This will probably be more than a drabble, but your neat little story
planted this one-draft toss off sequel-thing in my head; with its illustration
of how some bullies might just be deflecting to deny their own inner struggle.
Hope you won't mind my prezumpshuns in doing this; but if you do- OOPS!
~huggles, Veronica
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AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL by Laika

When me and Shelly caught up with Lenny he was definitely crying.

"Are you crying, Lenny?"

"No!"

"Because it's okay if you are."

Lenny snorted like this was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard.

"Why you always bein' so mean to us?" Shel asked him.

He pointed at me. "'Cause he's a sissy!"

Shel shook her head, frowning. "That's not a word we use. But so what if he is?"

"What do you mean, 'so what'? It's not RIGHT!"

"Says who?"

"Well, everybody... But my dad mostly. He says the whole damn country is turnin' queer 'cause we don't eat enough moral fiber."

Shel made a face and said, "I see...And does your dad know everything?"

"He- I don't know, alright?!!" snarled Lenny, then said wearily, "I just know it's better when I act like he's always right about stuff. And my mom even said we should. 'Go along to get along,' she says. It just makes things easier..."

I knew kids with families like Lenny's. They make me glad for the parents I have. I can't say my mom and dad really understand me, but they're trying; and they're not ordering me to not be who I am.

I asked him, "So you don't like my pigtails?"

"They're all right I guess. They make you-" he stared at his tennis shoes, his cheeks turning pink, "I mean you're kinda cute."

Now it was my turn to blush. "Thank you!"

Shel asked him, "And would you like to be cute?"

After a long minute Lenny gave a timid nod, then whispered. "But my dad-"

"-would never have to know," grinned Shelly, "We could go to my house after school. My mom's super cool. I have some nice dolls we could play with, and we could fix your hair up nice."

Lenny snorted bitterly, "How?! I have this stupid crewcut!!"

"Yeah, there's not much to work with there... But we could put bows in it," she suggested

"Really?" asked Lenny, and that's how us three became such good friends. And Lenny....

Well you know Lenora. After her dad went to prison for attacking the Capitol she's really blossomed.