"Brotherly Love"
"Hey Bradley, where's my lunch money?" Alex James said to 10 year old Blake Bradley.
"Go away Alex. I'm not giving you my lunch money." Blake said trying to walk around the 12 year old bully.
"What did you say? I know you're not telling me no." Alex said picking up Blake by his collar. Blake was training as a ninja but he didn't like to fight in real life situations unless he had too, and he wasn't a great fighter yet. He was just fairly good and this boy was much bigger than he was.
"Alex, just let me go." Blake said.
"Sure, I'll let you go…right after I punch your face in." Alex said.
"Let him go James!" a voice came from the side. Alex turned and saw a very angry Hunter Bradley.
"Look who it is. The other Bradley wimp." Alex said.
"Pick on someone your own size." Hunter said.
"Like you? Fine by me." Alex said throwing Blake on the ground and walking towards Hunter.
"Bring it on." Hunter said.
The two 12 year olds faced off. Alex went in for the first punch. Hunter blocked it and proceeded to beat the crap out of him. When it was all over Alex lay on the ground in a dazed state.
"Now leave my brother alone." Hunter said grabbing Blake's wrist and pulling him away. They were halfway to school when Blake pulled away from Hunter.
"HOW COULD YOU?!" Blake cried.
"What? I just defended you." Hunter said confused.
"Now everyone at school is gonna think I need my brother to fight for me. I'll look like a wimp. Thanks a lot Hunter." Blake said running off.
Blake was furious with his older brother and spent the rest of the day avoiding him. At dinner the two boys didn't speak.
"Is everything ok boys?" Helen Bradley asked her sons.
"Yeah, fine." Blake mumbled.
"You guys are awfully quiet." Michael Bradley said.
"Because Blake rather get beat up than let me protect him." Hunter said.
"What? Blake what is Hunter talking about?" Helen asked.
"Nothing." Blake said.
"Blakely Richard Bradley tell us or we'll ask Hunter to." Michael said.
"Fine, it was really nothing. Alex James was trying to take my lunch money. He was going to beat me up but Hunter stepped in and beat him up." Blake said.
"You should have seen this guy. There's no way Blake could have taken him without using ninja tricks." Hunter said.
"And you didn't use any ninja tricks?" Michael asked.
"I know the rules. No ninja tricks in public. All I did was use my martial arts training." Hunter said.
"Well we're proud of you for sticking up for your brother. Blake, Hunter is your older brother. It's his job to protect you." Helen said.
"But now everyone thinks I'm a wimp. I don't want Hunter protecting me ever again!" Blake said getting up from the table and going to his room.
Helen sighed. She hated to see her boys fighting. "I'm going to talk to him." She said.
"Alright." Michael said nodding in agreement with her decision to confront Blake.
Helen walked upstairs and knocked on Blake's door.
"Come in." He said.
"Blake, what's wrong? There's more to this than the kids at school thinking you're a wimp…tell me the truth." Helen said sitting down next to Blake.
"I…Well…Hunter is so perfect. He is the best at ninja skills, he's the best at motocross, he's the best at school…he's popular, everyone loves Hunter." Blake said.
"Did you miss the last report cards? Your grades are much better than Hunter's. You're the best at school. And your teachers like having you in their classes much more than they liked having Hunter. Hunter almost gave Ms. Henderson a heart attack when he had her and Ms. Kellogg tried everything she could to get Hunter out of her class. As for ninja skills and motocross…those things take time to master and Hunter is older than you. Someday you might be even better than him at one or both of those things. Just give it time and don't give up on yourself. I have faith in you Blakely Bradley." Helen said.
"You do?" Blake asked.
"Of course. And someday the day is going to come when you're going to be very glad you have Hunter to look out for you. You should thank him instead of being angry with him." Helen said.
"But what about the kids at school?" Blake asked.
"Do they really matter more than your brother?" Helen asked.
"Of course not." Blake said.
"Then I don't see a problem. Now I think your brother was planning on playing some Street Fighter after dinner. Why don't you go join him?" Helen said kissing her son's head.
"Ok, thanks Mommy." Blake said.
Blake went downstairs and sat next to Hunter in front of the TV.
"Can I play?" he asked.
"Sure, but I'm Ken." Hunter said restarting the game.
"No problem, I'm Ryu." Blake said selecting his fighter.
The boys played 5 games of Street Fighter. In the end Hunter won 3-2.
"One of these days I'm going to beat you." Blake said wrapping up in controller.
"Yeah sure." Hunter said smirking.
"I will. You wait and see. If not at this at motocross." Blake said.
"Motocross? Yeah right." Hunter said.
"If you can be the best ninja I can be the best rider. You can't be the best at everything." Blake said.
"Watch me. The day you beat me at motocross is the day the sky falls." Hunter said laughing.
"Then you better wear your helmet because I will beat you. Wait and see." Blake said.