Goal: Avoid Amit Conflict: Confronted Disaster: Gang breaks up
Happy asked Saad to meet him outside the doors of homeroom after first period. He obliged.
“Bro, I got jacked for two dimes and Amit is expecting his payback today. I have the rest,” Happy said.
Saad thought for a moment, then dug in his front pocket for a slip that held bank notes.
Happy started to exhale in relief but not for long.
“This is a countie $10. Go break it in the cafe for a soda and you’ll have most of this for him. I can find the rest in my locker,” Saad said.
“Thanks so much,” Happy said with subdued enthusiasm.
Happy went to the cafeteria, sweating. He walked in as he had at the start of school but now with a real secret. He had felt bad at the beginning of the school year and alone. But now he somehow felt more alone.
He went to the lady and asked for a soda behind the counter. He crumpled the bill in his pocket to make it more weathered. He had a real one in his rubber band from the weed he’d sold and could tell it felt lighter, like the paper from an old page of homework.
“I’ll have a cola please,” Happy said.
As she turned he pulled out the note in a rehearsed fold and extended it towards her. The lady snatched it with a beleaguered gaze and quickly started wrangling the change.
“Whats up rookie,” Amit said.
Happy turned to see the one he’d been avoiding. As the lady started handing back his change, Amit intercepted and grabbed it.
“Sorry, that’s mine,” Amit said.
The lady looked at Happy and when he stayed mum she relented.
“Where the rest at?” Amit said.
I got it lets go outside,” Happy said.
He hoped being outside in the savannah would yield a potentiall ally and he was happy to see Shera approaching.
“i got x but I got jacked so I have everything but xx dollars,” Happy said.
He handed Amit the money discreetly.
“Thats not good bitch,” Amit said.
Happy didn’t know what to do. He had a guy here ready to beat his ass for something he did his best on? What could he do to fight back?
As Amit was counting Happy turned and bolted towards the cafe doors.
He ran until he got to the back, where Gobind and Saad were hanging and playing salaad, a game that involved shooting a flattened soda can through each others legs. He caught up and played cool.
“Hey boys,” Happy said.
“Hey gyani,” Gobind said while not stopping playing.
For a moment there was peace, until Happy heard Frick say ‘there he is,
“Saad, Amit’s dating Sweety,” Happy said.
“What? Why were you running?” Saad said.
“I had to get away from him he was trying to beat me for missing a few dollars,” Happy said.
Amit walked up quickly and draped Happy up against a locker.
Sweety had followed from the commotion.
“Babe leave him alone,” Sweety said.
Saad heard the word and started putting the pieces together.
Happy saw Saad calmly walk up to Amit and raise his first and punch him square in the back of the head. Amit’s eyes were locked on Happy and crossed for a moment before he blinked and let go of Happy to look behind. Happy’s heels came back down to the floor.
Amit turned to find Saad upon him, punching him square in the face until Frick came in from behind him and bear hugged him.
Amit took his chance to desk Saad square in his face with the knuckles landing in his eye socket. Sweety screamed.
It was clear Frick wasn’t letting go and Saad was going to be target practise.
Happy feared he would be beaten senseless of worse.
From Happy’s right, Gobind pushed him with both hands so hard that Amit lost his balance and fell on his ass. He got up quickly and got in Gobind’s face.
“Fucking fair fighting mans eh?” Gobind said.
“He suckerpunched me,” Amit said.
“Get the fuck off of me,” Saad said.
Happy saw the school resource officer coming down the hall ahead of everyone else. This gave him the chance to get away before he started taking names for expulsion.