by T. M. Meek
It wasn't the size of Shelly H. Funk that intimidated other students, as she was only five feet tall and didn't weigh more than a hundred and fifteen pounds. It was the dark cloud that she took with her nearly everywhere she went that gave an ominous vibe to those who were unfortunate enough to cross her path. She had no problems with showing her more immature combative side as she could easily engage anyone in an in-your-face confrontation just as well as she could cyberbully. Her long blond hair often looked dry and frazzled.
She wasn't very pretty as her nose looked oddly bumped and her teeth were fairly crooked. She struggled with acne which completed her overall homely look, something many students, she believed, had no real sympathy for. If there ever were a student that would have compassion on her with optimism for her ability to be kinder and have good friends, Shelly H. Funk was about to meet her, but on her own misguided bully terms as she was too bitterly blind to believe that the girl she was about to target could be the one student that would have sympathy for her homely, bitter plight as Shelly walked right up behind her in a school hallway and shoved her hard to the ground.
"Well if it isn't Alex Opalstone," Shelly said in smug contempt to Alex who was now face down on the ground. "You don't have to kiss the ground I'm about to walk on unless, of course, you know what's good for you," Shelly said in a tone of hollow arrogance.
Shelly's bully companions stood close by and laughed. Jessica B. Johnson, also a blonde, but somewhat prettier, was about the same size as Shelly. But Sarah T. Lindt, a black girl was far more of a wishy-washy follower than a leader. Despite this, her frequent choice of silence often kept people guessing as to just how much more scary she might truly be.
As Alex stood up and dusted herself off, she gave Shelly a bold look of scorn but remained silent.
"What are you gonna do, Opalstone? Do you think you can punish me with a look of disapproval?" Shelly said as she feigned a look of fear.
"I think she's going to cry," Jessica mocked as Shelly and Sarah laughed.
"So that's it?" Alex fearlessly asked Shelly. "That's how you try to get acceptance?" Alex shook her head in continued disapproval and then turned her back and walked away.
That made Shelly so furious she ran ahead of Alex. "You just made a big mistake, Opalstone," Shelly said with a fierce look that truly made Alex afraid but Alex didn't show her fear. She stopped Alex in her tracks and shoved her back but Alex didn’t fall. Since Alex had noticed earlier that no teachers or other students were around to help her, she was relieved to suddenly hear a familiar voice.
"Alex!" Julio yelled as he ran onto the scene.
"I'll be watching you, Opalstone," Shelly said bitterly in subdued tones just before Julio could get close enough to hear. The three girls then left as they gave both Alex and Julio a look of contempt.
"I see you've finally met the 'Meano-trio,'" Julio said somberly.
"Is that what they call themselves or what everyone else calls them?" Alex asked in frustration as she watched the girls walk away. Only Jessica looked back briefly with a smug look. Alex watched in disappointment.
"That's what everyone else calls them. But don't worry. Even though Shelly will definitely punch you if she's provoked, I think she just needs someone to show a good example for her and give her some sympathy from someone she likes and believes really cares for her. If she found that, I think she'd soften up and be nicer," he said insightfully.
"Funny you should say that. I got the same impression," Alex replied. She really did think that and she was glad Julio had the same thoughts.
"She just needs a good friend. Emphasis on 'good' as in a 'good influence,'" Julio added.
"I think you're right. But she sure does make it harder on herself and harder on whomever it is that would offer that kind of friendship as long as she keeps treating others that way," Alex responded. "What's the name of her other two sidekicks?" she asked
"Sarah Lindt is the short one and Jessica Johnson is the blond."
"And Shelly's last name?"
"Funk."
"Does Shelly or her bully friends ever pick on Leena?" Alex asked intently as she and Julio began walking down the hall.
“Occasionally. Here’s the bottom line: if a girl is pretty or popular or looks like she could be popular, the Meano-trio are likely to bully her."
Alex thought of Leena and knew that she wasn't just pretty, she was very pretty, at least to Alex, and the idea of anyone bothering clean, polite, and beautiful Leena brought on strong feelings of anger within her "I swear, Julio, if any of them so much as breathe a hint of harm on Leena ever again I'll use their heads as batting practice in baseball," Alex said in subdued tones as she tried to control her seething lava-like feelings.
"Well, look who likes Leena," Julio said flirtatiously.
"Back off, Julio," Alex said tersely as she was in no mood for jokes.
"Look. Alex. If you like Leena so much, do you really think she's going to be impressed with you if you stoop down to their immature level of violence?" Julio asked wisely. Alex stopped and answered.
"Stooping down? I thought the idea of batting practice would be an upgrade." She was still fuming as she spoke.
"Okay. Now you're creeping me out," Julio said with some concern. But Alex just bitterly blew him off and began walking again.
"You can't be like them, Alex," Julio said as he followed her until he was again by her side. It was because he admired Alex so much that he expressed his disappointment with her. Alex was known for taking the higher road and he didn't want her to be anything less. "I'm surprised at you. I know you feel in your heart that your anger is not the right answer. You're the most grown up of us all. If you want to impress Leena, better yet, if you want to protect Leena, do what you know is right. Set the right example. That way you and your baseball bat won't get kicked out of school which of course would result in both my parents and Leena's parents saying you can't be friends with us anymore. Focus on the big picture and don't let the Meano-trio get to you. Besides, we've got the Triple-C to finish!" he said encouragingly.
"Success is the best revenge," Alex smiled mischievously.
"That's a better strategy than a baseball bat," he replied.
Alex sighed. "No. I guess I don't even want to use success as revenge. After all, our ultimate strategy for the Triple-C Is to help people. Not to get revenge."
Julio liked what he heard. "Now that's the Alex I've become friends with. Good call," Julio smiled. Alex just shook her head in disbelief that she would get too upset over a few misguided girls. Julio patted Alex on the back encouragingly and Alex smiled. "I'll see you later," he said as he hurried off late to his class.
"Julio!" Alex hollered quickly and waved him back over. Julio ran back to Alex.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I like Leena, but don't blow it all out of proportion, okay?" Alex said.
"What do you mean?" he wondered.
"Don't turn it into something that it isn't." Julio remained silent and looked confused.
"Look, just don't say anything, all right?" Alex smiled embarrassed.
"About what?"
"The baseball bat idea. I don't want to give her the wrong impression," Alex relents.
"Oh, I get it," Julio smiled.
"What?"
"Beautimous!" he smiled more.
"What?" Alex asked more bewildered.
"Leena must be your new BFF," he replied slyly.
"BFF?"
"Best Friends Forever," he said. Alex looked dumbfounded. "It's cool," he said as he pretended to zip his lips. "I'll see you later," he said as he ran off to class.
"BFF? I've barely known her three weeks," Alex mumbled confused. "Julio!" Alex hollered. "What does 'beautimous' mean?"
"Beautiful to an enormous degree or enormously beautiful!" Julio smiled and yelled back as he briefly ran backwards facing Alex to answer her question. He then turned back and ran down a different hall as the school bell rang. Alex was surprised to see ho
w she liked his odd but creative slang. She then ran off to her class wondering just how much more trouble the Meano-trio would be giving the Success Crew…and how soon.
Chapter 11: Wise Pastor James Talks with Linda Wise