Let me tell you the story of two students who attend one of the largest high schools in the nation: Centerpoint High. These two students were vastly different, one was studious and hardworking, while the other was a delinquent and could care less for their own education. These students’ names were Dave and Davey and the only thing they had in common was the first four letters of their names.

Davey would get into fights, smoke marijuana in the school restroom, and thought Dave was a nerd with his yellow-framed glasses and short blonde hair. Dave thought Davey was throwing away his life trying to be the coolest and best in high school when he should be focusing on his future.

Before school every day, Dave would arrive early, ready to start his day. Davey would arrive an hour later and bump Dave’s shoulder as he made his way to his desk. After class, he would embarrass Dave by yelling names at him in the hallway and tripping him in the lunch line. Eventually, he got fed up.

The next day, before the bell rang, Dave got up and marched over to the teacher’s desk.

“Mr. VanFoot, Davey has been bullying, harassing, and humiliating me every single day,” Dave said sternly. The teacher looked away from his computer, stared blankly at the child, and nodded his head, his movements sluggish.

“Yeah, sure I’ll figure it out,” the teacher said, slurring his words so they were almost unintelligible and he dragged his eyes back to the computer.

Delighted, believing he had finally won, Dave wore a big smile for the rest of the day, skipping down the halls eagerly waiting for Davey to get a stern talking to by the teacher, or perhaps even the principal Mrs. Isaac. The thought excited him.

The next day, holding on to his boyish excitement, he made his way to VanFoot’s class, greeting Mrs. Isaac on his way as she held up a hand and continued to trudge on, seemingly dragging her feet with her head down low. Dave turned the corner and was right outside the classroom when he was stopped by Davey.

“I heard you wanted me to stop ‘bullying’ you, you’re pathetic. Why don’t you stand up for yourself instead of trying to hide behind adults, loser.” With each word Davey enunciated, a hot ball caught in Dave’s throat. He was about to cry, but if he did then the bullying would never stop.

“W-well, you’re going to get in trouble.In fact, I think I saw Mrs. Isaac on her way down here to send you away to Street View,” Dave said, trying to sound proud.

“You think they’re going to do anything? VanFoot just told me to cut it out and then we started talking about last night’s home game. Do you think anyone cares?” Dave was on the verge of tears.

“Are you going to cry? Go ahead and cry like the little baby everyone knows you are. You’re nothing.” As the final word left Davey’s mouth, Dave’s hands curled into a ball and he swung it into Davey’s face. Mr. VanFoot sprung from his chair full of energy and tackled Dave to the ground. Mrs. Isaac rounded the corner, all signs of weariness gone from her face as she reached down and grabbed Dave by the collar of his shirt and ripped him up from the ground.

“Now what in the world would make you do that? Do you have any excuse for your behavior?” the principal demanded, her voice gathering the rest of the students’ attention that was not already granted from the fight.

“And to think you were one of my best students,” VanFoot said as he hauled himself up from the ground. 

Dave’s face was hot and his knees were heavy. Davey glared at him, dusting off his jeans. He broke down in tears and the principal dragged him to the office to send him home with a letter of expulsion.