1st Shot: The Idiot

Zuke gets humiliated in school for being dumb.

Zuke looked down at his math work on his desk.

Solve for y: 2x+6y=24

What the hell?

Zuke pushed the paper away and put his head down on the desk. He didn't know how they expected him do all this work when he clearly didn't get anything that they taught him. They went to fast and the lessons were too hard. The fact that Zuke couldn't figure any of his work out wasn't his fault. He just happened to be really stupid when it came to school work. He drooled on his paper a bit. At least that gave the teacher something to grade.

The girl next to him made a face at him and made the 'L' for 'Loser' on her forehead before returning to her work. Zuke pulled his Mets baseball cap down over his eyes. He was used to the looks and evil things that were gestured toward him by the people in his class. The stupid remarks  were what he looked forward to because it was the only time the other kids talked to him. 

"This is really stupid," Zuke mumbled.

Unfortunately, with the room being dead quiet, everyone heard him and turned in their seats to look at him. The teacher, Mr. Manson, walked over to Zuke's desk.

"Mr. Collins?" said Mr. Manson. "Is there something that you'd like to share with the class?"

Zuke didn't respond.

"You heard him," said Dean Nickels. "He said that he's really stupid.  He don't need to tell us that. We already know."

The class snickered.

Zuke stayed quiet.

"Hey now." Mr Manson tapped Zuke's hat. "Come on, Mr. Collins. Do your work."

Zuke shook his head.

"That wasn't a request, it was an instruction."

Zuke shrugged.

"C'mon. Do it now or you go to the principal's office."

Zuke got up and gathered his things. Dean laughed.

"Didn't even bother to fight back didja, Zuke?"

"Shut it, Nickels," said Zuke.

"Or should I say 'Paton' ? That is your real name right? Paton Collins? I woulda changed my name if it were Paton, too."

"Why don't you just go outside and jump off the bridge? Maybe you'd do us all a favor?" Zuke snapped.

Mr. Manson grabbed Zuke's upper arm and pulled him toward the door. He pointed down the hall toward the principal's office. Zuke shrugged and dragged his bookbag with him. Out in the corridor a kid with red hair ran past and made sure to hit Zuke in the back of the head with his textbook.