The Gryphon's Goal: Chapter 3, Part 1
#9 of The Gryphon's Goal
Here's Chapter 3! Larry, Osaze, and Sampson plan to stop Larry's bully problem.
"You need a bodyguard," Osaze said, folding his hands on the lunchroom table.
"He's right," Sampson said in between bites of his pizza slice.
"Do either of you want the job?" Larry asked, poking a claw tip at his fish filet sandwich.
"Being your best friend makes me too much of an emotional liability," Osaze said, emphasizing the last word with a wink.
"I don't think you even know what emotional liability means."
"Courtland would rip right through me," Sampson said. "I'm built for speed. He's a tank."
"How sure are you he's going to do anything?" Osaze asked.
"What would you guys do if you had his temper and got caught?"
"I'd want revenge on the turkey-cat," Sampson said, smiling.
"What Sampson said, only minus the lame attempt at insulting your gryphon heritage."
"Thanks, Osaze," said Larry.
"No problem. I'd just call you a feather duster."
"Why are you my best friend again?"
"Because I'm taller than you and can reach the shelves you can't, shrimpy."
"So if neither my best friend and my best teammate want to be my bodyguard, then who will?"
"Duh, Larry. Somebody who's bigger than Courtland," Sampson said.
"Maybe someone on the football team," Osaze said, his eyes drifting over to the table "reserved" for said players.
Larry followed Osaze's gaze. The table was filled with most of the varsity team and their cheerleader girlfriends. "I don't know any of them."
"I do," Sampson said.
Larry looked at him. "Do you think they'd help me?" He then remembered a crucial fact. "Wait, Courtland's on the football team!"
"So we just find a player that doesn't get along with him."
"Never going to happen," Osaze said. "Football players are like a gang." He paused for a second, lost in thought, then continued. "In fact, all high school sports teams are like that, with one exception."