Johnny Mead was a small kid with big problems and one of them was named Billy Toshmaker. Now, Johnny wasn't a wimp or a nerd for that matter, but he was small. Not so much as in short but as in thin. Johnny was pale, thin, and well, just looked as if he was constantly sick. But ironically, Johnny had never been sick one day out of his eleven and a half years. This brown hairdo, blue eyed, boy was perfectly healthy and probably always will be.
Billy picked on Johnny for one reason and one reason only: Billy was bigger than Johnny. Not in the sense as tall but in the sense that Billy was a rather chubby boy for his twelve years of age. Billy wore his blonde hair in a buzz cut that just didn't look right with his chubby face. His yellow/green eyes were narrow and for as long as Johnny had known Billy, he always had a candy bar in his mouth.
Johnny knew Billy was bigger than him, but he really never understood why Billy picked on him. In fact, Johnny was the only one Billy ever picked on. Johnny was quiet, shy and pretty smart for his age. Johnny never talked much in class; only when he was called on. He never broke the rules or talked out loud; although Billy did enough of that for the entire class. Johnny was the student that was easy to forget. The student that did his homework and received good grades and always behaved well. And behave well, he did! Johnny never misbehaved. Everyone knew that. But no one knew why Johnny Mead was the center of Billy Toshmaker's teasing.
Johnny had taken Billy's taunting and teasing ever since they were eight, when Johnny had moved to the small town of Fearland, Indiana. Ever since that day when Johnny had attended his first day of school at Fearland Elementary, Billy had made it a point to embarrass him or to tease him in some humiliating way. Johnny never knew why.
But on Thursday, the 3rd of November, after school had been let out, small, shy, quiet, Johnny Mead decided enough was enough! Today was the day that little Johnny was going to show that big stupid baboon that he couldn't be pushed around with out a fight!
It all started when Johnny was walking to school. Johnny walked to school every morning. And every morning Johnny was teased on the way by noneother than Billy Toshmaker.
"Hey, Johnny," Billy yelled from behind him. "I have to tell you something really important."
Johnny inhaled, thinking the worst was coming and it was. Johnny stopped in his tracks and turned slowly to face Billy and his friends.
"What is it, Billy?" he asked as calmly as he could. "I really must be getting to school."
Marc Bently, Billy's best friend, snickered at Johnny. "Yeah, Billy," he said in a high pitched voice, imitating Johnny. "I have to hurry. Being teacher's pet means being on time."
Johnny lowered his head and Billy and Marc laughed. They thought they had hurt him, but over the years Johnny had learned to ignore them. He had really lowered his head so he could roll his eyes at the four morons in front of him.
Bobby and Robby Collins, twins, laughed. They got down on their hands and knees and pretended to beg at Billy's feet. "Please don't hurt me, Billy!" Robby cried.
"Don't get me all messy, Billy! I'll be dirty for school!" Bobby exclaimed.
Billy looked down at the twins and sneered. "What's the matter? Teacher's pet don't wanna get all dirty?"
As the group of idiots continued laughing and making fun of him, Johnny slowly, yet taking big steps, walked backwards from the group. As Robby and Bobby rolled on the ground laughing, Johnny decided it was time to spilt. He figured he could make it to the class room before they could catch him.
So, with his plan all figured out, Johnny Mead made a mad dash for it. Johnny ran with all his might. He had never ran so fast before! And little Johnny would have made it, too, if he hadn't tripped over a small step in the sidewalk. Billy and his clones were on him in no time.
Poor Johnny. All he wanted was to be left alone. It wasn't his fault that he didn't like to talk much, or that he was thin and pale and not mean like Billy Toshmaker. These were things that Johnny just didn't care for being.
Billy grabbed Johnny's arm. "You thought you could get away, snot, but you never will. You'll always be a scrawny, sick looking, nobody!"
Suddenly, Johnny had had enough. He looked at Billy defiantly and said, "Who gives you the right, Billy? Who do you think you are, teasing me and trying to humiliate me in front of my friends? You're the nobody, Billy. NOBODY!" Johnny yelled.
Billy's jaw dropped. His friends stared in amazement at the quiet, shy, boy they beat up everyday. Johnny had never said anything or cried out before as the bully's picked on him. The four bullies were momentarily stunned into silence.
Billy let go of Johnny's arm. He didn't know what to do. Johnny had never spoke up or tried to put up a fight before.
Johnny stood up. He glared at Billy and his mean friends. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves! Picking on me like I'm some kind of toy with no feelings! I want you to hear something that I have wanted to say to you all for a long time. You think that when you call me names that you hurt me. You think that when you punch and kick me that you hurt me. You think that when you embarrass me, torment me, humiliate me, that you hurt me. But you, Billy Toshmaker, will never hurt me or embarrass me." Johnny dusted off the seat of his pants before continuing. "Do you know why you will never hurt me or embarrass me?" he asked.
Billy shook his head. His friends did the same.
Johnny glared at Billy. "Because I hate you, Billy Toshmaker. I really hate you. I hate you so much that my anger blocks out any other feelings that I could possibly have. When you beat me I feel no emotion except that hate and that anger. My hate is so great that I wish I could punch you right now! And because I hate you, I can stand up to you at this moment and tell you exactly what I feel. I'm revolted, nauseated, sickened, appalled, offended, and outraged by you Billy. I may be only running on cold, blind, pure anger and hatred, Billy, but right now I could care less. Because no longer after today will you ever, ever hurt me again."
Johnny never made it to school that day. Billy beat him so bad that Johnny was covered in blood when he finally stood up off the ground. Billy and his friends had just left him on the ground when they were done with him. But as Johnny watched them leave he vowed he would get even. Even if it meant having to fight that loser, then so be it. Because to Johnny, the war had started. . .

ONE WEEK LATER . . .
Johnny Mead sat staring at the clock. The minutes seemed to tick away like hours and the hours like years. Johnny licked his parched lips. How time could move so slow, Johnny did not know.
Finally the clock struck seven o'clock.
Johnny smiled. This was it. Today's the day. Today was the day Billy Toshmaker finally got what he deserved. Today, little Johnny Mead was going to show Billy Toshmaker who was the boss.
It was exactly one week since Billy had beaten Johnny up. During that one week, Johnny had planned and calculated on a way to pay Billy back. By Thursday, Johnny had figured out the perfect way.
Johnny grabbed his things and headed for school. He didn't need to wait long for Billy and his friends to sneak up behind Johnny and start hassling him. But Johnny was prepared and he was glad that Billy was still the moronic baboon he always was.
Billy snickered. "Well, look who we have here. If it isn't Mrs. John-ifer Mead."
Johnny continued on his way, ignoring Billy and his followers.
Marc Bently was next. "Hey, Billy, let's grab 'em and hang his underwear up the flag pole at recess!"
"Or we could push him in the mud and get the little runt all dirty." Robby and Bobby said together.
Johnny just walked on, but quickening his pace so they thought he was getting worried, and headed for the school. Once he was at school, he would be able to put his plan into high gear. And once it was put into high gear, Johnny's plan would make Billy so scared he would wet his pants.
Billy and his goons teased and made fun of Johnny all the way to school. As Johnny rounded the corner just before he got to the edge of the school yard, he could see his plan waiting for him to give the signal.
Johnny turned and stood in front of Billy. Billy stared at him, then narrowed his eyes.
"Billy Toshmaker, I want you to know one thing and one thing only before we cross that line to the school playground." Johnny said, confidence clear in his voice.
Billy grinned. "What's that? That you wet your pants this morning? Or that you love being Miss Goody Two Shoes? Or maybe that being Teacher's Pet has a lot of rewards? Or do you want to beg me to not beat you up today?"
Johnny laughed. Billy looked at his friends. They shrugged. Johnny grabbed Billy's shoulder, which Billy did not like. "You're so stupid, Billy! You just crack me up with the pathetic things you say! You have got to be the blondest person on God's green earth if you think you're funny!"
Billy slapped Johnny's hand away. "You're gonna get it now, shrimp! Nobody calls me stupid and lives to tell about it!" Billy threatened.
Johnny punched Billy in the chest before Billy could do anything. Billy stumbled backwards into Marc, who then ran into the twins. Johnny laughed and called him an unsteady dough boy. Billy glared at Johnny and charged with all his might at Johnny. But Johnny stepped out of the way at the last second and Billy went right passed him and right into Colin, Johnny's big brother.
Billy fell to the ground. He looked up at Colin with big, round, scared eyes. Colin, a freshman, was twice the size of Billy and on the football team. Colin bent over Billy, grabbed him by the collar of his rather tight polo shirt, and threw gritted teeth told him, "If you ever touch my kid brother again you won't live till tomorrow let alone long enough to hit puberty. Got it?"
Billy nodded as he scooted back from Colin. Marc and Robby helped him off the ground and Johnny stood in front of Colin. "And if you ever hassle me again this time I wont be afraid to kick your butt!" Johnny threatened. Billy regained some color to his cheeks and ran for the playground. That was the last time Billy Toshmaker ever picked on little Johnny Mead.

Copyright 1998 Laura Ball

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