Same (not the circus but same story). I was in 7th grade getting relentlessly bullied by a group of piece of shit white trash kids that were like half my size. I was terrified of getting suspended and having the police come to school, etc...

My dad gave me permission beat the fuck out them with no consequences to getting suspended.

I went fucking apeshit on one of them when he started slapping me upside the head. Grabbed him by both arms and fucking hammer-threw him to a masonary wall, then jumped on him and pounded on his face.

Got the 300 dollar police fine, out of school suspension. yadda yadda.

Guess what? Those fucks NEVER (and I mean never) messed with me again. By the time I was in HS I played football and they also knew better.