Chapter 10, enjoy!

(I'm sure you can find the disclaimer somewhere in the chapters of this story, not mine etc, etc...)

Helping A Clown

Diesel sat in the back of his history class, rubbing the stubble on his chin, he felt as though he was forgetting something….something important, but he didn't know what it was. It was Tuesday, and usually he skipped Tuesday, but something told him to come in on Tuesday. Even his History teacher had been stunned to see him, as did the rest of the class. Diesel Vladimir didn't do school on Tuesdays.

Diesel looked up at the speaker in the class once it went off, and a voice on the speaker came for the school news. Diesel buried his head in his arms, listening to the bubbly voice prattle on about clubs, and events that were going on. He grunted when Heidi's name was mentioned, about her being selected to join the Olympic team, she would be going to New Zealand, where the summer games would be hosted. Good for his kitten, he would go too, and root for her.

"In other news, Homecoming will occur in 2 weeks, next Friday we will be voting for this year's homecoming King and Queen. There are now five potential homecoming Kings, seeing as Joe Morelli's name was put back on the list. Show some school spirit and vote for the homecoming court!"

"Shit!" Diesel snapped sitting up, "That's right! I gotta be homecoming King!"

The class was silent, looking at Diesel as though he grew two heads. At the glare he gave them all, they turned away from Diesel and quietly went to work on their school work. Diesel smirked and leaned back in his seat, it was good to be intimidating.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ricky leaned back in his lunch chair, watching Diesel pace the length of the table. He was getting dizzy, watching him walk the short length. Ricky sat up and said, "Man, you know what you should do, you have to be nice."

"I have to be nice…."Diesel said thoughtfully, "Yeah! I'll be nice, that'll make me look good too!"

Ricky smirked and said, "Well here's your chance," pointing to a table where a group of jocks were walking over to, "They have a victim."

Diesel turned, seeing Morelli and his group of fools, walk over to a mousy and somewhat chubby boy that sat alone at a lunch table by the trash cans. Diesel shrugged his shoulders, he never picked on people, that was a rule he followed by heart, he had bigger fish to fry, why pick on kids with low self-esteem, when beating up football players was much more fun! Diesel turned to Ricky and said, "I got this in the bag."

Ricky stood up and walked with Diesel over to the table that was now surrounded by football players. Out the corner of his eye, Ricky could see Stephanie and Heidi watching with interest. Stephanie had been staying at Heidi's for the last two weeks. When he asked how things were going on at home, Stephanie wouldn't tell him, and he wouldn't press for information, he understood how hard family problems can be. He was glad Stephanie had a friend like Heidi, and he was glad that Heidi's parents seemed to have adopted Stephanie. at least she had her father and Heidi's fathers to get support from.

Diesel sighed hearing Morelli call the poor kid horrible names. After that huge fight in the hallway, one would have expected Morelli to get suspended, after several witnesses reported that he took a swing at Heidi. That wasn't the case, his coach stepped in and told the principal to give him detention, he was needed on the field. The principal gave Joe Morelli 2 days of detention.

Fucking pathetic, let Joe Morelli take a swing at another girl, and Diesel would show him the power behind his street name.

"L-l-leave me alone!" The kid stuttered, hiding behind his book, "Go away, I don't want any trouble!"

The group laughed and kicked at the table the boy sat at. They toppled his tray and Joe made to grab the book from his hands, but Diesel grabbed Joe's arm and said, "Fuck off, Morelli, before I make you fuck off."

The lunch room got quiet, watching Joe and Diesel square off. Everyone knew about how Joe tried to hit Heidi. They now knew that Heidi was Diesel's woman, and Diesel's woman doesn't get threatened by anyone. This was going to be a big fight!

Joe snorted and asked, "Getting all soft hearted, Diesel? I heard pussy does that to a man."

"Yeah, you only heard, you can't get any if your life depended on it, and Joyce's cesspool for a pussy doesn't count, she'll give it anything and anyone."

Everyone around them let out low sounds, jeering at Morelli who turned red face, and advanced on Diesel. He pushed against Diesel and said with rage, "You're nothing but street shit, Diesel, as if that ice bitch would let you past her chastity belt."

"You jelly, Morelli?" Diesel asked, pushing Joe away from him, "Must be, cause her parents love me, and I'm taking her to homecoming, no girl in her right mind would ever date you, you're nothing but a bully who picks on those who can't fend for themselves and a fucking womanizer, just like your father-"

Diesel expected the punch, he had wanted Joe to punch him. Diesel's head snapped back as the fist hit his nose. He didn't feel any bones break in his nose, but that punch did hurt pretty badly. Diesel stumbled back and if it wasn't for Ricky catching him, he would have fallen. Diesel stood up, wiping the blood from his nose and said, "Is that all you got Morelli, fucking weak, I can see why you prey after kids like him, you punch like a baby."

Joe made to attack Diesel again, but his football buddies grabbed him and dragged him out the lunch room, best not to cause a scene again. So much for Joe becoming homecoming king.

Diesel wiped the blood off his face with his flannel shirt and turned to the kid at the table. He was looking up at Diesel with admiration, the book slack in his hands. Diesle tilted his head and asked "What's your name kid?"

"Albert…Albert Klougn." The boy said softly, making Diesel huff.

"Well kid…."Diesel said, before he turned and boomed, "LISTEN UP EVERYONE, YOU MESS WITH AL HERE, YOU MESS WITH ME AND MY FRIENDS, GOT IT?!"

There was a round of head nods and Diesel turned to Albert and asked, "Hey kid, get your shit, you're sitting with us, I like to see Morelli try shit with us around."

Albert grabbed his backpack and, like a puppy, followed Diesel and Ricky to their table. Ricky shook his head and said with a smile, "Diesel, I think you have a fan now."

Ricky pointed to Albert, who was sitting close to Diesel, reading a book with a smile on his face. Diesel rolled his eyes and said, "Hey Al, how old are you?"

"I'm 17, and a senior!" Albert said, making Ricky shake his head, "I hardly go to lunch, I hate it in here, but the teacher I sit with during lunch time, was out, so I had to come here."

Ricky placed a hand on Albert's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, if you're ever in trouble, find us, we'll settle it all out for you."

"Jeez, us juniors, protecting a senior," Lester said, appearing with a tray laden with food, "I think the world is tilting on its axle!"

"Axis, you mean," Heidi said walking up to the table, with a cream colored handkerchief in her hands, "Uh..Diesel…you missed a bit of blood on your face."

Heidi took a bottle of water, wet the cloth and wiped Diesel's face off. She smiled and said, "There, all clean."

Heidi leaned down, kissed Diesel on the cheek and whispered, "You've a heart of gold, Thaddeus."

She flushed and then stalked back to her table, where Stephanie pounced on her. Ricky laughed out loud at the look of pure bliss on Diesel's face, "What did she say to you man?"

"Oh…nothing important," Diesel sighed, rubbing his cheek, "Nothing at all."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie closed her chemistry book with a huff, she turned to Heidi, who was knee deep in college level math. She loved Heidi and her parents, loved them to death, but shit they spent most of the afternoon doing homework Heidi's parents made up for them.

"I'm done, stick a fork in me!" Stephanie whined, laying her head on the table, "No more homework!"

"Okay, I'm done too," Heidi said, closing her book, and tossing her pen away, "Let's get out of here and go out somewhere, before Deda comes in and demands we learn greek!"

The girls went to Pinos, and ordered a pizza. They sat in the back, away from prying ears, so they could talk privately. Stephanie grabbed a slice of pizza and said, "Ricky's been calling me, he wants me to meet his parents."

Heidi winked and said with a leer, "Well, did you say yes?"

"Yeah, I did," Stephanie said biting into her pizza, "It's just weird, you know, he's only taking me to homecoming, why would he want me to meet his parents?"

Heidi rolled her eyes and said, "Oh my god, you're not that dense are you? Stephaine please, tell me you're not dense!"

Stephanie shook her head, her face red, "What?! What am I missing here?"

"You're so dense, Ricky likes you," Heidi said watching Stephanie get redder in the face, "Oh my goodness, that boy likes you so much! The way he looks at you, the way he asks if you're doing fine, the way he does everything. Stephanie,that dude has it bad, and he has it bad for you."

Stephanie smiled to herself, Ricky one of the baddest boys in school, was infatuated with her. well, he did say yes to him taking her to homecoming, and he did talk to her in class. Hell, he even walked with her down the hallway to her classes. The question was, what did she think about Ricky? Sure, he was handsome, and kind, very kind, her father liked him, Ricky was the perfect guy, all wrapped up in a mocha latte package. Stephanie smiled and said out loud, "I'm glad he likes me..I think I like him too."

"Great, it'll make homecoming even better!" Heidi said eating her slice, "So, did you talk to your father, Deda got a call from him last night."

Stephanie sighed and said, "Yeah, Heidi, you won't believe what my mother told Valarie to do. She told her to keep Fred at all cost. She was giving her tips on how to seduce him and everything! My mom told her that you were sneaking around Val's back and sleeping with Fred!"

Heidi covered her mouth, her eyes wide, ew thatsounded so gross! Heidi shook her head and said, "You're mom is a crazy bitch!"

"I know, Daddy nearly shat bricks when Valarie told him. And poor Val, she's pregnant from mom's advice." Stephanie said shaking her head, "Mom told her to do whatever Fred wanted to do. To be like you, Heidi, to make him be attracted to Val, Heidi, I think my dad is leaving my mother."

"He needs to, she has filled Val's head up with nonsense. What's going to happen to Val?" Heidi asked, leaning forward in her seat, "What's going to happen to Val and the baby?"

"Well, Daddy took her to the doctor's. she's 5 weeks pregnant," Stephanie said, "Daddy went to Fred's parents, and they hashed it all out, Fred is going to marry Val. Val never told Fred that she was pregnant, now that he knows, he wants to be in his child's life."

Heidi shook her head and said, "It's a fucking shame what your mother did to he, I'm glad she didn't do anything like that to you, Deda and daddy would have stepped in."

Stephanie smiled and said, "The funny part in all of this is she's the laughing stock of her precious 'Burg, no one wants to be seen with her. I think she's turned to drinking, Daddy's moved out the house, and is living with an ex-army buddy."

"And all of this is her own doing," Heidi said drinking her soda, "Now, let's hurry up and finish, it's almost nine, and Deda gets mad if we're out after nine."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Ricky shook his head, looking at Albert, who was standing beside Diesel, who looked as though he had sucked on a lemon. After he had saved Albert from Morelli and his thugs, Albert had stuck to Diesel like glue. Ricky could see that it was grating on the man's nerves.

"Okay Al, tell ya what, you go on your merry way, and call us if ya need us," Diesel told the mousy boy, who looked up at him with watery eyes, "Come on kid, don't you have any friends?"

"No, my mother doesn't like it when I talk to other people, she wants me to become a lawyer, like my father," Albert said, wiping his nose, "So I'm in all AP and college courses."

"Oh, so do you take some classes with Heidi?" Ricky asked, earning a nod from Albert, "Hey Diesel, Albert might know a few things about Heidi."

Diesel rounded on Albert and said, "Do ya?! How is she, does she talk about me?!"

"She only says that you're annoying, but she says it with an affectionate tone, I think she likes you, Sir." Albert said, blushing, "She's very pretty, and smart, very smart, sometimes she teaches the class."

"That sounds like my Kitten," Diesel said with pride, "So, Albert, you can scram now, call us when ya need us."

"Well, I-um, I can help you with the homecoming and getting votes, I can give you advice, you know, from a person who's part of the other people, you know, not popular, or a jock, or a thug, like you guys." Albert said, fixing his glasses.

"Oh, can you now?" Ricky said leaning in close, "Well, you can stay with us, until you run out of value, understand?"

"Of course, Sir," Albert said his face full of happiness, "As long as I can come to you, if I ever have a problem with bullies."

"Sure, like I told you before, you can always come to us!" Diesel said, slapping Albert on his back, "Now, come with us to our office, which is in the underground broiler room, we have much to plan for, much to plan for…."

TBC…

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