Joshua's Island (James Madison Series Book 1)

by Patrick Hodges

  Brent had gone from frustration to seething anger. “Kid, I am warning you …”

  “NO!” Kelsey screamed, making even Brent flinch. “I'm warning you! Leave now, or you will be sorry!”

  Holy crap. The looks on their faces were priceless. You go, girl!

  Brent was not impressed. “Who's going to make us, you little bitch? You?”

  A considerable crowd of fifth- and sixth-graders had gathered to watch this epic showdown between Kelsey and the bully squad, and up till then, they'd been satisfied to be merely spectators. But one by one, a dozen of them silently walked up and formed a line between me and them. April, Bryanna, Jessy, Riley. Charlie from my soccer team, and two more of my teammates, Trey and Andy, along with a bunch of kids I didn't know. Another teammate of mine, a lanky redhead named Todd, came and helped me to my feet.

  I stood, awestruck, behind my own private army, as we stared down the bully squad together. Twelve became twenty, twenty became thirty. Brent stood his ground, but his buddies were already starting to backpedal.

  Kelsey was undeniably still in charge. “Don't ever come back here again,” she said firmly.

  Brent looked at me one last time and slowly drew a finger across his throat. He grinned maniacally, and then walked away.

  Eve, Emily and Susan had come out of the cafeteria just in time to catch the last minute of the confrontation. After Brent had gone, Eve ran forward and hugged me, checking my face for injury. It hurt, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

  Mrs. Hoffmeyer emerged from the breezeway a few moments later. Apparently a scuffle had broken out between several sixth-graders on the playground, and it had taken three teachers to break it up. Jessy and Riley ran up and told her what had happened; Kelsey was busy getting high-fives from kids in the crowd.

  “I'm so sorry, Joshua,” Mrs. Hoffmeyer said after being filled in. “Are you all right?”

  “I'm fine,” I said, grasping Eve's hand.

  “I promise you, heads will roll for this,” she said, and then walked back toward the breezeway, where two of her fellow teachers were standing.

  The four of us stood there by the oak tree, staring in amazement at Kelsey, who had just become a legend before our very eyes. She was no longer our sidekick; she was Joan of Arc.

  The bell rang above us. I couldn't help but smile at her. Eve took my hand and smiled as well. As Kelsey turned to leave, I asked her, “You're not afraid of anything, are you?”

  She turned back to us, and flashed us that awesome smile. “Not yet,” she said, and then ran into her classroom.

  * * *

  Later that evening, I lay on my bed, staring up at my ceiling, lost in thought. When the school year started, I didn't have a friend in the world; now, I could only marvel that I'd somehow stumbled into the lives of four of the most remarkable girls on Earth.

  Chapter 50

  DAY 57

  EVE

  On the bus ride home, all I could do was thank Kelsey. It must have looked so weird to anyone who hadn't been there during recess. We owed so much to this little fifth-grader, who had just risked herself to help Joshua. It was one of the bravest things I'd ever seen.

  “Kelsey?” I asked.

  She looked at me. “What?”

  I studied her face. It was hard to believe, given all she'd done, that she was still only ten years old. That kind of courage had to come from somewhere.

  “Why? Why have you …” I trailed off. I wasn't sure how to finish the question without hurting her feelings.

  Kelsey lowered her head. “Why have I helped you?”

  “You've more than helped us, Kelsey. You've been one of our best friends. You just moved here, and you've already got half the school on your side.” I looked at Joshua, then back at her. “I mean, we're three years older than you. Most kids your age wouldn't give a damn about what happened to us. Hell, most kids my age wouldn't either. Why do you?”

  Kelsey slumped in her seat, staring out the window. A sad look crept over her face. “Jackie Mitchell.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  She turned to look at me again. “A girl at my old school, back in Denver. The meanest, nastiest girl in the world. She picked on everyone smaller than her, which was … well, everyone. Big as a hippopotamus and smelled like an ashtray.”

  “Did she pick on you?” Joshua asked.

  “Yeah, but her favorite target was my friend Naomi. Naomi was tiny, she wore really thick glasses and she had two huge front teeth you could see every time she spoke.” She sighed. “Every day, I listened to Jackie call her 'gopher-face' or something, and every day, I watched Naomi get sadder and sadder. I tried to help her deal with it, but it wasn't enough.”

  She sighed heavily. “One day during recess, I saw Jackie calling Naomi names. She was also pushing her down on the ground. Naomi was crying her eyes out, and no one was around to help her. I screamed at Jackie to stop, but she just ignored me.”

  “What did you do?” Joshua asked.

  Kelsey lowered her head. “Nothing. I was too afraid to take Jackie on.”

  She looked up, and I could see a tear forming at the corner of her eye. “It got so bad for Naomi, she had to transfer to another school. I tried calling her, but she wouldn't even talk to me. I never saw her again.”

  “You did your best,” I said.

  “No. I didn't.” She shook her head. “And then I came here, and I saw the same thing happening all over again. Bullies everywhere, and no one doing anything to stop it.”

  “What do you mean, 'everywhere'?” I asked.

  She looked at me. “Our school is like Disneyland for bullies. You don't think Brent and Rhonda are the only ones, do you?”

  “I guess not,” Joshua said.

  “I found out who the bully was in our part of the school on the first day,” said Kelsey. “I didn't know anyone. I have freckles, braces and pigtails. I'm the 'new girl.' It was only a matter of time before Tonya Sykes found me.”

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “She cornered me in the girls' restroom. I didn't want to get into a fight on the first day, so I just ran away from her. But at recess, I saw her screaming insults at April and Bryanna. I got so mad … it was Jackie and Naomi all over again. So I went up to her and socked her in the nose.”

  I blinked. “You what?”

  “I socked her right in the nose. I thought she would fight me, but she just ran away. Everyone was so afraid of her, like she was this big badass or something. But she turned out to be just a big chicken-butt.”

  Joshua smiled. “And that's how you became friends with April and Bryanna.”

  “Yup. Word got around pretty quickly. A lot of girls Tonya picked on suddenly wanted to be my friend. It was pretty awesome.” She smiled.

  “Did you get detention?” Joshua asked.

  “Yeah, one day.”

  Saw that one coming … “What did your dad say? He's a cop, right?” I asked.

  “He was a little upset, but not too much. He told me he was proud that I stood up to the bully this time.” She winked. “But I probably shouldn't punch any more noses.”

  “Did Tonya ever try to get back at you?” Joshua asked.

  “No. Once word got around how much of a chicken-butt she was, no one was afraid of her anymore.”

  “Then you met us,” I said.

  “Yeah. It wasn't until you told me your story that I realized how bad it was here. I wanted to help you too, but you're all the way on the other side of the school. I figured, if I started telling kids about the problem, maybe we could all find a way to do something about it. For the entire school.”

  “Kelsey …” I said.

  She sniffed. “Eve, Joshua … you're my friends, just like Naomi was. I let a monster scare me into doing nothing, and it cost me a really good friend. I'm not doing that again. Not ever.”

  I leaned forward and put my hand on her shoulder. “You're an amazing person, Kelsey.”

  She smiled. “Thanks.”
/>
  I sat back again, and put my head on Joshua's shoulder. We didn't speak again the rest of the way home.

  * * *

  At dinnertime that evening, I could barely contain myself.

  “You should have seen it, Mom,” I said, putting my fork down. “This little fifth-grader stared down four eighth-grade bullies all by herself. It was the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen.”

  Mom was grinning as I finished the story. “This Kelsey is a girl after my own heart.”

  “That's not all,” I said. “She's gotten dozens of fifth- and sixth-graders on her side, and even some of the teachers too.” I laughed. “She'll probably be running the school within a year.”

  “Speaking of which,” Mom said, “you'll be glad to know that I have an appointment in a couple of days to speak with Miguel Alvarez, the District Superintendent of Schools, over the phone. I'm going to tell him everything you and Joshua told me.”

  I was shocked. “How'd you pull that off?” I asked.

  She smiled again. “Being friends with the District Attorney has its advantages.”

  “Mom, you rock!” I said gleefully. This was better news than I could've imagined.

  “You rock!” Sophie echoed, raising her glass of milk. We all laughed.

  “How else are things going at school, sweetie?” my dad asked.

  “Couldn't be better,” I replied. “Rhonda's hold on the eighth grade is starting to crash and burn. Joshua's got more friends now than I can even count.” I smiled as broadly as I could. “He's so happy now.”

  “So are you, darling,” my mom said. “I've never seen you this happy before.” I nodded. It was true.

  Emily called me shortly after dinner and told me that she and Susan wanted to try to retake the Island the next day, simply as another 'screw-you' to Rhonda. I was all for that, and I was sure Joshua would be on board as well.

  * * *

  I spent an hour in my room that night staring at a picture of Joshua I'd taken with my cell phone a couple of weeks before. He was smiling his warmest smile, the one that had made me fall in love with him.

  True love, I thought as I drifted off to sleep, there's just nothing better.

  Chapter 51

  DAY 58

  JOSHUA

  On the bus to school, Eve told me about the progress her mother had made. All I could think was that maybe, just maybe, the nightmare might finally be ending. For good.

  Given my lapse in concentration the day before, Eve insisted I never go anywhere alone for the time being. No excuses. I certainly wasn't going to argue.

  * * *

  I was hoping for a drama-free Wednesday as I ate lunch across from David, who chose to forego his usual solitude and sit with me. I told him about Kelsey and the epic showdown she'd had with Brent, and his smile was bigger than I'd seen in years.

  “Wow, Josh,” he began, “two months ago, you were as down in the dumps as I was, and now …” He shook his head in disbelief. “Now you have a legion of supporters and three beautiful girlfriends. This kind of thing doesn't happen every day.”

  I laughed, taking a bite. “Okay, you got me there.”

  David's smile had faded slightly as he nervously rubbed the surface of the table. After a moment, he said, “I was wondering … would you like to hang out at my house this weekend?”

  Finally, the David that I missed was back. I broke into a huge grin. “Hell yeah, buddy,” I said, holding out my fist. “How about Sunday?”

  “Perfect,” he replied, returning the fist-bump. “I just got some new video games and I need an opponent.”

  Whatever he had planned didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was ready to be best friends again. I was so relieved by this. “I'll be there, dude,” I said. Yeah, still sounds lame. Then another idea that had been rolling around my head occurred to me. “Speaking of my … beautiful girlfriends, David …” I trailed off, waiting for a response.

  He took a bite of his sandwich, and then looked up. “Yeah?”

  I smiled. “Would you like to meet them?”

  He swallowed hard, and for a second I thought he might choke. After getting his breath back, he stared at me in surprise. “Are you serious?” he asked.

  “I got to know Eve's best friends … I think it's time they got to know mine.”

  He shifted nervously in his seat. It was obvious he'd spent very little time around girls our age. “That's … wow,” he said, looking down at the table. “What are they like?”

  That would take about a million words to explain. “Compare the person I was two months ago to the one you're looking at right now.”

  “Yeah?” he said, not making the connection.

  I smiled. “It's because of them.”

  He nodded, finally understanding.

  “They're not like any girls you've ever met, David,” I explained. “They don't judge you based on what you look like, only on who you are.” He looked unconvinced, so I added, “Trust me, they'll like you … especially Susan.”

  He gulped again. “Susan?” He thought about it for a moment. “You really think so?”

  “I've been telling them about you. I also promised them one of these days I'd get you to come to the Island with me so I can introduce you.”

  He frowned in puzzlement. “'The Island'?”

  “The bleachers on the far side of the playground next to the faculty parking lot,” I explained. “That's what we call it. For a long time, it was just me that went there, and then it was me and Eve. Emily and Susan joined us a couple of weeks ago.” I smiled again. “There's plenty of room for one more.”

  A look of sheer gratitude crossed his face. “Josh, I … I don't know what to say,” he stammered, visibly blushing. “I need to think about it. I'll let you know on Sunday.”

  “Fair enough,” I said. “Rhonda took the Island away from us last week, but the four of us decided we're taking it back. Today. Speaking of which …” I saw Eve, Emily and Susan waiting for me by the exit. I said goodbye to David, and the four of us walked out together.

  We were in a good mood as we headed for the Island. A few seconds after leaving the cafeteria, however, Brent stepped out from behind a nearby wall and confronted us. I gasped in surprise.

  “Hey, girls,” he said, sneering at me. Eve immediately grabbed my arm and steered us away from him.

  “Hey, girly-boy,” Brent called after me. “I'm talking to you!”

  I stopped dead, causing the girls to do the same. I closed my eyes, and a black cloud enveloped my mind. Three years of punches and kicks, insults and humiliation, fear and pain washed over me. This had happened before, and it usually resulted in me tearing up, but this time, I was feeling something completely different.

  Rage. On a level I'd never felt before.

  I opened my eyes, still staring in the opposite direction. My breathing started to quicken.

  Eve no doubt sensed my swell of emotions, and put her hand on my arm. “Joshua, let's go,” she said. “Just don't listen to him.”

  I stared at her. For the first time, she had no clue what I was thinking. Hell, even I wasn't sure what I was thinking.

  From behind me, I heard Brent taunting, “Come on, dog turd, I don't have all day!”

  I gritted my teeth, and I could feel my heart starting to pound.

  Eve brought her face right next to mine. “Don't even think about it, Joshua. I'm not going to let you fight him!”

  In an instant, the cloud of anger blinked out of existence. I focused on Eve's worried face, just inches away from mine. I looked over at Emily and Susan, whose faces also expressed deep concern. Slowly, I turned back to face Brent. He'd crossed his arms and was wearing his usual hyena's grin. Then something very obvious struck me.

  He was alone.

  I scanned the rapidly-growing crowd for signs of Phil, Derek and Randy, but couldn't see them anywhere. Or Rhonda. No doubt emboldened by yesterday's victory, Brent felt arrogant enough to confront me all on his own. There was no
throng of ten-year-old brats anywhere nearby, only a crowd of peers that feared him. He uncrossed his arms and flexed his fingers in a “come on” gesture.

  I looked again at the faces of my three best friends. And, just then, a crazy plan began to form in my brain.

  “Let's just go, Joshua,” Eve pleaded.

  “No,” I said quietly, shaking my head. “No. I'm done running.”

  Eve was adamant. “I am not letting you fight him! Don't you play his game!”

  I looked at her face, at her gorgeous brown eyes, and my mood softened. I flashed back to our first day in Science class, when she'd begged Old Man Taylor to pair her with anybody but the biggest nobody in the school. Good old Mr. Taylor. That one completely random, meaningless act. Look at all the lives it had changed forever.

  I thought about all the friends I had now. Rick and David. Eve's mother Liz, and Eve's adorable sisters Kirsten and Sophie. Fearless Kelsey and her army of friends. Emily and Susan. And Eve, who had become the center of my entire universe. Eve, the most amazing girl who ever lived.

  Snapping back to reality, the last parts of my crazy plan formed in my brain. Unseen by Brent, I smiled wryly at Eve. “I'm not going to play his game,” I said. “I'm going to make him play mine.”

  Eve straightened up, sensing my resolve but no less concerned. “I'm not afraid of him anymore, Eve,” I said. “I'm putting an end to this. Right now.” I gestured to where Brent was getting more and more impatient. “Look at him. He's alone. I can get him.”

  Realization dawned on her. She released my arm, and nodded.

  I brought all three girls into a huddle. “I have a plan,” I whispered, “but I'm going to need all you guys' help.” I quickly spelled out the rest of the plan, after which all three nodded in agreement. I'm going to owe them big-time if this works …

  I sighed heavily, and Eve gave me a reassuring pat on my shoulder. “I love you,” she said.

  “Love you too,” I replied, turning to face my adversary.

  Destiny, ready or not, here I come.

  I walked toward Brent, who eyed me evilly as I approached. “How's your face, girly-boy?”