Free Torn Away by James Heneghan

follow him. He caught up to him at the water fountain.
    Declan said, “No more of your crude jokes, Dybinski, okay? You’ve had your fun, but now’s time for it to stop.”
    Dybinski grinned and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “Crude jokes? Me? Who d’ya think you’re talking to, Irish?”
    â€œMy name is not Irish, it’s Declan. Lay off me, that’s all.”
    â€œAnd if I don’t?” Dybinski puffed out his chest and drew himself up so that he was a full head and shoulders taller than Declan.
    Declan looked up at him. “I’m asking you politely with nobody else around, to leave me alone.”
    Dybinski’s thick lips curled in a sneer. “You cowardly little turd!”
    Declan clenched his fists so tight they almost squeaked. “Don’t push me, I’m warning you.”
    â€œCheeky Irish trash! Nobody threatens Lyle Dybinski, nobody, eh! I could tear you in two and rip your balls off.”
    Declan said nothing more, but turned on his heel and returned to class.
    At the end of the day, Ana was waiting for him outside the school. So was Dybinski, Barber and Quiller by his side.
    â€œIt’s the IRA kid!” yelled Dybinski so everyone could hear. “Look out for a car bomb! Check under your hood before you drive off, eh!”
    Declan walked over to him and jerked his head. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” He turned toward the football field.
    Dybinski and his two friends fell in behind him and followed, still jeering. Behind them a small crowd was gathering.
    Then everything happened at once.
    Declan made a sudden turn and lunged at Dybinski, taking the big senior completely by surprise.
    Barber and Quiller fell back in astonishment.
    Declan grabbed Dybinski’s chest, his hands bunched in the bigger boy’s sweater, and lunged forward with lowered head like acharging ram, pulling Dybinski’s face down onto the top of his own head, butting him quickly and viciously. It was all over in under three seconds.
    Dybinski let out a scream of pain as his nose broke and the blood gushed down his mouth and chin; at the same time he fell backwards to the ground as Declan released the grip on his chest.
    Declan stepped back, and when he saw that Dybinski was not about to get up, scowled at his two followers. “That was a Belfast kiss. Anyone else like one?”
    Nobody else did. Barber and Quiller looked at each other and shrugged as though Dybinski was no concern of theirs.
    â€œThat was dirty fighting!” screamed Dybinski from the ground, holding his head back, trying to stop the flow of blood.
    â€œAll fighting is dirty!” yelled Declan furiously as he walked away. “Didn’t you know that?”
    He looked around for Ana, but she must have gone home.
    She did not speak to him until the next day.

Chapter Thirteen
    The next day, Declan was called to the principal’s office and asked to account for his violent behavior. “I will not tolerate fighting at this school,” said Mr. Taylor. “There is no excuse for the injury you’ve done to Dybinski. You broke the boy’s nose and he had to go to the hospital in Sechelt.”
    â€œHe had it coming,” said Declan.
    â€œFighting is no way to solve a problem,” said Mr. Taylor.
    Declan said nothing.
    â€œIs it now?” said Mr. Taylor tilting his head, waiting for an answer.
    â€œYes,” said Declan angrily. “It is. Sometimes that’s all there is left.”
    Mr. Taylor gave him five detentions to be served picking up litter around the school. “If there’s any further fighting, Declan, I will have to suspend you.”
    â€œSo suspend me!” Declan sneered, slamming the door as he left.
    He was suspended for five days.
    â€œI’ve had a call from the school,” Kate said to Declan that evening after dinner. They were all sitting in the living room. Her voice was flat and