Whenever people hear that somebody is home schooled they typically think that that kid is lucky... Alfred Fletching, a homeschooler, thought otherwise.

Once a week Alfred's mother took him and his brother to a *Co-op... but he didn't have many friends, the only friend he had was Mia Chard, a hot-headed introvert. Alfred always wanted to be one of the "cool kids", which is probably a bit cliche to social public schooler, but Alfred was a charismatic introvert who just wanted nothing more than to fit in with other people.

He did so much to try and fit in, but it was pointless. These "cool kids" were total bullies who bullied Alfred regularly, but he just let it happen every time, he didn't fight it, he didn't tell anybody, and it amounted to nothing. However, just one day at co-op could accomplish so much.

"Alfred" Mia called "did you finish it?"

"finish what?" Alfred asked, puzzled on the question. Then, it hit him like a rubber mallet "Oh, yeah, I did! Do you wanna see?"

"Of course!"

Alfred took off his backpack and pulled out a small canvas about the size of a notebook. Painted on the canvas was a beautiful, almost realistic painting of a yellow rose in a female's hand. 

"It's so beautiful! This is amazing!" Mia exclaimed with an ear to ear grin on her face.

"Well, I couldn't have done it without such a fabulous hand model." Mia blushed and told him "You know what? I think Mrs. Lundon will want to see that in art class." 

Not long later Chris Jankins and his "buddies" approached Alfred, shoved him, and walked off without even saying anything to him.

"You need to stop letting them treat you like that."

"Mia, I-"

"Because if you don't do something about it... I will." Mia stormed off after saying those words, but Alfred put them in the back of his mind and thought nothing of them.

When art class came he showed his masterpiece to Mrs. Lundon and she gathered the classes attention, then she announced "Well class, it seems we have a new master artist to display. Chris, you'll have to take the copy off your portrait down next week and we will hang up this one in its place.""

When co-op ended Chris and his goons Grabbed Alfred, punched a hole in his painting, and punched him in the gut. "That'll teach you."

Something triggered in Alfred's brain... he beat them all up and shoved Chris to the ground. Then he began to kick him. "I didn't mean it man!" Chris lied, but Alfred saw right through it, his eyes were finally open. As Chris and his pals ran off Mia took the broken canvas and told Alfred "Who's the bully now?" and she ran off crying. It hurt her to see her best friend become a cold-hearted brute. 

Alfred had enough

*Co-op: A Gathering where homeschool parents teach each others kids.