There was a knock at the door.
"B." His grandmother called as she opened the door to the tree house some, not wanting to scar him. "It's grandma."
B stirred. I can't believe it. Now, I have to tell her. He rubbed his eyes. Hoping it was all a dream. "B," she ran up to him. His grandfather walked forward, "How did you…"
B questioned still not fully awake.
"Our neighbors, the ones who shared the creek with us, called us about someone sneaking up here last night."
"Oh," B sighed. Caught by some noisy neighbors, they are everywhere. he shook his had. "I…"
"We brought you some breakfast dear," his grandmother went on. She didn't seem to care why I'm here. They both don't seem angry that's relief but I have to tell them. She handed him a brown paper bag. "We thought you might be hungry."
"I'm…" B opened the bag. "Muffins."
"Not just muffins, Chocolate chip muffins." His grandfather said.
"So, why are we hanging out up here?" grandma calmly asked this wasn't the first time.
"Well," B swallowed.
"You must be hiding from something. Why is that son?" her eyes sparkled with compassion.
"Why," B looked up at his grandparents.
"Yes, go on."
"cause I…." B looked down at the floor. "I got in a fight at school and…."
"A fight?" his grandma put her hand over her mouth. "Oh dear, my baby was in a fight." She tried to check him over but he struggled.
"I'm fine…really grandma."
"Why were you fighting?" his grandpa asked his voice was becoming stern.
"The kid…"
"The kids what?" his grandfather had a stern look on his face, one like his mother use to have. One that B feared at times. He swallowed a tear slid down his face. He took a deep breath.
"They made fun of me." Tears started falling faster down his face. "I pushed one of them." His grandfather sat down next to him and placed his arm around the boys shoulder. He knew how kids could tease. His daughter was always getting teased at during school. He remembers going up to the school demanding them to do something about it. They didn't. All the teachers and principal had to say was that all the kids did it and that it was nothing to worry about. Sarah was not doing well in her schoolwork so they ended up moving her to another school. That's where she met her best friend CC. That's also when she met Max…he shook his head. That's when his life changed as well. Now the same thing was happening to his grandson and he wasn't going to have it.
"I don't blame you for sticking up for yourself but there are other ways."
"What other ways grandpa,"
"You could have told someone that they were bothering you."
"I did." B sighed "and they did nothing. They didn't even talk to them. I was the only one that got into trouble."
"Who did?" grandma asked in shocked.
"My instructors. They did nothing. It's like they don't care. What was I suppose to do then?"
"You told us. We will do something." His grandfather hugged B.
"Eat up. Then call your dad." his grandmother suggested.
"He's not going to listen to me. His just going to send me packing, on my way to military school."
"Military school at your age?" She looked at hr husband then back at B. "Dear," she held her husband's hand. "We have to do something for him.," she whispered. "We can't let Max send him away. We will never see him again."
"If Sarah…" tears welled up in both their eyes.
"I know," B took both their hands "But we have each other and that's all that matters." He hugged his grandparents.