before that sterling had merely fought back against the taunts , but now he veritably badgered his friends with gusto , not letting them forget their departed classmate , the very boy who had indeed taunted sterling for being a cop-ass-kissing helmet-wearing sissy ; no more taunts , no appreciation of irony , no sadness over the death of a kid he had never liked , only regret ( indeed shame ) that he hadnt been able to serve as a better role model thus maybe to have saved the assholes life .