Читать книгу Basketball and Bullies - T. K. Valentic - Страница 3

Lisa and Betsy watched Alexia empty and then repack her backpack in front of her hall locker.

"Do you like it?" Alexia asked, shrugging the backpack over her shoulder. It was new, powder-blue, and matched her eyes.

"It’s you," Betsy said. "It's real nice, but hurry up! The goon squad is already out there. Just walk fast and don’t look at them. Maybe they will leave us alone for once," Lisa interrupted looking anxiously down the hall.

"When we go by, don’t turn around, no matter what Chad or Wyatt says," Alexia added.

As the girls expected, Chad, Wyatt, and Stan were riding their skateboards up and down the street right where the girls needed to walk.

"Don’t look at them and walk fast," Lisa reminded her friends.

"Hey! It’s the Beastie Babies!" Chad yelled laughing maniacally.

"Just keep walking," Lisa muttered.

"And why are they beastly? Because they look, like animals!" Chad sang. He and Wyatt made barnyard sounds as they strutted up and down the sidewalk. Stan stood off to one side looking uncomfortable and slightly shame-faced.

"Jerk!" Betsy muttered.

"What did you say?" Chad asked. "Thunder Thighs! You got something to say to me?" he challenged.

"Leave her alone!" Lisa snapped pulling Betsy behind her.

"And now Rabbit Face and the Troll are taking up for the fat kid," Chad informed his friends.

"This is boring. Let's go find something more interesting to do," Stan said.

"Just go!" Lisa said to her friends. The girls took off at a run and by the time they reached the end of the block, they were out of breath.

"Why are they so mean?" Betsy asked tearfully.

"They are just stupid bullies," Lisa said. "You are not fat!" Lisa knew that Betsy was sensitive about her weight. Lisa thought Betsy looked beautiful. She wasn't stick-thin, but she certainly wasn't fat.

"Come on! Let’s go!" Stan repeated to Chad.

"Not yet. There’s the freak! We can't miss the Freak!" Wyatt said excitedly pointing over to the school steps just as Arthur started down them.

Arthur immediately spotted Chad and his friends across the street. Apparently, he hadn't waited long enough for them to leave.

"Hey, it’s the Abominable Freak!"

Arthur sighed, there was no way to get around them. He would have to go past them and endure their abuse.

"Mr. Smith!"

Arthur turned and saw Ms. Bartlett halfway out the door, trying to handle three large satchels of books and papers.

"Could you help me get these to the car?" she asked as he opened the door wider to allow her to get outside.

"Sure," Arthur said taking two of the satchels from her arms.

"Are those boys bothering you?" Ms. Bartlett looked down to the end of the block with narrowed eyes.

"No. I’m okay," Arthur said.

"Really?" Ms. Bartlett didn’t look convinced. "Chad! Don’t you boys have somewhere to be?"

"Yes Ma’am," Chad said looking caught out. "Come on, let's go get some soda," he said to Wyatt and Stan.

"Finally," Stan muttered.

Arthur sighed with relief; Disaster averted for another day.

Arthur started the walk home. He only lived six blocks from school and most days once he passed Chad and his buddies the rest of the walk home was peaceful. Halfway home, he passed by Mrs. Saunders house. She was his old babysitter. Her trash can lay on its side overturned and trash lay scattered across her lawn. Nowadays, of course, he was too old for a babysitter, but he liked Mrs. Saunders and tried to help her out when he could. He picked up the trashcan and then spent ten minutes picking up the trash in her yard and putting it back in the uprighted trash can.

"Thanks, Arthur," Mrs. Saunders called from her front door. "Would you like some cookies?"

"No thanks! I'm running late," Arthur called out. He loved Mrs. Saunders, but she made terrible cookies.

On the next block, Chad and Wyatt were waiting. "Thought you could avoid me by snuggling up to Old Lady Bartlett?" Chad asked his tone little more than a sneer.

"What do you want?" Arthur asked.

"I think you owe me money," Chad said.

"What are you talking about? I don’t owe you any money."

"Well, haven't you heard? There is a new fee for being freakishly tall and ugly. It's five dollars a day."

"There is no fee like that," Arthur said. "Besides, I don't have any money."

"Use your allowance," Wyatt said.

"I don't get an allowance," Arthur said. "I can't give you any money."

"Well, you better find some money from somewhere. It's five dollars tomorrow, or else," Chad said ominously pushing Arthur so hard that he almost tripped.