A Collection of Short Stories

10: Being a 341 year-old Freshman Sucks

"I just know. Now tell me," I say.

"I'm 176. You?"

"I'm impressed," I say while nodding slightly.

"I'm sure you weren't expecting that. respect your elders. Now, tell-"

"How about you respect your elders?"

"Excuse me? What?"

"I'm 341. Beat that!"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't you worry," I say.

He tilts his hat. "Have a lovely evening."

"You too!"

He shuts the door after himself. I listen to him convincing his partner that I'm fine and that my parents will return shortly. I chuckle softly to myself and sit down on the sofa.

The house was left by my parents, so I had taken it and decided to live in the house. No one objected, although no one could object. Why? Because they were all dead. They were slaughtered right before my eyes when I was 15.

I had taken it upon myself to work and get a good job, but ultimately I just went back to school. I don't know why I did it. I guess the repeat of the year was an easy way to get good grades and perform in school.

The next morning, I walked over to her desk and slammed my fist on her desk. "Did you send the cops over to my house again?" I ask her furiously.

A couple of people around us snicker. "Do you really have nothing better to do?" I ask her. I stare her dead in the eye. "Is it because I am better than you in academics? Or is it because I can fully function without having a bunch of people following me around constantly? Huh?"

"Wha- What do you mean?" she asks me, clearly startled.

"Never mind," I mumble quietly.

If she wasn't the one who was bothering me, then who was it? When I got home, my house was in flames. The fire department was already there. "Miss, do you live here?" they asked me. I just ignored them and kept on walking.

With a snap of my fingers, the house returned to normal. The flames were doused and the house was unharmed.

The next day at school, the buff guy approached me. "So how's it like being homeless?" he asks.

"What do you mean?" I smiled.

"I heard your house burned down last night. A nice warm bonfire I think?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

"So you are homeless?" He and his friends laugh.

"No, although my house was in flames, nothing was harmed."

He stares at me with a shocked expression. I smile politely at him. His goons stop laughing. "Now, would you care to leave the proximity of this desk and not bother me any more?" I ask with fake politeness.

"You-" he starts. He gets interrupted by both the bell, indicating the start of the lesson, and the teacher, telling him to sit down.

I wave sarcastically as he leaves my desk. All he said was, "After School. You and me. Back of school."

All I did was nod and accept the challenge.

So much for being on the down-low and being ignored by people.

I show up that afternoon to beat this kid's ass when I notice a couple of people following me. I slow down, and when I caught up with them, I ask, "Where are you guys going?"

"To the back of the school. Apparently Jack's going to beat some girl's ass!"

"Well, I'm going to beat his ass then." I strut out of there. I glance over my shoulder and the kids are looking at me with dumbfounded expressions.

When I finally arrive behind the school, I notice quite a crowd. "Please!" I hear someone pleading. "You can't beat up a girl!"

The crowd parts as I arrive. I walk through the path and stare at the scene in front of me. Another guy was beaten up and bloody, but he was on his knees begging to Jack. "Out of the way, Theo," I say.

Jack spins around and runs towards me. He punches me right in the face. The pain shoots through my jaw as my head turns to the side due to the impact. I sidestep once. The crowd gasps loudly. Murmurs of "He hit a girl" and "Is she okay?" float through the air.

I glare at Jack. "Wow! I thought you were weak. Now, Jake or John or whatever your name is, I want to know why exactly you decided to burn my house down?" I say. More gasps from the audience.

"You were annoying. It's Jack, by the way."

"Okay, Jake," I say this just to frustrate him. "Let's get the party started, shall we?"

I take off the backpack that was slung over my shoulder and through it to on the ground.

We basically punch each other. I watch as he becomes more exhausted. He didn't think once about kicking me or sweeping the feet from underneath my legs. His punches become slower, less consistent and more predictable. I wait until we are close. I grab his shoulders, punch him in the face hard, and knee him in the balls. A dirty trick, I know. He lurches forwards and grabs them while screaming in pain.

I pay no attention and tune everyone out as I grab my backpack, and sling it over my shoulder once again.

People decided not to bother me for the rest of the year. I got several other challenges from other boys in other classes, but I refused all of them. I managed to get through the year with good grades.

After scoring well on my final exams, I decided it was finally time to move on to sophomore year.