Bully's Best Friend Read online

  Everyone who was there will never look at him the same way again. Every time they see him they will think of him standing in the middle of the cafeteria with his pants down. His parents have been to the principal to voice their concerns about the incident. They have said how distressed Austin is and that Mitchell is a bully who needs to stay away from him. None of this is helping. He just wants to run away or hide in a corner.

  Matt and Nate have called several times, Austin presumes to apologize, and they even came to the door on Sunday. But, much to his mother's angst, he refuses to talk to them. He just can't believe they were standing there laughing with everyone else. He closes his eyes and tries to imagine if it was one of them the unthinkable had happened to, what would he do? He knows, for sure, that he would have rescued them. He wouldn't have stood there laughing with everyone else at their expense. True friends don't do that. They are obviously not true friends.

  He's faked every illness in the book, but the time comes when Austin has absolutely no choice but to face everyone and go to school, or else risk his parents do time in jail. He tries to keep away from everyone and just get through each day as best he can. For the first few days Austin hears chuckles and whispers as he passes, but after a while, just like his mom said, other things start to take over and the memory slowly starts to fade in his fellow students' minds.

  In his mind it's still as clear as if it happened yesterday. In fact, he doesn't think he'll ever get over it and be normal again. He curses Mitchell every waking hour and actually finds himself wishing something bad would happen to him. His mom and dad keep reminding him that two wrongs don't make a right and that he has to learn to forgive. But he just can't.

  One evening, Austin is hiding in his room looking at the latest posts on Facebook, (not that he cares) when he sees a friend request from Ian. With everything else whirling around in his head, he'd forgotten that Ian was the only one on that terrible night that had the guts to come over and help him. Ian was the only one who wasn't cracking up laughing at Austin's expense and for that he will be forever grateful. He realizes in that instant they both know what it's like to be bullied, and now they have something in common. He also realizes that he really should thank Ian, and he hesitates very briefly before hitting 'accept'.

  The following evening Austin receives a message from Ian: 'Hey - are you okay?' He replies immediately, 'Yeah, I guess. Well no, not really.' Over the next few days they message back and forth and by the end of the week Ian has invited Austin to his house on Saturday. Austin admits that he's getting kind of tired of being a hermit, so he agrees to go.

  He's not sure what to expect as his mom drives him to Ian's house, but as they head out of town and into the rugged countryside Austin becomes more and more intrigued.

  Finally, after driving down a long and very bumpy driveway, with trees over-hanging and scraping the car, which his mom isn't too happy about, Ian's house is revealed. To Austin's surprise, it's a huge, old, rambling farmhouse. Hens and geese are strutting about on the front lawn and as they get closer Austin notices a pig sty; a fat pink pig lying on her side and about six fat pink piglets, suckling hungrily.

  He feels a little swell of excitement. He really hadn't expected this and had imagined Ian to live in a predictably boring house in the suburbs. They're just about to ring the doorbell when there is a roar of an engine and a four-wheeler appears around the side of the house.

  Ian pulls up next to them and grins saying, "Welcome to my humble abode."

  "Man, this place is pretty cool!"

  "It's not much - but its home," Ian shrugs modestly.

  The day goes by way too fast. There's so much to do here - good, outside, boy stuff. Ian shows Austin how to drive the four-wheeler, and later Austin helps him with his 'chores' which consist of feeding all the animals. He finds he's jealous of Ian's chores which are so much more fun than his and he smiles to himself, thinking a couple of weeks ago he couldn't have imagined being jealous of Ian.

  Towards the end of the day, they're sitting in a barn on top of a haystack when Ian suddenly says, "Thanks for helping me out at the mall that day. I hope I'm not the reason Mitchell has it in for you."

  "No way man, Mitchell had it in for me way before that. I guess it didn't help, but I'd do it again any day. And thanks for helping me out at the dance."

  Ian raises his fist for a knuckle punch and says, "No problem!" and from that moment Austin knows he has a true friend.

  Chapter 10

  The weeks go by and life is somewhat back to normal. Austin is still distant to Matt and Nate and stays well out of Mitchell's way. He sees smirks from him across the room, and he knows Mitchell says horrible things about him, trying to spread rumors that aren't true, but Austin does his best to ignore them.

  Ian and Austin spend most weekends at the farm, or traveling out of town with Ian's older brother who drives. He realizes he is totally relaxed with Ian. He can just be himself and doesn't have to impress anyone or try to be popular. It's a good feeling.

  One day, they're on their way home from a great day riding go-karts at a speedway, when out of the blue Ian asks Austin if he's still going on the field trip. Austin has been trying not to think about it. He wants to go but he doesn't all at the same time. He feels like his brain is being pulled in a hundred different directions. He's silent for so long that Ian eventually asks if Austin heard him. He makes up his mind, there and then, that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and nothing will stop him from going. Then, ten minutes later, he's back to resigning himself to the fact that he's a wimp, and he's for sure not going.

  After all, he's not really going to be able to hide in a corner if they're stuck on an island together. He knows Mitchell is going, as he overheard him talking about it the other day, and Austin just cannot imagine being in close proximity to that scumbag for five minutes - let alone a whole week!

  But his mom and dad already paid a lot of money for the trip and it's non-refundable - unless you can prove you are ill or there is a death in the family. Of course he shudders at the latter - but an illness - hmmmmm. How can he become so sick that he can't go?

  Ian is desperately trying to talk Austin into going - to convince him how much fun they'll have and how he'll regret it forever if he doesn't go. And still Austin's mind goes back and forth like a yo-yo.

  Later that night, he decides to talk to Anna about it to see what she would do. Austin finds he talks to her more lately than his mom and dad because he feels she's more tuned in to his feelings than they are. She immediately says he should go. She says if he doesn't go it will be like Mitchell has won, and he absolutely must not let that happen. She suggests, though, that Austin talk to Mr. Thomas, who's the teacher who saw what happened in the cafeteria, and who is also going on the field trip. Austin has always liked and respected Mr. Thomas and feels relieved he'll be going on the trip. He thinks he'll take Anna's advice and talk to Mr. Thomas tomorrow.

  So, during lunch the next day, Austin finds Mr. Thomas alone in his classroom, grading papers. As he walks in, Mr. Thomas looks up and says with a kind smile, "Ah, Austin - I was wondering when you were going to come to talk to me."

  He listens patiently as Austin explains his concerns about the trip, nodding and saying, "Uh-huh," occasionally. When he finishes rambling Mr. Thomas gives a big sigh, and pushing his glasses further on his nose, he says thoughtfully, "Well, I do understand how you feel, but I think your sister was right. You can't go through life letting bullies get the better of you. You have as much right as everyone else to go on the field trip and enjoy it."

  He goes on to explain that the girls will be on one island, and the boys will be on another. He's in charge of grouping on the boy's island and he'll be sure to place Austin as far away from Mitchell's group as possible. He also explains that the boys will stay in their groups for the activities during the day, and that Austin will probably see less of Mitchell during the trip than he does at school.

  By the time Mr. Thomas has
finished talking Austin's mind is made up once and for all. He will go on the field trip and he will have the time of his life - Mitchell or no Mitchell!

  Chapter 11

  There is an excited buzz at school all week in anticipation of the big trip. At the weekend, Austin's mom takes him shopping for supplies, and packs and repacks his case about twenty times before she declares he's ready.

  Monday morning arrives and Austin wakes early to sunlight filtering through the blinds. "Well, this is it," he thinks, feeling excited but slightly panicky at the same time - well aware that once he's on that bus there's no turning back.

  Another thing is bothering him apart from being on the same island as Mitchell, and that's his fear of the water. Nobody knows about Austin's phobia except for his family. He's embarrassed by it, but he just can't seem to change. The itinerary includes snorkeling a couple of times, and he'll have to come up with a reasonable excuse. There'll be plenty of other activities that don't involve getting in the water, but he'll be expected to take the plunge at one time or another.

  Before he knows it, Austin is sitting on the bus at school, waiting for everyone to get on and claim their seats. He's sitting in front of Ian and Carl, the red haired boy from the mall. Carl seems very friendly and has a great sense of humor. Austin notices Mitchell and his gang, which includes Matt and Nate, all the way at the back, already being very loud and obnoxious.

  Austin is engrossed in digging in his backpack for his headphones, when he hears a girl's voice say, "Is anyone sitting here?"

  Glancing up, he's astonished to see its Mia. "No.... no-one's sitting here," Austin replies as casually as possible. At first Austin presumes there are no other seats available, but then he notices a few still unoccupied, and he realizes happily that she chose to sit next to him!

  The bus finally starts moving and they are on their way south towards the Florida Keys. They sit in silence for a while - Mia playing with her phone, and Austin with his headphones on looking out of the window.

  As he often does, Austin starts thinking of that fateful night of the dance again, and he realizes for the first time that he hadn't seen Mia's reaction. Had she been laughing at him along with the rest of them?

  He'd given up any thoughts of asking her out after that night. If she wanted to be with Mitchell then he could have her. But now here she was sitting next to him - why?

  The bus moves swiftly down the highway and everyone settles into their seats for the long journey. After about an hour of sitting in silence, Austin hears Mia's voice through his music.

  "So, what are you looking forward to the most?" she asks.

  He immediately takes his headphones off and sits up straighter, answering, "Ummm, well I love boating and fishing, so that, I guess - how about you?"

  She thinks for a moment and then tells him she's pretty much looking forward to everything.

  The ice has been broken and they chat on throughout the rest of the journey. Austin finds she's really easy to talk to, and before he knows it they are approaching the Florida Keys. He's been there once before, but he was about three so doesn't remember much.

  The bus starts traveling over the many bridges which connect the little islands like a necklace. The water is the most amazing aqua color and quite breathtaking. Eventually they turn onto a side street on one of the larger islands, and after about two miles of nothing but thick mangroves, with glimpses of water in between, they reach the end of the road. The water opens up in front of them and there are several pontoon boats lined up ready to take them to the islands.

  Austin feels a flutter of excitement in the pit of his stomach and turns to smile at Mia who grins back enthusiastically. Let the adventure begin!

  Chapter 12

  The girls are soon ferried off on pontoon boats to their island and Austin is quite sad to see her go, but knows they'll see each other during some of the activities tomorrow. Shortly afterwards, the boys are also loaded onto the boats and start chugging across the crystal clear water towards their island.

  The first task after they have docked is to put up their tents. This turns out not to be as easy as they thought as the thing is enormous, and they keep losing each other under copious amounts of heavy fabric.

  Austin is sharing with Ian, Carl and a new kid named Jack, as well as their chaperone. Jack started at their school after the infamous dance incident, and Austin is relieved he won't have that image of him in his head.

  They are still struggling with the tent; maybe because there are so many parts, or maybe because Carl is really hyper and is running around with the pole between his legs like he's riding a horse. They're all messing around, giggling crazily, when Austin has the sensation they are being watched. Turning, he flinches as he sees Mitchell and his followers scowling at them.

  "Wow, look guys, its naked boy and the dork crew. What a stupid load of LOOOSERS!" Mitchell exclaims, putting his hand up to his head in an 'L' shape. "I see you found yourself some new friends, huh Austin?"

  He turns to his gang and says loudly, "Welcome to the loser camp, boys!" Then, turning back to Austin and his group he drawls, "Believe me, we are going to make sure you have the time of your lives this week!"

  Mitchell's friends snicker as Austin takes a bold step forward and says through gritted teeth, "Is that a threat?"

  Mitchell laughs, "Oh no, naked boy - it's a promise." Then he turns and struts away, his gang following him like lost puppies.

  Austin's hands are clenched together and his breathing is heavy. He has a burning desire to punch Mitchell directly in the middle of his handsome face. He is envisioning a pleasant image of Mitchell's nose, crooked and gushing blood, and he smiles devilishly.

  Ian's voice brings Austin back to reality with a jolt. "Don't take any notice, Austin. That's what he wants. Don't give him the satisfaction."

  Austin turns on Ian angrily, "Jeez, Ian, you sound like my mother. Why aren't you encouraging me to punch his lights out?"

  Ian doesn't reply but turns solemnly to help Jack, who is struggling with a ten foot pole.

  Well, Mitchell already succeeded in ruining the mood at their tent anyway.

  Chapter 13

  Finally, the tent is up and their moods gradually start to improve. They are told they have an hour of free time to explore the island, which isn't nearly enough as it's as least two square miles.

  The numerous tents are set up in an enormous circle on a large grassy area. In the center is a huge fire pit, and along the back of the tents are a row of wooden huts which house the toilets and showers.

  A short distance in front of the campsite is the beach, and when everyone is quiet, they can hear the water lapping the shore from their tent. Several brightly colored canoes are lined up on one side of the beach, and tethered in the shallow water are a row of small sailboats and rowboats.

  On the other side of the camp is a dark forest, with a narrow trail which looks as though it's asking to be explored.

  The boys have been instructed that wherever they are on the island, it shouldn't take more than ten minutes to get back to the campsite. If they hear the whistle blow, they are to head immediately back to their tent to be accounted for. If they fail to be back within ten minutes, they will not be allowed to participate in the next activity.

  Austin spots Mitchell and company on the beach, so he suggests they explore the forests, and fortunately his friends agree. It's dark and cool beneath the trees and it feels good to walk after the long journey. The track twists and turns through the pines and finally ends at a rocky shore. Sharp oyster beds and pointy mangrove trees rise like fingers out of the shallow water.

  The boys start a game of skimming pebbles across the water to see who can get the most jumps. Austin is winning so far, with three jumps, when they hear the definite shriek of the whistle. It doesn't seem like an hour has passed, but they notice dark storm clouds gathering in the distance and presume maybe that's why they have been summoned back to base.

  As the boys turn to
head back, Austin realizes he's desperate to relieve himself and tells the others to go on ahead. He climbs a short way over the oyster beds where it's a little more secluded. He can hear his friends' voices growing distant quickly and then fading completely, and he's alone.

  He's making his way back across the oyster beds and is about to turn onto the path, when some splashing a short distance away catches his eye. Two baby dolphins are frolicking in the shallow water and Austin stops to watch them play. Their mother is close by, watching and herding, and Austin is so close he can clearly hear the snort of water as she exhales through her blowhole. He's transfixed by the scene before him, and finds himself wishing his mom and dad were here to share this. His daydream is suddenly shattered though, as he hears a low rumble of thunder. Glancing up at the approaching clouds, he turns and heads quickly back up the path.

  Austin is relieved there was only one path heading into the forest so there's no chance of him getting lost. He's not sure how long he was watching the dolphins but suddenly thinks it may have been longer than he thought and he quickens his pace. It's really quite dark now and he starts to jog on the increasingly narrowing path. His eyes are on the path, concentrating on avoiding any protruding roots, when an invisible barrier suddenly causes him to lose his balance and he stumbles clumsily backwards, twisting his ankle in the process.

  As he sits and rubs the throbbing pain, something white fluttering in the breeze attracts his attention and he looks up to see a piece of paper nailed to the tree trunk. It says simply, 'Mitchell was here' and underneath is a smiley face.

  Austin curses under his breath and scrambles to his feet. Putting his hands out, he gropes in front of him and realizes thick fishing line has been wound tightly around two opposite tree trunks. The line goes all the way down to the ground and higher than his head. He tries to pull it up or push it down but it's too tight. He tries to make an opening in the middle but only his head will go through.

  Austin stands there cursing Mitchell again and comes to the conclusion that the only thing to do, twisted ankle or not, is to try to climb over. So, he grabs the line as high as he can and hauls himself up, cringing at the stabbing pain. The line does slip down a little with his weight and he is finally able to collapse on the other side.