A student whispered:
“Miss Carter, are those Hell's Angels?”
Emily didn't answer.
Outside, Jimmy stood beside Big Earl.
“They're scared,” Earl said.
“They should be cautious.”
“Police are coming.”
“I expected that.”
Sirens approached.
A patrol car stopped.
An officer stepped out.
“Sir! State your business!”
Jimmy raised his hands.
“My name is Jimmy Henderson. Nobody here wants trouble.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I want to speak with Emily Carter.”
The officer frowned.
“A teacher?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Jimmy looked toward the school.
“Because she helped me.”
Inside the building, the classroom phone rang.
Emily answered.
“Carter.”
“Miss Carter, Principal Patterson needs you in the office.”
“Why?”
“They're asking for you.”
Emily's stomach tightened.
She looked at her students.
“I'll be back.”
She walked into the hallway.
Every classroom was silent.
Every student watched.
When she reached the office, Patterson looked terrified.
“They're asking for you by name.”
Emily swallowed.
“I met Jimmy once.”
“When?”
“Last night.”
“What happened?”
“I paid his dinner bill.”
Patterson stared at her.
“You paid a biker's dinner?”
“He forgot his wallet.”
“And now one hundred eighty motorcycles are outside my school?”
Emily had no answer.
A police officer entered.
“Miss Carter?”
“Yes.”
“He says he owes you a debt.”
Emily stared at the door.
“What kind of debt?”
The officer looked uncomfortable.
“He intends to pay it.”
Emily stepped outside.
Jimmy walked toward her.
The entire street fell silent.
The King Who Wasn't So Big Anymore
“You want to tell me why there are one hundred eighty motorcycles outside my school?”
Jimmy smiled slightly.
“One hundred eighty-two.”
Emily stared at him.
“That wasn't the important part.”
A few riders chuckled.
Jimmy turned serious.
“Nobody is here to hurt you.”
“Then why?”
“Because you helped me.”
“That was eighteen dollars.”
“It wasn't.”
“What do you mean?”
“You saw somebody being treated unfairly and you acted.”
Jimmy looked toward the school.
“I found out you do that every day.”
Emily crossed her arms.
“You investigated me?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn't make me feel better.”
“I know.”
She appreciated the honesty.
Jimmy continued.
“I learned about Tyler.”
Emily froze.
“How?”
“I know people.”
“That is exactly what worries me.”
Jimmy nodded.
“Fair.”
Then he pointed toward the school.
“We're not taking over your school. We're not going inside. We're not replacing police.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Making sure those who have been hurting these kids understand something.”
“What?”
“That they're not the biggest thing in the room anymore.”
As if summoned by the words, four boys appeared near the east entrance.
Red bandanas.
Emily recognized DeShawn immediately.
Jimmy looked at him.
“DeShawn.”
The boy stopped.
“How do you know my name?”
“Because I asked.”
DeShawn tried to look fearless.
“You don't run this neighborhood.”
Jimmy nodded.
“No.”
He gestured toward the motorcycles.
“But neither do you.”
DeShawn's confidence weakened.
“You've been intimidating kids for three years,” Jimmy said. “You built your reputation by making fifteen-year-olds afraid.”
He stepped forward.
“Look around.”
DeShawn did.
Hundreds of riders stood silently.
Jimmy's voice remained calm.
“You're not the biggest thing here anymore.”
DeShawn backed away.
“This isn't over.”
Jimmy shook his head.
“No. It isn't.”
The boys disappeared.
Emily looked at Jimmy.
“You scared them.”
“I didn't touch them.”
“No.”
Jimmy smiled.
“Sometimes people don't need to be touched to understand they're outmatched.”
Emily wasn't sure whether to be grateful or frightened.
Then another group appeared.
This time there were eight.
At their center was Marcus Webb.
Emily knew immediately.
“That’s him,” she whispered.
Patterson went pale.
Marcus stopped.
“You think this is funny?”
Jimmy stepped forward.
“No.”
Marcus stared at him.
“You don't know anything about us.”
“I know enough.”
“You don't run this school.”
“No.”
Jimmy's eyes hardened.
“But you don't either.”
Marcus looked toward the students watching from the windows.
Then something unexpected happened.
A side door opened.
Tyler walked outside.
Emily's heart stopped.
“Tyler!”
He looked terrified.
But he kept walking.
He pointed at Marcus.
“He made me carry things.”
Marcus's face changed.
“Shut up.”
Tyler's voice shook.
“He threatened my sister.”
Marcus took a step forward.
Jimmy moved between them.
“Don't.”
Marcus stopped.
“You're not part of this.”