6

Robert Westfall saw Kyle and Mary and simpered broadly.  Weezer looked at his pals, Wesley "Wings" Winger (the starting tailback) and Matthew "Moby" Mayer (the starting fullback).  Wings stood at 6 feet and weighed in at 190 pounds.  He was called Wings because of his last name.  Moby was big at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds but he could move like a tailback when the football was tossed to him.  He was called Moby because he was as strong as a whale. The two running backs simpered back at Weezer and the triple threat trudged over toward the twosome.  Kyle clenched his teeth and fists because he knew a fight could easily break out.  Weezer saw the small wideout getting ready.  Weezer motioned his two buds to stop and he looked back at Kyle.

            "Jeez, dickmunch, we just wanted to say hello," Weezer voiced.

            "Yeah right, and I'll be elected prom king this year. The only reason you came over here was give me s**t and possibly beat me down," Kyle retorted.

            Weezer smirked, walked up to Kyle and stared the boy down.  Kyle looked back up without fear.  Mary looked on fearing for her boyfriend's safety.

            "You know, you little shithead, you better back down before I rip you a new a*****e." Weezer directed with an unsettling edge.

            "No! I refuse to be your punching bag anymore!" Kyle replied with the same edge.

            Weezer suddenly laughed with some disgust.  He realized that Kyle was not going to back down.

            "You know, Dawson, I am going to let you live until Monday.  You want to know why?" Weezer requested of Kyle.

            Kyle remained quiet at Weezer's inquiry.

            "Giving me the silent treatment, huh.  I should knock the s**t out of you for that but I shall relent for now. Your backbone impresses me and that's why I am giving you a forty-eight hour hiatus. That stunt you pulled last night was f*****g inexcusable and you will forfeit a body part or two for it.  Nobody's f*****g w***e insults my girl. Do you comprehend what I am saying, dickmunch?" Weezer said in monologue.

            "Nobody refers to my girlfriend as a 'w***e'!" Kyle shouted back.

            Weezer grinned ominously, "Well, she isn't a w***e. She's a f*****g dog!” He studied her features for a moment, “She's got a dog's face.  Her nickname is dogface.”

            Kyle was boiling over at this point.  Mary was deeply insulted but she realized that Kyle might end up dead if he pulled the first punch.  She tapped her boyfriend on the shoulder.  Kyle felt the sensation and he turned to look at her.  Mary had the deep fear in her eyes and Kyle knew what she meant.  Kyle looked back at Weezer and sneered.

            "F**k you! Go to hell! Eat s**t on top of it, too!" Kyle screamed.

            Kyle took three steps back and grabbed onto Mary, placing her behind him.  Weezer beamed madly and understood that he won the battle. 

            "Not only are you a dickmunch but you are a f*****g coward!" Weezer volleyed back.

            The young couple wandered away from the cafe in the same direction they had come before.  Kyle felt the mordant lash go against his already tormented soul.  He was extremely pissed and needed to release his anger.  Suddenly, he remembered the night before.  Credit wasn't given where credit was deserved.  Kyle halted Mary and he pulled her into a clump of sycamore trees just off the parking lot. 

            He analyzed the situation before him.  The three senior players were still laughing about the young couple for the prior incident.  They were oblivious to the move Kyle and Mary just made.  Kyle slowly watched the three players go into the café.  He decided to check Weezer's vehicle.  Mary saw the gears turning in Kyle's head and wondered what was going on.

            "Kyle, what are you doing?" Mary asked.

            "Getting some satisfaction because I can't get any from anyone else," Kyle remarked.

            It came to her, "No. Not Weezer's car. He'll murder you!"

            His answer wasn’t reassuring, "I am not going to hurt his motorized baby. I want what might be in his car."

            "What do you mean?"

            "I will see if it's there and I can grab it. Go hide behind one of the trees."

            "No, you will get hurt, Kyle."

            "I won't. Weezer, Wings and Moby will probably be sucking up to Coach Jerkoff anyway. I'll be back shortly."

            Kyle kissed Mary passionately and started over to Weezer's car.  Mary went behind one of the sycamore trees and watched what was about to go down.  Kyle walked quickly over to the car and saw the three players talking to Coach Gregson.  The youngster realized he had only a few seconds to pull it off.  Kyle looked into the car and saw the object behind the passenger seat.  It was the game ball that Weezer had received the night before.  He glanced once more into the café and saw the players still talking it up with the coach.  In three quick motions, he would have his prize.  He reached down and grabbed the football, looked back in the café window, and took off toward Mary.

            Moby caught Kyle's slighting action in his peripheral vision, "Weezer!  Dickmunch stole your game ball!"

            Weezer glared out of the window and saw that Kyle had disappeared.  He looked squarely at his buddies and coach.

            "That little d****e is gonna be f*****g fish food now!  Nobody steals my s**t and lives to tell about it!" Weezer screamed.

            The coach gave Weezer a harsh gaze of dissatisfaction.

            Weezer apologized, "Sorry, coach, but since that little SOB joined our team, I have wanted to kill him."

            Coach Gregson said gloomily, "I know, Rob. I sympathize wholeheartedly."

            The coach's statement carried an implicit go-ahead call. Weezer, Wings, and Moby ran outside and scanned the parking lot and other surroundings. They didn't find a sign of Kyle Dawson or Mary Steele. Weezer clenched his fists and put on a poisoned smile.

            "Come Monday, dickmunch, you will be pushing up dirt!" Weezer said to himself.

            Kyle and Mary had scampered down a couple of back streets and took refuge in the local park.  The youngsters sat down at a picnic table to catch their breath.  Kyle put on a wide smirk and he stared at the football.  He had his rightful bounty finally in his possession.  As he lived up in personal victory, Mary glared at him crossly.  Kyle decided to stop smiling.

            Mary was terse, "Why in the hell did you do that, Kyle?"

            Kyle countered, "This football is rightfully mine."

            Mary went on the offensive, "And how is that football rightfully yours?"

            Kyle went on the defensive, "Because I made my plays with this particular football and I received no credit. I deserve it for all of the s**t I have had to put up with from the team and coaches."

            Mary shook her head in disgust, "You nearly got us killed though!  Why waste your life over a stupid object? That football is just a plain one you could by at any dime store. Your life isn't worth that piece of imitation leather."

            Kyle was dumbfounded by her obtuse argument, "Did you happen to forget what happened before that?"

            Mary snapped sharply, "No, not at all!  You did well by backing off!"

            Kyle felt like he was in a political debate, "Well, I took this football because Weezer has a penchant for receiving praise. He is praised and feared by every single sub-human waste of space in that school. Everyone from the freshmen pukes to the senior snobs think of him as God on Earth. I don't see him that way and I know you don't either. Since he is such a sucker for commendation, I figure I take some of it away.  Besides, he f*****g deserves it.  Not only did I steal this for me but I stole it for you as well."

            Mary became fearful, "Kyle, I don't want you to get physically hurt."

            Kyle wasn't sure if he was being brave or stupid, "Mary, I would rather risk bodily impairment just to get back at those who think they can beat me around on recurring intervals.  It is better to fight back than not at all."

            Mary sighed with some tears in her eyes.  Kyle looked back at his girl and saw the deep worry.  He slid beside her and she turned away from him.  Her act cut at his heart and it had saddened him.  He thought as fleetly as he could for an argument that might satisfy her.  Kyle sat back against the bench and heaved a sigh.  She looked back his way wanting to hear what she needed to hear.

            Mary inquired, "What has happened to you today?"

            Kyle voiced, "I finally have a reason to fight back.  I refuse to take anymore abuse."

            "What reason is that?"

            "I found you, Mary Steele. You are my reason for fighting back."

            Mary cried when she heard Kyle's revelation. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Was she happy or was she angry?  Lost in her apprehension, Kyle kissed her on the lips.  She couldn't help but indulge in the kiss because she loved it when he kissed her.  After a few seconds, he smiled at her but she returned one of her own only out of reason for cosmetics.

            Kyle spoke happily, "I love you, Mary."

            Mary answered with a tinge of agony, "I love you, Kyle."