Paul caught the bus for school, saw John and Mindy and looked around and didn't see Linda. He was surprised and disappointed. He hoped everything was alright. He would call her after school.  So he sat in his oversized seat that felt more enormous without Linda there.

But his one big concern heading into the second half of the school year came true. He got off the bus and headed for his locker. With the door opened he never noticed Jill standing there. He closed his locker, then stepped back in surprise as he saw her. 

He was about to turn and leave, but a giant hand grabbed his upper right arm. Paul winced in pain. Jill was only using very little pressure, yet it was causing tremendous pain in Paul's arm. 

She lowered her head and said that she owed the little prick for the cafeteria incident. She would make him pay. Paul didn't bother to struggle, because he knew it would be useless. But Jill had no intention of relieving her grip. She started to squeeze with a little more pressure until security came around.

She released him. Security wanted to know if Paul was alright. He said he was, but the tears in his eyes told a different story. But he didn't press the issue, and he went to home room, and Jill walked off.

Paul's arm was too sore to be of use, at least for the first couple of classes. He got to a restroom and took his shirt off, noticing an ugly bruise surrounding the whole upper arm. He was mad at himself. He was sure Jill saw his tears, and now thought that she had the upper hand.

After school, he got dropped off at his house for the first time in a long time. The bus driver asked him if he was sure, and Paul said yes. Once home he called Linda to check on her. 

She said she was fine. She developed a toothache overnight and discovered that she needed an emergency route canal. They knocked her out, so she was groggy. Paul and Linda talked for a good hour before the I love yous were exchanged. And they hung up. 

Paul's parents wanted to know why Paul came home. He said Linda wasn't in school. He came home to call her and find out how she was doing. She needed emergency dental surgery. But now she was groggy.

Paul then went to his room. He took his shirt off and examined his arm. The bruise was as ugly as Todd's was that day with Jill. Now he experienced his pain. But he knew that this was only the beginning.

Paul had a restless night with very little sleep. His arm hurt like hell. He took 4 aspirin, but it didn't help. Not only was his arm bruised, but devoloped a little swelling around the area where Jill's fingers stopped.

He could kick himself. His desire to show Jill that he wouldn't be intimidated by her resulted in this. He should have told the security guard and had Jill suspended again. But he didn't want to seem afraid.

Morning arrived and Paul groggily got on the bus. He said hi to his friends and saw that Linda was on the bus. It made him feel better. He sat next to Linda, and when she wrapped her long arm around him, he winced. He hoped she didn't notice. But she did. She asked him what was wrong. He told her nothing was wrong. She asked again, and this time she said it in a voice that told him not to lie to her. 

He looked at her, and recounted the events of yesterday morning. He also said his arm was hurting, but he didn't have any broken bones. 

She demanded to know why he didn't tell security, and Paul reflexively told her that he didn't want Jill to know that she hurt him. So he played it off as though nothing had happened.

She started to yell at him. Her voice was getting louder and louder. Paul told her to calm down, but Linda wasn't having it. Everyone on the bus heard her, but she didn't care.

She told him that she thought of a future, and that future included him. She dreamt of marriage and a family, but it wouldn't mean anything if he was seriously injured, or worse, dead. Jill was crazy, and she didn't care who she hurt or how bad she hurt them.

When they arrived at school, Alice and George passed by. George stopped, and asked if anything was wrong. Paul said nothing was wrong, but Linda told George everything that Paul told her. George looked concerned. And he caught up with Alice outside the bus. Linda saw him take Alice by the arm and walk over to the side.

Paul looked at her and asked what gave her the right to tell George his business. He could handle Jill, and he didn't need her trying to get people to fight his battles. And he left before the tweeners exited.

Linda looked crestfallen. She thought Paul's pride, which had served him well so far, was going to get him hurt, seriously hurt. He needed help against Jill, whether he knew it or not. And she was going to see that he had help, whether he liked it or not.

Paul went to his locker. He was fuming. Linda had told people what happened to him. He was embarrassed that his girlfriend was trying to find people to protect him. How dare she, he thought.

He opened his locker, and just like yesterday, Jill was waiting for him. He saw her, and in aa loud a voice he could muster, asked her what the fuck she wanted? If she wanted to do something, then she should do it! Don't be a fucking cunt about it. DO IT!

Jill was surprised. She thought after yesterday that Paul would have folded. She was wrong. And George showed up and told Jill to get lost. Paul was his friend, and he wouldn't let her fuck with him. She looked at George. She was about five inches taller than Greg's 11’6” height. But he had a look that told her he meant it. 

Security showed up, and Jill walked away. She was upset. She wanted Paul to cower, but he refused. She swore to herself that Paul Barton would cower in fear in front of her.

Paul was embarrassed, but he thanked George. George told him no problem. He also admitted to Paul that he unknowingly helped George out, and would do anything to repay the favor. Paul was puzzled and asked how?

George told him that the story of his standing up to Alice on the bus inspired him to just be himself and go up and talk to her. And it gave him confidence. And it has led to finding a girl that he really cared about.

Paul looked at him and said he didn't do anything. He had it within him the whole time. He shouldn't sell himself short.

George told Paul that he had his back, but needed to get to homeroom. Paul said he also had to, and both parted ways. 

Paul ran like crazy to find Linda. She was about to enter the class room when she heard him call her name. She stopped. He went up to her and apologized for his behavior. She was right and he was wrong. 

Could she forgive him? She said yes, and bent down and kissed him. And the morning continued, with the buzz about Paul, Jill, and George.

Alice was a little uncomfortable. George now put himself in Jill's crosshairs. She should be upset, but she wasn't. George stood up for a friend, or a guy he respected at the very least, against a bully, just like Paul would have done. But now she felt she was being forced to move closer to a scene she didn't want to near.