He never saw the punch coming. The punch was followed by another and another. Then he was knocked to the ground and kicked in the side before the screaming crowd turned and walked away, disgusted, disappointed.

“Why didn’t he fight back?” He heard a voice ask.

“Because he’s a coward.” Another answered.

Converse black canvas high top Chucks appeared at his side. He tried to look up into the face that went with the shoes but the sun glared in his eyes.

He sat up. She squatted down next to him in a pale pink skirt with white lace and a hot pink tank top. He could see her clearly now. She had black curls surrounding a heart shaped face. He saw sadness in her sky blue eyes and her bright pink lips were pinched in a bow.

“Are you all right?” She asked.

“Yeah. This happens all the time.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m smaller than him. Because I get better grades them him.”

“You just let him hurt you. Why didn’t you try to run?”

“The crowd would’ve never let me out of the circle. They like a good fight, even if only one person is doing the fighting. They want to see the blood.” He wiped blood from his lip and then from his nose.

She handed him a tissue from a small packet she had in her small pink purse that hung from a silver chain from one shoulder, over her head and down to the other side of her waist. She brushed a stray strand of hair back from his forehead as he held the tissue to his nose.

“I’m an outcast too. My clothes are weird and I chew bubblegum.” She stood up and reached a hand down to him.

He took her hand and stood up. “You’re pretty.”

She smiled. “My name’s Mandy.”

“I’m Julius, another strike against me.”

“I like it.”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”