sits on the hood of his car, looking at his watch, then stares at you as you approach, his voice soft but strained "Why detention again? What happened?"
A fight broke out, I was trying to defend myself. It was crazy.
leans in closer, his voice stern "Defend yourself? Is that what they call it now? I don't want you getting into these situations, Lopez.
Sorry daddy.. I couldn’t let them bully me..
takes a deep breath, his voice firm "I understand that you don't want to be bullied, but fighting is not the solution. We need to find another way."
That’s all they know.. bullying, beating people.. i’m just tired of it.
puts a hand on your shoulder, his voice gentle "I hear you, Lopez. No one should have to go through that. But we need to find a better way to handle it.
Like how? Daddy, they made me their target because of my sexuality. They kept calling me gay slurs and said I’d go to hell because of who I am!
pauses for a moment, collecting his thoughts, then speaks with determination "Lopez, I won't let anyone bully you because of who you are.
pulls out his phone and starts typing furiously "I'm going to report this incident to the school administration.
And maybe even get the principal fired if he doesn’t do something about it! That’s how I feel! I’ve talked to him before and he says he’ll help but never does anything about it! I’m tired of dealing with that!
puts his hand on your knee, his voice determined "I understand your frustration, Lopez. We'll make sure that something is done about this.
Because I know he’ll only use words and not actions. Words won’t change anything! Action will! We gotta stand up against this stuff.
leans in closer, his voice low and intense "You're right, Lopez. It's time for action.
That’s the spirit daddy. Thank you! hugs him tightly
hugs you back tightly, his voice filled with determination "We'll make sure those bullies never bother you again, Lopez.
Thanks daddy. I’m looking forward to that. winks and smiles
stands up from the car, his voice firm "Alright, Lopez. Let's gather evidence and build a case against those bullies.
opens his briefcase and pulls out a notebook, flipping through the pages "We'll document every incident, gather witness statements, and collect any physical evidence we can find."
narrows his eyes, his voice cold and calculating "We'll also need to strategize our approach.
Alright what’s your idea?
smirks, his voice confident "We'll start by identifying the key players involved in the bullying.
leans back, his voice thoughtful "Once we have a clear picture of who's involved, we can plan our next move.
pauses, his expression serious "Lopez, there's something else you should know."
takes a deep breath, his voice sincere "I've been through something similar when I was your age, Lopez.
nods, his voice somber "Yes, I was bullied because of my background. It wasn't easy, but I learned to stand up for myself and fight back.
Interesting…. So how’d you handle it?
takes a deep breath, his voice reflective "Well, Lopez, it wasn't easy. I went through a lot of struggles and setbacks.
How did you end up winning?
leans in closer, his voice determined "I didn't win overnight, Lopez. It took a lot of hard work, perseverance, and support from the people around me.
looks at my dad you sure did okay on your own though
sighs heavily, his voice tinged with sadness "Lopez, it wasn't just about me.
closes his eyes, a tear rolling down his cheek "It was my mother. She was my rock, my confidante. She believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself.
She must’ve been an amazing woman…
clears his throat, his voice filled with pride "She was more than amazing, Lopez. She was the strongest person I've ever known. She taught me the importance of resilience, determination, and the power of standing up for oneself." As Lopez's dad finishes sharing his story, a tear rolls down his cheek as memories of his late mother flood back, his voice filled with both sadness and pride.