Free Daniel's Dream by Andi Anderson Page A

hearing Andrew's fake laugh, he straightened up and took another threatening step toward him.
    "P-p-p-oor D-D-Dan-yell…c-c-cat got y-y-your t-t-t-ongue," he mocked and then snickered at his own joke.
    Daniel had never been good at standing up for himself. Plus, he was used to being around people who liked him. He had never been around someone as mean as Andrew. As much as he wanted to defend himself to Andrew, fear and uncertainty kept his mouth shut and he stood frozen in front of this angry boy. Daniel knew no matter what he did it would never be okay with the bully standing in front of him.
    "God, Dan-yell, you really are a wimp, aren't you? I guess livin' with those fags made you a sissy, too." Andrew nudged Daniel's shoulder roughly with his own, causing Daniel to stumble back a few steps.
    Daniel took a deep breath. It irritated him that Andrew said hateful things about his family. He didn't understand why Andrew insisted on saying such hurtful words about two of his favorite people. He knew for certain that if Andrew had ever taken the time to know him and his family, Andrew would like them and never say things like that.
    "Don't talk about t-them like that."
    Daniel didn't know who was more surprised that he spoke up, him or Andrew. But, as quick as his open-mouthed, shocked look appeared, Andrew shook it off, his blue eyes gleaming with an angry light.
    "I'll talk about them any way I want. Daddy says that we'd all be better off without people like you and your family. Why don't you just do us all a favor and move somewhere else? Your kind isn't welcome around here," Andrew yelled. He bent down and picked up his erasers and started hitting Daniel all over with them.
    Daniel couldn't believe this was happening. He stood stunned as his attacker continued to hit him all over his body and top of his head with the dusty erasers. Soon he was covered with chalk dust and wheezing. He dropped his erasers and held his hands out in front of him to ward off the vicious attack, but it didn't help. Andrew continued to taunt and smack him until a male voice shouted.
    "What in the world? Andrew Knight, stop that this instant!"
    At those words, Andrew stopped his attack. Daniel looked up through the chalky air and saw Mr Thompson glaring at the other boy.
    "Andrew, march yourself right to the principal's office right now. You know we don't tolerate any form of violence or bullying at this school." Daniel had never heard Mr Thompson's voice sound so angry before.
    "Aww… Mr Thompson, Daniel and I was just playin' around. Isn't that right, Daniel," Andrew coaxed. He smiled innocently at Mr Thompson before he reached over to dust the chalk off Daniel's shirt.
    Daniel jerked away from his hand.
    There was no way he was going to let Andrew ever touch him again.
    Mr. Thompson shook his head and pointed to the glass doors. "No, Andrew. I watched you hit Daniel with the erasers, so I know you weren't playing around."
    Andrew looked beseechingly at Daniel. "Tell him, Daniel. Tell him that we were just playin' around."
    Mr. Thompson put his warm hand on Daniel's shoulder. That gentle grip somehow gave him courage to answer honestly. He cleared his throat and glanced up into his teacher's kind face and then back to Andrew's pleading one.
    "Andrew said some mean things about me and my family. Then he hit me with the erasers for no reason."
    Andrew's eyes widened and his face turned beet red. "You little fag! How dare you lie and get me into trouble." He jumped toward Daniel with his fists clenched and raised. Mr Thompson grabbed Andrew's arm and pulled him back before his fist hit Daniel's face.
    He watched Mr Thompson escort Andrew back into the school before a few parents who had witnessed the whole thing surrounded him. They were waiting for their children to be dismissed from school for the day.
    "Are you all right, boy?"
    "Did you see that?"
    "Do you need to see the nurse?"
    Questions came at him from everywhere, confusing him. Daniel's