“That’s what he says is next for the nonbelievers,” Tammy said. “He’s the boss.”
Agatha Chew said nothing, but from the look on her face, I was pretty sure she didn’t like what she had just heard. The police would, though.
I turned off the camera and crept into the hall. When I reached the boiler room door, I opened it and slipped inside. Jessie and Erica waited beside Bobby.
“Nice work, Jess,” I said.
The ninth grader nodded. “Will this really stop them?”
Bobby held up the bag of Psychedone 10 Angel had given Jessie and scowled. “We’re just getting started.” For such a nice boy, I noticed that he had a real mean streak.
I was okay with that.
…
The next morning, I marched down the hall surrounded by Bobby, Tish, and Whatsisface.
“The Dweeb League on patrol,” Whatsisface said quietly.
“We stick together no matter what, got it?” Bobby punched his fist into his palm.
“Okay, but this one is mine.” Whatsisface had fire in his eyes. I prayed he wasn’t about to have it doused. We walked toward an oblivious Chuckie Cuff, who had a tenth-grader pinned against a locker.
“What’d your mom pack for me today, Dougie?” Chuckie held the boy’s lunch bag above his head.
“C-c-come on, Chuckie, n-n-not aga-in,” Dougie said. He reached up, trying to get at his lunch bag, but Chuckie pulled it away.
“When you learn to t-t-t-talk right,” Chuckie said, “you can eat. This is for my own g-g-g-g-good.”
“My m-m-mom said you should get your own lunch. I’m not allowed to f-f-f-fuh-heed you anym-more.”
“Your mom’s not very nice.”
“Let him alone, Chuckie,” Whatsisface said. Tish and Bobby stood at his shoulder. I stood right behind them, hoping that once Chuckie noticed me, my services wouldn’t be needed.
Chuckie looked a little irritated at the interruption. “You come to dance again, babe?” He held his hand out to Tish.
“I did.” Whatsisface knocked Chuckie’s hand away. “On your face. Give him back his lunch.”
“You ladies gonna make me?”
“You think we can’t?” Whatsisface grinned. “Wouldn’t look good to have your butt kicked by a lady, huh?”
Chuckie stared at Whatsisface, then Bobby, then Tish.
Then he noticed me. “You promised not to tell,” he muttered.
“I didn’t say a word.” I shrugged.
Chuckie looked thoughtfully at Dougie. “Okay, no problemo, I wasn’t hungry today anyway.” He tossed Dougie his lunch, and poked him in the chest. “But tomorrow, bring me something good, got it?”
I tapped Chuckie on the shoulder and whispered, “You stop picking on him and everyone else, or I will tell. Got it?”
Chuckie’s face puckered. “Hey, Rinnie, I was teasin’. Dougie and me, we’re buds.”
“No more, Chuckie. Okay?”
“Hmmm…okay.” Chuckie turned and walked away. Then he stopped. “Hey, Rinnie.”
“Yeah?”
“I started brushing my teeth. I’m minty fresh!” He blew into the air in my direction.
“I’m so proud of you.” I smiled as Chuckie disappeared down the hall.
“Thanks,” Dougie said.
“Our pleasure.” Whatsisface put his hand on Dougie’s shoulder. “How ‘bout we do lunch and chat about membership in our exclusive club? I’ll have my people call your people.”
Chapter Twenty-six
The School's New Groove
I was amazed at the faces sitting around the lunch table as the week progressed. Bobby smiled quietly. Tish, Erica, Jessie, and Dougie, however, were doing happy dances. The plan had worked better than expected. Even students I didn’t know had begun rebelling against the bullies. The Dweeb League was growing.
“Did you see their faces?” Tish asked.
“Angel’s face was blurred out on Greensburg Action News that night, but you couldn’t mistake her squawky voice,” Bobby said. “The video we made was awesome. We nailed her.”
Erica clapped her hand on the tabletop. “Angel’s dad wouldn’t even come out of the house when the reporter wanted to interview him. How cool is that?”
Whatsisface jumped to his feet. Holding a pencil to his mouth like a microphone, he pretended to knock on a door. “Toby James, reporting on what appears to be a drug bust at the high school. Mr. Angel, how do you respond to these allegations? Mr. Angel? Mr. Angel? Hello? Is anybody home?”
Tish laughed and shook her head. “No, I mean today. I saw them this morning in the hall. Talk about your new attitude! Everybody is talking about it. Something is finally being done. The whole school is different today.”