Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the story plot


"You know I still love you right," Sharona told Benjy

"I know you say you do," Benjy replied

"Benjy!"

"Mom you didn't even give me a chance to tell my side of the story. What am I supposed to think?"

Sharona paused for a minute. Benjy was right. She didn't give him a chance to tell his side of the story.

"You know how I feel about fighting," Sharona said

"But you don't know why I was fighting"

"Tell me what happened," Sharona sighed

"EVERY SINGLE DAY WHEN I GO TO SCHOOL I GET PICKED ON. I GET MY LUNCH MONEY STOLEN. I GET SWIRLYS AND I'M BIG ENOUGH TO DEFEND MYSELF UNLIKE RICKY. I WASN'T ABOUT TO LET RICKY BE BULLIED LIKE I HAVE BEEN."

Sharona had no idea this was going on.

"Benjy why didn't you tell me," she asked him

"Because," he said, "every night when you get home you're so tired and so drained. I try not to bother you"

Sharona put a hand on her son's shoulder.

"Benjamin Ross Flemming you listen to me and you listen carefully. I am your mother. I love you. You come first no matter how tired I am or how drained I am. I always have time for you and I always have energy for you.l

"That doesn't mean it's okay to fight.. Fighting is not okay. It's not okay to allow yourself to be bullied either. You need to talk to a teacher or the school principal. Do you understand that?"

"I can't do that," Benjy said, "They'll just get madder"

Sharona understood his fear.

"Sometimes," she told him, "You have to stand up to bullies. I had the same thing happen to me one time"

"How did you handle it?"

"I told him that I would not be spoken to like that or treated like that. I was as much a person as he was and he would not talk down to me. Of course I also told the person in charge and that shut him up real quick. Honey nobody can bully you if you don't permit it"

"Thanks mom," Benjy said and talked to the principal the next day.