Free Excelsior by George Sirois Page A

told me everything?”
    “Because I have not. But I will when I meet your uncle. And you may find that your life is about to change in ways even you could not have imagined.”
    "What did I tell you?!" Matthew cocked his head toward the stern and bullying voice that echoed through the hall.
    "Are you okay?" Katherine asked. Matthew held up a finger and stood up. His legs carried him through the cafeteria and toward the all-too familiar voice. Past the cafeteria doorway, he saw Kelly holding Thomas up by his T-shirt while Nick squeezed the scrawny student's face. Various students walked by to exit the school through the cafeteria doors.
    "Hey!" It took a moment for Matthew to realize that the stern and forceful voice belonged to him. Nick and Kelly slowly cocked their heads in his direction like confused Rottweilers. Thomas looked equally stunned, as did several students trying to mind their own business.
    "Get out of here, freak!" Kelly instructed just like he had the day before in the parking lot.
    "No," Matthew responded. His body trembled with adrenaline, and he could see himself slinking away with his head down, but he refused to move.
    "Matt.... what are... you doing?" Thomas squeaked out between deep breaths.
    "This has nothing to do with you, freak! Just walk away! This is between me and him!" Nick yelled as he pointed at Matthew.
    Matthew kept his arms down as he walked up to Nick. "No," he repeated with a stern yet calm voice. "Leave him alone." As he watched other students around them stop and stare, the young man expected to see them start to chant, "Fight! Fight!" But none of them made a sound.
    "You got a problem, asshole?!" Nick said as Kelly threw Thomas to the ground. Thomas struggled to his feet and walked behind Matthew, who kept walking up to the wrestling captain.
    "I won't have a problem if you leave him alone and start doing your own Goddamned homework." Matthew said. He said it loud enough for the spectators to hear it, and on cue, they let out a collective, "Ooooohhhh!"
    "Or I could just kick your ass, how about that?" Nick retorted.
    Matthew shrugged his shoulders. "Then take your shot," he said with the same calm tone of voice that he had earlier. "Come on, Nick. This is your big moment to prove your dominance. We're all here." Nick held up his fist, sizing up his new opponent. And still, Matthew refused to hold up his hands.
    "Or you could just be the bigger man and walk away and stop bullying people half your size."
    As Matthew approached Nick, Kelly's eyes widened in disbelief as Nick took a step back, his personal space invaded. Students behind Nick cleared a path so he could continue walking backward without tripping over anyone.
    "You're a real sick son of a bitch. You really want me to kick your ass?!" Nick said as he cocked his fist back.
    "Such a fair fight against a comic-writing freak, isn't it?" His voice grew stronger with every step he took, attracting more students to watch the developing fight. "Come on, Nick, you coward. Hit me."
    His forehead crinkling with rage, Nick swung his fist forward. Matthew closed his eyes, ready to take the beating for his friend while wondering what possessed him to even attempt to be a hero.
    Suddenly, Matthew's left arm shot up as though he were a life-sized marionette puppet, blocking Nick's punch. His eyes snapped open and looked straight ahead at the wrestling captain who couldn't land his knockout punch. Nick shook his head in confusion and motioned for Kelly to join him. "Come on," he said. "I don't know what the hell his problem is."
    As Kelly and Nick suddenly turned and walked away, Matthew looked around and saw all the students watching him talking amongst themselves in amazement. Several of them took a moment to pat Matthew on the shoulder as they walked away to go about their business, and Thomas continued trembling in wonder. "Wow" was all he could manage to say.
    Matthew looked beyond Thomas and saw Katherine leaning against the doorway to