Bread For The Body

Slice one.

Trust Avie to make me return all her books to the library. Not to mention, Mom wouldn't even drive me! She said walking would be good exercise.

Yuck, all the saliva in my mouth had gone thick and sticky. Making not so attractive sounds with my throat, I was about to spit it out.

But I felt a tap on my shoulder.

On impulse I turned around and jerked with shock, consequently, my slag flying onto his shirt. He was... one of the guys from behind the hardware store. The guy yelled when he realized I'd hit him with my saliva. "What the fu- I thought you were a girl!... Dick, you spat on me! So... what's your name, little boy?"

"Z...Zac."

"Zac who?"

"Zac... Hanson."

"So little Zackie Hanson, why did you spit on me?"

I was about to answer him when that cute chick from before, whispered something in the guy's ear.

He smiled at me and asked another question. "Ohh, so you're that guy from the other day? Tell me, Zackie are you looking for trouble or something?" He looked over his shoulder, at his friends.

"N-no..." I regained my composure. "No, I'm not," I repeated, this time with more confidence.

"We're trouble, so if you don't want any, you'd better stay away from us."

"You're the one who tapped me on the shoulder." As soon as it slipped out, I knew that would just further upset the ogre. Please, please don't hear that comment, please don't hear that comment...

"Oh yeah? Well this will teach you to shut up and piss off." He threw a punch at me and by fluke, I managed to dodge it which made him lose his balance and stumble a bit. I heard laughter in the background, his friends were laughing at him. And me, I had nearly pissed in my pants. God, that guy is scaring me... I sure knew how to aggrivate a bully.

In humiliation, he blindly, hit out at me and I was not able to weave myself away from this punch. I fell to the ground.

SLAM!

The library books crashed down with me.

Pieces of gravel were grinding their way into the flesh on the right side of my face. I was still able to feel the sting of his punch on the left side of my face. Oh, this was pleasant.

I heard their footsteps gradually disappear as the bullies walked away in triumph.

I took in a deep breath and some dust went up my nose. Today had to be my lucky day. I sat up and gathered all Avie's library books into my lap. Letting out a heavy sigh, I stood and continued my journey to the library.

****

I felt ridiculous, knocking on my own front door but the fact of the matter is, ever since we hit the big time, security has been our number one priority. Come on!... open the door already. I actually doubted if they could even hear me knocking. I mean, our house is always so noisy...

The door flung open and there stood Jessie. "Zac, your face is all red..." she half questioned and half stated. I gave her a look, "I figured." Afterall, that was where his fist collided with me.

I stepped inside the house, leaving her to close the door and lock up. With so many people in our family, I found it quite difficult to avoid everyone and get up to my room safely - in other words, without being noticed. I didn't need to be questioned, although that would just top my great day off.

Taylor, who was in there reading, looked up as I entered the room. "What's with your face?"

"Tay, all my life I've looked like this. What? You've just noticed how incredibly fine it is?"

"Did you walk into a door?"

"No, that's your department. Hee..."

"What happened, Zac?"

"I fell." What? It was the truth, I just hope he doesn't ask how I fell.

He didn't. All he did was smile and said, "Klutz." Taylor continued reading.

Slice two...

Stories