"That's right," AJ replies. "You better not be looking at me you fucking black faggot!"
My mouth gapes open. I can't believe that someone would say something like that. Especially to Adam, he's the sweetest person that I know!
Adam looks like he wants to curl up and die. He is staring down at the table trying to not make eye contact with anyone. Not even me.
My mouth has gone dry. I can feel the blood draining from my body. I am suddenly feeling very dizzy and then something comes over me.
It is a rage that I have never felt before. My body is shaking. AJ saying those words is almost as if he has just physically assaulted me. But, he wasn't even talking to me. He was talking to Adam!
I don't realize what I am doing until I see Adam reaching out for my hand to stop me from moving. At some point, I must have let go of him, though I can't remember when.
I am getting to my feet. I turn my whole body to face AJ.
"What did you say to him?" I ask.
It probably comes off as a mere whisper to AJ and his friends who are just laughing hysterically amongst themselves. Like the hyenas from The Lion King movie. They think they are so fucking funny!
"Nicky, wait!" Adam calls out to me in a whisper. "Let it go, don't worry about it. I'm used to it."
Those words that Adam has used... 'I'm used to it.' He shouldn't have to be used to it!
People shouldn't be so fucking cruel!
I barely know what I am doing as I march toward AJ and his friends. I am now standing in the middle of the cafeteria. I have always been short, so it probably looks really stupid of me.
But at that point, I have no control over my body. I have no control over my words. It is almost as if I have been possessed. From out of nowhere, I muster up the courage to speak up again, this time much louder and clearer. "What did you say to Adam?"
AJ looks down his nose at me and licks his bottom lip in amusement. His friends are cheering him on as if he is some sort of lion being challenged by a mouse.
"Nicky, right?" he says with a mocking grin.
I nod. "Those words that you said to him... They weren't funny!"
AJ and his friends burst into laughter again. Now, most of the faces in the cafeteria are all staring at me. I don't remove my eyes from AJ. This is an eye contact showdown.
Somewhere I can hear the music from the wild west playing. Or maybe the music is all playing in my head and I have actually gone crazy.
"It was pretty funny," AJ says with a smile. "I'm sorry if the truth hurts, but you're in love with a black faggot!"
Those words... Those fucking words!
I don't know what comes over me. I don't know what I am thinking. All I know is that every inch of my skin is crawling and I am running at AJ in a fierce frenzy.
With all my might I push him backward. He stumbles over a chair and cracks his head on the leg of the table behind him. But, he is not physically injured enough for my liking!
But I do not stop there! I am leaning over him. My fist is hovering above his face. I am ready to connect if he doesn't take back those horrible words.
"Take them back!" I scream at him. "Take them back, you fucking prick!"
The entire cafeteria is in an uproar. From a distance, I hear students chanting the words "fight! fight! fight!" They are banging on their tables and making as much noise as they can. Amongst the ruckus, I hear Adam's voice calling out to me.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Broken Wings
Start from the beginning
