Gifted Bk. 01 Ch. 02

He hit my nose and knocked my head back, but once again it didn't hurt as much as I would have thought it would. I was lucky he hadn't broken my nose. He did, however, daze me from my head snapping back. Then, he head-butted me just above my left eye. And again, he just about knocked me off my feet, but the blow didn't seem hurt like it should.

I'd had enough! It was time to end this. He staggered back from the headbutt, a trickle of blood now flowing from his forehead, and I took the opportunity to land a single blow to his gut, just on the right side. The air escaping his mouth signaled the fight was over... He crumpled to the floor, one hand grasping my shirt, the other clutching his chest as he gasped for air.

Just then, a teacher pushed through the crowd. "What's going on here?!" He rushed up to us. "Oh, my god! What did you do to this poor boy?" The teacher looked at me in disappointment. Mark's wheezing reverberated through the hall.

Several other men came on to the scene before I could answer. "What happened here?" Coach Barry, the Girls softball coach, yelled.

The first teacher said pointing at me. "A fight and a bit one sided I'd say. Take this boy to the office."

"What? Hey, wait a minute. I was just..."

"Save it for Principal Darwell young man. This is your first day and you've already proven to be a troublemaker." I protested, but he manhandled me away. I looked back, Casey was still out, Crumpled on the ground.

"Oh my God! Casey!" I heard Carrie running to her brother.

__________

So, there I was, in this little room. It reminded me of the interrogation rooms you see on television cop shows. After about twenty minutes an older man I recognized as Principal Darwell came in.

"Well Mr. Kingston, it would seem you are a troublemaker. So, would you like to tell me why you would pick a fight with Mark?"

"Pick a fight... with him? He started this, not me! My friend, Casey, accidentally tripped him and apologized. That guy threw him against the locker and was going to pound him. I tried to stop him and asked him to calm down... Repeatedly! He proceeded to throw punch after punch at me. It was all I could do to defended myself."

"So, let me get this straight. His shoulder is dislocated, he has several injured ribs, and the cut on his head will needs stitches. You, on the other hand, don't have a mark on you... and you were just defending yourself. Sounds to me like you were playing with him."

"I...I broke his ribs??"

"Yes, that's what happens when you kick and punch someone several times in the ribs. They break! Not to mention his dislocated shoulder!"

"I only put him in the arm-bar to prevent him from throwing punches, to stop the fight. And I only hit him once!"

"You're telling me you only hit him once! That's your story? Then how come his head is bleeding and likely has broken ribs?"

"That must be from him headbutting me! Just ask anyone who was there! I gave him ample time to stop fighting and calm down."

This kid is messing with the wrong person. If he thinks this innocent act will work on me. "The witnesses all say you and Casey started the fight. That you laughed at Mark when he was tripped and provoked him into fighting you."

"WHAT?" The lights in the room flickered. I was getting angrier by the second. Dad! I think I need your help at school.

What's wrong son?

I got in a fight today, trying to save Casey from the beating of a lifetime. I tried several times to stop the other kid and calm him down, but he wouldn't back down. Now this stupid principal is making me out to be the bad guy. I'm actually surprised he hasn't called you yet.

Ok, I'm on my way.

I stared at the Principal while 'talking' to my father.

"Well... What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I want my father here before I say something I might regret!"

"Ok son, that's fine, but I don't think your daddy is going to like what you've done."

The door to the interrogation room opened after warning rap and the school nurse walked in. "Considering the condition of the boy in my infirmary, I thought I should see how bad this one is."

"Good idea! Make sure he does not have any bruises," he said smirking.

"Yea, because he hit me twice in the head and I would hate for the swelling to get too bad," I said.

They looked at me like I was crazy. Darwell shook his head. I can't believe this kid can lie to my face like that. That hurt. These guys thought I was totally full of shit.

"You say he hit you twice, in the face?" asked the nurse, inspecting my face.

"Well, yeah he punched me in the nose, then headbutted me. They weren't very hard, but there should be some bruising."

"Yes, there should, but there's only a few abrasions on your nose. It's a lot milder than your 'punching bag', Mark." The Nurse said with a smirk.

"But I only hit him once!" I was getting very frustrated!

"Impossible, there is no way a single punch could cause a bruise a foot in diameter... unless of course, your fist is the size of a hubcap!"

"WHAT??"