Chase looked at his phone. If he left now, he could make it to his first class just before the bell rung. He took a deep breath, got out his car, and headed for the entrance of Rutherford B. Hayes High School.
Once inside, Chase walked at medium speed: if he walked either too fast or too slow, he’d attract attention and he wanted to go at least one day without being hassled by anyone. Well, if he was being honest, the person he really wanted to avoid was Dexter. Dexter was relentless with his teasing and mocking. Chase knew that the word “bully” was really controversial now and he, along with the rest of the school, had been warned about throwing the word around frivolously, but he felt that it applied to Dexter. Why Dexter chose him over anyone else to torment, Chase didn’t know. Whatever the reason, Dexter made Chase’s time at school miserable.
As he walked at the most inconspicuous pace he could, he suddenly heard his name called.
“Hey, meathead!” It was Dexter.
Chase looked up as he walked. Dexter and his cronies had come out of nowhere and were now following behind him, matching his speed.
“Come on, Dexter,” Chase said without slowing down. “I need to get to class.”
“What?” Dexter asked, feigning shock. “Why we would never stop you from making it to Algebra One,” emphasizing the last words.
“Man, you know I’m in Geometry.”
“Oh, that’s right,” Dexter said condescendingly, “I forgot that you’re a cheater.”
“I just studied,” Chase said, wanting to put the topic behind him.
“Yeah?” Dexter said, a cruel grin spreading across his face. “At this rate you’ll reach my level by the time you’re thirty.”
“Not everyone has to be good at that stuff,” Chase mumbled.
“That’s right,” Dexter said, mockingly, “because you’re going to just work at the local steel plant whereas I’m going to be designing robots to put you out of a job. Really astute observation, Chasey!”
“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” Chase asked, getting fed up, though not raising his voice. Dexter stepped in front of him, blocking his way. Chase was nearly a foot taller than Dexter and almost a hundred pounds heavier, mostly in muscle. If Chase used his size in any way to get past Dexter, he could be expelled. The school had a zero tolerance policy when it came to physical intimidation and it was so strict that students who violated it were immediately expelled without any lesser punishment first, like detention or suspension. This had changed the power dynamic among students and nerds really took advantage of it: being weaker meant being control of any situation and few were weaker than Dexter.
“What’s the matter, jock?” Dexter said, spitting out the insult. “Can’t handle a little conversation? I guess that’s why I’m the captain of the debate team and you’re just on the football team.”
“You know that playing sports used to be cool,” Chase said, looking at his shoes.
“And smoking used to be cool, but now we know better and look how much better the world is.”
“Dexter,” Chase said, “I just want to get to class. Will you please move?”
“Of course!” Dexter said, arching his fingers, “but you know the rules: if we don’t get our payment, you must answer our riddles three.”
“I’ve told you before: I don’t have time after practice to pick up any comic books or Magic cards or whatever.”
“Do you at least have some Mountain Dew?” Herbert, one of Dexter’s cronies, asked.
“No,” Chase said.
“Riddle the first,” Dexter said ominously. “Gertrude, you’re up.” A chubby girl with turquoise colored hair and a septum ring hanging from her nose stepped forward. “Go easy on him—he’ll still get it wrong.”
“Finish this line from The Holy Grail: ‘None shall blank.’” Gertrude said.
“I said to go easy on him, not giftwrap it!” Dexter said, annoyed.
“I don’t know, ‘live’?” Chase offered lamely.
“’None shall pass!’” Gertrude said proudly.
“Ha!” Dexter laughed. “You just keep surprising me with how little you know. Riddle the second. Alvin, go.” A boy with dark hair, a wispy moustache, and thick glasses took a step forward.
“How hard should I make it?” Alvin asked his leader in a nasally voice.
“You know what?” Dexter said. “I’m feeling generous, so keep it at n00b level.”
Alvin cleared his throat. “Name at least two of the original Fantastic Four’s secret identities.”
Chase perked up. He actually knew this one!
“Jessica Alba and Chris Evans!” he said with confidence.
“Those are the actors who played them in that dumb movie,” Alvin said, shaking his head. “Reed Richards is Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm is the Invisible Girl, Johnny Storm is the Human Torch, and Ben Grimm is the Ever Lovin’, Blue-eyed Thing.”
“Actually,” Herbert piped in, “Sue is the Invisible Woman and Johnny—“
“I said the original team,” Alvin said, cutting him off.
“Oh,” Herbert said, embarrassed.
“Riddle the third,” Dexter said. “I think I’ll handle this one myself. Tell me, Chase, who wrote the three laws of robotics?”
“Some scientist,” Chase said, just wanting this exercise in humiliation to be over.
“Yes, but can you be more specific? I’ll even give you a hint: his first name was Isaac.”
“N—“ Chase started, but stopped himself short. He thought remembered an Isaac being the answer to one of these trivia questions a few weeks ago. “Asimov?” he ventured.
Gertrude and Herbert looked shocked, but Dexter just looked annoyed. “Lucky guess,” he said.
“Great,” Chase said. “Can I go to class now?”
“I don’t know ‘can’ you?” Alvin asked, mockingly.
Dexter held up a hand, signaling Alvin to back down. “Fine,” he said, stepping back from his victim, allowing him to pass. Chase took only a few steps when the bell rang.
“I sure hope you have a hall pass,” Dexter said. Chase turned to look and saw everyone in the group hold up a laminated hall pass. He dropped his head and sadly walked to his algebra class. Making matters worse, his tormentors started humming some song (which, unbeknownst to him, was the ending music to the Incredible Hulk television series).
