Max shoved through the bullies and stopped at his younger brother's side.
"Getting your big brother involved?" John sneered. "Like he's going to do anything." Max glared round at them.
Then he smirked.
"You're right. I'm not going to do anything." Max pointed. "He is." The bullies turned a second too late. Tobias was there and his fist was colliding with Jack's stomach.
Tobias was five foot six, as agile and strong as he was lethal and cunning. Normally, he was optimistic and cheeky, but if you ticked him off, you would know about it.
Jack staggered back, winded. The others instantly crowded around Tobias.
A sea breeze stormed through their hair, whipped at their clothes and stung their skin.
"Tobias, don't! They're not worth the trouble!" Alvie struggled to free himself from Max's arms, but his brother was stubborn and stronger than he was.
Tobias wasn't listening, dodging Darius's fist and landing a square, solid punch to Darius's jaw. He ducked a swing from Chris and shoved his shoulder against the silent bully. Chris stumbled back and fell into John. They both toppled back.
Marcus and quickly recovered Darius and Jack moved forward.
Thankfully, teachers had reached them.
"All of you! The principal's office now!" Tobias pushed through the bullies and picked Alvie's book from the floor. His expression softened incredibly and he smiled as if nothing happened.
"Here's your book, bro." Alvie took the book and hugged it to his chest.
"Thanks. You're going to be in so much trouble." Tobias merely shrugged it off.
"No-one picks on my bro and gets away with it."
In the principal's office, Tobias and his brothers sat on one side while the bullies sat on the other. Tobias frequently sent glares in the bullies' direction, promising them an ass kicking later.
Alvie was mesmerised by the fish tank the principal had in his office. Just regular goldfish and a few others he couldn't remember the name of, but they were all beautiful.
That was the thing with autistic children- if they found something interesting, they were obsessed. It was usually the one thing- (this is what my Nan told me 'cos she works with an autistic child from time to time- he's obsessed with bugs).
Alvie didn't really pay attention to anything until Max nudged him.
"Huh?"
"Alvie, I was asking what had happened." The principal sighed, removing his thin framed glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. The principal, Mr. Brooks, was a man in his late fifties, with white hair and stern brown eyes. He was always in a crisp suit and shined shoes. For a principal, he was a very busy man.
"Oh, um…" Alvie quietly told the principal what had happened, faltering under the bullies' death stares. Thankfully, Tobias and Max noticed and shot back identical and painful death stares.
Before the principal spoke, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." The receptionist- a middle age woman with greying brown hair and stern brown eyes- entered.
"Their parents are here."
"Let them in." The receptionist nodded and backed out.
Percy walked in, followed by the bullies' moms or dads.
It got very crowded in the office.
Percy grinned cheekily at his sons, dropping down in a seat next to them.
"Mr. Jackson, do not encourage them."
"Sorry." Percy said. He didn't sound in the least bit sorry. Mr. Brooks raised his eyebrows. Percy's expression remained neutral, a hint of an innocent smile blessing his lips.
"We cannot have fighting in the school." Mr. Brooks looked around at the parents, as if seeking their opinion.
Percy caught his sons' attentions and could tell they were all thinking the same thing.
"Sir?" Tobias said.
"Tobias?"
"It wasn't fighting." Mr. Brooks quirked an eyebrow curiously. "It was defending my little bro."
"Fighting, Tobias."
"Defending."
"Fighting."
"I can keep this up all day, mate." Tobias's brothers and father snickered. The principal's expression hardened.
The principal's phone rang. He answered it, turning in his swivel chair to face out the window.
"Someone's on line one? Alright, thank you." The principal pressed a button on the phone. "Hello, who is this?"
"Bet that's Lou." Tobias said.
"Bet that's Mom." Max countered.
"Ten bucks." They said together. They gave a nod of agreement and settled back in their chairs. Percy and Alvie watched them amusedly.
"I thought I told you no gambling or betting?"
"Didn't hear you." Tobias shrugged casually.
"Mrs Jackson, I assure you they are fine, but Tobias is in trouble." Tobias grumbled, reaching into his and freeing a scrap of paper and a pen. He scribbled 'I.O.U 10 bucks' and handed it to Max.
"Thank you." Max smirked.