Facing Cole

by Heather Klassen

Standing a couple places behind Ramsey, the new kid, Henry watched as Cole approached.

“Boys don’t wear pink shirts,” Cole snarled at Ramsey. “At least not at our school.”

Cole placed his palm on Ramsey’s chest and pushed him, hard. Ramsey hit the wall. His backpack squelched against the concrete. Then Cole sauntered to the front of the line and pushed his way into the front.

The bell rang and the line of kids moved into the building. Henry caught up with Ramsey.

“I saw what Cole did to you,” Henry told Ramsey. “He’s the biggest bully in the school. Are you going to tell Ms. Hoang?”

Ramsey shrugged. “If I do, maybe he’ll leave me alone during class, but I’m sure he’ll just be meaner to me outside of school. I think it’s safer not to tell on him.”

Henry nodded. He knew what Ramsey meant. Cole used to bully him, last year. Henry always tried really hard not to react, not to give Cole any satisfaction. Eventually, Cole grew tired of bullying Henry and moved on to another victim.

But I don’t want to watch him bully the new kid, Henry thought. Ramsey’s really nice. And he should be able to wear any color shirt he wants without anyone bothering him about it.

All day, Henry watched Cole and Ramsey. Cole kept doing things to Ramsey when Ms. Hoang wasn’t looking; things like pushing Ramsey’s books off of his desk, jabbing him in the back with a pencil, tripping him when Ramsey had to walk past Cole’s desk.

I have to do something about this, Henry decided. I can’t stand letting Cole get away with bullying Ramsey. But what can I do? Henry thought about the problem all day, but he couldn’t think of a way to stop Cole.

Then right before the final bell rang, while Henry watched Ramsey smoothing down his wrinkled pink shirt, an idea came to him. A perfect idea. Henry fidgeted in his seat, waiting for the bell, waiting for the chance to run home and put his plan into action.

As the bell rang Henry practically flew out of the classroom and all the way home. Bursting into her home office, Henry startled Mom.

“Henry, what’s happening?” she cried. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Mom,” Henry replied. “I just need to ask you something. Do you still have that box of leftover stuff from the latest fundraiser you and Mama did? And can I use it?”

“Yes, and yes, if you explain what you need it for,” Mom answered.

Henry’s plan spilled out in a rush of words, Mom nodding all the way through.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Mom said. “I’m sure Mama would agree, and I’m sure I can find your class list somewhere in my desk. And the box is in the closet.”

Henry found the box and took the sheet of paper Mom handed to him. In the kitchen he grabbed the phone and began dialing.

Henry called all twelve of the boys in his class and explained his plan. Twelve times he said, "Will you do it, too?" Everyone agreed. Everyone was sick of Cole’s bullying and wanted it to stop. “I don’t know if this will work, Henry,” Keegan said. “But I’m willing to do just about anything to try to stop Cole.”

“Great,” Henry replied. “Meet me by the tree in the morning.”

Working hard, Henry managed to jam all of the supplies into his backpack. Then he set his bulging backpack next to the front door, ready to go. Henry arrived at school early the next morning and stood by the tree that everyone had to pass to get into the schoolyard.

Liam, Da'Jon, and Timothy were the first boys in Henry’s class to arrive. Henry pulled three bright pink tee shirts from his backpack and handed them to the three boys. As they each pulled a shirt over their heads, Henry pulled on his own bright pink tee shirt.

“I feel kind of silly,” Da'Jon said.

“Me too,” Timothy agreed. “But if Henry’s idea works, it’ll be worth it.”

When Ramsey showed up, most of the boys were already there—and all of them were wearing pink T-shirts. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Why are you all wearing these shirts?”

“We want Cole to know that we’re on your side, Ramsey,” Henry explained. “What is he going to do? Bully all of us? Maybe this will make him think about what he’s doing.”

“I guess it might work,” Ramsey said. “But I’m wearing a green shirt today!”

Henry handed Ramsey a pink tee shirt. “I brought one for all the boys in class,” he explained.

Ramsey pulled on his tee shirt. All the boys in Mrs. Hoang's fifth grade were clustered by the tree, waiting for Cole to arrive. Everyone who walked by wanted to know why fourteen boys were wearing pink T-shirts. Some of those other kids decided to wait with the group of boys, and the group kept growing.

Then Cole walked into the schoolyard. He stopped suddenly when he saw the group by the tree.

“What’s going on?” he demanded. “Why are you all wearing those stupid shirts?”

Henry stepped forward. His stomach churned and his mouth went dry. But he had to do this. “We think Ramsey can wear any color shirt he wants, and he shouldn’t be bothered about it,” Henry explained. “We’re all on Ramsey’s side and we want you to leave him alone, Cole.”

Cole stood there, staring at his classmates, a look of uncertainty on his face. Henry reached into his backpack one final time. He had thought about this part of his plan all afternoon yesterday, all night last night. And he was still thinking about it.

I don’t like Cole, Henry reminded himself. He’s mean to me, he’s mean to everyone. He’s made himself an outsider in our class, at our whole school, by his behavior. But maybe, just maybe, if he felt like he belonged, like he could be one of the group, one of us, maybe he could become someone we could all like instead of someone we all hate and fear.

“I brought fifteen pink tee shirts today,” Henry said, pulling the final shirt from his backpack, “not just fourteen. So Cole, if you would like to wear one like the rest of us, here it is.”

Henry held the pink shirt out toward Cole. Cole stared at the shirt. Everyone else stared at Cole. No one knew what he would decide to do.

Then the bell rang. All the kids turned and headed toward the building. All except for Henry and Cole.

I’ll wait a few minutes to see what he decides, Henry thought. And if he turns my offering down, at least I’ll know I tried.

He waited for Cole.