I took a seat alone at the table near the trashcans. I hoped that Mr. Hayes didn't see me. I didn't want him to get suspicious and wonder why I'm really sitting over here. Because then he'll have to know the whole story.

I noticed that the football team was walking toward my table so I put down the fork that was in my hand and swallowed. They crowded around me, and a couple of them dragged me away from the table no matter how much I tried to fight back.

Everyone in the cafeteria was looking at us. Among the audience was Melissa.

Randy took the lid off of a trashcan, and the guys holding me shoved me into the garbage upside-down. I tried to flip the trashcan onto its side, but it wouldn't budge. The cafeteria was flooded with laughter.

Suddenly, the garbage can began to gently tip over. I crawled out to see Mr. Hayes.

I was humiliated~so embarrassed, in fact, that I was in tears. I ran across the cafeteria, passing quickly by Melissa. I hurried all the way into Mr. Hayes' empty classroom and took a seat next to the wall on the floor, hiding my face in my knees as I cried.

Soon, an unexpected guest entered the room. "Jackson?"

I looked up. "Mel?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I wiped away a tear, which smudged something gross and white under my eye.

She took a seat next to me, then peeled the tomato slice from my cheek.

"Look. I'm sorry that I cheated on you." The tears started up again and my voice cracked. "But I'm so lonely without you and everyone else. I've learned my lesson. Can we, please, be friends again?"

As she pulled food off of my shirt, she said, "Yeah."

"Can we go back to how we were: you being my girlfriend?"

Melissa hesitated for a long time. "Jackson, I think we should see other people."

I looked down at my lap and sobbed. "But I love you."

"I'm sorry." When Mr. Hayes entered the room, Melissa exited.

"You doing okay?" the man asked.

I nodded, although there were tears flooding from my eyes.

"Why don't we go to the boys' locker room so you can jump in the shower?"

I just nodded.

"You wanna do that?"

"Yeah."

"How long has this been going on?"

I turned off the shower and dried off, then started to put on my gym clothes. I'd told Mr. Hayes about me being bullied. "Ever since I transferred to this school." I opened the curtain when I was finished, then stepped out and took a seat on the bench next to Mr. Hayes, putting on my shoes.

"Why you?"

"What?"

"Why did they choose to bully you?"

"Maybe because of my neighborhood or my background. I'm poor, stupid, ugly. I have no talent. I don't know. Pick one."

"Cody, none of that is true."

"Yes, it is. I have no money. All my grades are between ten and sixty-five. Melissa doesn't like me anymore. And I'm really not that good at playing guitar. I'm not good at anything." I sat up after I finished tying the laces.

"Cody-"

"Look," I interrupted, trying not to sound too rude. "Are they gonna get into any trouble?"

"Yeah. They're definitely getting suspended."

I sighed. I knew that, once they came back, I was gonna get it big time. "Can't you just let it slide? I mean, they were just playing around."

"Not my rule, Cody. And, even it was, why would I do that?"

"Because they're not gonna stop. It's just gonna get worse if teachers get involved."

"Cody, you're gonna be fine."

I said nothing else.

"So, when you had bruises on your face those times, it wasn't because you went back to your old neighborhood, was it?"

"No. I told you: they're nice guys." After a long silence, I asked, "Is my dad gonna be informed about this?"

"Probably. Just to let him know what's been going on."

"Okay, Cody. This is how you defend yourself against bullies." My father had forced me to stand in front of him and listen to his lecture. "The best way is to do this." Before I could protect myself, he kicked my lower stomach with all of his strength.

I dropped to the floor, clutching the inflicted area.

"Next-stand up, Cody."

My forehead was on the ground. I was writhing on the floor in pain.

"I said, stand up, d*mnit!"

My teeth were clenched and my eyes were tightly shut.

My father gripped my shirt and yanked me to my feet. "Next-"

"Dad…." I could barely speak. "Stop it."

"Don't interrupt me, Cody. Another thing you can do to a bully is this."

I had no time to react before he turned around and grabbed my arm, then pulled me over his hunched-over body. After I'd done a complete flip, I landed with my back on the ground. The wind was knocked out of me, but, when I got my breath back, he pulled me to my feet.

"Such a lousy excuse for a son. You're supposed to fight back."

"Dad, stop," I pleaded. "I'm trying to be the boy that you want. I changed my hair~my clothes. I've done all I can do."

"You're forgetting the third thing that I said was wrong with you. Remember? I told you that you didn't have a pretty face when I was wondering what Melissa saw in you. But I can fix that for you now." He punched me, knocking me to the ground.

"Stop." I held my cheek with one hand and used my other hand to help me scoot back. I soon ran into the kitchen counter, but my father was still coming toward me. "Dad, stop! I hate you like this!"

He yanked me up furiously by my shirt collar, then shoved me back so my head would hit the hanging cabinets. He slugged me a couple of times, then tossed me to the ground. He grabbed my arm and bent it behind me.

"Dad! You're hurting me!" I had tears welling up in my eyes. "Please! Stop!"

He paid no attention. He just put more pressure on my arm until he heard it crack. With that done, he grabbed my broken arm and started dragging me across the floor. I tried to stand so I could walk to wherever he wanted to lead me, but I was too weak.

"Dad, please!" I yelled. "Leave me alone!"

My father pulled me into my bedroom and yanked me up, then shoved me onto my bed. He got on top of me and unzipped his pants.

"Get off me!" I screamed, doing everything I could to push him away.

He punched me so my hand would go instantly to the inflicted area, then he pulled my pants and boxers down to my knees. I was dizzy, and my head was hurting. He pinned my arms above my head, the broken one easy for him to trap.

"Dad, please," I sobbed. "Don't do this to me. I'm begging you. Please." I was wiggling to get out of his grip.

"You ready?"

"Dad, please," I whispered, giving up on trying to get free.

"I've been wanting to do this for so long."

I knew that he wasn't going to let me go. So I just turned my head and squeezed my eyes closed, but that didn't stop the tears.

"Look at me, b*tch. Look at me!"

I did. His eyes were filled with lust, mine with fear. He pushed into me, and I let out a whimper. It was incredibly painful, but I tried not to yell. If I don't displease him, maybe it'll be over soon.

"Yeah. You like that, don't you?" After a moment, he said, "Don't you?"

I flinched at his monstrous tone, knowing what the answer had to be. "Yes!" I sobbed. "Yes!"

For the remainder of the time, he spoke of obscene and vulgar things.

My father stood above me, buttoning and zipping his pants. "That was fun. Maybe we could do it again sometime before you leave." He exited my room.

I was laying on my bed, shaking, tears streaming down my cheeks. I forced myself to my feet, then pulled up my boxers and pants.

"Cody, get your *ss in here!"

I flinched at my dad's voice, then walked toward the door. When I got to the kitchen, where he was standing, I said, "What?" My voice cracked. I was trembling.

"Clean this mess up."

The kitchen was a mess from where Dad had beaten me. Things had fallen out of the cabinets and off of the counters.

"Did you hear me?"

"Ye-"

"Do I need to start repeating myself?"

"No, Dad. I heard-"

"Well, then answer me the first time I speak to you!"

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

Mr. Hayes opened the door, his smile turning immediately into concern.

I was standing at his doorstep, with a small bag filled with almost everything that I own. My cheeks were covered with tears. My right eye and lips were swollen. My left eye was black. Bruises covered my face.

He waved me inside. "Cody, what happened to you?"

Mr. Hayes and I sat on the couch. He was hugging me and rocking me back and forth while I sobbed. He spoke soothing words.