Sweetie's Diamonds by Raymond Benson Page A

you’ll get hurt?”
    â€œNo, it’s a heart thing.”
    â€œA heart thing?   What’s that supposed to mean?”
    David had tried to walk away but Matt kept at it.   “Hey, I’m talking to you.   Don’t walk away from me.”   He whirled David around to face him.   “What’s the matter with your heart?”
    â€œI have a congenital disease,” David replied.
    â€œYou have a genital disease?   Hey, everyone, this kid’s got VD!” Matt shouted to the others.
    â€œCongenital,” David said.   “It means I was born with it, you idiot.”
    Matt’s goofy grin disappeared.   “What did you say?”
    â€œNever mind.   I gotta go.”
    â€œFuck you, you ain’t going anywhere.”
    Luckily for David, the Vice-Principal came around the corner at that moment and Matt Shamrock changed his tune.  
    â€œHey, we’ll see you in gym, buddy,” Matt said, slapping David on the back with slightly too much force.
    Ever since that fateful encounter, Matt Shamrock had looked for every opportunity to make David’s life at school a miserable hell.   The bully especially liked to cross paths with David on the way out of the building at the end of the day.   Now that David had moved to the new apartment, David lived close enough to walk back and forth, which he was happy to do.   As long as he didn’t run and exert himself too much, the walking was good for him.   Matt Shamrock hadn’t learned David’s route yet but it was only a matter of time before he would appear to taunt him.    
    Earlier, at lunch, David and Billy had been in line to buy a dessert.   Matt Shamrock and his goon squad cut in front of them.   David spoke up.  
    â€œYou’re not supposed to cut in line, Shamrock,” he said.
    Matt turned and looked at David as if the tall, skinny boy were some kind of bug.   In actuality, David was taller than Shamrock, but the bully was beefier and certainly stronger.  
    â€œWhy don’t you shut the fuck up?” he said.
    â€œYou’re a real asshole, Shamrock,” David said to himself.  
    Matt’s eyes grew big and his three pals gasped.  
    â€œYou gonna let him get away with that, Shamrock?” the one named Carl asked.  
    â€œWhat did you say, butt face?” Matt asked.
    â€œLook, just buy your dessert and leave us alone,” David said.  
    Matt inched closer to David, fists clenched, but before he could do anything he saw Mrs. Tuttenberg, the teacher assigned to patrol lunch period for the day.   She was a few feet away, giving a kid hell for throwing a napkin at his neighbor.
    â€œYou’re lucky, shithead,” Matt said.   “If Mrs. Tutti Frutti wasn’t right over there, you’d be on the floor.”
    â€œOh well,” David said, standing up to his tormentor.   “I guess that’s too bad.”
    â€œBut after school, my friend,” Matt said, “after school on your way home, it’ll be clobberin’ time.”   For some reason, Matt always quoted the Thing from the Fantastic Four comic books.   David doubted that the bully had read anything in his life, even a comic.
    Now the witching hour had come.   David faced the enemy but he had one advantage—they were still inside the school.
    â€œWhy don’t you leave him alone?” Billy ventured.   It was the first time Billy had ever stood up for his friend.
    Matt Shamrock ignored Billy.   “So, Boston, you about to walk home?   Shall I carry your books for you?   You don’t mind a little company, do you?”
    David shrugged.   “Sure.   Come on.   When we get to my house we can play something on my PS2, if you can handle the controls.”   He turned and started walking.  
    Matt Shamrock creased his brow.   This wasn’t the reaction he had