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00:00I was staring at my reflection in the window, challenging myself to make the goofiest faces I could think of.
00:05I opened my mouth as wide as I could, stretched my cheeks as far as they would go, and pulled my ears while crinkling my nose.
00:11Carson!
00:12Only I was right in the middle of class, and the teacher had been trying to get my attention.
00:16I turned around to find everyone staring at me, laughing.
00:19You're off in space again. What is the answer?
00:22The answer? Right.
00:23Yeah, come on, Space Cadet. What's the answer?
00:26That jerk was Diego, the captain of the wrestling team, son of the coach and class bully.
00:30Since we won the national championship last year, he believed he was God's gift to the school, and he never missed a chance to mock me.
00:36The only person not laughing was Mara, the girl who dressed like she was from a different decade.
00:41On Mondays, she was a flapper from the 1920s.
00:44On Wednesdays, a hippie from the 60s.
00:46And on Fridays, she was a goth girl from the 1990s.
00:49She didn't like me, but she hated Diego more.
00:52Anyway, I had absolutely no idea what the question was, so I couldn't answer it.
00:56I panicked.
00:57The answer is that I really have to pee, and I ran out of the room.
01:00Hold on for a quick sec.
01:01I forgot to introduce myself.
01:02I'm Carson, which you already heard the teacher yell.
01:05I always seem to do and say things that other people find, well, weird.
01:08But I guess you already know that, too.
01:10I try not to, but honestly, I can't help it.
01:13See? Even that was weird.
01:15Oh, and can you do me a huge favor and hit like and subscribe?
01:17So, I'm the only boy in an all-girl household, and they all have an opinion about me.
01:22He's just a unique boy, that's all.
01:24He's a total weirdo.
01:25I think my aunt must have, like, dropped him when he was a baby or something.
01:29Oh, he's just, I mean, a bit strange.
01:31I think my sister gives him too much sugar.
01:33That was my younger cousin Brenda and my aunt Peggy.
01:36They moved in with us after my uncle left for a vacation and decided to never come back.
01:40It didn't matter what I was doing.
01:42They always whispered and judged me, whether it was brushing my teeth—
01:45Why is he holding the toothbrush upside down?
01:47What's wrong with him?
01:49His mother never taught him right.
01:51Eating dinner.
01:52Why does he take such small bites of food?
01:54His mother never taught him right.
01:56Or just playing video games.
01:58Why does he grin like that when he plays?
02:00His mother—
02:01According to my aunt, it was my mother's fault that I was weird.
02:04Anyway, back to where we left off.
02:06I ducked into the bathroom for a moment of quiet before I had to face the humiliation of going back to class again.
02:12Let me guess, you spaced out again, got called on by the teacher, and you said you had to pee?
02:16I looked over to see Finn, the one person in the entire world who understood me.
02:21We've been next-door neighbors since we were kids, and he has always treated me like a little brother, even though we were the same age.
02:26And what makes you think that?
02:28Maybe I just came in here to do some push-ups.
02:30Right, because everyone comes to the boys' bathroom to work out.
02:33I hate that you know me so well, Finn.
02:35You think anyone will notice if I hide here for the rest of my life?
02:37Diego again, huh?
02:39Isn't it always?
02:40Car, buddy.
02:41Idiots like Diego are so worried about what people think of them, they bully others to make themselves feel better.
02:46Don't let him win. Get back in there.
02:47Talking to Finn always made me feel better.
02:49The big difference between us was that he was super popular and I wasn't.
02:53Girls literally hung themselves on him like Christmas ornaments.
02:56Hey, Finn. Did you see my new selfie on Insta?
02:59It's with my new Ferrari.
03:01My selfie is on my dad's private island.
03:04Wanna come?
03:04My selfie is jumping out of my own airplane, on my dad's private island!
03:08But Finn didn't care. He was always so focused.
03:10To be honest, I don't know why he even hung out with me.
03:13People don't take the time to get to know Carson.
03:15Sure, he's a little odd, but who isn't?
03:17Finn was the reason the wrestling team won the national championships.
03:21He was the best wrestler on the team, which made Diego furious.
03:24Diego hated anyone who was better than him.
03:26And the biggest college recruiter in the country was coming to school in a month to see Finn, and not him.
03:31But Diego had a plan to fix that.
03:33He just needed the opportunity.
03:35Little did anyone know that he was about to get it.
03:37I was on my bike, riding home from school, singing my favorite commercial jingles at the top of my lungs.
03:42Oh, oh, Ozempic Liberty, Liberty, Liberty!
03:45When I heard a voice from behind me.
03:47Where are you going, weirdo?
03:48I saw Diego and a couple of his friends on their bikes racing toward me.
03:51It wasn't enough for him to humiliate me in school.
03:54He also liked to do it outside of school by chasing me down and posting embarrassing photos on social media.
04:00Like sneaking rubber lizards into my backpack, dumping paint over my head, or tossing me into various garbage cans.
04:07I pedaled as fast as I could, but they were catching up.
04:10Up ahead were the railroad tracks, and the crossing gates were coming down.
04:13I needed to make it across, but the train was coming.
04:16I realized I wouldn't make it, slammed on my brakes, and stopped inches from the tracks as the train came roaring by.
04:21I turned to face Diego and his friends.
04:23Well, well, well.
04:24I sense a great photo opportunity here.
04:27Get away from me, Diego!
04:28Or what, weirdo?
04:29He pointed to a pile of dog poop on the ground.
04:32Oh man, we need to get a photo of you with your face in that.
04:34I looked around. The train was still passing.
04:37I had nowhere to run. Diego pulled me off my bike and threw me on the ground.
04:40Just as he was about to push my face into the poop, I heard a voice.
04:43Leave him alone, Diego. You jerk.
04:45I turned to see Mara sitting on her bike on the other side of the tracks.
04:49Unlike me, Mara never cared about what others thought of her.
04:51Do I think Carson is weird?
04:53Yeah, but he should stand up for himself and own it.
04:55Insecurity is like catnip for bullies like Diego.
04:58Ooh, lookie here. It's Mara, the other weirdo.
05:02And you're going to stop me?
05:03No, but my brother is.
05:05And like out of a superhero movie, Finn Spikes sped up the road, stopping between me and Diego.
05:10He jumped off, standing face to face with Diego.
05:13Get out of here, Diego.
05:14If it isn't Finn coming to the rescue, why do you even care about him?
05:18Because I do. And if you want to get to Carson, you need to go through me first.
05:22Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of Diego's friends recording all of this on his phone
05:26and suddenly realized what was happening.
05:28This was Diego's plan all along.
05:30I jumped to my feet to try and stop what was about to happen.
05:33I'm good, Finn. Thanks so much.
05:35I think this was a great bonding moment. Everyone can go home now.
05:38No, I'm done letting Diego bully you.
05:40Bully me? Don't be ridiculous.
05:42I was going to put my face in that dog poop anyway.
05:45I'll do whatever I want to your weird friend and your freak sister.
05:48And then Diego shoved Finn hard.
05:50Finn snapped and punched Diego, knocking him to the ground.
05:52Diego started laughing.
05:54You get that?
05:54Got it!
05:55The next day, Finn got called into the coach's office where he was watching Diego's video,
05:59carefully edited to only show Finn hitting his precious son.
06:02You punched Diego because you're jealous that he's team captain and you aren't?
06:06That's not true. He attacked my friend and then he shoved me.
06:09My son doesn't lie. You're off the team.
06:11Diego's plan was a total success.
06:14Over the next week, Finn didn't speak to anyone, including me.
06:17I tried to get his attention by jumping in front of him as he walked down the hallway,
06:20locking the door of the boys' room as he tried to go inside,
06:23and even holding onto his leg so he couldn't walk.
06:26But none of it worked. He was so depressed.
06:28But something else was happening. Diego stopped bullying me.
06:31He wasn't picking on me in class or tripping me in the cafeteria,
06:34and I could bike home without worrying he was following me.
06:37I had to know why, so I rode my bike up to him as he was leaving school.
06:40Why are you leaving me alone? You haven't mocked, insulted, or shoved me once since.
06:44Since you helped me get your buddy Finn kicked off the wrestling team.
06:47But I didn't.
06:48Oh, yes, you did. I couldn't have done it without you, weirdo.
06:51And now the recruiter is coming to see me instead of him.
06:54So consider my leaving you alone as a little thank you present.
06:58And as he walked away, I looked over and saw Mara just staring at me, shaking her head.
07:02Since we were kids, I always secretly had a crush on her.
07:05She would play rough with me and Finn.
07:07In fact, she is the one who convinced him to get into wrestling
07:09and even helped train him for the championship.
07:12But the older we got, the less she liked me.
07:14And now she really hates me after what happened to Finn.
07:17I needed to speak to him.
07:18So that day I went over to their house, but Mara answered the door.
07:21What do you want, Carson?
07:22Mara, Finn needs to tell the coach the truth, that he was only defending me and you.
07:26First of all, Carson, let's get something straight.
07:29I don't need defending.
07:30Second of all, who do you think Diego's father is going to believe?
07:33His son or Finn?
07:35So unless you can get him back on the team before the recruiter comes,
07:38then I advise you just let it go.
07:40The damage is done.
07:42And then she slammed the door in my face.
07:44Finn was my only friend and now he lost his dream trying to help me.
07:47I knew I had to do something, but what could I do?
07:50That night at dinner, I sat silently as Brenda and Aunt Peggy piled on.
07:54So, how does it feel to ruin your friend's life?
07:57If I did that, I would never show my face at school again.
08:01I don't know how you live with it.
08:02I agree.
08:03That will haunt you forever.
08:05Maybe you should switch schools, but I doubt that will even make a difference.
08:08If only you could have stood up for yourself instead of having your friend do it for you.
08:12This would have never happened.
08:13As I sat there, I could feel my blood starting to boil, like I was about to transform into the Hulk.
08:18I know what to do.
08:20Maybe you could challenge Diego to a wrestling match, and if you win, he has to admit the truth.
08:25I stood up, slammed my fists on the table, and erupted like a volcano.
08:29That's exactly what I'm going to do!
08:31Yeah, right.
08:32Carson's gonna challenge Diego to a wrestling match?
08:35Talk about an epic humiliation.
08:37His mother should have gotten Carson a therapist a long time ago.
08:41But that night as I lay in bed, I knew that's what I had to do.
08:44Brenda was right.
08:45If I didn't try to fix this, I wouldn't be able to live with myself.
08:48I stormed up to Diego the next morning as he was talking with his friends by his locker.
08:52Diego, I challenge you to a wrestling match two weeks from today after school.
08:56Sorry, what now?
08:57You want to wrestle me?
08:59Yes, in front of everyone, the entire school.
09:01Diego and his friends burst out laughing, but I was dead serious.
09:05Wow, you're even weirder than I thought.
09:07This is like a dream come true.
09:09It would be my pleasure to embarrass you in front of the whole school.
09:12Sure, this is your opportunity to completely humiliate me in front of everyone.
09:17But if I win, you have to tell everyone the truth about what happened with Finn.
09:20Oh, you've got a deal.
09:22Two weeks from today, this is going to be like Christmas coming early.
09:26Now, all I had to do was beat the captain of the wrestling team in a wrestling match.
09:29I had two weeks to prepare.
09:31I just needed someone to train me.
09:32Are you some kind of idiot?
09:34I couldn't think of another way to help Finn.
09:36And how do you help Finn by humiliating yourself in front of the entire school?
09:41Diego is going to destroy you, Carson.
09:43Unless you train me.
09:45Please, I'll do anything to help fix this.
09:47I don't care if he humiliates me.
09:49My life can't get much worse than it is right now.
09:51So I at least want to try.
09:53Well, you weigh about the same as Diego.
09:56Okay, I'll train you, but he's still probably going to-
09:59And then I made the mistake of trying to hug her.
10:01She flipped me over and pinned me to the ground.
10:03Training starts right now.
10:04For the next two weeks, Mara and I trained in the mornings,
10:07during lunch period, after school, and at night, even in the rain.
10:11It was like something out of a Rocky movie.
10:13When she wasn't teaching me wrestling moves,
10:15I was running or lifting weights in the school gym.
10:17And one day as we were practicing, Mara flipped me over and pinned me down.
10:21Please, I need a break.
10:22I can't take it anymore.
10:24Suck it up, Buttercup.
10:25Only one week left until you face Diego, and he won't let up.
10:29So neither will I.
10:30And for the first time, I saw the hint of a smile.
10:32And for some crazy reason, it gave me a burst of energy.
10:35I made a move and flipped Mara over, pinning her down.
10:37Yes, that was great, Carson.
10:39Meanwhile, Diego and his friends were putting up flyers all over the school,
10:43advertising our wrestling match like it was the event of the year.
10:46Something strange was happening.
10:48For the first time in my entire life, I was feeling a sense of confidence.
10:51And people were noticing.
10:52People who never even looked at me were saying hello.
10:55What's up, Carson?
10:56Hey there, Carson.
10:57And at home, even Brenda and Aunt Peggy were seeing it.
11:00Hey, Carson, why do you put so much salt on your food?
11:03Hey, Brenda, why don't you mind your own business?
11:05And no, Aunt Peggy, it's not my mother's fault that I like salt.
11:08The two of you sit here every night criticizing me and my mom while living under our roof.
11:12If you have a problem, go get your own place and stop mooching off of us.
11:15I thought their jaws were going to hit their plates.
11:18The day of my match with Diego finally came, and the gym was packed.
11:21I think every student and teacher in the school was there, ready to see me get humiliated.
11:26Mara was in the front row.
11:27Diego made his father the referee, which wasn't fair, but there was nothing I could do.
11:31You've got this, Carson. I believe in you.
11:33And then she gave me that smile that sent electricity through my veins.
11:37Diego's father blew the whistle.
11:38Diego immediately got me in a cradle and nearly ended the match before it began.
11:42It's over, weirdo.
11:43But I got out and flipped him.
11:45The crowd erupted in cheers.
11:47This infuriated Diego, who got me in a headlock.
11:49I couldn't get out.
11:50I could see Diego's father smiling.
11:52The crowd started chanting my name.
11:54Carson! Carson! Carson!
11:56I struggled as hard as I could, but Diego had me.
11:59Come on, Carson! You can do this!
12:01And then I looked over to see Finn walk in and sit down.
12:04I felt a sudden burst of power pick Diego up and threw him back in.
12:08Yes, Carson!
12:09Diego couldn't believe what was happening.
12:11I was holding my own and the crowd was cheering for me.
12:13I had him pinned. I was going to win.
12:15And then I heard Diego's father say something in his ear.
12:18Don't you dare let him win.
12:19And then Diego headbutted me in the face.
12:21The crowd screamed.
12:22That's illegal!
12:23That's my boy.
12:24I grabbed my bloody nose.
12:25Diego flipped me over and pinned me down, winning the match.
12:28Diego's father raised Diego's arm up in victory, but the crowd was booing.
12:32Mara and Finn ran over to me.
12:34Mara held the tissue to my nose to stop the bleeding.
12:36You did amazing out there. He had to cheat to win.
12:38I can't believe you did this for me, Car.
12:40You truly are such an incredible friend.
12:42But I lost and you won't get back on the team.
12:45It's okay, buddy.
12:46Diego was stunned at the crowd's reaction.
12:48He never faced this before.
12:49Cheater! Cheater! Cheater!
12:54The crowd went crazy and then something incredible happened.
12:57The school principal had been watching the whole thing.
12:59He walked up to Diego and his father.
13:01Our team was the national champion this year,
13:03and I will not tolerate a coach who encourages cheating.
13:06You're fired.
13:06You can't fire my dad.
13:08Well, I just did.
13:09And you're off the team permanently.
13:11And then the principal raised one of my arms in the air and pinned the other.
13:14The real winner of the match.
13:16And the crowd went crazy.
13:18Mara grabbed my shoulders and hugged me.
13:20Finn was back on the wrestling team.
13:21And a few days later, the recruiter came to see him
13:24and even offered him a full scholarship to the best wrestling program in the country.
13:28Car, I don't know how to thank you.
13:30None of this would have been possible if you didn't.
13:31You deserve this scholarship more than anyone.
13:34You truly are the best friend in the world.
13:36Finn, why are you making my boyfriend cry?
13:38Uh, yeah, she said boyfriend.
13:40Mara and I finally started dating and became the most popular couple at school.
13:44We even ended up going to the same university.
13:46Who knew being weird would end up being awesome after all?