The frosty, cold wind bit into the faces of the small children as they shuffled into the long brick building. What were once dark crimson red bricks were now solid white from being caked in a stiff layer of snow.
As I entered into the building, a blanket of warmth hugged me like a scarf fresh out of the dryer. However, the soothing burst of air was impossible to appreciate fully, as it was interrupted by the loud stomping of a heavy footed person echoing throughout the hallway. Even through the swamp of melted shoe snow oozing down the smooth white tile floors you could hear the distinct, signature rhythm of walking. Without looking up, I knew who it was - Caleb Sturdivant.
I spun back around the corner I came from and hugged the wall, trying to avoid him in any way I could. I already had three tests to make up and a long two hours of history class. I dreaded of the thought of him walking up to me.

“I don’t need this ----,” I muttered to myself.

  Unfortunately, keeping to myself doesn’t mean others will do the same. Even through the thick crowd, the perky face of Ardit stood out like a lake in a desert. Ardit looked foolish, like a doll, with his red freckle filled cheeks.

“Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey heeeeeey Caleb,” Ardit shrieked, “how yah doin’ Maaaaaaaaaaaan!”
The loud noise of the crowd was cut in half as at least a dozen kids looked over at me. I didn’t care about the attention typically, however, I knew sturdivant was around the corner.

“Ardit what the ---- are you doing?”, I yelled in a hush.
“Just sayin’ hi, you know? How ya doin’?”
“Shuuuuush! He’s here.” I stated.
“Who?”
“Caleb”
“But I’m already talkin’ to you, Caleb!”
I began to start explaining to Ardit about Sturdivant being right around the corner but it was already too late. Sturdivant was breathing right now my neck. He looked like a bull. He looked like a fat bull. He looked like a fat bull in a red hoodie and black cargo pants with a stupid beanie hat on. I turned to my side and Ardit was already halfway to his next class.
“Whu you waan?”, his voice boomed.
“Nothing,” I responded humbly, “I’m just trying to get to class.”
“Oh really?,” he smirked.
“Yeah. Excus-”. I was cut short. His giant arm swung down like a gate at a parking garage.
“You have to pay the toll first”
“What are you talking about?”
“You wanna get past?”
“Yes”
“Pay up”
“I don’t have anything. Move”
I tried pushing through his arm but it was no use. There was little give as I advanced, but suddenly his arm swung back to where it was, like a rubber band.
“Pay up”
“What do you want?”
“Give me that,” he demanded as he gestured towards my lunchbox.
“No I need that for lunch!”
“You want to get past?”
“Yes”
“Pay up”
“Reluctantly I handed it over. I wanted to snap my fingers and magically turn the food into dirt. I wanted to throw a book at the fat folds in the back of his neck as he walked away. My thoughts of getting revenge were cut short as the first class bell echoed through the empty halls. The halls were barren. No children or teachers were out. The only noise where the industrial fans humming as they blew the bleach washed lunch tables dry.
The hallway seemed to get longed as the thought of being disciplined for something out of my reach loomed over me. Finally I arrived to the ugly faux-wood door and swung it open. The classroom was filled with laughter and talking as the lesson had not started yet. I tried to walk undetected towards my seat, until a stern voice stopped me right in my tracks.

“You’re late.”, the teacher stated, as if it were news to me.
“I know”
“You’re in big trouble, Caleb”
“Wait what?”
“You can’t just come in here and expec-”
“No”
“What?”
“It wasn’t my fault,” I pleaded, “it was Sturdivant.”
“What happened?”
“He took my lunch”
“Really?”
“Yes”
“Okay, Find your seat.”
“But what are you going to do about him?”
“I don’t know Caleb, just ignore him.”
“How can I just ignore h-,” I tried to ask, but the teacher already rushed off. I thought to myself that maybe there was someone that could really help me. Before I could come up with a list of people in my head, my thoughts were interrupted by the same annoying voice.
“Heeeeeeeeya Caleb,” Ardit cheerfully said, “sorry for runnin’ off like that. Better you than me, ain’t it?”
   I laughed it off, “You’re terrible.”
“Hey don’t feel too bad. I had an idea.”
“What do you have?”
“Well my little baby sister had some problems going number two”
“Gross”
“Making fudge brownies”
“Stop”
“Chocolate soft serve”
“Seriously get to the point”
“Okay, fine. Well, my ma made her take some pills.”
“Pills? Are you sure?” I asked doubt. We had a DARE anti drug assembly later that day and everyone was paranoid about the police thinking even tic tacs were illegal pills.
“Yes they just turn into powder in the water, like Gatorade.”
“Okay”
“Do you still have your water bottle or did Sturdivant take it?”
“It’s right here,” I assured Ardit as I pulled it out of my bookbag.
“Bring it here”
“Alright”
 
I handed over the water bottle and watched as Ardit twisted opened the top and funneled three small grey tubes down the narrow neck of the bottle, all the while proving and assuring me it was absolutely safe. Afterwards he twisted the top and shook it violently until the dust from the pills mixed with the water like a snowglobe. Soon the solution blended with the water the bottle was mostly clear, with a slight dull white color.
“Get em to drink this”
“What is it?”
“It’ll help him make”
“Make what?”
Ardit didn’t say anything. Instead, he pressed his arm against his lips and blew obnoxiously like a human whoopie cushion. We both laughed like the little, immature children we were. However, the laughter abruptly stopped as large stomping muffled the conversation. We both looked up and saw the towering bully.
“Gimmie that,” his voice boomed
“What? No please! I need that,” I lied.
“I said hand it over!”
“No!”
He suddenly grabbed it from my hands and popped the cap off with one swift turn and proceeded to guzzle down the water.
“What the ---- is this?” He asked, suspicious about the flavor. I panicked, thinking he would toss it to the ground.
“No, give it back! That’s expensive water,” I lied. Much to my delight the guzzling continued. As soon as he finished, he threw the bottle to the ground and belched loud enough to cause an earthquake. I was about to go up to Mr.Bruno until I was interrupted with the dismissal announcement.
The scratchy overhead speaker crackled, “Attention teachers and students: We are having a DARE drug campaign assembly in the gymnasium. Please start releasing students from class. Thank you.”
“You heard it, let’s head on down. Single file please,” Mr.Bruno said as he lead us to the cramped gymnasium. Police officers were waiting with artificial smiles on their faces. They droned on about the dangers of drug use and smoking.
As the presentation was finishing, the lead presenter asked the group of children, “Any questions?”
The crowd went silent. Only a few stray coughs filled the awkward room. Suddenly an awful stench clouded over the gym. Children started yelling and booing and started pointing their fingers towards a corner in the back. Standing with a red face was Sturdivant. Finally, all of the kids that Sturdivant seeked out and tormented could rejoice.
The group of children started chanting, “Turdy Sturdy! Turdivant!”
Even some teachers were trying to hold back laughter, as they bit their lips and looked away. Through the crowd, Sturdivant was trying to seek out a friendly face to meet up with his own cherry red one. Quickly, his eyes met up with myself. I walked over and casually greeted him,”Hello, Caleb”.
His hand clenched into a firm fist, but soon relaxed as the assistant principal ushered him towards the restroom. The children were still booing as he stumbled down the hall towards the men’s room. As his face turned with the door, he looked towards me and gave me a frown. His face looked like a steer ready to charge.
“Heeeeya Caleb,” a voice shouted, “looky here it worked!”
I turned around and smiled. Every day since, hearing Ardit’s rustic accent make me delighted.