The thin man stepped from the shadows, slender fingers wrapped tightly around the coffee cup in his grasp. He took a slow sip as the group of jocks recognized his presence, quieting down and looking over at him. “You know…” Doe began. “Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75% of school shooting incidents.” The jocks’ demeanors changed, as their superiority was obviously being challenged by this geeky newcomer.

The one who must have been the alpha of the group stepped up, kicking Shawn in the ribs with a wide grin. “What exactly are you saying, dude?”

John Doe smirked down at his coffee, glancing up to meet the athlete’s gaze. “I’m saying you may have a physical advantage to this student, but you should be careful about who you pick on. That one weird kid may bring a gun to class one day. And then you’ll really be sorry.” Doe watched with a warm feeling of success as the intimidated jocks frowned, murmuring among each other before skittering away uneasily. He looked at the scholar. “You okay?”