Chapter 5

Alfred recalls the pain from the punch that sent him tumbling to the floor. His glasses flew across the cement, his papers were scattered, and his nose began to bleed. His jaw was in excruciating pain. It was the Dickinsons brothers: Adam Delancey, Bernard Ignacio, and Conner Neal. The schools know them as Delancey, Nacho, and Inky. There's nothing much you can say to the Dickinson brothers. Their father owns the biggest oil rig in town. When your father is the big honcho and making dough, it is without a doubt that the entitlement will go over your head and these three are no exceptions.

Nacho and Inky are busy destroying Alfred's works while Delancey is having fun with his favorite punching bag.

Delancey and his brothers are not hard to miss. Nacho and Inky got their names because of what they are good at: eating and graffiti. Nacho has scruffy blonde hair, a little on the heavy side. One day, he wants to be a high-class chef. Inky is the tall and slim one. He's got a little twitch. Students believe that it must be from all the fumes from the spray cans or all the fights. Delancey is a part of the school's wrestling team. He's got a heavy build and would shadow much of the other middle schoolers. The brothers look as though they should have been in high school by now, but they are all the same age as the rest of the middle schoolers here. The brothers are just built differently. The only reason Delancey is still on the team is because he has good grades and that is all Alfred's doing.

Alfred has always been used as a tool ever since elementary and that's when he met the brothers and other bullies in his life. Alfred was malleable enough for the bullies to get some answers for the school's assignments and get some money off of him because he didn't want any trouble, and Alfred was known as the smartest kid. The teachers from the school informed Alfred he could have skipped a few grades, but he didn't want to.

Alfred was crawling to get to his glasses until Delancey kicked Alfred in the stomach and tried to gasp for air. Delancey smirks. Nacho and Inky were rummaging through Alfred’s things looking for what they could mess with. They threw all his stuff on the cement. It looked as though they decorated the place for a party.

"A little birdy told me that you were going to leave us. Did you fucking lie to us huh sad eyes?! We let you off by only asking you three dollars less from your allowance. I even helped you from the other bullies you had latched onto you. What more can you ask of us?" Delancey was grabbing Alfred's shirt. Alfred felt disgusted that he could feel his spit splattering on his face.

"Delancey, it was a suggestion from the teachers, but I already declined the offer. I wasn't going to leave you, I swear." Alfred was trying so hard not to breathe in his putrid breath.

Nacho was smearing food from today's lunch on Alfred's papers and Inky was doodling on them. When Inky was rummaging through his backpack, Inky was interested in this nicely packet with a black leather portfolio protecting its contents. Inky has found his project.

"NO! Don't touch that!" Alfred struggled to get out of Delancey's grasp.

Delancey gestured for Inky to grab the paper. It was a document packet for the annual CROPEL junior science fair. Every year, the school hosts this special event for students to have an opportunity to have a good word in CROPEL. This was Alfred's ticket to become known in CROPEL and be able to leave the school.

"Would you look at that, the emo kid is actually showing some backbone! He's been lying to you, Delancey. He might think you are dumber than you look." Nacho makes fun of Alfred's struggle.

Delancey lets go of Alfred, stomps his way to Nacho, and punches his arm. Nacho yelled out and glared at him.

The three start to laugh at Alfred while Inky is inches away from ruining the project that he worked on with his late father with red acrylic paint. Not a day goes by where Alfred wakes up every night reliving the same moment when his mother got the call. His father was the light that warmed the whole room when he walked in. Whenever he was in the room, the people couldn't help but smile at his charisma and being. Everyday has been cold and quiet, Alfred hates to be home. It’s been difficult to deal with his mother and the spiral she’s been going through. Alfred doesn’t know what the higher ups told her that day when they came by to visit, but she hasn’t been the same. Alfred’s mother has been more quiet and has been isolating herself. She has had her ups where she’s been her usual self and sees Alfred. Those are the good days. The bad ones are when she takes the bottle of booze. Alfred needs to watch out when she gets aggressive.

It's been 2 years since his death and this is Alfred's only chance to complete his father's promise in winning the competition. His father was so excited to see his boy in the competition and see his smile when he wins. Alfred was anticipating his father’s proud look, hollering, and shouting, “WOOO! That’s my boy! That’s my son!” Now, Alfred is going to see an empty spot reserved for a ghost.

Alfred's blood boiled with rage and streams of tears were falling down on his cheeks. He was trying to control his breathing and was taking in gasps of air. He didn’t want to show weakness to these guys. They’re not even worth it, but the thought of the last piece of his father being completely destroyed sparked the pent up emotions Alfred had been bottling up, and he threw all reason out the window. While Delancey was laughing and looking away, Alfred coiled up to thrust a head bud. Delancey lost his grip and balance from Alfred.

Nacho and Inky were flabbergasted.

Alfred headed straight toward Inky. With all his might, he tackled him to the ground, and Alfred was able to reach for the acrylic paint. There was not much force Alfred needed to expel, for he knew even the wind would be able to pick him up from the ground. His biggest worry is the brute force of Nacho and the skilled Delancey. With haste, Alfred immobilized Inky by using the paint and splattered it in his face. Inky dropped the project on the ground and grabbed his face.

Inky screamed.

While Nacho was distracted in helping Inky to remove the paint from his face, Alfred knew that he did not have much time before the other two blew their heads off with furry. He grabbed his project and sprinted his way to his backpack. Alfred quickly gathered all his belongings in his backpack. He tried to make a run for it.

Not even passing five feet, Nacho threw his backpack at Alfred. Carrying nothing but food and textbooks, this bag weighed a ton, and it threw off balance Alfred. Nacho was able to pin him down and Delancey was making his way towards them. Inky was able to hold down his legs.

“You’ve got guts emo. I can give you that.” Delancey was whipping off the blood from his nose.

“Now I can’t let you go off now because now you pissed me off even more.” Delancey took out a sock filled with coins. He was swinging it around while he was giving a small chuckle.

Alfred tried his best to slip his way out of this. An unsated scream came out of Alfred and tears fell from across his cheeks.

He just wanted this day to be over.