Chapter 13
Matteo
Today was our day. Shawn and I were going to spend the whole day relaxing after we did some last-minute checking for the wedding. Abigail was so scared that our tuxes weren’t going to fit, so she made us go to the shop. I knew my body, and between two weeks ago and now, I hadn’t gained any weight. The tux was going to fit just fine, but there was no sense in arguing with her. We did as she asked To make the bride happy. Afterward, we hung out on the beach. Honestly, we didn’t get to hang out just the two of us very often. Shawn and Abigail went and did everything together. It wasn’t like I was complaining. As her brother, I’m ecstatic that she found a man like Shawn.
I was brought back to a memory that kept replaying in my head over and over. A fourth grader walked into the classroom on the first day of school. Nobody at that age liked new kids. Although, it never got any better for him until high school. When we went to recess, I saw him getting picked on by a bunch of kids. “Stop!” I yelled across the playground. They couldn’t hear me over all the kids screaming and yelling. I was almost a foot taller than the other kids; I hit my growth spurt earlier than everyone else. As I approached them, I yelled again, “Stop!” The older kid laughed at me, and that was when my anger erupted. He turned around to continue as I twirled him around and punched him square in the jaw. Everyone around us started hollering, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” I had never been in a fight before. The older kid punched me in my gut, and then I threw him on the ground. I punched him about four times in the face and then told Shawn, “Let’s go.”
Of course, word got around to the teacher, and I was called to the principal’s office along with my parents. They weren’t too happy.
“Son, why did you do it?” my father asked me.
“Dad, you always told me that if I saw someone being bullied to stand up for them. I tried, and he wouldn’t listen. So, I did the only thing that was going to get through to him. I punched him. He wouldn’t give up, so I continued,” I answered my father back with an innocent look on my face.
The funny thing was that my father didn’t ground me, but I did get suspended. Shawn and I became best friends after that day. After a couple weeks, my sister became part of our trio. We all became inseparable. He came over after school every day.
Still, to the present day, Shawn was grateful. I would do it over again. Shawn had always been there for me. All the hard times, putting myself through college after the scholarships weren’t enough to attend MIT. It was my dream school. I vowed to myself that if I got in, things would be rough, but I could do it. I worked two jobs and went to school full time. I would never regret my decision because it was the best decision I ever made.
Shawn ordered us a couple of beers and said, “I’m really happy for you, man. After you-know-who, I was scared you weren’t going to find someone. But then Lacey came along. Seeing you happy means the world to your sister and me.”
I didn’t respond because at that point, I didn’t know what to say. Of course, Shawn knew about my struggles with women or the lack thereof. Seeing everyone take to Lacey was reassuring. All my family wanted was for me to be happy.