Peter- Part 1- Chapter 11

Chapter 11

          A couple of days later Peter is feeling a lot better. His cracked rib has also fully healed. He’s going back to school today. He’s really dreading it. He’s still a little shaken up from being watched the other day. He really hopes that things will get better soon.

Peter is walking down the hall to his locker. He feels something hard hit him in the back of the head. Peter holds his head in pain. He looks down to see what was thrown at him. Peter sees that it’s a soda can. There is still soda in it too. Why can’t his bullies stop harassing him?

          “Well, if it isn’t Peter,” Kyle says. Peter turns around and sees Kyle’s gang. Peter rolls his eyes and tries to walk away. Kyle grabs his shoulder. Peter starts shaking a little bit. He doesn’t want to be beat up again like he was a few weeks ago.

          “What do you want?” He asks. He’s trying to sound tough. In the back of his mind, Peter knows that he will back down if they try anything. Peter is really not up to fighting. Peter’s never really been a fighter at all.

          “We just want to see how our punching bag is doing, right, boys,” Kyle asks to the gang. They are all standing behind him, laughing at him.

Peter really wishes that someone will come stop them. He’s also really surprised that no one is around to watch what’s happening. Most of the student body likes to laugh at him.

          “I’m not your punching bag,” Peter says in a furious tone. He’s right. He isn’t their punching bag. He is his own person. Peter knows they are just trying to mess with his head. He’s not going to let them to get to him. He’s not going to let their taunts bother him.

          Kyle and the gang start laughing a lot harder. Kyle pushes Peter against the locker. He whispers so that only Peter can hear. “You were a couple of weeks. We had so much fun last time. It’s so sad that you winded up in the hospital. Now, that you’re back, we can continue the fun.”

          Kyle pushes Peter onto the ground and hops on top of him. He pins Peter to the ground. The other boys start kicking Peter. Peter cries out in pain. He’s worried that they are going to crack his rib. Tears are falling down his cheeks.

Peter wonders if anyone is going to intervene. Will someone finally come to his rescue? He’s really not sure anyone will come help him.

Kyle let’s go of one of his hands and punches him in the face. Peter feels blood running down his nose. He hopes his nose isn’t broken. Where is the principal? Where are the teachers? Where is anyone? That is all that’s running through Peter’s mind. Does anyone care about him at all?

          Suddenly Kyle is pulled off of Peter. Finally someone has come to his rescue. Peter is actually surprised by who saved him.

“Why do you guys keep picking on my brother? If you have any respect for me at all, you would leave him alone,” Damien asks angrily. The guys see how furious he is. They back away from Peter right away. Kyle and his gang don’t want to get on Damien’s bad side.

          “He’s the one that started the fight Damien. It’s not our fault,” Peter hears Johnny respond.

          Before he could hear more, Peter gets off the ground and runs into the bathroom. He’s sobbing at this point. He goes into one of the stalls. His nose hurt and rib hurt. Did they crack the same rib that they already had? They were kicking him really hard.

          Meanwhile, Damien is talking to Kyle and the gang still. “Tell me the truth.”

          “We are telling you the truth, Damien,” Kyle says. “Peter threw the first punch!”

           Damien looks at them skeptically. He’s really not sure if he believes them. He needs to go talk to his little brother alone to find out the truth. Will Peter even open up to him? 

          “Peter, are you in here,” he hears Damien call. “Did you really start this fight?”

          Peter’s eyes widen…did his brother really just ask that question? Damien should know that his younger brother isn’t a fighter. Peter feels anger start to rise in him. He feels hurt by Damien’s words as well. Why does his brother believe them? “You are kidding, right, Damien? You really think I started this crap.”

          “Well, Kyle and Johnny told me that you threw the first punch. He also told me that he wanted to get you back. To be honest, I’m not sure who to believe,” Damien replies. Damien does suspect that Kyle and his gang started the fight.

Peter comes out of the bathroom stall. Damien sees how angry Peter is at the moment. He sees the tears in Peter’s eyes as well. He also sees the pain. Damien is a little taken aback.   

          “You really think I threw the first punch? You really think I’m a fighter like you are, Damien? You really don’t know me at all, do you,” Peter asks. He walks past his brother. Damien tries to stop him from walking away. Peter turns around punches him as hard as he can in the face.

Damien is actually shocked and steps back a little bit. His brother has never been aggressive towards him. After that, Peter runs out of the bathroom.

Peter runs to his locker and grabs his stuff. He needs to leave school. He needs to be alone. Peter runs until he reaches the park. Tears are streaming down his face. He hates Damien. He hates Kyle, Johnny, Steve, and Nathan. He hates his family. He hates everyone.

He wonders if his family can even tell that he’s suffering. He also wonders if they know he’s changing. Do they know they are losing him little by little? Peter thinks his life is unbearable. Peter doesn’t even know if he wants to continue living.

          Peter stays in the park until he calms down enough to go home.