I stood in the corner of the guys' locker room. I still haven't changed into my sports kit. I didn't like changing in front of all those guys – I was afraid they'll see my scars. Maybe it wouldn't make a difference. I was already labeled as ''the emo guy who cuts.'' Still, I didn't want to risk, so I waited until the locker room was empty.
Like I have already stated, I hated all kinds of sport. It was partially because I wasn't good at sports. I was rather slender, while all other guys were broad-shouldered and big. I couldn't run very fast for a very long time, or shoot a fucking ball very hard. I couldn't do many push-ups. I didn't know soccer rules. I preferred to keep my butt on the bench while everyone else chased the fucking ball, ran and jumped like retarded monkeys.
We had a male P.E. coach. He didn't particularly like me and it seemed he enjoyed in making me embarrass myself and having everyone laugh at me. He would often jokingly tell me to go to play in a girls team because of my long hair. That's why I would often ''forgot'' my sports kit or simply skipped P.E. But today, I hat to train because it would be to suspicious for me again not having my sports kit or not showing up.
After a warm-up, the girls were put into two teams. We guys watched as they played basketball. The coach never let girls play soccer, especially against boys. When asked why by someone, he replied that boys would always win. If you ask me, he was a sexist pig.
The team with Kara in it very soon began winning. She was really good and fast. It did help that the other team consisted of bunch of whiny girls who were afraid of breaking a nail. Kara's team eventually won. The coach congratulated them, but didn't reward them with good grades like he did when boys played and won.
But then it was time for us boys to play soccer. Two leaders had to choose players for their team. Of course, nobody wanted to pick me. In the end, one team had to pick me because I was the only one left. They got laughed at by everyone, including the coach. Though, when I glanced at Kara under my hair, I noticed her face was serious.
Throughout the rest of an hour, I got pushed on the floor so hard that I scraped my knee, only for the coach to tell me I wasn't doing my best; hit in the head with a ball by Scott and called a pussy.
After the game, while I was walking to the locker room, several people yelled at me: ''Andy, you played great!''
I flipped them off, causing them all to start dying from laughter.
By the time I was done changing, I was in a bad mood. I couldn't wait for the day to be over. While going to my locker, I was thinking how this day couldn't get any worse.
Well, it turned out it could.
Lindsay and Tina, arm under arm, approached me and Tina said to me: ''Hello, weirdo! I heard you played soccer very well.''
''You played so great that your team lost'', Lindsay added mockingly. They giggled and the few people who were in the hall laughed loudly.
I snapped.
In the next moment, my fist flew right into Lindsay's grinning face. She moaned and fell on her ass, while holding her nose. Tina's eyes grew wide in shock, her grin frozen. I got on my knees, grabbed Lindsay's shirt with one hand and began punching her face rapidly. I was hoping the bitch would just die. All the anger that's been building in me since they started making my life miserable with their bullying was finally coming out. She was screaming and waving her hands. Tina was also screaming something, but I couldn't distinguish what.
I didn't know how long I was punching her. Someone pulled me from her and pushed. I hit the lockers and fell. People gathered around Lindsay, who was lying on the floor and sniveling, blood dripping from her nose.
''My nose!'' she whined, holding her broken nose.
''What the fuck did you do to her?' someone spat out at me.
''How could you? She's a girl!'' another person said.
''What has happened?'' another voice asked and we all turned. It was a principal. He had probably heard their screaming. He gasped when he saw Lindsay crying on the floor. ''Oh, dear God! What has happened?!''
Everyone began talking loudly at the same time, so he had to silence them. He told one boy to explain to him what has happened.
''Andy punched Lindsay in the face! And broke her nose!''
''Lindsay was only passing by him and she only looked at him!'' Tina added. After she said that, everyone turned their heads towards me. I slowly got on my feet. I had to hold the lockers so I wouldn't fall again.
''That's a lie!'' I cried and she took a step backwards, pretending to be terrified. Guys stepped in front of her, as thought to defend her and began shouting at me.
''Enough!'' the principal yelled. They stopped shouting. ''Tina, please, take poor Lindsay to the school nurse. And tell her to call Lindsay's parents. Andy, to my office. Now!''
Once in his office, I told him – while my voice was shaking from anger – what truly has happened. First he rudely interrupted me by ordering me to pull my hands from my pockets. And while I was talking, he was looking at me over his round glasses with an expression on his face that said he wasn't believing me. When I was done, there was a pause.
''And that's why you broke her nose?' he growled finally. ''Because she complemented your soccer playing?''
''That wasn't a compliment; she was being sarcastic'', I mumbled. ''And it was not the first time. They have been bullying me for moths!''
His face remained strict, no compassion or anything. ''Did any of them hit you?''
''No...''
''Then, you have no right to hit them, either!'' he growled, leaning closer to me, so that he sprayed my face with his spit. Gross.
I stared at him angrily, hoping he would die, before I murmured: ''Words can hurt more than hits.''
He snorted, as though that wasn't true. ''Then why didn't you come to talk to me or your teacher?''
''That wouldn't have solved nothing'', I said, my eyes on the floor because I couldn't stand him looking at me like that.
''Listen to me, boy'', he said, being too dumb to remember my name. ''What you did was inexcusable! I don't care what they said to you! I will not tolerate violence in my school...''
Yet, you tolerate bullying, you old bald fart, I thought indignantly.
''...I will inform your parents and call them for a conversation. You will definitely be suspended, and not just for a couple of days. Also, when you come back from your suspension, you will go to talk to our school counselor about your anger. If anything like this happens again, I can guarantee that you'll punishment will be more severe. Was I clear?''
I wanted to answer back that he was not, but the knock on the door stopped me from doing so.
''Come in.''
The door opened and a girl stepped into office. I was surprised to see it was Kara. What is she doing here?
''Oh, Kara'', the principal said with a smile, his strictly tone gone. ''What's the matter?''
''I need to speak to you.''
''Well, now I'm talking to him, but we'll soon be finished, so you can wait outside for a little while.''
''That's just what I wanted to talk about'', she said.
''Oh'', the principal fixed his glasses, ''sit then and say what you have to say.''
Kara sat down in a chair next to me and began talking: ''I weren't there when that happened, I just heard what others told me about it, but I don't believe that Andy punched Lindsay just for nothing. In fact, I believe that Lindsay caused it herself; she had said many things about him and none of which were positive.''
She stopped. I tried to process what she had just said. The principal was looking at her with a strange expression on his face, I couldn't tell what was he thinking. Then he said:
''So, Kara, you think Lindsay deserved to be punched?''
''Absolutely'', Kara replied firmly. Without any sarcasm.
''Well, I find it hard to believe that such a sweet and good like Lindsay would provoke someone'', he stated. ''Even if she did say something offensive to him, I does not justify his actions.''
Kara crossed her legs and arms. ''Why, because he was defending himself?''
When the principal spoke again, his voice had that strict tone again. ''He broke a girl's nose!''
''Why do you emphasize the word ''girl''?'' Kara asked him. ''The fact that she's a girl doesn't automatically make her weaker than him. And it certainly doesn't give her right to provoke him and get away with it.''
He principal looked appalled, as though she had said something very rude and dirty. I was hiding my grin with my hand. Kara, however, gave him a kind smile, which seemed to make him angry.
''This conversation is over'', he said strictly. ''Go back to your classes, kids.''
Both me and Kara left his office without saying the goodbye to him. I wanted to thank her for standing up for me, but when I opened my mouth, no words came out. So we split in silence.