"Okay, Class, I want you to come up to the blackboard and read you creative pieces you wrote about what inspired you. Who wants to go first?" Mr. Gomez, the slightly balding Hispanic teacher, asked looking around at the fifteen students in his creative writing class.

Colby Lopez tried to act unassuming. He hated this class but he needed an elective to fill his schedule. Creative writing was such a bore to the fifteen year old. He should have chosen study hall. At least there he could cram unfinished homework rather than get stuck with this horrid class.

"Bailey?" That name rolled off the teachers tongue easily, making Colby glance at the person sitting in front of him.

Oh yes, the one reason for him to join this God awful class. Bailey Blackwell, one of most popular girls at this little Buffalo, Iowa high school. Smart, beyond beautiful, charm and the co-captain of the cheerleading team. A true beautiful blond bombshell. But she never gave him a second glance. The cross-breed kid with the big nose and goofy name. He could never fit in with her glamorous lifestyle.

He wouldn't be good enough for her.

"This is a horror story I created during a documentary of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer during the 1893 World Fair in Chicago. So here it goes." She took a deep breath to compose herself before continuing. "They think they killed me, but they didn't. Some say I am dead, but they are wrong. Who am I? I am H.H. Holmes and I am America's first known serial killer. I'm sure others have come before me, but I am the most popular. Want to know something? I am a Ripper. Here, let me tell you all about it."

Okay, maybe there was something else that was good about this girl. Bailey Blackwell was a fantastic writer. He heard about her entering a local Davenport Tribune writing contest and winning like second place in the entire thing. She was talented, she was beyond great but there was one thing holding Colby back from even approaching her. And he was sitting in the seat next to him.

Bailey's boyfriend, Charlie Mayweather, was the school's playboy quarterback. And one of Colby's tormentors. He kept reminding Colby of his half-breed status, that he was a mutt. That's where Colby's creative story came out of. He was standing up for himself through a writing piece.

"The End." Bailey said. She smiled brightly as the entire class cheered for her award winning story. Hell, Colby even clapped for her because it was the right thing to do.

"Good job, Bailey. Excellent as always. Who's next? Colby, why don't you enlighten us with your creative piece?" Mr. Gomez said as Bailey went to go sit in her seat in front of Colby's desk.

Taking a deep breath, Colby picked up his notebook and headed towards the front of the class.

He didn't explain what he wrote, he just started talking. "You say things that hurt. You're the bully. You shove me into the lockers. You're the bully. I'm nothing more than the half-breed mutt you don't seem to like. I don't understand why.

"I've been punched but no one asks why I have a cut lip or a black eye. Even the teachers don't ask me if I'm okay. It's like no one wants to notice these things. The only one who cares is my mom. She asks me all these questions and I always tell her it's nothing, when really it's just hard to tell her that being half white and half Hispanic is the reason.

"Maybe all of you are right. I am nothing, I am a half-breed mutt no one wants. But then again, may you are wrong. You are the bully but I am not the victim anymore.

"I say this because one day I am going to be something and I'll look back on this and laugh. I'll be a wrestler, taking on a ring with four corners and an opponent who wants that title just as much as I do. While I'll be performing for sold out masses, where will you be? Will you be a stay at home who can't go out to have any fun? Or will you be slaving away at a nothing sort of job that has nothing fun to it. Will you be flipping fries while I soar to success, taking your fame you wanted?

"See these arms?" Colby flexed for the class, showing the muscle bulging slightly under his t-shirt. "I spent an entire summer at the gym. Pull ups, bench presses, push ups and everything that goes in to working out, I've done it all through out the summer and well into the school year. My uncle helped me. Even though he owns a boxing gym, he's training me to be a wrestler.

"That's my dream, my shining light out of this misery I have to live with every day here at school. You can call me half-breed, call me worthless, you can even try to beat me up. You're the bully, you're the screw up. You are my enemy. Step in my way, I will take you down. I might not be big like you but I can finally hold my own." Colby looked up and met the eyes of Charlie, who was glaring right back at him.

"Remember, you're the bully." Colby ended before handing his notebook over to Mr. Gomez and heading back towards his seat.

Just as he neared Bailey, her hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.

"Hey, that was a good one, Colby. Nice job." She said. She didn't whisper, probably because she was letting the entire class know what she thought. "I understand now. Thanks for speaking up."

And that became the greatest moment for him. She knew, she understood what he was talking about. Bailey Blackwell finally noticed, Colby thought as he took his seat.

After that presentation it seemed like life at that Buffalo, Iowa high school went back to normal for Colby. Well no one physically messed with him, but the verbal harassments continued. It was better than being beat up only because of his heritage. And it was still going to get better.

It was during his lunch hour a week after the presentation when Bailey Blackwell showed up again.

"May I sit with you, Colby?" She asked, holding her food tray in front of her while she looked down at her.

He liked her in that blue shirt. It made her hair shine like gold and her blue eyes pop with extra color. Colby didn't even say anything, she made herself at home by taking the opposite facing seat at that table. He'd been the loner in the school, even the geeks didn't have a place for him. He'd spent his time alone, stewing in his own hatred and anger. Hardly had any friends that would stand up for him. Not that he considered Bailey a friend now.

"Why aren't you with your friends Missy, Stacey and the cheer squad?" He finally asked her after a moment of trying to find the right words to say.

"Well I've been sort of kicked out of the group. Not the squad but they are the back stabbing bitches they really are." She shook her head as she played with her unrecognizable meatloaf. "Of course I sided with you, and Charlie dumped me. I'm not saying it's your fault, I should have seen it sooner."

"Seen what?" Colby asked.

"Seen what Charlie and the Peanuts Gang do to you. God, I know what you go through."

"You know?"

"Colby, you can't judge a book by it's cover. I understand because I've gone through it as well. I've been bullied. Not by kids at school but at home. My step monster of a father. He'd bully me, say mean things in front of my mom about me. I'm fat, stupid, you know things like that but she never said anything. She was too drunk to even notice me half of the time. So while I was home I was nothing, and out of it I had to be perfect. But I let my perfect life here cloud my judgment. Charlie the ass, the bitch squad I am apart of." She shook her head, her hair shaking with her as it hung down passed her shoulders.

Wow, she really was not the perfect person that everyone made her out to be. Colby remained silent, his dark eyes watching as she didn't look at him, focusing on what her hands were doing with the food on the tray in front of her.

"I had to be perfect, to show my stepdad that he was wrong. He only stopped when he drunk drove and smashed into a car. He and my mom are spending time in jail for vehicular manslaughter, I'm staying with my dad, who is everything I need at the moment. I came over here to tell you that I understand where you're coming from. And to say I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not noticing you sooner."

Maybe it would change now, Colby thought before Bailey brought up the topic of wrestling. And they ate lunch together after that, for the rest of the high school life together. They even shared some of the same classes. But then life happened and they lost contact.

As we all know, Seth Rollins was once a kid. But he lived through his nightmare high school life to succeed as a wrestler. Now he is where he promised himself in his creative writing presentation. He's taking the WWE by storm.


Yeah, not exactly the lovey dovey type of one shots. But I felt I should voice the Be A Star thing. I have no idea what Colby Lopez's life was like growing up, or really anything about him at all. I thought I should write something that hardly anyone else writes about. I guess I'm that kind of writer. Hope you enjoyed it.