil behavior like anyone else would.

I don’t know, but they will still be around and Stevie will be their ongoing target until Jason and Karl get their revenge. This is so bad!

What’s more, it shows just how careful someone who even LOOKS a little gay has to be at school. There really are people out there that would happily murder you for being even a little bit different!

I have to wonder if Billy and I were to get into any kind of relationship and if it ever got out that we were in one, what kind of danger would that put us? It’s something to ponder.

This is Brandon pondering.