About fifteen minutes after sneaking out, Heather Wold was reentering the basketball court where her gym class was being held. By this time, the other students had changed back into their regular clothes, indicating that the period had ended.

Heather was hoping that because she wasn't gone that long, that perhaps the gym teacher hadn't noticed that she had snuck out. She was prepared in case he had noticed, but she would've still preferred to avoid the confrontation if she could. The guy was quite scary-looking.

She looked around the court searching for him. Unfortunately, when her eyes landed on him, he was looking back at her with his arms crossed. He also appeared to be tapping his foot. Yep, he knew what Heather had done, and he didn't appear too thrilled.

With a sigh, Heather began to approach the man.

"And where have you been over the past fifteen minutes, young lady?" he asked.

"I went to the principal's office to report a school violation, sir," she answered. While that was true, she didn't bother saying what the incident was since she had been assured by the principal that the situation was under control.

"Well, you should have come to me about it. While it is honorable to report school violations, sneaking out of class when there is a teacher in class that could handle the situation is a violation of school rules too, and is grounds for detention," the gym teacher told her.

"If I may, sir, I was given this from the principal," Heather said as politely as she could, handing the teacher a piece of paper.

"Oh?" the gym teacher said, taking the paper from her. He read what was on it.

After he was finished, he looked back at her, looking... disappointed?

"Well, the principal is the higher-up, I guess. You may go," he said reluctantly. Apparently the note had instructed the gym teacher to not punish Heather.

"Thank you, sir," Heather said. She then proceeded to go to the locker room to change back into her regular clothes.

Lucy felt a little uneasy as she exited the basketball court. Sure, she had once again successfully prevented Charlie Brown from kicking the football, but the scene didn't play out at all the way she had planned. That Thibault kid now had an "appointment" with Charlie Brown later this afternoon and it was all her fault.

And a certain girl was about to make sure she was completely aware of that.

As Lucy began walking in the direction of her next class, she bumped into Heather. Heather had her arms crossed and was looking at Lucy disapprovingly.

"Um... hi, Heather. May I help you?" Lucy said, trying to be polite.

"No," Heather said, sounding very stern. "But you might want to listen to what I'm about to say. I saw what you did in gym class."

"I didn't mean for what had happened to happen!" Lucy quickly said in defense, raising her arms up high. "I didn't think he was going to just keep on running. He usually doesn't."

Heather raised an eyebrow, and even appeared shocked. "'He usually doesn't?' Are you telling me that you've done this to him before?"

"Yeah, so? It's not my fault that he's such a gullible blockhead," Lucy said.

Heather scowled. Never before had her liking for someone dropped so quickly. What the heck was wrong with this girl?

"I don't wish to sound so harsh as that's not typically the kind of person I am, but I'm ready to do whatever is needed to stand up for my friends," Heather warned. "That said, I better not see something like this happen again, or we're going to have some serious problems!"

"Alright! Good grief, I'm sorry. It was just meant to be harmless prank," Lucy insisted.

Heather was skeptical of that, but decided not to press the matter further. "Hmph. Well, anyway, I'll see you in math later, I guess," she said nonetheless.

She then began to walk away, leaving Lucy feeling stunned. She never would've expected that the sweet-natured Heather would ever act out like this on anyone.

It was now about 3:30 in the afternoon, and it was time for Thibault's little "dance" with Charlie Brown. He was standing on the concrete pavement doing a few warm-up punches and kicks to help prepare himself. That blockhead would no longer dare to think of himself as better than everyone else once he was through with him.

"Alright, where is he?" he said menacingly, ready and now scanning the area for his target.

Seconds later, he heard the sound of the back door to the school open. Charlie Brown slowly made his way out of it and began to approach the bully.

"Well, well, glad to see you decided to show up," Thibault said with a nasty grin as he cracked his knuckles. "Well, are you ready?"

Charlie Brown gulped. "Before you do pound me to a pulp, may I say something?" he asked.

Thibault was silent for a couple of seconds, pondering Charlie Brown's request. "I suppose so," he then said.

"Do you believe that I sprinted into you on purpose? Because I didn't," Charlie Brown began to explain, hoping that by telling the truth about the situation that maybe he'd be able to save himself. "I was about to be pranked by another student. She was holding a football in place for me to kick, but was then going to pull it away as I attempted to kick it. Knowing that she was planning to do this, since she's done it so many times before, I wasn't going to fall for it again. And hence, instead of attempting to kick the ball when I ran up to it, I just ran past her. I just didn't want to land on my back again. Me sprinting into you was purely on accident." Charlie Brown then took a few seconds to catch his breath. "So, now that you know the truth behind the matter... maybe you could let this incident slide? It really was all just a big accident."

Thibault was silent for a few seconds as he processed everything Charlie Brown had said. Charlie Brown meanwhile was shaking and sweating. Finally, Thibault laughed.

"No way, punk. However, since you were honest with me, I'll deliver my first blow with my left arm," he told him. "Now, hold still."

As Thibault prepared himself to deliver his first punch, two people appeared from around the building. Among them was Heather, who gasped in horror upon seeing Charlie Brown standing there.

What was he doing there?! Was he actually about to let Thibault beat him up?!

"Charlie Brown!" she cried out in alarm, getting the attention of both Thibault and Charlie Brown.

Charlie Brown looked to see Heather now rushing up to him and Thibault. She was accompanied by the school principal. Charlie Brown let out a huge sigh of relief. Thibault, meanwhile, looked rather fearful.

Thibault then winced in pain as the principal took him by his ear.

"So, Ms. Wold here was right," he said angrily as he began to lead Thibault away. "All right you, you're coming with me right away. You are looking at both an out-of-school suspension and an attempted assault charge."

"But sir, I was just playing with him," Thibault argued in panic.

"No 'buts', Mister, let's go," the principal argued back. "I'll even have you know that I know personally the lead officer who works at the station."

Charlie Brown looked at Heather, appearing very grateful. "Thank you, Heather. Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome, Charlie Brown," she said, though she wasn't smiling.

A few seconds later, Charlie Brown's smile faltered upon becoming aware of how she was looking at him. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Heather..." he said in barely above a whisper.

"Why did you do it, Charlie Brown?" she asked, looking a bit upset. "Why did you show up out here? Have you got any idea how reckless that was?"

Charlie Brown's stomach twisted with guilt. Yep, he had done it. Again. And now of all things, he had just made Heather Wold disappointed with him. Why, just why did he always have to be so STUPID!?

"I didn't know what else to, Heather," he answered. "He said to me 'and you better be there, or else it'd be much worse'."

Heather seemed to understand the situation, but she still looked somewhat disappointed. "What you should have done was tell a teacher or something. There was our gym teacher you could've gone to. You could've also told the principal after class."

"I guess, but... wait!" Charlie Brown said.

"Yes, that's how the principal knew that this was about to happen," Heather told him, knowing what he was about to ask. "After hearing Thibault's threat to you, I immediately snuck out of class to go and inform the principal about it."

"You snuck out of class... to tell the principal about this?" Charlie Brown asked.

Heather nodded.

Charlie Brown hung his head in shame. Stupid blockhead! He really couldn't do anything right. Could this get any worse?

Heather's expression further softened upon seeing Charlie Brown's own expression and she gently took his hands into her own. He looked up at her in surprise as she gave him a tender look.

"You don't ever have to be afraid to ask for help if you need it, Charlie Brown. If you're ever unsure of what to do in a situation, you can talk to somebody," she said, tenderly and encouragingly. "I'm always here as well if you want to talk to me. You're my friend and I care about you."

Charlie Brown let out a small, shocked gasp. "I'm your friend?"

Heather smiled and nodded. "Absolutely."

Charlie Brown couldn't believe it. He thought for sure that Heather would not want anything to do with him anymore after all of this. Once again, she was showing the type of kindness and compassion that she had shown him that day when he had asked her about her desire to be his penpal. Not only that, she just now said that she considers him a friend and that she actually cared about him. He almost felt tears coming to his eyes.

"Thank you, Heather," he said, unsure really what else to say as he felt his face go red.

Heather smiled once more and nodded. "You're welcome, Charlie Brown. I mean everything I say." Heather then felt her own face go kinda red and she instinctively turned away. "Anyway, I gotta get home. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you," Charlie Brown said with a wave.

The two of them then proceeded to head to their respective homes. As Charlie Brown was walking, there was a bright smile on his face. Despite the negative things that had happened, today overall turned out to really not be that bad of a day, and he learned that he had a true friend who cared about him.

It was all thanks to Heather Wold.

Author's note: And so Charlie Brown and Heather have grown a little closer over this Thibault incident. I honestly didn't think this chapter was going to end up nearly as emotionally stirring as it did. I think I'm quite proud of myself. Next chapter soon!