Aaron What Have You Done?!

The words carelessly broke out from my mouth; they were rather impulsive than intentional, I would never, on a normalized frame of mind ever want to have a fight with Aaron Chester, but partially I wanted to liberate myself from Aaron's terror, I reckoned if I challenge him then he might probably alter his perception of me from a jessie to Bruce Lee. My earnest prayer was that the confrontation should not evolve into a fisticuff- I had just a small dish of macaroni cheese!

"See Stewgull grew some wings," Aaron snickered and grimaced; almost immediately. The proximity of Aaron and I stirred up strange hyperventilation in me that I struggled to suppress and with the help of my jacket the thumping of her heart was obscured so my struggle was with my slightly opened mouth as I used every strength at my disposal to fight the oppressive impulse to gape my mouth widely and grope for air.

"Now what did you say, muppet?" He gruffly said, his voice steering roughly past my ears.

"You heard me." I said shakily, my lips quavering as I pronounced.

"I did?" He drew a juvenile expression on his face. "Oh I did, I did hear those nasally, nasty cheeping of your birdy vocals, 'Tremble'" He chortled as the students in the dining cheered and applauded his witty taunts.

But I wanted to applaud too, his improvement in vocabulary marveled me immensely.

Now my confidence had uprisen to the apex of its evolution and I was vexed now, glaring at Aaron- he looked a commie to me, no different from Browne or Kevin or even me, he was just a guy with a hockey jersey.

I let out a slight snicker and started. "It's not your voice Aaron," I furthered closely towards him. "It is you, it is the way you look, it is your mountainous physique Chester, it's the way you stick out everywhere, dangling," I gesticulatingly dangled my fingers, "like the balls of a massive bulldog and it irks, it's like, just think about this for a second, every time I see your face Aaron, it's like God is projectile vomiting right into my eyes and it burns," I inhaled deeply. "It really burns." I smirked cockily as I watched Aaron glare at me like he was going to rip my heart out.

But it wasn't my line right, isn't it Shaw's?

The uproarious distorted cheers of students worsened Aaron's countenance and enhanced mine, I felt a sensation of relief and triumph as his jaw clenched, and I knew he was hurt but I didn't care, I just laughed at him, watching how his friends gaped their mouths in awe.

"You're ended!" Aaron grumbled and grabbed my collar.

"Aaron!" I heard Stacey's shout from my back.

My eyes widened in fright as Aaron's hands fell on my collar, my eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets, I was so scared of Aaron- I've heard about him, his ruthless rage and vigorish fights, I never want to be his opponent in any pugilism of any sort, but even with my crippling fear I still gripped his hands.

Angrily he hauled me to the floor, breathing hastily.

"Three O'clock tomorrow, outside, after school, don't be late!" He grunted and stormed away.

My elbows were propped against the ground breathing quickly with relief and fear as Stacey and Browne hurried to me. They looked unusually sympathetic at me, raising me from the floor. I was aware of my extreme measures, it was unexpected, even from me, it had never happened in the history of Maxwell High, nobody had ever bandied words with Aaron before me and it awed all students in the diner, the expression on their faces- their gapped mouths to their eyes nearly popping out of their heads and their frozen motions.

Weak smiles crossed my face as I noticed their countenances, they were...

"Thank you Tre'." Browne interjected. "But it really wasn't necessary, I was fine." He said with a deadened voice.

"Exactly." Stacey softly said, refusing to meet my gaze.

"Are you mad at me?" I ignored Browne, fixing my gaze on Stacey.

She turned and looked briefly at me before replying. "I'm not." She quickly responded.

"Well you seem..."

Browne Interposed. "You never called me Tre'." He said.

His interruptions irritated me a whole lot, his uncomprehending brain that doesn't understand the BRO code exacerbated my anger.

"And I'm sorry." I flatly said, not hiding my disgust.

Stacey heaved and hastened her steps, walking ahead of us. It was obvious she hated fights, she clearly didn't want a fight between Aaron and I and it was understandable, he would always outdo me any day.

"Dude," I turned towards Browne. "Do you know any app called the Universe?" I asked, heaving slowly.

"The Universe? Is it a social media app?" He asked quickly whilst bringing out his phone from his pockets.

"No, no, no." I quickly said. "It's not, just wondering if you knew it." I sniffled and exhaled.

"Well I don't and would love to, I'm on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, umm..." He raised his index finger to the air, signifying thought.

I laughed quietly. "What you doing on these entire apps dude?" I chuckled.

"I thought I could get more friends, you know, pen-friends." He tittered. "I'm on WhatsApp too." He added. "But Facebook has my most followers." Browne announced, bending his head downwards as if agonized.

"Really? How many followers?" I inquired with supposed curiosity.

Browne heaved quietly, casting me the 'music to your ears' look. "Seventeen followers and forty friends." He grinned.

"O-M-G!" I exclaimed, my mouth agape.

"I know right, unbelievable." He laughed softly.

He probably thought I was impressed and I was, impressed at his naivety; who on God's green earth would think that seventeen followers is impressive.

"Quite unbelievable man." I nodded vehemently, quarrelling with laughter.

"Yeah, a lotta Arabs and Indians, I've got some foreign friends you know." He smiled broadly.

"Oh of course, bots." I snickered quietly.

"Sorry?"

"Oh! I said both, you know, the Indians and Arabs." I quickly sneered.

"Yep, what 'bout you? What's your username?" He nudged me slightly with his elbow.

"I ain't on Facebook dude, just Instagram and Snapchat, Tiktok too." I smiled.

"Really, what about Instagram? Your username?"

"heis_browne, and same for the rest." Then I burst into laughter. "Browne." I laughed again. "Such coincidence."

"Geez. That's true." He chortled embarrassingly as I maintained a few distances from him.

I forwarded my gaze and saw Stacey walk inside the class, her charismatic walking gait painted my face with a spontaneous grin.

"Bro!" Browne shouted, tapping my shoulder hastily. "One hundred and thirty eight followers?!" Browne was almost screaming, stomping his feet effervescently as he spoke.

I didn't see cause for the excitement, it was barely a hundred follows.

"Okay," I chuckled. "What's the biggie?" I asked, shaking my head slowly.

"Dude you've got zero posts, how's that possible?" His voice was a bit calmer now, "no matter what I post I never get beyond my ten followers." He muttered.

"Well, these stuff don't actually matter bud, it's not always about the media dude, what matters is who we are behind the screen man." I solemnly pronounced.

"Really?" He sighed. "But aside them, I'm hell lonely." He whispered sadly.

"Shouldn't be like that though." I heaved, stopping at the doorway of my class.

"I'd see you later bro." I placed my hand on the hall, desperately wanting to disperse Browne, I could hear the high-pitched voices of Mrs. Tesla (English Teacher) I never miss her classes or her private lessons, her teaching methods are meticulous and methodical, albeit it's slow I enjoy it, English is my favorite subject after all.

"Oh yeah, okay pal." He nudged my back and with that he turned away.

I inhaled and exhaled sharply, walking into the class and noticing how everybody gazed at me, their eyes caught mine and I let out brief smiles. Everybody for the first time in a whole year stopped listening to Mrs. Tesla to look at me except for Stacey who pinned her gaze on Mrs. Tesla who was also looking at me.

"Coming late today Trevor?" She smiled and turned back to the whiteboard.

"Literature, I hope we can all agree that is one of the most essential arts in the history of the world, its essentiality is not merely for entertainment but educationally wise too, we get to interact with ideas and thoughts of the writer and by so doing we learn, we understand..."

Mrs. Tesla was interrupted by the intrusive barging of Mr. Argyle, (The Principal) his face is a never-smiling face, yes that's the usual but now it was worse, it was a flaring, glaring, grimaced face; his wrinkled forehead enhanced his scary countenance.

Mr. Clarke and Mr. Adams stood beside him as he scanned the class with his pale, dim eyes.

"Excuse me Mrs. Tesla." He growled. "Trevor, follow me." He rumbled at me.

"Me?" I asked shakily, but not just my voice shook but my hands partook, my legs twitched and my heart- it was trembling.

"Yes Stewart, quick!" Mr. Adams grunted, dispersing his usual friendly nature when he speaks to me.

Now my fear worsened, I slowly stood up, my knees buckling, the whole class was looking at me, not excluding Stacey, her face wore an expression I can't really explain, but it was sour, you know that 'I told you' look? Well that was what I could see in her face as I walked out of my seat.

I felt a million eyes projected on me, looking at me in surprise or pity, but it had to be pity because the approach wasn't pleasant, in fact I had a hunch that it was about Aaron but I wasn't sure, I didn't do anything to warrant a fierce summon from the principal of Maxwell High, haven't I been a good student?

"Follow me." Mr. Argyle gripped my wrist and we walked silently to his office. My heart was racing faster than a car with a thousand horse power engine, my anxiety was crippling, my mouth opened to ask 'what' but no words came out and my pulse palpitated.

Inside the principal's office I saw Aaron with Jason, immediately I knew what had happened- Aaron had bullied Browne and I confronted him, he thrashed me to the ground and fixed a fight but the irony here is that he's the victim. I gasped at this.

"Whatever they told you are all lies sir..." I was shut up with a swing of an old withered hand.

"Enough." Mr. Argyle ordered and my mouth quickly shut, my eyes fell on Aaron- his face looked so harmless and sober like he couldn't hurt a fly.

"Trevor I want your answers to be yes or no, okay?" Mr. Argyle pronounced in a slow but very rough voice.

"Okay." I managed to say amid flaring glares at Aaron and Jason.

"Good." He sighed. "Did you call Chester balls of a massive bulldog?" Mr. Argyle asked and quickly jetted his face away as if angered at his pronunciations.

"Yes," I meekly said. "Only be..."

The principal interjected, waving his index finger in the air. "Uh-uh-uh-uh. Yes or no." He drawled infuriatingly. "Trevor do you realize the psychological implications of your verbal utterances Trevor?" He solemnly asked.

"Yes." I responded, eyes downcast.

"You must know I do not tolerate vulgarity in my school Trevor, it's highly punishable." He sedately said.

"Yes." Fear filled my voice.

"And you know the consequences of flouting school rules?" He asked.

"No." I lowly said with my eyes still downcast.

"Well your case is very different Trevor, it's your first time I know, but you would still be punished." He now shifted his gaze from me to his crammed table.

My face slowly lifted from the ground to Mr. Argyle, giving him my sincerest apologetic look.

"Stewart, your scholarship has been withdrawn,"

Those words hit we like the bolt in a thunderstorm, it was definite I wouldn't continue school without the scholarship.

"And you are on a week's suspension Trevor, you are to leave immediately but when you return make sure to bring your father, it's just the protocols." He laughed dryly.

My eyes widened and my mouth gaped, my ears stretched and Aaron's snickers crossed them.

"Sir?" I said waveringly.

"I'm sorry Trevor but I can't condone any bad behavior in this school, from you or anyone, you must leave now." He said gravely, rubbing his bald chin.

"I'm sorry sir, I never was aware of the consequences Mr. Argyle..." I wanted to continue but I didn't want to break down, my voice cracked with emotions that I didn't want to express.

I can't take a whole week off!

"There's nothing I can do." Mr. Argyle said and turned to Aaron and Jason. "You are both dismissed, all of you." His glare met my eyes and I cast him my last excusatory glance before walking out of his office. Aaron and Jason were behind me- snorting rudely at me.

"Don't run Stewgull, the fight still holds friend." Aaron smirked.

The rushing feeling to delve towards him and shatter his teeth was subdued by the tears that stroked down my cheeks, I couldn't let him see me like this, or give him the opportunity to completely expel me from Maxwell High. I raced to my class with my fully red eyes and crimson cheeks.

Mrs. Tesla was stuttering as I walked into the class, but it didn't matter to me. As I grabbed my books from my desk I noticed how Stacey sympathetically looked at me, her eyes clearly engulfed in compassion and care, but, it didn't matter to me, I wouldn't see her again for a whole week.

I stormed out of the class, stomping to my locker exasperatingly, I knew I flouted school rules but scholarship withdrawal and suspension for telling the simple truth is extreme.

Clearly Aaron had fed Mr. Argyle with sumptuous lies and Jason was there to swear that it was totally safe to swallow because aside that my offense was a minor, if anybody should get a suspension then it has to be Aaron; he bullied Browne and nearly fought me. These thoughts hovered over my head as I packed everything from my locker to my backpack, my father, what was he going to say? Of course he isn't responsible for my education but he must always have something to say, something very hurtful, but what about food? Where can I find another Mrs. Clara for another week!? I cried.

"Trevor." I saw Stacey run up to me.

I wasn't in the fitting mind to do the romantic romance show with her now, if there was anything to show then it should be my anger and desperation.

My glance at her was very quick, I threw her one very sharp look before focusing back to my locker.

"Hey Trevor." She breathily said.

I ignored her, wiping a tear from my cheek with the back of my palm.

"What happened Trevor?" Stacey asked, looking closely at me.

"Nothing." I sharply whispered, stuffing my bag with books.

"So where are you going." She innocently inquired.

"It has nothing to do with you okay, you just stay away, you actually don't like me, you're only pretending to be my friend so I can join dumb music club," My voice began to crack again. "Stay away from me." I lowly grunted and hung my backpack on my shoulders and ran away.

What has Aaron done? I asked myself as a tear dropped to my shoe.