Dad sat reading the instructions; he didn't look at me as I spoke.
"Sure, what's it about?" dad asked.
"Erm... School. Kind of," I said.
"You in trouble again?" he asked.
"Not with the teachers," I said immediately, Dad turned and looked at me now.
"Who you in trouble with then?" he asked.
"Bull...Bullies, I think," I finally said, "They're in my year and have been hassling me for the last few weeks."
"Is that what those cuts and bruises from?" he asked. I looked at my bare arms and legs. I was covered in bruises.
"And, I kind of dropped Phil in it too, they beat up him as well, I was so stupid," I confessed.
"Aww son," he said hugging me. "Well I guess I could go to your school."
I stood back from Dad, hanging my head.
"I...need to call Phil," I said pointing to the stairs.
"Have you told your mum?" Dad asked.
"No...I...err," I stuttered.
"I'll explain it to her son, go ahead," he said smiling. I looked at him weirdly, but then left. Why was he so nice about it? I thought he'd be ashamed.
"Hey Phil? It's Dil here," I said nervously into the phone.
"Oh hey Dil, how things going?" he asked unaware.
"I told my Dad about Pete," I said bluntly.
"You did? Well...I guess that's a good thing," he said. Suddenly I heard mum walking towards me.
"Dylan Pickles is this true?" Mum asked, Dad walking up behind her.
"Phil, I got to go," I said placing the phone down.
"Are you really getting bullied?" Mum asked showing concern.
"I wouldn't say bullied,"
"They hit you?" Mum asked.
"Not really hard, they mainly call me names," I said anxiously.
"Well that's bulling in my books, I've got a good mind to call that boy's parents," Mum said.
"I don't have his number or anything," I said quietly.
"Well we're coming up to that school of yours on Monday, we'll sort this out with your teacher," Mum said furiously. I felt guilty, I'd made mum mad. I left the house and looked around the street. I looked at Phil and Lil's house, but I couldn't go there not with Phil being there.
'I'll see Kimi, She'll understand,' I said walking across the street.
At her house we talked for a long time. She said that mum and dad weren't ashamed or angry with me, they were angry with Pete. Coming from her it made sense. She said things would start getting better now. She said they had nothing over me. She said now they would get in trouble if they hurt me again. I felt a lot better coming out of Kimi's, but then saw Phil coming out his house as I reached mine.
"So what did your parents say?" Phil asked.
"They're going up the school to talk to my teacher about it," I explained. There was this long pause, but then he smiled at me.
"They can't hurt you now then," he said. I smiled back for him, but knew deep down that telling someone might not ultimately stop Pete.
Sunday I watch TV all day. Kind of wallowing.
"Dil, did you see Lil after her date with Chuckie?" Tommy asked sitting next to me on the sofa.
"Yeah, Phil and I were teasing her," I said.
"Was she happy, you know about going out with him?" he asked.
"I guess so, she was all grinning and giggly. You saw how they were at bowling yesterday," I said, "Why?"
"Oh, no reason," he said. We sat watching some weird Nature programme for a few minutes in silent. Then I sat up and looked round.
"Where's Olivia?" I asked. Tommy shook his head.
"We're not going out anymore," he said.
"Oh, she dump you or...?" I said dragging my sentence.
"I dumped her," he said.
"Someone else?" I asked.
"In a way," he said, "So how's your life been?"
I felt there was no reason to lie about it anymore, "Oh, just been bullied for the last couple of weeks, physically, verbally, then I dropped Phil init and they beat him up too, twice," I said.
"What? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.
"I tried bro, but you were too busy with Olivia," I said.
"I'm sorry D," he said.
"No worries, mum and dad know, they're going to school tomorrow,"
Monday came and I went to school as usual. Got on the bus and sat next to Phil, Kimi and Tommy were in front of us. It was hard to talk to Phil now, now that there was this weird feeling. I tried to black it out but every time I looked at him I felt woozy.
"Pete and his chums are back there," Phil said pointing at them. They snarled at him but then they looked away, "Wonder why they haven't come up to us?"
"My parents are coming in at morning break, but they don't know about that," I said.
"Maybe a smack was all it took," Kimi turned around looking.
"That him then?" Tommy asked.
"Yep," Phil replied, "So you're back on our planet then?"
"For now yeah," he said.
"Looks like we're losing those two though," Kimi laughed looking at Chuckie and Lil.
"You don't mind mum and dad coming into school do you?" I asked Tommy. But Tommy wasn't listening he was busy looking at Chuckie and Lil, "Tommy!"
That lunch I didn't see Pete, Rod or Tessa. Phil said they were in the principal's office. I felt relieved, not having them around. Turns out a punch and a stern word were all it took. Pete and his friends avoided me from then on, especially if Phil was around. It was quite funny. Phil and I always laugh over it now. I'd say this has brought us closer as friends, which is great. But these confusing feelings about him, I blank them out. But apart from that everything is just great!
THE END.