The Bully (Calamity Montana)

Diary,

Cal got my dad fired today. That jerk ruined Daddy’s business. And it was all a lie. Dad had to pick me up from school again because Mom took a double shift for some extra money. I offered to help Dad mow. We did one house first, then went to the Stark place last. I hate going there and I could tell that Dad didn’t want me there either, but it would have been too late if he’d driven me all the way home and then gone back to the job. So we just went and he did the edging while I mowed. Cal was there this time. I was finishing up in the front yard when he came home with his dad. He didn’t even look at me as he got out of the car, but whatever. That’s nothing new. They went inside the house and like ten minutes later, Cal’s dad came storming out and got in Dad’s face. He said that I wasn’t allowed to come here anymore and that I’ve been stalking Cal. Can you freaking believe that? Why would I want to stalk Cal? I hate Cal. Dad stood up for me. He didn’t even have to ask if it was true because he knows I’d never do that. He said Cal had to be mistaken. Well, that sent Cal’s dad over the edge. He got red in the face and screamed that his son wasn’t a liar. Oh, wait. It gets better. He accused me of sneaking into their house the last time I was there and stealing one of Cal’s football jerseys. What?! I said that was a lie and called Cal a liar. Cal’s dad told me to shut up. My dad said he couldn’t speak to me like that. So Cal’s dad fired Daddy and told us to get the “f” off his property. I cried the whole way home. Dad promised it would be okay and that it was just one client. I was like almost feeling better. Except then we got home and the phone started ringing. All of Dad’s other clients called and fired him. Yep. Worst. Day. Ever. Cal’s dad told all his rich friends about what happened and they believed it. Of course they’d believe it. Mom got home fifteen minutes ago. They sent me upstairs to do my homework so they could talk. I don’t know what they’ll do if Dad’s not getting paid. Maybe he can pick up new clients? It just makes me so flipping mad. We shouldn’t even have to worry about this. All I want to do is punch that liar Cal Stark in the face tomorrow when I see him at school. But then I’d get kicked out of Benton and Mom would really be angry and Dad would have gotten fired for nothing. This is so not fair. None of this is fair. It’s all Cal’s fault. I hate him ten times more than I did yesterday.

Nellie