Breaking Point
CHAPTER 1: THE SLAP HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD
"…AND YOU'RE STUPID, AND YOU'RE ANNOYING, AND YOU'RE SPINELESS…"
It was a familiar setting to Charlie Brown. He was being admonished by Violet Gray, his biggest antagonist who's name wasn't Lucy Van Pelt. But while Lucy would be quick to insult Charlie Brown in a heartbeat, she still considered him a friend. The same could not be said for Violet, who hated the boy with every fiber of her body. She would never pass up the moment to tease Charlie Brown, sometimes in tandem with her best friend Patty Swanson. Sometimes she would do it with glee, like if she would not invite him to a party, or if he did something that she considered dumb but made her laugh, or sometimes it would be in anger or she's annoyed, like this particular day, for example. And what was Charlie's biggest crime, besides existing, did he commit? The simple act of asking if she had the time. Usually Patty would join in with her, but even she was staying back, as Violet was in a particular rotten mood, almost outdoing Lucy's crabbiness. ALMOST.
"YOU'RE FACE IS TOO ROUND AND DUMB-LOOKING! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT! YOU CAN'T FLY A KITE! YOU CAN'T KICK A FOOTBALL, though that one is more Lucy's fault than your own, BUT YOU STILL FALL FOR THE SAME TRICK EVERY TIME! YOU CAN'T WIN A BALL GAME…"
But this day was different for Charlie Brown. Because instead of looking down and getting more depressed and hurt as he usually did when something like this happened, he was growing angrier and angrier by the minute. Every insult hurled his way by this spoiled rotten brat would usually get a pained response or sad look, but now, unadulterated rage was building inside of the blockhead. He was just waiting for the right moment to let her have it. And there was witnesses watching her tear into him. His best friend Linus, just glared angrily at Violet. His sister Sally hid her face in shame. Lucy was laughing at the scene. Schroeder shared Linus's anger at Violet insulting Charlie Brown with no regard to his feelings, and Frieda felt sorry for Charlie Brown. But then Violet gave him the reason he was looking for when she uttered something so harsh, even for her. A level that not even Lucy, who would never pass on a chance to insult Charlie Brown, would ever go to with him.
"YOUR MOTHER SHOULD HAVE ABORTED YOU WHEN SHE CONCEIVED YOU!"
"What did you say?" asked Charlie Brown.
"I said, you blockhead, YOUR MOTHER SHOULD HAVE ABORTED YOU WHEN-"
Violet would not finish what she was saying, because before she knew it, she was struck across the face and fell to the floor. Everyone, including Lucy and Patty, gasped at what had transpired. All the laughing and "oohing and aahing" had stopped. The next thing Violet saw was Charlie Brown nursing his right hand, stinging from the slap he had just delivered her.
"Don't you EVER talk about my mother like that, you witch!" he growled. Everyone was taken aback. No one had ever saw Charlie Brown like this. He had been pushed too far, that was obvious. And for the first time since she started on him, Violet was silent, as she nursed her still-stinging cheek. She looked at Charlie Brown, not with the disdain she had earlier, but with fear. At that moment, she knew she went too far with him, but it was too late. The damage had been done.
The silence was only broken by a teacher who witness the entire event. She grabbed both Charlie Brown and Violet and escorted both of them to the principal's office. Once there, both of their parents were called to sort out this mess.
NEXT CHAPTER: WHAT HAPPENS NOW?