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Chapter 6 continued...

XL could see that trouble was just beginning. Jake had lots of practice fighting, unlike Beeba or XL. Jake had been a member of a boxing club--one of the few things he was good at. And Jake's friend Derek was there too. "Before this gets worse," thought XL, "I need to fetch the school yard supervisor."

However, if XL ran off to find the supervisor, his friend could be hurt more. He had an idea. Judy was faster than all of them, so quickly he stepped to her and said quietly, "Quick, fetch the supervisor!" Judy ran off like a shot from a gun.

Meanwhile, Jake had noticed the card that Beeba had in his hand. Quickly he snatched it from Beeba. "What's this?" he asked. "From Florence? Oh, it's from a girl. How cute, the little Baby Bee is in love!"

"Give it back!" shouted Beeba, reaching for the envelope.

But Jake did not give it back. He held it up high with his arm, and pranced around in a circle. "Come and get it little Bee!" he jeered.

XL knew where this might head. "Beeba," he called, "come on, let's go play. This isn't worth it."

But Beeba wasn't in the mood to let it go. He shouted "Give it back!" again, and grabbed at the envelope. All of the other kids stood and watched, except XL, who had stepped closer to Derek.

It looked like Beeba was on the verge of grabbing the envelope. Beeba had one corner of the envelope between his fingers, when Jake spun around and punched Beeba in the stomach, hard. Beeba doubled over, and he had tears in his eyes. Jake tore the envelope in half, threw it on the ground, and laughed.

"Derek," said XL, "we must stop Jake. Beeba is hurt, and Jake will get himself expelled. You are his friend, help to stop him!" XL came up behind Jake and grabbed his right arm, pulling it back.

"Come on Jake, that's enough," said Derek.

Usually Derek was Jake's side-kick, and Jake hesitated a moment when he realized that he didn't have Derek's support. But Jake was not pleased with Derek that day, who had sat at lunch with XL and Beeba - the traitor! Jake turned toward XL so that he could punch him with his free arm.

But Derek was a pretty quick athlete, and before Jake could punch XL, Derek had grabbed Jake's left arm.

Jake turned back toward Beeba and lunged forward, and it was hard for XL and Derek to hold him. But just as quickly, Beeba stepped back, and Allan and James stepped between Beeba and Jake. Several other kids came to join them.

"Leave Beeba alone," said Allan, "or you will have to fight all of us all at once!"

"Let it go Jake", said Derek, "I'm your friend, and you are getting yourself into trouble!"

"You're not my friend," said Jake. "I have no friends." But he stopped struggling.

Moments later Judy came running toward them, with the school room supervisor close behind her. Judy had found her in the staff room. Evidently she was chatting with another teacher when recess had started. Perhaps the teacher thought it would be harmless to be a minute or two late. But Jake had noticed that there was no supervisor, and he figured that was the perfect time to take out his frustrations on those whom he envied.

When the teacher arrived, XL and Derek released Jake's arms. Jake stood facing the teacher. Beeba walked over to the pieces of the envelope that were on the ground, and picked them up.

XL walked over to Beeba. He put his arm around him, to console him. "Are you O.K.?" he asked.

"Yes, I guess so," replied Beeba.

"Jake, you must come to the office," said the teacher. "You too Beeba."

Then, turning to the other students, she said. "Who has observed this event from the start?"

XL, Derek, Allan, and James raised their hands

"Come along," said the teacher. "We will take a few minutes to speak to each of you individually."

They went into the school and waited in the chairs just outside the office. Each had their turn to go into the principal's office with the teacher, beginning with Jake. They didn't see anything more of Jake that day. His parents had been called to the school, and he left the school with them.

After everyone had their turns in the office, Beeba went into the principal's office again for one last turn. Afterward, XL spoke with Beeba in the hallway.

"Things will be O.K.," said Beeba. "The teacher and the principal believed what I told them. They assured me that I would be safe at school, and that this wouldn't happen again."

"I'm glad of that" said XL. "Schools take bullying much more seriously than they did in the old days. And remember that you have the support of all your friends too."

"Thanks XL," said Beeba. "You know I was worried that you might get hurt too," he added.

"Me too!" said XL.

They laughed and went back to their classroom.

Copyright Arthur de Leyssac, 2017. All rights reserved.