I never considered myself a fighter

By Pax B

6^th Grade Spring 2023

I never considered myself a fighter. I was just an ordinary boy, making my way through the large halls of middle school. But one fateful day, everything changed. It was the day I had my first fight.

His name was Bruce, a fat kid known for his temper and his love for picking fights. I had been on his radar for a while, but I never expected to find myself in the middle of his wrath. As the lunch bell rang, signaling the start of our midday break, I made my way to the cafeteria, hoping for a peaceful meal.

Fate had other plans. As I reached for a tray, Bruce appeared out of nowhere, bumping into me with a big grin on his face. “Watch where you’re going, loser,” he yelled. My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried to avoid eye contact, hoping he would move. He pushed me again, harder this time “leave me alone Bruce,” I said in a loud voice.

“Why are you scared of me?” he said, something took control of me, making me go mad. He pushed me against the wall, and I pushed him back. At that moment I knew he was going to throw a punch. His eyes went bloodshot. Without warning, Bruce swung a punch in my direction. Instinct took over, and I ducked just in time, his fist scraping my ear. Adrenaline rushing through me. I swung at his jaw. He swung back but missed. He tried throwing a kick but that failed miserably, then I went to the ground. He stomped on my chest. I regained my consciousness and put my jiu-jitsu knowledge into use. I put him into a spider lock. I was on top of him so I turned it into an armbar. I smashed his liver and he cried in agony. “ Alright, enough,” he said in a quiet voice. “You Win.”

After that I got called to the principal’s office where Bruce and I  sat down next to each other. After thirty or so minutes of arguing, I got sent back to class where I was distracted and distraught. After one hour I started to get back to my normal self. My friends asked if I was okay or not. I told them I was fine and to give me some time alone. After that moment Bruce and I never spoke again.