The Life of Buddy

Jasper

Randall stared icily at Jasper as he stood at his locker between periods. Hatred filled him as he watched him. He inwardly laughed at how he thought he was protected now because of Ron. That no one would touch him.

Well I don't care what Ron or the other football players are going to do me he thought. I'm still going to kick the jerk's butt.

Let them come after me I don't care. I've dealt with worse than them. Way worse.

Randall started walking towards him. He was going to slam him against the lockers and give him the same treatment he gave Buddy the other day. Just he won't be making two hundred dollars this time.

He is so clueless he thought. He has no idea what is going to happen to him. Not as smart as he think he is.

"Randall!" A voice called his name causing him to snap his head around. It got Jasper's attention too and confusion crossed his face.

Not only had the two of them stopped but everyone in the hall as well. About twenty students watch with rapt attention.

Parker appeared at Jasper's side and said "What's going on?"

"I don't know." Jasper replied.

"Do we have a problem?" The man asked as he walked over to him.

Randall just a deer caught in the headlights look as he struggled with what to say.  He looked back at Jasper one more time and saw Parker with him.

Another stupid Johnson he thought. They're all over the place.

"I asked you a question young man." The man said pulling Randall's attention back to him. "Do we have a problem?"

He sighed inwardly. "No."

"Then get to class." He said giving him stern look.

Randall said nothing he only walked past him and headed down the hall. The other students dispersed filled with disappointment.

Jasper looked at the adult thunderstruck. "Did you just save my life?"

"I think I did." Chris Collins said. "Or at least from a painful beating."

Jasper looked at Parker who was equally confused. The seventeen year old just shrugged and walked away.  Jasper looked at his father again and said "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He then said. "Let's walk."

The two walked down the hall and Jasper felt a nervous flutter in his stomach. "You're not taking me to the teacher's lounge for a spanking are you."

"No." Chris said. "I'm just walking you to class."

"Is this a dream?" He asked.

Chris gave his son an impatient look. "Don't be..." He caught himself before the last word could escape from his lips. "Silly."

"Why did you help me?"  Jasper asked carefully not wanting to anger his father and get pulled into an empty classroom for a whipping.  "I thought I was a worthless punk who deserved to be beaten."

He then winced as he embraced himself for the slap that he was sure was coming. Instead Chris just let out a heavy sigh. "If someone was to ask me that yesterday I would have said yes." He told him. "Honestly I sat in the parking lot of the shopping center with a belt in my car ready to beat you for being a disrespectful punk."

"What changed?" Jasper asked.

"Mister Johnson." Chris said. "He talked to me last night told me how much of a jerk he was being and that I was destroying my relationship with my family."