I still remember one last thing. The 3rd grade was always something I found hard to remember, but I don’t think anyone could’ve forgotten about them.
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I was still trying to adjust to being outside during recess. All the teachers liked to have the air conditioning on all the time. Even Bill preferred sitting in an icy cold room over removing his monkey suit. The scorching sun was beating down on me as it lit up the clear blue sky, and I could feel the hot asphalt even through my sneakers. There was a light breeze, but it wasn’t enough to help me cool off. Curse this fur sometimes!
I thought I was gonna like being outside, but I was seriously considering getting in trouble again just to see how Bill was doing. I’m sure he misses me just as much as I miss him. I wonder how his kids are doing. Last I checked, I believe they were in high school already? Ah, they grow up so fast…
But as much as I missed being around other mature people, I made it a personal goal to try and make at least ONE friend my own age. And I was going to do it on my own without anyone’s help. Not even Ethan’s!
Speaking of, I could’ve sworn he was here today. He waved at me right before we entered our separate classes in the morning. I pretended to ignore him, but I think he knew I saw him. This past week, I’ve just been watching him during recess, taking note of his strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes I confront him with a random challenge, but he always manages to worm his way out of it. Like the other day!
It was a Monday morning. He was casually playing tether ball with some nerd llama kid named Terry, but I shooed that other kid away and made myself his new challenger. I told him to go all out on me, pointing at him while my other hand rested on my hip.
“And you better not hold anything back, or I swear to God himself that I’ll smite you where you stand!”
Every nearby kid immediately turned their heads towards our direction as they began to surround us. They made all kinds of faces, each one of them raw with emotion. I can hear each of them mumbling under their breath about who they think will win. Just the fact that some of them unironically thought Ethan could beat me got me a little peeved.
“In fact, I want YOU to start with the ball. And don’t you dare think about going easy on me!”
The mumbling got quieter as everyone looked towards Ethan to see what he’d say. I wasn’t really paying attention to what he was doing while I waited for a response, so it completely caught me off guard when I heard a sharp breathing sound. He had his lips firmly wrapped around an inhaler, pushing the top of it to allow himself a deep breath. I didn’t know he had asthma! Now I feel like a jerk for proposing a physical challenge…
But he didn’t seem to mind one bit. In fact, Ethan gave me a toothy smile with those funky canines as he tucked the inhaler into his pocket.
“Okay! No holding back.”
At first, I thought he was trying to be optimistic as usual. Letting the other kids know that he was going to try his hardest despite his disability. I almost admired that about him… until he moved his left foot back, dropped the ball from his hand, and gave it a perfect roundhouse kick.
WHAM!
I didn’t even have time to react as the ball soared way over my head. I was still pointing at him, but my eyes went wide. Even if I saw it coming, there was no way I was going to be able to reach the ball from that high up. But almost as if that hit was calculated, it completely flew over me, but began to lower itself once it reached Ethan’s side of the court. He was already ready to hit it again, jumping up before giving it a good punch with his left hand.
BAM!
I was practically frozen in place, just watching in horror as the tether continued to shrink in a counter-clockwise motion. The ball spiralled around until it couldn’t anymore, the rope completely wrapping around the very top of the metal pole, far above my reach. I realized now that I didn’t have an ice cube’s chance in hell to beat him.
The other kids were dead silent as well until the rope reached its end. That was when everyone cheered out loud for Ethan, with many of the kids declaring they knew he was going to win all along. I just kept looking up at the top of the pole, even as the ball began to unwind itself. And just as the other kids began to disperse, I looked at Ethan. I thought for sure he was going to gloat, but he just looked at me with that same toothy smile, catching the ball in his hands.
“Hee, that was fun! Wanna play a normal game now? I have a couple of friends that want to pl-“
I knew that was my queue to just walk away. I couldn’t believe I was humiliated by an asthmatic kid. And from a physical challenge, no less! I realized that I was going to need to figure out the perfect challenge for the both of us. Something fair and square. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my eventual victory. One of these days…
But it’s Friday now, and I feel more confident again, so I decided I was going to challenge him directly once more! But… just in case, I was first gonna do it without a crowd. Some of the kids still give me a hard time for that humiliating loss I experienced, even if that was basically forever ago. It can get pretty annoying sometimes, but that’s why I threaten them with the same challenges to get them to shut up!
I know I’m better than everyone else in this wretched school, but people will still give me a hard time unless everyone knows I’m the best. And if I can’t prove that I’m better than Ethan in a fair challenge in front of everyone, then… I just don’t see the point in living!
I went walking around the playground, looking far and wide for that pup-bunny. I know he’s here today, but he doesn’t seem to be in his usual spots. I even asked that llama kid if he knew where he was, but no one seemed to have a clue. I even checked inside the boy’s bathroom and knocked on every stall, just to make sure. Is he messing with me? Or maybe… he’s challenging me???
This must be some kind of hide-and-seek type of game. And if that’s the case, then challenge accepted! I’ve always been good at this kind of stuff. I’ve beaten every single one of those Where’s Waldo books at the library, so finding a pup-bunny amongst other kids should be easy!
I rechecked every single one of his usual spots and asked his friends again, just to make sure. Then I ran up and down the school, trying to think about where he could possibly hide. I looked inside the library, Ms. Shirley’s room, and I even dropped by Bill’s office to say hello, but I couldn’t find him anywhere! I started to consider that maybe he went home early or something, but just in case, I decided to check the bathrooms once more. There was still about another five minutes left for recess, so I thought “why not?”
I returned to the yard and headed straight for the bathrooms near the back of the school, where the doors were visible to everyone. I was going to check inside… but then I thought I heard something. I stood by the door as I perked my ears up, trying to figure out where those voices were coming from. I ended up following it around the corner of the building, moving quietly to make sure I wasn’t seen. That voice… was that Ethan?
I slowly walked towards the source of that voice, making sure to keep my footsteps really quiet. If Ethan really is back here, then I wouldn’t want him to know I already found him. In fact, if he’s talking to himself back here, then maybe I can get the drop on him when he least expects it!
And sure enough, as I continued getting closer to the corner, I saw the back of that brown, curly tail. It really is Ethan! It looked like he was back here all alone, so I decided that this would be a perfect opportunity to try and scare him. Based on my observations of him, I could only assume that he’s either afraid of ghosts, aliens, or seafood. Don’t ask how I got that last one. But as I continued to sneak around from behind the corner, I noticed another, taller shadow. And then, I heard his voice.
“You think asking me nicely is gonna make me stop?”
I recognized that tone and immediately backed up against the wall, peeking out of the corner to see Jeremy’s punchable face. Except he wasn’t alone, either. I might not be good at remembering names, but I’ve always been good with faces. And I have these guys burned in the back of my mind.
On the right was Connor, a small red fox with a chubby belly that slightly peeks out from under his shirt. He always wears a kind smile on his face, and he’s known for being a good listener. I’d call him cute if he wasn’t one of the cruelest people I’ve ever met. He cheats and lies, but worst of all, he’ll instigate a problem, and then point the finger at one person in particular. And he always knows who to blame it on, too. Connor starts trouble just for the sake of it, and he knows how to manipulate an unsuspecting crowd into doing what he wants. And he’ll always wear that ugly smile on his face while doing it.
He points a small finger towards a lone Ethan. “I once heard he called you an idiot, boss.”
To the left was Kenny, another big trouble maker that gets away with everything. He’s a tall, lanky German Shepard with a big mouth. He loves to brag about how he’ll be a police officer someday, just like his dad. Apparently, Kenny tags along sometimes during the night shift on the weekends. I’m pretty sure they’re breaking all sorts of laws, but I don’t think they care. In fact, if anyone tries to rat them out, I’m sure they’ll get away with it anyway. And I can only imagine what kind of influence his dad has at the police station. Probably enough to get someone in trouble with the law if they’re not careful. That’s just how it is sometimes in this city. The cops are crooked, too. And it’s just because of people like Kenny.
He grins big and wide, letting a cackle slip from between his grit teeth. “Hhaha, yeah, I heard it, too! Wanna rough him up?”
Are they really considering hurting Ethan? Honestly, if it was just one of them, then I wouldn’t even think about stepping in. But 3-on-1 is just unfair, and knowing Ethan has asthma…
But the pup-bunny piped up. “I don’t appreciate you guys telling lies. I’d never call anyone a bad word.”
“Maybe not, but I bet you were thinking it.”
That was just like Jeremy. He’s one of the biggest and strongest 3rd graders in school, but he wouldn’t think twice about hurting anyone smaller and weaker than him. He likes to act tough, but anyone with a brain can tell that he’s really insecure about himself. And the fact that I, a girl, made him cry a few months back didn’t help with that. As soon as he stepped forward, I immediately sprung into action.
“Hey, jerkwad!”
I rushed forward and immediately placed myself between Ethan and the idiot bully. I even moved my arms up to make sure Ethan didn’t get in the way. Call me crazy, but I think bullying is a problem that can never be stopped. There will always be a bully as long as there’s an easy target. But as I stepped forward to confront Jeremy, I realized I might be the only one in school that can stand up to him like this. I wouldn’t just defend anyone without something in return, but against Jeremy, I wouldn’t mind getting in trouble again if it’s to put him in his place.
“Aww, look who it is!” Jeremy looks back at his cronies as he points a finger at us. “Looks like puppy boy has a girlfriend!” He looks back at us, leaning forward with a mean look on his face. “Are ya’ gonna start fighting everyone’s battles for them, too? That’s mighty selfless of you.” He cracks a smile. “Or maybe you’re still just being the same, selfish Alexis.”
He was trying to sound tough, but I couldn’t help but smile too as I moved Ethan further back. “You’re talking pretty big for someone within punching distance. Want me to make you cry again? You know I’d love to.”
Jeremy lets out a laugh, but he also straights up a little too quickly. He knows my threat is real. I guess he’s not as dumb as he looks, though I know he’s going to try to prove himself in front of his so-called “friends.” Insecurity tends to make you do stupid things for the wrong people.
“I don’t understand why you’re defending him. Don’t you hate him for making you look stupid in front of the other students? If you get out of the way, I’ll promise not to mess with you anymore.”
I couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. “Oh please, as if you’re not mad about what I did to you. How about you three just walk away, and never let me catch you ganging up on anyone ever again.” I looked past Jeremy to leer at the other two behind him. “Or I promise I’ll catch each of you while you’re alone, and I’ll make you regret it.”
That wiped Kenny’s smile out of his face, but Connor kept his grin as he stood there, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. He was very good at appearing polite, especially with his eyes closed and his hands behind his back. I looked back at Jeremy, just as he was starting to get impatient.
“Alright, look here, kitty. Unless you want to be another target, I suggest you get out of the way and let us teach this kid a lesson. I don’t know what you think of him, but I think he needs to be roughed up a bit.”
At this, Ethan piped up. “I still don’t know what I did wrong. I just came to ask if they could stop bullying because it’s not nice.”
Connor pointed at Ethan again. “There he goes calling us that again. I think we should show him who’s the real boss around he-“
I snapped at Connor before he could finish his thought. “If you talk one more time, I swear to God I’ll punch you in your face, too.”
That finally wiped the smile off his face, as well. He opened his eyes and gazed at me, putting on a neutral expression.
Jeremy was starting to get agitated now, taking another step forward until he was standing over me, the tip of his nose about one-inch away from mine. “What, is he your friend or something? You don’t think maybe he talks trash about you behind your back? You don’t think someone like him thinks he’s better than everyone else? Do you honestly believe he’s some ‘nice’ kid without a single bad thought in his mind? Cause if you do, then you’re just clueless. I’m going to prove that he’s no different from you or me.” At this, he stared right into Ethan’s eyes. “You fucking mutt.”
Okay, THAT was it. THAT was going too far. If he was going to make fun of the way someone dressed, then fine. If he wanted to make fun of someone’s lack of skill, then whatever. But he chose to call him a slur. He decided to go after the fact that Ethan was a hybrid. He was making fun of something that Ethan had no control over. To me, THAT was too much. I immediately went for a swing to his face, but he narrowly dodged it as he frantically moved his head and took a step back.
“Hey, what the hell!” Jeremy began to protest as he continued stepping backward towards his lackeys, but I continued marching towards them, both my hands curled up in fists. If they want a 3-on-1 fight, then they’re gonna get it!
But before I could really show them what I was capable of, Ms. Shirley came around the same corner I came from and immediately put a stop to our fighting. “Hey, woah, woah, woah! What’s going on here? Didn’t you guys hear the bell ring?”
She looked around at all of us, stopping as her eyes met Ethan’s. “There you are. When Alex said she couldn’t find you, I got worried.” Then, she looked at the rest of us again. “Why are you two fighting?”
Connor was the first to pipe up. “Alex was trying to hit Jeremy.”
“HEY!” I snapped at Connor, but I quickly looked at Ms. Shirley to explain. ”Okay, maybe I was, but he called Ethan a bad word!”
“Oh really?” She stood there with her arms crossed, trying to figure out the situation. “Ethan, can you please tell me what he called you?”
Of course she’d ask Ethan. The pup-bunny started to get bashful. “I don’t like saying it out loud. Can I whisper it to you?”
She agreed and lowered herself down to his level, allowing the boy to cup his hands around his mouth before whispering the slur into her ear. At that, she gasped.
Immediately, the trio tried to come up with excuses. “But… Alex already hit me.” Jeremy was starting to get technical. At this, the teacher began to look less stern. It’s clear she didn’t really know what to do with us, especially since there were no other witnesses except for those involved.
Ms. Shirley sighed and looked at all of us. “Okay, look, I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. I just want everyone to return to class, so I’ll let you two go-,” she pointed at Jeremy and I, “if you both apologize to each other.”
She couldn’t be serious. Was she really going to let Jeremy off the hook despite what he said? I mean, they were going to hurt Ethan if I hadn’t stepped up! But as she just stood there in front of both of us, waiting as she tapped her elbow with her arms crossed, I knew the sooner I got it over with, the faster I’ll be able to get out of here. So I sighed and looked right at Jeremy.
“I’msorryIhityouJeremyit’snevergoingtohappenagain.” I rolled my eyes. It’s not like I had to mean it.
He rolled his eyes as well as he quietly muttered, “I’m sorry Alexis, I hope you forgive me…”
Recess was over, but I had to sit on a bench right outside of class because The Hag was punishing me for arriving late. Jeremy and his lackeys got to return to class, though. They told her their side of the story, making sure to leave out the parts where they were going to beat up Ethan, and emphasizing the parts where I almost had a fight with them. And of course, she ate it up, so now I’m sitting alone for 20 minutes until “I’ve thought about what I did wrong.”
I was just sitting there on the hot bench alone, trying not to think about everything that just happened. I try to do something nice, and here I am getting punished for it. I don’t believe Ethan is part of some kind of conspiracy anymore. I just think being around him gives me bad luck. I still want to prove that I’m better than him, but maybe I shouldn’t try protecting him. Not even against Jeremy, Connor, Kenny… anyone, for that matter. Ah, whatever! I just need to stop thinking about him before people really do assume I like him or something.
But just as I closed my eyes to get him off of my mind, I felt a shadow over my legs. I opened an eye and saw a familiar silhouette.
“Hey, do you mind if I can sit with you for a bit?” It was Ethan. I sighed tiredly, but I tapped the seat next to me to let him know I didn’t care. He gave me a soft smile and sat right next to me, a hall pass hanging from his neck.
“I knew you’d be here. I asked Ms. Shirley if she could let me out to say thank you.”
I lifted my eyebrows, but it was still hard to care. “Thank me? What for?”
“For helping me against those other kids. I knew they were going to try and fight with me, but you swooped in to protect me right before they did anything. Kinda like a superhero!” His smile grew into a grin. “That was really nice of you!”
“Mhm, yup, that was… wait, what!?” It took a moment for those last words to really sink in. “Nice of me? But I was going to fight those other kids. What’s so nice about that?”
“Well.” He started to tap his fingers together. “My mom and dad told me that if someone tried picking on me, then I should protect myself. My dad even showed me a few boxing moves in case another kid decided they wanted to fight with me.”
This really caught me by surprise. “Wait, so you… you know how to fight!?” I facepalmed myself. “So you actually know how to defend yourself?” Dang it! I guess I really didn’t need to involve myself. For all I know, Ethan can be a boxing champion in the making!
“Yeah, I do know how to fight, but… I don’t like it.” He stared down at his own shoes as his feet started to swing back and forth. “I… I know I’m different… and mom and dad say people are going to hate me just because I’m different… but I’m glad that you don’t! You treat me the same as everyone else, so… thank you!”
“Oh, I uuuh…” I was a little confused by all this. It’s obvious that he’s a hybrid, but of course I wasn’t going to treat him any different from any other dumb kid in school. Why would I? “Yeah, of course! I think you’re… really nice, too?” I didn’t really know what else to say. I can’t remember the last time anyone ever called me nice. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it.
But I guess my compliment was enough to make him happy. He shot me another smile as he wagged his tail. “Thanks! I think you’re a nice friend. I wish you played with us more.”
“Eh, playing games isn’t really my-”
…
Wait a minute.
…
Did he just call me a…?
“Did you just call me a… friend?”
I didn’t realize I mimicked one of his confused head tilts as my eyes looked off to the side. “You’re not messing with me, are…” No, there’s no way he’d mess with me, especially not like that. Maybe he’s testing me? But if it was a test, what would be the point? Did we just become friends, or did he always see me as one? Was I the confused one this whole time? Why does my face feel hot? Maybe I’m getting a heat stroke. Should I go to the nurse’s office? Why am I sitting out here again? Did… DID HE REALLY JUST CALL ME HIS F-…F-…
“Yeah, aren’t we friends?”
I had to hop off the bench and calm myself down. “Of course we’re friends, dummy! That’s why I came to protect you, isn’t it!? Did you think we stopped being friends or something? HAHAHA, don’t be dumb, Ethan! You’re smarter than that!”
I could feel the blood rushing into my cheeks. I can’t believe I’ve had a friend with me this entire time! I’m truly the biggest dummy of them all.
“Hee, I’m glad we are. You’re the nicest person I know.”
SHUT UP, STOP SAYING THAT!!!
“Of course I am! I’m the nicest person in this entire school!”
WHY AM I LYING?!?!?!
“I think you really are! But I have to go now. I’m only allowed to be outside for five minutes with this pass, and I only have 27 seconds left. I’ll see you at recess next week.”
I couldn’t bring myself to say anything else as he hopped off the bench and headed back to class. I just gave him two-thumbs up as he skipped away to his door and disappeared from sight. I had to sit down again, this time with my hands holding tightly on my head. I guess I technically got what I wanted, but I couldn’t figure out if this was with Ethan’s help or not.
Honestly though, I started not to care after a short while. In fact, I couldn’t help but cover my own mouth, even though I was sitting here all alone again. I made a friend today, and that made me smile.
![[Story] A Worthy Opponent](https://va.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/3877/3877262_Deeridoodle_5ef5fa58-9fea-425f-8e43-dd08715c2bb4_noncustom.jpg "[Story] A Worthy Opponent")