I ran and ran till I was a good three blocks away, by a poor block full of shops and stores that all looked run down. I had to take a different way back to Ms. Maudie's. I decided I would go to by the school and then head towards Maudie's.

 I walked for two minutes until I heard footsteps. I stopped and swung around, no one was there. The hair on my arms started to stick up. I started walking again acting like nothing had happened, again footsteps faster this time. I stopped again and spun around. No one. “Is someone following me?” I yelled. “Come out I know you are.” No one came out. 

Now I was scared I started to walk again. Then the footsteps started, and then started running I spun around to see Jacob and some of his friends running at me. I turned around and ran as fast as I could but I knew it would not be enough, Jacob liked to run and was on track, he practiced. I was not as fast as him and my stamina was not as good as his. Huff, huff I ran like my life depended on it but the bags also slowed me down. 

I only made it a block and a half when they caught me. Jacob grabbed me and threw me in an alley. I stumble and tried to run again but was too slow. Jacob grabbed my shirt and rammed me into the brick wall of the alley. The air was knocked out of me and I gasped for breath. 

“Well, well look who we have here” he said mockingly. Some of his friends laughed. “If it isn't Mr. Sneak Away, why don't you say hi? We're friends right?” Jacob asked. “I would never be a friend to a person like you!” I murmured. “Aww don't be like that, we have so much fun right?” Bam! He smashed me into the wall again. I let out a yelp. “What was that? I can't hear you.” He punched me in the stomach and I dropped my bags. “Go to hell” I spat at him. 

He smiled at me, the smile of a mad man and then punched me square in the jaw. I felt a jolt of pain and then stars. Before I could recover he hit me again this time in the side of my ribs, then the shoulder, and the area right above my eye. I screamed and sunk to the ground. “What's wrong, not having fun?” He kicked me in the stomach. I hit the ground and rolled into a ball covering my head. 

“I don't know about you,” kick. But I think this is fun.” Kick, “so next time you see me outside of school come say hi.” Kick. “I'll appreciate it. He stopped, I gasped for breath. I could feel bruises starting to form. I was trembling, I wished I was dead. “What can we do next I wonder.” He put his fist to his chin like he was thinking hard. “Oh I know, how about we remodel you?” Nick turned to his friend, “Hey bring the Sharpie.” My eyes widened, what were they going to do? 

Jacob squatted in front of me. “Take off your shirt” he told me. I trembled. “Take it off or i'll rip it off.” "No," I screamed then saw the look on Jacobs face and said. “I'll take it off just wait.” Slowly I stripped myself of my shirt. “Good, get up and turn around” Jacob ordered me. I did as he told me.

 “Hold still, ok boys, any ideas?” Jacob asked. “Oh I know” one of his friends said “Pet.” "Good" Jacob said and I felt the marker touch my skin as Jacob marked me. I wanted to disappear, I had been humiliated before by them, but this was by far the worst. I felt my face turn red with shame. “Whore, sugar daddy, sissy, stupid,” all were written on my back and some more on my stomach, and arms. When they had all said something Jacob turned me around to face him. And looked at me. I wanted to cover myself. “Hmmm its missing something. Oh I know!” Jacob said with a grin. And right above my chest like a brand he wrote “fag.”

 My world stopped how, how did he know? I told nobody, yet he had figured it out. I don't wear girly things or even do much of anything at school. “Oh don't act so surprised it was obvious! You’re shy, turn red easy, I see you look at guys in class sometimes, you work at a flower shop, and I bet you love Mr. White. I snapped “ I do not” and I hit him.

 Everything went dead silent. I stared in complete shock of what I’d done. Not bad Jacob said wiping his lip which was now bloody, but if you’re going to hit you have to do it like this” he hit me again in the stomach. I was on the ground again gasping for breath. I watched him walk to where I had thrown my shirt. No I whispered. “What, you want me to decorate it? Ok.” He walked over and grabbed my shirt and riiiipppppp. He ripped the bottom portion off. “There it suits you so much better now.”