It was my first time outside of the house for something besides school or work in a few weeks. I was supposed to be running an errand for my dad but I decided to take a small detour to the mall. While I was there, I decided that I would go and check in at this new store that just opened up called Local. It promoted local bands and music in the mall. It was a unique idea and I loved it. I kind of knew the people who owned it. I thought I would see how they were doing and how business was. They seemed like cool people who were as passionate about music as I was. As I approached the store, I noticed there was a crowd of people that filled the tiny place to the exit. I hurried in so I could see what all the fuss was about. It just so happened to be Kyle and Nate on stage doing an acoustic set. My ex-bandmates. Kyle saw me in the crowd and nodded at me. Nate tried not to notice me. They announced their band name as "Broken for Better." How could they? That really hurt. It's bad enough they broke up the band and now they have the audacity to say we were better off? And what was this new band they started? Without me? Why didn't I know about this? I guess we haven't been talking much. I paid close attention to the next song they played. The lyrics were clearly about the band break-up. I was sweltering with anger. All our hard work was summed up in a single song as nothing. That's not what the song implied, but that's how I took it. I turned away in disgust and made my way towards the exit. I glanced back for a second and saw Kyle stand up as if he was going to call my name to stop me from leaving, but he didn't. Even if he had, I wouldn't have stopped. The band breaking up was just one of many wounds that wasn't healing well. High school was only a couple of months away from being over but yet things kept getting worse for me. I was angry and needed someone to blame. I vowed to never talk to them again.
"Stop throwing quarters at me!" This thought ran through my head louder and louder each time that cold hard quarter hit the back of my head. He thought it was funny. I told him a couple of times to stop but why does he keep doing it? This isn't funny. I thought he was my friend. He only keeps getting away with it because the gym is too big for the teachers to see everything. Why do we have to be at this stupid assembly? It needs to end soon so this can stop. "Ow!" I yelled as I held the back of my head. More laughter from that kid. He keeps throwing them harder and harder each time. I've asked him to stop and he won't. No one else is stopping this, so that means I have to. The assembly finally ended. The 7th graders got up first and exited, followed by the 8th graders. 9th graders are up to leave now. This is my chance. I stood and walked towards the kid who kept throwing loose change at my head. He was still sitting down on the gym floor. I stood above him and waited for him to notice me. He finally looked up at me "What the fuck do you want?" he asked with a stupid smile on his face. His other friends were laughing around him about his remark. I wanted to punch him, but I couldn't. My message would have to be quick and subtle so the teachers wouldn't notice. Open-palmed, I slapped him on the back of his head with pretty good force. You could hear the smack contact his bulbous head with a loud snap. "Knock it off!" I yelled. It hurt him pretty good. He leaned over holding his head. A tear hit the gym floor but he tried not to show his friends. I walked away and went to my locker. School was out, I could go home and put this all behind me. As I walked to my locker one of his friends stopped me in the hall. "Dillon is looking for you. He's mad." I didn't show any emotion. "So." I replied. I walked passed his friend and continued towards the exit. Then I felt a hand grab me by the arm. "Hey! I want to fight you. That was bullshit! I'm going to kick your ass." Dillon's normally pale face was bright red and his eyes were bloodshot. He must have really been crying. I didn't hit him that hard, did I? "I don't want to fight. I just wanted you to stop throwing quarters at me since you wouldn't stop when I asked you," I replied meekly. "Fuck you. I'm going to kick your ass. Meet me downstairs where we normally walk home." He walked away. What have I done?! I didn't want it to come down to this!
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