Free Wrestling Against Myself by Katie Leone

food.
     
    Antonio felt a tap on his shoulder; he turned to see Tracy had moved next to him. He gave an apologetic grin. “Sorry.”
     
    “What is it with you Tiny?” She asked in a whisper as the others continued to list the ways they thought Tony was like a superhero. “Do you have a thing for her?”
     
    “It's not like that,” Tony whispered back. “I mean, she's a freshman and I'm a senior.”
     
    “It's happened before.”
     
    “Trust me, it's not that.”
     
    “Then what is it? You're obsessed.”
     
    Antonio frowned. “Look at her, she's scared and alone.”
     
    “Sometimes people are like that, Tiny. For whatever reason. It's not always your place to fix everything. It's only the second day of school, I'm sure she'll adapt. With or without your help.”
     
    “You know me.”
     
    “Yeah,” Tracy put her hand on his shoulder. “I do know you. You want to make everything right all at once, but that's not going to happen. The freshmen are trying to get her to leave, but you know that's not going to happen. She must have done something to tick people off, maybe during the last day of middle school. But they'll get bored and find someone else to bother, it happens every year.”
     
    “I still don't like it.”
     
    “Of course you don't, Tiny. You want everyone to be happy all the time and to be there for them when they aren't. That's why everyone loves you.”
     
    Tony shrugged. “I thought it was because I was a good wrestler.”
     
    Tracy giggled. “No, being a good wrestler makes everyone aware you exist. But it's your heart that won them over.”
     
    Tony appreciated the compliment. He would've asked Tracy to go over and make friends right then, but the bell signaling the end of lunch sounded. All at once, the students rose and made their way to empty their trays in the garbage and leave.
     
    The rest of his group got up to do the same, but Antonio stayed in his seat while he watched the girl across the dining hall eat part of her lunch as people filed out of the cafeteria. He saw Peter, one of the bulldozers he dealt with the day before make his way towards the girl. Tony looked to see if Peter's cohort Jason was around trying to accomplish some sort of pincher maneuver, but the other bulldozer was nowhere to be seen.
     
    Tony abruptly stood up from the bench and left his tray behind, he would get it afterward. He maneuvered his way through the tide of students, all the while keeping his eyes on both Courtney and a potential assailant.
     
    “Not on my watch,” Antonio said to himself and wondered if making cliché comments made it onto Dave's list.
     
    Peter closed in on Courtney; Tony knew he wouldn't make it in time if the boy did something sudden. He watched as Peter grabbed the girl by the shoulders. He didn't grab her roughly, but at the same time he wasn't being gentle either.
     
    Courtney about jumped out of her skin, straightened up and stayed frozen in space.
     
    Peter leaned in and whispered something into the girl’s ear.
     
    Whatever he said had to have been something severe. Courtney became as white as a sheet and physically trembled as Peter calmly walked away.
     
    By the time Tony made his way to the front table, Peter already mixed in with the crowd and was about to leave the building. Since he couldn't deal with the boy, he figured he could find out what in the world was going on.
     
    “Are you okay?” Tony said as he stood off to the side of the girl.
     
    Courtney turned her head and stared at him. Her mouth fell open, but she didn't say a word.
     
    “I asked if you were okay.” Tony said calmly.
     
    “Yeah,” Courtney answered even though tears welled up in her eyes.
     
    Tony pursed his lips. “Are you sure?”
     
    “Yeah. Um, I got to go,” she said and quickly made her way to the exit.
     
    Tony stood alone in front of the dining hall wondering if it was the world that had turned all screwy or if it was him. He wasn't comfortable with what