Dixie Kate Allen collapsed on her mother’s bed and began to cry. “What’s the matter, Dixie?”
“Some girls at school were making fun of me again today. I hate having freckles.” “Sweetie,” Her mother soothingly replied, “you are so beautiful, and your freckles make you - you. Freckles are just evidence that you are outside a lot. Now perk up. Those girls can only hurt you if you let them. True friends don’t care if you have freckles or not, they look on the inside. Now, why don’t you go play with your siblings?” Dixie, with her re-found confidence, trotted off to play football with her older brothers Layton and Connor, which was one of her favorite things to do. She hopped outside to see them already tossing to each other. “You doing any better, Dix?” Layton inquired, being the most compassionate 16 year old boy Dixie knew. “Yes, thanks for asking.” She replied, “Do y’all want to play jackpot?” “Sure.” Layton said. “Oh by the way, Alton is coming over today.” “Great!” Alton Odell Williamson was one of Dixie’s best friends. He was 14 years old, only 2 months younger than Dixie. He was sporty, like her older brothers, in other words he played (and was good at) football, baseball, and basketball. Alton had dark brown hair like Dixie, but with a slight wave. He also had steel blue eyes. If he looked straight into anyone’s eyes, especially Dixie’s sky blue eyes, it would feel like he saw into your soul. Alton was 5’8’’ and was quite strong. Dixie, on the other hand, was 5’6” and was quite skinny. Alton almost always wore shades of blue, since it was his favorite color. Alton’s family and the Allen’s went to church together, so they saw each other almost every day, at school and church. Dixie loved going to church, especially with her comfortable t-shirt dress on and her favorite high top converse. Dixie lives in Alabama in a smiling town called Summerville. It’s quite a small town, which explains the small school. But, because of the small school, a wide range of friends to choose from was unavailable. Dixie loved her school, but wished there was more people in it. If she didn’t feel like sitting with the girls for some reason, she would sit with Alton, Layton, Connor and their friends. The guys were much more accepting than the girls. The girls would usually make fun of her for sitting with them, then the whole school would find out. But one girl never made fun of her: Nina Anthony. Nina was Dixie’s best friend. They both loved flowers, drawing, painting, pastels, and converse, and they both ran track at their school. A lot of times, the boys would come over after whatever sport’s practice they had and would watch the track team. After school one day, Nina and Dixie scurried off to track practice. Dixie always felt more comfortable and confident with Nina around, and she was able to be the more bubbly person she was. Nina and Dixie arrived at track then practiced with their team and ran their 1/2 mile warm up, stretched, practiced their hurdles, intervals, and lifted weights. This day, Nina had to leave early from practice because it was her brothers birthday. That was another thing the 2 girls had in common: they both loved their siblings. Often times, the girls would make flower crowns with Dixie’s 3 younger sisters, or they would dress up barbie’s with Nina’s younger sister, and they would even dress up and play pirates with Dixie’s 2 younger twin brothers, Evan and Matthew. Normally, Nina and Dixie would stay a little bit after practice to socialize with some of the girls, but, since Nina wasn’t here today, Dixie thought she would just skip that. Dixie slipped off her track shoes, packed her track bag and started to leave when she heard someone call her, “Where ya goin’, Dixie?” Nikki Bryte haughtily asked, or not so bright in Dixie’s opinion. She was the 9th grade bully. “Home.” Dixie simply and softly replied. “Oh with your boyfriend Alton?” “He’s not my boyfriend, Nikki.” Dixie was trying not to lose her cool, but was not happy someone would make fun of her and Alton. “Ya right, I always see y’all sit together. Anyway’s I assume the reason you’re leaving is because you don’t have Nina to help you socialize?” Dixie didn’t reply, for it was really a rhetorical question that Nikki wanted to answer on her own. “Well I won’t keep you any longer, freckles, scurry home.” Dixie’s face was flushed and she totally lost her cool. “Never call me that again, Nikki, understand?” Alton started walking up. He had been watching the track team practice after his baseball practice and wanted to walk Dixie to the bus since Nina wasn’t there. But, Alton was totally oblivious to what a hot conversation was going on between Dixie and Nikki. Andrew, Nikki’s boyfriend, stood a couple feet behind Nikki as he stared down Alton. Andrew was the most popular guy in the school, and he was the football team’s quarterback. Nikki was the blond, flawless cheerleader who also ran track in her extra short shorts. After Dixie said what she did, Nikki immediately jumped on that and replied with, “Do you really want to try me, Dixie?” Dixie was smart enough not to reply to the bait and began to walk away. Andrew shoved Dixie on the field. Nikki jumped on her began punching her, pulling her hair, and cussing at her. Dixie shielded her face, unwilling to fight back. Alton sprinted up to the fight and pulled Nikki off of Dixie. He yelled, “Get off her Nakia! She didn’t do anything to you!” NOBODY called Nikki her real name: Nakia. Andrew immediately tried to throw Alton down but was unable to because Alton was overall stronger. “How dare you call her that!” Andrew growled as he threw a punch. Alton was not as refined as Dixie, and immediately let his boy characteristics take over. He threw his fist in Andrew’s gut and watched him fall on the ground coughing. Nikki, too worried about her boyfriend to bother with Dixie, started screaming hysterically for someone to help her “poor boyfriend.” Andrew stopped coughing, jumped up, and slammed Alton with his fist right on his cheek. Andrew then threw another fist into Alton’s brow and watched with a sick smile, the crimson blood heavily flow down his cheek and trickle onto his neck and shirt. Alton stumbled from the blow, but didn’t care he was bleeding. Andrew had hurt Dixie, and there was nothing he could do to take that back, so Alton was going to make sure Andrew would to pay for it. Alton pounced on Andrew, shoved him to the ground, straddled over him, and swung punches left and right. His right fist on Andrew’s right brow, his left on Andrew’s cheek, a blow to Andrew’s lip, another to his now busted, bloody nose: And so on and so forth, with blood flowing constantly. Alton’s blood poured from his cheek and landed on Andrew. Andrew finally got his hands free and shoved Alton back, screaming “STOP!” Alton stood up, hearing the cry for mercy from Andrew, and looked down at his doings: the bloody QB. By this time, Layton and Connor showed up. Layton, seeing Dixie bloody and busted up, felt his heart stop, and immediately started taking care of her with the tenderest of touch, and soft words. Connor, being 17, who had experienced fights before, knew it was time to get the point across with words. He jumped down, straddled Andrew and pinned him down with his forearm. Andrew’s head was abruptly thrown back by the force, causing more blood to spray out of the cerise colored face. Connor’s face was now close to Andrew’s and he threateningly stared with his serious, grey eyes into the crystal blue eyes of Andrew. He said, “If you ever touch my sister again, you’re a dead man.” He then yanked his arm off and jumped up to comfort Dixie. Andrew was left with his sobbing girlfriend, his injured pride, and his torn up face. Dixie and Alton were intently examining each-others blood stained faces while Layton was bandaging her. When Connor came over to Dixie, Layton knew it was his turn to get the point across. Layton was 6’2” and was intimidated by no-one. When there was a threat regarding his beloved sister, he would always protect her, and it would not be his compassionate side that would show as it would when talking to her. He strutted over to Andrew and said, “Get up, Andrew.” Andrew got up. Layton spit on the ground, grabbed Andrew’s collar and roared, “What did Connor tell you, huh?” Andrew didn’t reply. “That’s what I thought. Now if you ever touch my sister, now I’m talking ever, I’ll fight you like a man. But you don’t know how to do that, so I suggest you don’t touch her, ok?” Andrew threw Layton’s hands off and said, “You got it, baseball wimp.” Andrew only added wimp to comfort himself, and Layton knew that, so he pushed Andrew back down onto the bloody ground with his crying girlfriend, and walked away. Because of the fight, the kids had missed the bus, so Dixie, Alton, Layton, and Connor all walked home. Alton was still bleeding, but he took more concern over Dixie’s wounds. From now on, Alton and the Allen’s were respected at school, nobody wanted to mess with Dixie or any of them. Also because of this instance, Dixie and Nina always sat with Alton, Layton, and Connor, and never with the girls who were friends with Nikki. As the kids walked home, a small trail of blood was left in their footsteps. And even though the kids were respected now, new kids would show up next year, and the newbies would have no clue what they would be getting themselves into by messing with Dixie. Because whoever messed with Dixie, would be messing with Alton, Layton, and Connor also.
6 Comments
Music is Oxygen.
8/17/2017 08:04:29 pm
Wonderful job!
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Ashley Strange
8/19/2017 01:34:18 pm
Oh my gosh Hannah I remember when you did this in our writing class! It still gets me every time :)
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Lydia
8/22/2017 03:38:37 pm
Nice, Hannah!
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