Free Tsea by Nia Arthurs Page B

“Wouldn’t you like to go outside and play with the other children?” She inquired.
    David glanced toward the open doorway, where the sun sliced the green and brown scenery outside. He shook his head emphatically, hoping that his teacher would leave him alone so he could continue with the story. David was naturally shy and the other kids teased him mercilessly, calling him all manner of things. He preferred being by himself.
    Mrs. Foster stood and straightened her teal blue work pants and matching shirt. She knew that David was having a hard time of it with the other students. His best friend, another Chinese boy named Harry, had gone to the States to live earlier that year. David had withdrawn into himself and refused to interact with the other children beyond their forced conversations and group projects in class. She worried for his social development, knowing instinctively that compromise needed to be met by both parties.
    Sighing lightly, Mrs. Foster tugged the book from David’s grasp. “How about,” She said with gentle care, “you go outside for a minute. The novel’s not going anywhere.”
    David pouted, but his parents had taught him to respect his elders. Despite how badly he wanted to stomp his foot and demand the book back, he simply ducked his head and obediently walked outside. He squinted against the sharp difference in light and slunk to the edge of the school yard, hoping to blend in. The sun’s rays battered his body and sweat immediately began to form on his forehead. David wiped the tiny drops and checked his watch. It had a bright green band with his favorite hero on it and he was quite proud of it.
    Great , he thought happily. Only five minutes until the bell rang and they had to return to class.
    “Hey, chini !” He heard the call and knew it was directed at him, but David chose to ignore it.
    David’s great-great-grandparents had moved from China to Belize, a small country in the Caribbean, to meet the rising need for indentured servants in the late 1800’s. David, with his pale skin and slanted eyes, looked different from the other cultures in the population. His parents had always told him to be proud of who he was and to ignore ignorant people. Unfortunately, that was hard to do when the kids at school kept calling him stupid names.
    “ Chini! ”
    David whirled around to face the bane of his existence. Shawn Anthony sauntered up to him, swaggering with a sneer on his face. Shawn bullied everyone, even girls and David had no respect for him. Still, David was small for his age and Shawn was big for his age. The older boy loved acting like that made David less than human.
    “ Chini !” Shawn drew abreast of the younger boy and shoved his chest. “Didn’t you hear me calling you three times?” Shawn’s friends, Harold and West, snickered when David stumbled backward.
    “Leave me alone, Shawn.” David squeaked.
    The boys laughed. “Leave me alone, Shawn.” The bully mimicked in a high-pitched voice. David tried to walk away but Shawn followed him. “When I go to your shop will you give me a free chips?” Shawn taunted. David folded his arms and wished for the time to fly faster so that the bell would ring. Once they headed into class, Shawn would leave him alone. “Make sure you give me a good chips too.” Shawn laughed, sensing that David was getting upset.
    David’s family owned a small grocery store a couple blocks away from the school. Last year, his father had trusted him to tend to the store alone a couple times a month and he was very proud of that. Shawn lived around his house too and when he came to the store, he would talk down to David. David hated how Shawn thought he was better than him just because he had to serve him in the shop.
    “I’ll tell Mrs. Foster on you.” David threatened when Shawn followed him into the middle of the school yard.
    “Ha! Sissy!” Shawn pointed a finger at David’s chest. “You’re such a girl .”
    “I am not!” David