The Undying Truth. C J Higginbotham

the food, and she leans over him and gives him a light kiss.

      “Glad you could join us, Leviticus,” Mom says, as my plate of eggs and bacon is at the table. “Now hurry up and eat, you three. You don’t want to be late for school, do you?”

      “Mom, I don’t like school. I am okay with being late,” I whine to my parents, hoping to get out of even a few extras minutes of school.

      “Why don’t you like school?” Dad says, putting down his paper for the first time this morning.

      “Because the kids pick on me, and I’m a little baby,” Ezra says, poorly impersonating me.

      “Ezra, why do you have to be so mean? It wasn’t too long ago that you were saying the same thing that Levi is,” Cara says coming to my defense. Ezra just laughs to himself as he grabs my bacon.

      “I’m leaving!” he tells us as he walks out the door.

      “Hurry and finish up, Levi. I know school is rough, but it will get better, I promise,” Mom says. She then grabs my book bag and hands it to me.

      I take a couple bites of food as I nod my head, and then I walk out the door. Cara puts her arm over my shoulders as we leave the house.

      Now that I am eleven years old, Mom has decided that I am old enough to walk to school with my brother and sister. Ezra always walks in front of us, wearing his headphones, which is fine because Cara and I walk at our own pace to school.

      “Don’t mind him. He is just a bully,” Cara says, trying to make me feel better. She must have noticed me staring him down as we walk.

      Even though Ezra frustrates me, the uncomfortable feeling of being out of place outweighs even Ezra. “Cara…why are we so different?” I ask her because I hate the fact that I feel like an outcast in school.

      “How are we different? You mean our eyes? Well, we get it from Dad,” she says, not sure what answer I was looking for.

      “I’m not sure. I just feel so awkward being so different from everyone else,” I tell her, unable to truly explain how I feel.

      “You know, I used to feel like that, too, but eventually, I just learned to accept it.” She can sense that I don’t really accept her answer, so she continues, “I am sure everyone goes through that feeling when they are younger, but it’ll pass. I know it did for me, and I asked Dad and Ezra about it. They told me the same thing as I am telling you. I also had my doubts, but you will work through it. You will find out it’s pretty normal. We’re almost to school, but if you have any other issues or questions you want to talk about, we can talk after school. You know I am always here for you.”

      I nod as we approach the schoolyard. I don’t mind separating at this point because I know I will see her at lunch. Knowing I will see her later makes the school day more bearable. We must split up here because she is in eighth grade and eighth graders enter the building from the back. Being a sixth grader, I must enter through the front.

      Since Ezra is in high school, I don’t have to deal with him or his mean comments through the school day. Even though school is depressing, it’s still a nice break from Ezra. So at least for one more year, it will be me and Cara sticking it out in this building because next year, she will join Ezra in the high school building next door. Then I will be left alone to cope with this inadequate feeling by myself.

      I tried to talk her into failing a grade so she could stay in this building with me longer. I don’t know what I would do without her. She has a 4.0 GPA, which is very important to her. After a while, I stopped begging her because she finally shared that she saw her ability to attain and use knowledge as a gift—a gift that in her mind has a special calling. She was embarrassed to think of it like she was special. I was the only person she has spoken about the future and her views on her life. Her heart is set on becoming a scientist of some sort because she thinks that it’s the best way to help people. I see it in her eyes that she wants to be there to help me, but she can’t.

      We see the world differently, although I do hope she pursues her path in life. I want the opposite of her dreams. I don’t want to be famous or stick out of the crowd. Even if it’s for a second or if it is for something good, I would rather be basic. That’s why school bothers me. I’m always being pointed out of the crowd from classmates. I wish I could just stay invisible.

      As I walk into the building, I keep my head down so I won’t have to make eye contact with anyone. It’s hard to make friends when I feel like I have nothing in common with anyone here. Silently I push my way through the crowded hallway, keeping my head low, trying to make it to my classroom. I almost make it through the crowd when a student trips me. I can see my destination in view as I fall to my face.

      “Have a nice trip. See you next fall!” says the boy, looking down at me.

      I don’t know the boy, but his friends gather beside him and laugh hysterically like a pack of hyenas. With embarrassment glowing in my face and anger in the pit of my stomach, I quickly pick myself up and rush into the classroom. Inside my homeroom class, I put my book bag on its designated hook, and then I find my assigned seat. I sit with my head down as the rest of the class finds their seat.

      Nick Peer is a bigger bully than my brother, and to make things worse, he sits behind me, which gives him the opportunity to pester me constantly. He never gets into trouble because the teachers speak so highly of him. They always claim he is the best student. The beginning of the school year, I dropped my grades to all Cs, which was a bigger challenge for me than the actual work. After that, the teacher changed his seat from the front of the class to behind me. I get all As now to try to show the teacher she can move him back.

      “Hey, Leviticus, are you going to cry today?” Nick says after flicking my ear.

      “Nick, I would appreciate it if you would stop touching me.” I would rather punch him in the face, but I know I can’t because my family expects differently from me. It’s mainly my mom telling me to kill them with kindness.

      “Oh, you would? I guess I will just leave you alone then.”

      “Thank you,” I say. Did it actually work? I think to myself, but in that same moment, I realize Nick has spit on the back of my neck. I feel the saliva drip down my neck, and my stomach turns. I spoke too soon, I think to myself as I wipe it away with my hand. Maybe if I ignore him, he will just stop.

      I hate it here. Why be in a place that doesn’t want me? Not only that, but the material is so basic. I am so bored here. After I endure three hours of paper spit balls hitting the back of my head and whispered insults, the lunch bell finally rings. I jump up and rush to the cafeteria. This is the period I can sit with Cara. This is always the highlight of my day, being able to talk to someone whom I personally feel close to. I find Cara and wave at her. She waves me on to get into line beside her.

      “Where do you think you are going?” I hear Nick say from behind me. Seeing his friends beside him, I don’t say a word. I only walk faster. Then he kicks my foot, and I fall to the ground for the second time today.

      “Hey! Leave him alone!” Cara says, running up to me.

      “Aw, your sister has to protect you.”

      “At least he is wanted! You were adopted!” Cara says, giving them dirty looks. Nick walks away sad, because she wasn’t lying; he really was adopted.

      “Thanks, Cara. How was your day?” I say, grateful for her help.

      “You can’t let them bully you like that, Leviticus. They are just going to keep doing it.”

      “I would, but Dad says I can’t hurt anyone. He says I don’t know my strength just yet. Mom says I have to be polite, so I don’t know what else to do,” I say, putting my head down in defeat.

      “Well, I’m sure there is something you can do to make them back off,” she says with a smile.

      “I’ll figure it out. How has school been for you?”

      “Easy, I almost fell asleep! We are starting