Speak to the king within the man...

Lunch was always a lonely hour for Creed. Robbinsville High School was the only one in town, and was rather full. But friends were hard to come by. Magnet was the only friend Creed had, but Magnet usually spent his lunch hopping from table to table trying to find a group to sit with. It was futile as every lunch ended the same way, with Magnet sitting against a wall eating by himself. At least he was determined.

Creed spent his lunch at a picnic table under an old secluded birch tree away from the other tables. The birds congregated above, and used the table as a waste place, but this did not bother Creed. He couldn’t let it. It was the only place he felt comfortable. He could see the other tables in the distance, closer to the classrooms and full of the many clicks of students. A part of him longed to be sitting in the middle of it all, shooting spit wads, hanging with the rest of the crowd. Nevertheless, deep down he knew this was where he belonged. He was different, and he knew it. He had the gift, and it was slowing becoming his identity, though no one else knew it.

He was exchanging glances with his chemistry book, and the pony-tailed blonde who chatted with her friends a hundred yards away. Creed wondered if she thought about him at all after Friday night. The look she gave him while shaking his hand had burned a hole in his thoughts. As he gazed across the field at her, she turned her head his way and caught his eye. She gave him a quick smile then turned back to her friends. After another minute, Creed watched as Millie glanced again in his direction. This time her smile was a bit wider and less subtle. Creed smiled back then returned to his chemistry book.

As he began his reading on the subject of ribonucleic acid, his attention deviated to Millie again, then to something else. “Knock it off,” Creed said to himself. Her father was going to die, and all he was thinking about was how he felt about her. Creed laid his head down on his arms and let his mind focus on what he must do. Mr. Snyder didn’t have long to live. Creed needed to pay a visit to the Snyder home, after seeing Collin Bradbury.

Creed kept his forehead nestled in his arms for the remainder of the lunch period. He dozed in and out of consciousness, as his lunch lay unattended next to him. Time escaped him and he was about to drift into a deep state of sleep when he heard the small roar of students. He picked his head up, looked around and saw a circular congregation shouting and cheering something. Another stupid fight, he thought to himself. He felt compelled to hustle over to see who was at it this time.

Forcing his way through the crowd, he noticed two boys rolling on the ground, clawing and punching uncontrollably. Steve Cooper, who played point guard on the basketball team, was one of the culprits. The other, the one on the losing end of the fight, was pinned down taking blow after blow. It was Magnet.

No one was going to come to his aid, and Magnet was being pummeled. Mustering up all of his courage, Creed jumped in, delivering a powerful kick to Steve’s mid section. Creed felt his foot smash into bone, and then the adrenalin rush through his chest as Steve fell to his side wincing in agony.

“Leave him alone!” Creed yelled. “You jerks are always pickin’ on him.”

Magnet was still prostrate on the ground holding his hands over his face. Creed moved to help him up when someone grabbed his shoulder from behind. It was big Tom Statton, a faller with the lumber company. Creed spun around and just as he noticed Tom, he noticed Tom’s fist hitting his chin square. The lights in Creeds head flickered and Creed fell to the ground. The sting of the punch triggered something in Creed that he had never realized existed, pure rage. Instantly Creed fumbled to his feet and charged Tom, hay bailing wildly. His right fist landed on Tom’s temple, staggering him. Tom eluded the rest of Creeds fists of fury, and lunged at Creeds waist, tackling him to the ground. Suddenly, Creed found himself where Magnet used to be, fighting for his life beneath the predator. Creed was taking a healthy beating, in dire need of divine help, which came in the form of Millie Snyder.

“Get of him!” she yelled, while beating on his back. “Get off! I swear, jerk. I’ll have my dad after you if you don’t.”

Tom ceased his beating and stood to his feet huffing and puffing. “Creep started it. It wasn’t his fight. It was between moron Magnet and Steve. Had nothin to do with Creep!”

“His name is Creed,” Millie said, kneeling over a bloodied Creed.

“I could have taken him,” A weak voice said. It was Magnet. He looked at creed and mouthed ‘thank you’, then walked away, headed for the drinking fountain.

Tom helped Steve up, and the two swaggered off, glaring menacingly at Creed as if to say more punishment lay in store.

The crowd also disseminated, leaving the two alone. Creed took a beating, and his face bore the proof. “Thanks Millie,” he said holding his lip.

“Those guys are jerks.” She looked at Creed and smiled. “You alright?”
“Hey, no big deal. I asked for it.”

“No you didn’t. You were just defending Magnet when no one else would. That was…well mighty nice of you.” She untied the scarf around her neck and placed it on Creed mouth. A hint of that familiar perfume caught Creeds senses, causing him to smile, and Millie noticed.

“What are you grinning about,” she said with a smile of her own.
“Oh, nothin’. It’s just that you smell good.” He said it. The filter between his mind and mouth failed him, and he felt a wave of embarrassment come over him. “I didn’t mean that.”

“You didn’t?” The smile left her face.

“No, I—mean yes-I mean—I did mean it, Millie. You smell great and you look great. You’re perfect.”

Her smile returned, bigger than ever.

Principal Hanks, who had the nurse tagging along behind him, interrupted their moment. “Creed Linden?” he said sternly.

Millie moved away and Creed sat up. “Yes sir?”

“I bet you weren’t the instigator, were you.”

“Well, yes, sort of. Magnet was taking a licking, so I jumped in to save his hide. Then, Tom jumped in and, well look at me? I lost.”

“Let me have a look,” the nurse said brushing everyone aside as if she were suddenly in charge. “That lip looks pretty bad. How about your jaw? Can you open up all the way?”

“Think so.” Creed opened his mouth gingerly.

“Good, no break then. Let’s get you to the office so I can get some ice on that bottom lip.” She was a husky woman and could carry Creed to the office if she needed to. Instead, she helped him to his feet with the pull of his arm. Creed winked at Millie, then looked at Principal Hanks.

“We’ll talk about it later Creed. See me in my office this afternoon after school.”

*****
As the final bell rang, Creed stepped out of his Math class and into the crowded hallway. Through spaces between passing students, he could see Principal Hanks, standing in his doorway across the hall. He had not noticed Creed, so Creed decided to stop by his locker to drop off his books, and gather what he needed for homework. He stepped into the flow of students with head bowed hoping to avoid the Principals scouring eyes. When he reached his locker, someone was waiting there. The last person Creed ever expected to see at his locker; Millie Snyder.

“Either you are the stupidest kid around picking a fight with someone twice your size,” she said, and then changed to a softer tone, “or you are the most loyal friend a guy could ask for.”

“I think stupid might be the best choice. Especially since I got pummeled.”
“Magnet is lucky to have a friend like you.”

“Be sure and tell him that.” Creed laughed briefly and rubbed his swollen lip causing Millie to giggle.

“Why don’t you come over for dinner tonight?”

Creed looked behind him to make sure Millie was actually talking to him. “Are you talking to me? Cause it sounded like you were talking to me.”

“Yes Creed, I’m serious. My parents would love to have you.”

“Whoah, whoah. You want me to come to your house for dinner.”
“Why is that so hard to believe?”

“It’s not, I guess. But, I would hate to burden… I mean I would have to ask my ma.” His reservations were few but legitimate. After all, he was the only one who knew Mr. Snyder was living on borrowed time, but he had planned to visit sometime anyway. Then it hit him. This would be an opportunity to tell Millie. Maybe the two of them could work through this. Maybe together they could save his life. “I’ll be there at 5:30.”

Millie chuckled. “Well, don’t you need to ask your mom?”

“Oh yeah, I guess I do. But I’m sure she’ll say yes.”

“Good. Listen I better get going and you need to see you know who.” She looked past Creed at the Principal who was gliding down the hall toward them.

“Right. I’ll see ya later. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck.”