Eric Hayes

Eric Hayes is the protagonist of the novel. He is a new seventh grader at Bellport Central Middle School which makes him a target for class bully Griffin. Eric’s mother has told him that the move was a fresh start for them. Eric’s father is schizophrenic. He stopped taking his medication because of the side effects it caused and moved away from his family.

Eric realizes Griffin is a bully when Griffin first approaches him on the basketball court before the beginning of school. Even though he recognizes that Griffin is mean, Eric likes Griffin because of his charisma and his natural ability to lead. Eric allows Griffin to manipulate him into telling him about his family problems and his father’s condition, information that Griffin will use to torture Eric later.

As school officials begin to draw attention to the problem of bullying in...