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Location: Carnival to Homeroom
Interactions: | [b][color=olive]Derek O'Leary[/color][/b] [@alexfangtalon] | [b][color=deepskyblue]Jacob McKinnon[/color][/b] [@smarty0114] |
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	Clyde could only stand back and watch as these two powerhouses shot back and forth, a verbal exchange of wits and mental intimidation. It was like watching a battle unfold before his eyes, artillery being fired into the open, explosive insults shattering the ground, two sides refusing to budge in this no man's land. Then Jacob reached up and condescendingly ruffled Clyde's hair. The hair on the back of the boy's neck stood up and adrenaline pulsed through his veins. He kept his hands to himself and closed his eyes. He imagined the fight he had in the ring with another heavy weight boxer. Check hook to the jaw spinning the boy's head so hard his brain slammed against the inside of his skull. Knocked poor Perry Drew unconscious. He felt a little bad for hurting his opponent, but Perry fought hard like a true warrior.

[center][b][color=deepskyblue]“Ain't that right Clydey?”[/color][/b][/center]

	The group disappeared leaving Clyde able to breath normally again. He hated confrontation like this. Sometimes Clyde wondered what it would be like if he lived up to the rumors surrounding him and used his strength to take control over others. If there was anything Jacob McKinnon was good for in Clyde's life, he was able to dispel Clyde's reputation as a bully. But only those who were 'in the know' were well aware of the tension between the two.

[center][b][color=olive]“So, Clydesdale. Seems you have a pest problem. Don't worry though. It won't last long. Just, in the meantime learn to shrug it off. Do what I do and casually talk about the crap that doesn't bother you that others would use against you in a natural way and it may throw them off their game. Or just pretend you don't hear them. If they try anything physical me and my gang'll back you up in an instant. Don't worry. We have got your back.”[/color][/b][/center]

	Was it that easy? Clyde did have his faults, his naughty and angry thoughts, but they were just that. Thoughts. It was difficult for Clyde to speak ill of someone and even more difficult to play the game Derek was a master of. In Clyde's eyes, Derek was a warrior of a different caliber. A boy that could brave the face of a coming storm, standing tall, mighty, unwavering in his resolve. An idol of a spoken God. It felt good to have another friend.

	“I... You... Thank you.”

	And that came from the heart.

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	The homeroom teacher seemed nice enough. But he still preferred to sit at the back of the classroom away from many of those he recognized. And unfortunately for Clyde, there were a lot of familiar faces in this classroom. He felt nervousness until the teacher began her class. She passed out pieces of paper for everyone to decorate, but Clyde could only stare at the paper with a dilemma running through his mind. He was not so creative in the visual arts. Inside his own mind he was a natural orator, perhaps a poet of sorts (though he refused to believe himself to be anything like Lord Byron out of modesty), and he enjoyed having a monologue in his mind.

	So what did the boy do? He certainly did not have the courage to write what was in his mind. Instead, he drew himself. Or what he thought of himself. A spineless ugly troll sitting by itself. The teacher had them crumple the paper and flatten it out again. She said something along the lines of the effects of bullying, but the words were lost on the boy. He stared at the image and could only think about how much this paper resembled himself. [i]Torn at the edges, unsightly, crumpled, and weakened.[/i] He did not have the heart to throw away the paper. So he stuffed it inside his pocket.

	Nathan said three things, he liked to swim, he's not much of a singer, and he lived in Japan for a time. Clyde had awful perception, so he believed everything that came out of the boy's mouth to be the truth. It made the image of the guy a lot more interesting. Maybe he is a really good singer, I wonder what he likes to sing? It was a fun distraction, but Clyde absolutely did not want his turn to come. He prayed something would happen for him to go last. Maybe if he looked menacing the teacher would ignore him.