Shade

The Accident

1999

Twenty One Years Ago

"Let Go!" A girl screamed, tugging a ball that she held onto tightly as a boy on the opposite side was pulling just the same. "I got this ball first! Screw off!"

"She got it first, Isaac! Let her have the ball!" a boy cried out, watching as Issac smirked and let go of the ball, causing the girl to fall backwards and release the ball in the air for Issac to catch.

"Sorry, Becca! Guess it's my ball now!" Just as it was about to touch his fingers, the ball was met with solid rock and the children watched as the ball bounced away, ricocheting off a pole and back into Becca's arms. "How the heck?!" Isaac screamed, baffled watching such a display of coincidence.

"Maybe next time, don't steal a girl's stuff." Issac scoffed as he turned to face a boy coming out from the shade, the sun shining to reveal his black t-shirt and dark blue jeans, gelled hair and smooth brown eyes with a displeased look on his face. "Oh great, here comes your knight in shining armor, Becca!"

"Oh buzz off! I didn't need his help!" The boy laughed before helping Becca up to her feet and facing Isaac with his hands buried in his pockets. "Seems like you did. Relax, Isaac isn't gonna do anything." He said confidently, the boy slowly being approached by Isaac as the size difference became noticeable.

"Oh I won't? You're looking for another beating, William?" William smirked as he looked up at the eighth grader, his fists slowly tightening in his pockets. "You got lucky last time, plus you'd be fighting me alone. Are you sure you can handle that?"

"Handle you alone? It'll be a piece cake!" Issac stated as he walked up to William and threw the first punch, only for William to drop down so Issac trips over his body and delivers a powerful kick to his side. "You look like you eat too much cake, Issac."

"Y-You fu-" William quickly delivered a sucker punch to Issac's face to shut him up, the kids crowding around gasping and cheering as William hit the bully. "It's not polite to swear in front of a girl. Clearly you weren't taught any manners." He chuckled as the teachers rushed out and quickly grabbed William by the arm and dragged him to the office.

A few hours flew by, teachers and students walking by William as he sat in the chair beside the principals office. He had his arms crossed and stared at the clock as he waited for his father to pick him up. He looked at the window across and saw Issac being treated by the school nurse, hearing him whine and complain about the pain. That's when they locked eyes and William smirked before the doors opened and his father walked through.

"Really? You got into another fight?" His father asked, his voice slightly picked up as the principal began to walk out his office. "Mr. Arthur, so sorry to disturb you at work." His dad sighed and turned while crossing his arms.

"It's fine, we're leaving anyhow." He said, gently pulling William up by his arm as they started to walk out the building. "Mr. Arthur! We need to discuss the situation with your boy!"

"I don't see anything to discuss, Bryan." His father said, opening the door and letting William walk through as they were being pursued by the principal. "You're son hurt one of our students! He's lucky that it's just bruising!"

"Then I'll be sure to tell him not to get into fights." The principal growled and stopped in front of William's father as the young boy watched only a few feet away. "Blake... This kid is violent. I still suggest you take him to see a specialist-"

"Oh not this again, I am a doctor for crying out loud! There's nothing wrong with him, Bryan! He saw a girl being bullied and intervened." Bryan crossed his arms and frowned his face as Blake continued to degrade the situation. "It was a simple miscommunication issue, that's all it was."