Friday September 15th 2006…

This school isn’t just a million bricks that keep it standing on a solid foundation, or teachers helping fill the bright young minds of their students with life-altering knowledge… It’s the thousands of hearts who carry more dreams than the night sky has stars that make this school and many other schools special. It’s filled to the brim with their emotions and stories of the good, bad, and ugly of what it’s like to be a teenager in high school… Every single child always dreams of growing up, some even say that they cannot wait until they grow up. Right… Until you do, then reality sets in like a kick to the head. Only if they knew the unmitigated truth in those moments, they’d reverse course. Being an adult is a rigorous journey and at times can be backbreaking. Manhood or womanhood demands conviction and without it, you will fail in a blaze of glory. Adult responsibility is acquired over time as we grow to protect the younger generations coming after us. We learn to become their shield, the heroes we wished we had when we were growing up. Every blessing can become a curse, the grace and independence of adulthood come with the price of emotional self-containment in times of stress. The mature adult contains and releases stress in an unassailable manner that protects vulnerable others. They are the good shepherd in tough times and take the hits as required. Today Robert Main and his little brother Oliver would both become an adult and didn’t even know it…


” Come on Ollie…”


Robert leisurely leaned against his locker while peering down the hallway watching the chaos unfold as his little brother weaved his way through the sea of backpacks with a disheveled look on his face…


” Robert, I’ve been thinking…”


Oliver lowered his head and began tapping his foot on the dark marble floors…


” There is your first problem little brother, you’re thinking about this too much…”[/orange


Oliver shook his head as the glossy brown door to the right of Robert’s locker opened and several teachers passed The Brother Main heading towards the cafeteria. Ollie nervously watched the number on the door with silver digits that matched the globe-shaped handles close.


” Robert, I’m not sure this is a great idea. We are outnumbered and we could get into a lot of trouble… Let’s figure something else out. I can deal with this in my way.”


Robert smirked as he placed his arm over Oliver’s shoulders forcing him down the hallway towards the cafeteria.


[orange]” Ollie, we’ve got to go through with this. if we don’t you’ll deal with this kind of thing for years. So, let’s go crack a few heads and show this entire school why you don’t fuck with a Main.”


Oliver nods with uncertainty peering out the window…


” Any sign of Drew?”


Ollie shakes his head…


” Not yet no…”


Robert sighs…


” I bet that ass got mom to take him to In and Out burger… Love that place. So, where do these ass holes sit…”


The two enter the cafeteria as Oliver points.


” There… Right in the middle of the cafeteria.”


Robert scratches his chin in deep thought eyeballing every inch of the cafeteria for a moment.


” We can do one of two things, we can go in with guns blazing, and start hitting anything that moves, or we can try to stay diplomatic…. But I’ll leave that part up to you little brother.”


Oliver takes a deep breath and replies…


” Let’s try to stay diplomatic if we can…”


Robert winks with a smile…


” Sure thing little brother… I’ve always been a very diplomatic person.”


The duo make their way to the middle of the cafeteria, where Robert stands tall with his arms folded across his chest and Oliver to his right…


” Hey, dipshits…”


Oliver leans in…


” Way to keep things diplomatic…”


The four seniors ignore Robert and continue with their conversation while eating their lunch. Robert pokes one of the bullies on the shoulder with his index finger finally getting some acknowledgment…


” Can I help you?”


” Uh yeah, yeah you can… My little brother here tells me that you four have been picking on him. It says a whole hell of a lot when four seniors are picking on a freshman. I’m here to ask you to stop and each one of you gives him an apology.”


” Look man, we are just giving him a hard time. That’s all it is…? It’s what seniors do to freshmen…”


” About what? What did my little brother do to any of you?”


Oliver grabs Robert by the arm trying to get him to leave but Robert refuses to budge pulling away and notices Drew lurking around from the other side of the table…


” I said about what asshole…”


Robert takes a step closer as all four seniors stand and Drew continues creeping up from behind them…


” Your little brother is gay… That’s what it's about. Now fuck off or we will make you fuck off…”


Robert looked to Oliver with a crazed look in his eyes…


” Oh shit…”


Oliver suddenly felt the apprehension beneath the surface building. Then without hesitation, Oliver takes a step forward. He feels the anxiety knowing all hell is about to break loose. Oliver then takes another step forward, as if by magic, he found his confidence, and spoke…


” Apologize to me right now…”


” Or what…”


The difference between taking the step forwards or not is everything. And over a lifetime it defines who you are. All those steps manufacture a courageous soul and, in time, an accomplished person who does so much for others, one who has their respect and love too. Being brave becomes a way of being, one to embrace. Being valiant means at times you’ll be afraid, or at least it does for Oliver Main. The two go hand in hand. First is the nervousness, then the determination not to be owned by it. From this moment forward Oliver will always choose to face his fear, to subjugate it, how else will he ever make true progress in life? He will not be molded by those who want him conveniently pacified; he will not shy away from the battlefields they’ve created for me. At least not anymore…. Though his heart often beats like a drum and his fingers tingle from an excess of adrenaline, He is a legionnaire at heart. Faced with adversity, Oliver has an ability for calm and rational thought. And to him for the rest of his life that will become a blessing in disguise. Being courageous for him was always a conscious choice. When he sees a tidal wave of agitation at his feet and wants to run away, he dives in head first to ride the wave and see where it takes him. Ollie isn’t a fearless person by nature, quite the opposite, but he will not be mastered by such a basic emotion, a primal urge. His developed brain must always be the part to lead him, listening to his instincts and making the right choices. And in this defining moment, Oliver chose to fight!


” THIS!”


Oliver suddenly slams his forehead into the bully's nose splattering his face, dropping him to his knees… Robert watched in awe in that moment of absolute stillness as the echoing voices in the cafeteria abruptly died. The students ceased to rustle, even the rumble of the cooks were absent, as all eyes were on The Brothers Main and Drew…


“Yippee-ki-yay MF’ER”


Drew leaped from one of the tabletops like a crazy man with a cross-body-block knocking two of the four seniors to the floor and began machine-gunning anything that moved with fists of fury. Robert peeked in Oliver's direction, who was now on top of the senior he headbutted, throwing heavy hands…


FLASH…


Unexpectedly Robert saw a brilliant flash of white light as his brain was trying to process what had just happened, he instantaneously felt pain above his left eye… As he reached up he noticed a cut above his left eyebrow, as the scarlet blood began flowing. Robert snarls with a grin hitting a double leg takedown and started carpet bombing… The fight only lasted a minute before Robert, Oliver, and Drew could feel several of their teacher’s hands pulling them off Oliver's bullies… Drew breaks away from the teachers standing over the fallen bullies pointing in their faces…


"Welcome To The Party, Pal."


” Did you watch Die Hard recently?”


Drew enthusiastically nods as two teachers grab him again pulling him away…


” Last night, and I’m sure glad I did…”


Drew eyeballed one of the teachers hanging on to him…


” Just A Fly In The Ointment, Hans. The Monkey In The Wrench. The Pain In The Ass."


All three brothers chuckle for a moment, Robert pulls away pointing at the fallen bodies on the floor…


” So, Oliver you going to tell us what the hell this was all about in the first place?”


Oliver lowered his head looking over his beaten and battered knuckles as he spoke softly…


” Because it’s true…”


Robert and Drew could feel the strain and hear the emotion in their little brother's tone. There's a great deal of delirium behind Oliver’s words…


” I have no idea what he’s talking about… What’s true? I just came in and started blasting fools…”


Oliver looked to Drew and then Robert and spoke with a shaky voice…


” I’m gay…












Coming Out Party...







” Just so I’m understanding…”


Fabricators… Flashes across the screen.


” Just how simple-minded can one team be?”


” Complained about how they lost the titles?”


” Yep….”


” Downplayed my involvement?”


”Check.”


” Basically everything that we said they would say, they did say. Want to see my shocked face?”


Perjurers…


” Here’s a question for our so-called challengers. Any specific reason you waste your time going after Jim like he's involved in this affair? Yeah, I didn’t think so either. Not the smartest move to make when every word matters; but hey, what do I know?”


” It’s cute that you boys went directly down the rabbit hole that will cement your misfortune. The notion that the Brother’s Main isn’t near as threatening tells me that some of us haven’t done our homework. Rob, do you think these two chumps know that this isn’t our first tag match; actually, we stand before you all with an undefeated record not only in the ring but in the streets as well. This means to me that when we roll into Fire and Ice to shut those mouths the taste of satisfaction will be even more divine. Listen, we’re ecstatic that both of you are under the delusion that this is somehow a walk in the park.”


” It’s hilarious that they’ve had to settle on the lowest hanging fruit possible, I wonder when they’re going to realize that fruit is spoiled. What’s next? Are idiots going to go after our dead Dad for cheap heel heat?”


” That’s the status quo when it comes to you, brother. And it always has been because you’ve made the XWF your bitch for years. I mean, there’s not a lot out there that can be said. The only way to assault you is to bludgeon the company you keep like it somehow takes away from the dominating fist you’ve ruled the federation with.”


” I get it but you’d think there would come a time when even the dumbest of people would see that if it hasn’t worked you’d try a different approach.”


” That would require originality versus behind curtain drama. It’s truly a shame they’re that dry of material, that is the direction they elected to go because I wanted a challenge since I’m officially making my XWF debut with this appearance.”


Pretenders…


” I hate to say it, little bro, get used to being less challenged here than anywhere else on the planet. You’ll see.”


” Did they try to prompt the War Criminal to defeat Centurion… Negating the handful of tights that it took to do it? Isn’t that cheating? I mean, call me crazy but how can you draw a reference to cheating with cheating? Defies logic.”


” Intelligence isn’t a strong suit as you can tell. I mean they did fall for one of the oldest tricks in the book. Enough about them as a team. Every village has an idiot, they happen to have two.”


” Hi Mark… Your attempts thus far have been feeble at best. You get off on humor, right? Kinda your thing from what I can gather. Can I tell you something I find funny? How you hide behind your War Criminal. Every match you’ve pissed away, he’s lost them… How much do you think the masses will laugh when this weaker Apex beats you clean and clear in the middle of the ring? Smart money is on a lot.”


” Hey Ollie.”


” Sup Rob?”


Deceivers…


” Did you know that Flynn kicked my ass up over my ears at Bad Medicine?


” No shit?


” Crazy isn’t it?”


” In a wrestling match, you got beat on? Isn’t that how this sport works? Someone pounds on someone, rinses, and repeats … Or am I missing something?”


” No you’re right. That’s how fucking wrestling works!”


” Awesome job at explaining how a wrestling match operates; who has the gold and who’s chasing? Ignorant twat-waffle.”


Swindlers…


” Listen, they’re just filled with piss and vinegar because I dictate my pace. They’re just like all the other bottom-feeding low-life within this company. The same people that try me now are the same ones swallowing my load back then. Nothing’s changed, I’m the top of the food chain, I’m the guy everyone wants a piece of… As long as they have some [i]help… You’re not walking into this taking on Apex… The Brother’s Main is who you have, looking down upon you as we prepare to squash you under our boots.”


” We know where to strike, who to carpet bomb, and when to do it. While everything is a joke to you, something that’s not a laughing matter is leaving Fire and Ice as we’re going to enter… With the Tag straps firmly around our waist. Fuck your rules, go cry to somebody that gives a shit because that’s not us. You continue to spend your time waxing some antics while we continue to steam right along at your expenses.”


” When we defeat you, again, you can take your asses to the back of the line… Not that it's long by any means. This is now being played by our rules; you’ve been a really good puppet thus far so I can only assume you’ll continue to dance as I tug on those strings.”


” Pinocchio, I see what ya did there. Well played.”


” Point is boys, keep talking about the past, keep talking about Jim, keep talking about any and everything to deflect away from everything that matters which is the notion of just how fucked you are as you prepare yourselves to walk into Fire and Ice. The past is a wonderful thing in the sense of it shows me how you’ve already been outsmarted once.”


” Shouldn’t be complicated to do again.”


Fraudsters…


” Oh and War Criminal, you’ve got a stupendous view while being carried on Mark’s back while you strike that sailor pose. I’m looking forward to seeing you again the most because you’re what makes this defense successful. Mark will get his ass in a crack and you’ll be the fall guy that secures the first of many successful title defenses.”


” It’s cute for you to worship the ground Flynn walks on, I almost want to ask how his ass tastes considering your head is shoved so far up it. I’m looking forward to smashing you both the moment that bell rings. Your bodies are going to be my canvass, my fists, the brushes. I’m going to paint such a glorious picture of violence that it's going to have Bob Ross turning over in his grave.”


” Best Afro on the planet… For a white guy…”


” I thought you said they were decent? I’m not seeing anything but a shitload of misdirection that might confuse the midcarders Mark’s the “king” coupled with a lot of insecurities wrapped around people that have nothing to do with what’s taking place come Fire and Ice.”


” I just had to tell you that so you didn’t walk in with lower expectations. The only thing that we need to do at this point is showing up in Iceland, walk to that ring, retain these titles, and move the fuck on. There’s only one team that’s going to be leaving with the gold around their waists, you’re looking at them.”


” The last thing that’s going to be a joke is when The Brother’s Main pulls your punks cards by leaving STILL the XWF Tag Team Champions…”


Con Artist…


” By any means necessary. Gentlemen the hypocrisy stops here along with the outdated sense of morality… This match is going to be a fistfight and you two vile sons of a bitches will succumb to the violence in that ring as The Brother’s Main will tear everything down to destroy you both… ”