Lights Up

Blow Us All Away

"If this gets physical, we need proof of who threw the first punch. Without proof, Pulitzer will automatically blame Phillip, cause he's a racist jerk, and he might get suspended."

That makes sense. Especially because, as far as I know, Phillip would never punch somebody unless it was in self defense. I can't tell what made them start yelling at each other, so I start looking around. Mr. Washington is coming down the hall, probably to see what the fuss is all about. I can see Jack and Janis at the door of the art classroom, watching carefully. Crutchie, Damien, Connor, and Evan are already in the cafeteria, but they're watching too. None of us can get close enough to intervene, so we're stuck watching from the sidelines. My attention is immediately pulled back to the brewing fight when I hear a loud CRASH, and can only watch as Eacker slams Phillip in the chest, hard enough to send him flying into the lockers and onto the ground.

"PHILLIP!"

Phillip's POV

The confrontation started out as well as it could considering I'm this scrawny Latino dude who's main workout is chasing after little siblings and moving props around the auditorium, and Eacker is on the football team and like, twice my size. It was just talking at first, then taunting, then yelling. Out of the corner of my eye I see Dia, Frances, and Jesse coming down the hall. When they get closer to us, Frances pulls out her phone and starts recording. Frances you genius. Dang, I'm gonna have to get her a really great Christmas present to make up for her basically saving my butt. At this rate, things are going to turn physical, and without evidence as to who started the fight, I'm a goner. Now, I would never tell anyone this out loud, but this whole situation is starting to scare me. I don't like fights, I don't start them. I don't know what I was thinking confronting Eacker like that. He started saying things about Dia and I got so angry, I guess I just wasn't thinking. Which is not like me at all. Dang. this girl is messing with my head. Eacker's face is turning red, which I decide to comment on, which was NOT a good idea.

"Hey, George, you need a cool-down? You're looking a little cartoonish there, with the red face and all."

Next thing I know, I'm being slammed into the lockers. Someone yelled my name, though I'm not sure who. My head is spinning, but I'm a stubborn idiot, so I try to stand back up. Which leads to Eacker punching me in the face. Multiple times. I get back up, and manage to get one good hit in. There's a very satisfying CRACK when my fist makes contact with his nose. I'm pretty sure I broke the skin on my knuckles, but it's worth it. Then Eacker punches me in the stomach. I double over in pain, gasping for breath. From what I can see, cause my vision is kind of blurry, there's blood on the floor. Not sure whose it is. Before Eacker can get another hit in, Mr. Washington and Aunt Peggy push their way into the circle. Eacker is pulled off of me, and Aunt Peggy is helping me up.

" Hey Pip, I got you. I'm taking you to the nurse, and I'll call Eliza. Just relax, ok? Everything's fine."

This day did NOT go as planned.

Dia's POV

I'm just standing there, watching, as one of my best friends gets slammed against the lockers and beat up. Every time I think Eacker's going to have some mercy and stop, he gets another punch in. Then, surprisingly, Phillip fights back. He manages to get one good punch in, a solid hit that causes blood to shoot from Eacker's nose. Ouch. I hear someone cheer from the direction of the art classroom. Probably Jack. Eacker manages a hard hit to Phillip's stomach, causing him to double over in pain, before Mr. Washington and Ms. Laurens step in. Mr. Washington pulls Eacker off of Phillip and immediately starts lecturing him. Ms. Laurens carefully helps Phillip to the nurse's office. I have to resist the urge to run over and see if he's alright, because I know he's not, but I'll only get in the way. Students have started to disperse now that the fight's over, as Mr. Washington passes Eacker off to the Student Resource Officer, who FINALLY decided to show up. They all start to head towards the office, hopefully to punish Eacker, when Frances calls after them.

"Mr. Washington, Mr. Washington!"

He turns back and walks towards Frances, Jesse, and I in confusion.

"Yes, Frances? I've got to go deal with Mr. Eacker."

"Yeah, I know, which is why I stopped you. I've got video evidence that Eacker threw the first punch."

She handed her phone to Mr. Washington.

"The school board rules say that starting a fight can result in punishment from detention to jail time, depending on the severity of the fight. Since Phillip was acting in self defense, he's innocent. But we both know that without evidence, Pulitzer will blame Phillip. So take my phone, and show him the video. I got the whole thing on camera."

Mr. Washington nodded, looking at Frances with a mix of shock, and was that pride? With a promise to return the phone after Pulitzer saw the video, he walked back towards Eacker and the officer, who was waiting impatiently. Rumor is that the reason he takes so long to respond to situations is because he spends the day sitting in his car playing Candy Crush. Hopefully this time he does his job and handles Eacker, and hopefully Phillip's alright. Jesse, who'd been silent for a while now, summed up how all of us were feeling pretty well.

"I don't think I can eat lunch after seeing that."

This day did NOT go as planned.

Alright, here's the promised summary:

Dia, Frances, and Jesse are walking to lunch when they hear the beginnings of a fight. Eacker was making a ton of derogatory comments about Dia where Phillip could hear him and Phillip, who's a chivalrous idiot, goes to confront him. There's a lot of yelling, then Eacker shoves Phillip into the lockers and starts beating him up. So it's less of a fight and more of Phillip getting punched a lot. Pip (I'm gonna call him Pip from now on cause his full name is too long) gets one good punch in before Washington and Peggy intervene. Peggy takes Pip to the nurse's office while Washington and the Student Resource Officer handle Eacker. Frances was filming the whole time, because without evidence Pulitzer would blame everything on Pip cause he's a racist jerk. So she gives her phone to Washington to show Pulitzer so that Pip doesn't get suspended. That's about it.

Now that I think about it, it's really not that bad, but better safe than sorry, and I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable. This is the only chapter with anything like this in it. I have absolutely no update schedule, so I don't know when I'll put the next chapter up. In the meantime, stay safe everyone, good luck if you're starting school any time soon, online or in person, and don't forget to keep on smiling and keep on surviving everyone.
Peace Out ✌️
Author
(bLaCkOuT👏👏)
(Please tell me you guys get that reference)

1514 words