They were standing out side at the bus stop. Riley had decided to wear a jacket saying it was going to be cold. But Huey knew it had something to do with the question mark.

You might be wondering what the important things that was taken from him were…his mother…and his brother. He could remember it like it happened yesterday when it clearly happened seven years ago.

Huey had to stay home with his granddad while aunt cookie took his mother to the hospital. Huey was on the couch crying. He knew what a hospital was and he knew most the things you went there for involved that person being injured.

His granddad was too busy setting up the spare room for something for something. He didn't know why his mother didn't take him with her. He looked up and saw his aunt cookie and mother coming through the door. He ran over to them and hugged his mothers legs. He saw that she was holding something.

"Ma' what's that?" he asked pointing at the huddle of blankets.

"It's your…baby brother." she said sitting on the couch. She held the baby out to him and smiled.

Huey looked at it confused. He was about to pick it up when his father Jacob came in the house. He looked drunk. He staggered over to the couch and sat down.

"Hey Huey and Tasha." he said hiccuping. "What's that?" he asked.

"It's my son." she said hesitantly.

"I got another son?" he asked looking at the baby in her arms. "He looks like you."

"…he's might not be yours." she muttered sliding over.

Jacob looked up in surprise. He knew clearly what she was talking about. She was telling him that she had been cheating on him in their what he thought happy marriage.

"What!?" he said approaching her. She stood up quickly. "Why would you do that!?"

"I've been meaning to tell you I don't love you anymore…but I stayed for Huey." she said pulling Huey to her. "He's old enough now…I can protect him."

Tasha could tell that Jacob was mad and what was about to happen. But what she thought would happen didn't. he reached for Huey and the baby pulling them back and throwing them on the couch. Huey caught the baby and watched his parents in fear.

"why did you bring that outcast in the house!?" screamed Jacob.

Tasha stood up at full height. "He's not and outcast he's my son!"

It was what she expected. Jacob had slapped her in the face and when she screamed the baby started to cry. Jacob turned towards where Huey and the baby was. He grabbed the baby and started to shake it.

"Shut up, brat! Shut up!" he said on the verge of throwing it. But, Huey had snatched his baby brother back. "You watch what you do." he said pointing.

Tasha snuck up behind Jacob and hit him in the head with a frying pan. He turned around and punched her in the stomach. Huey and the baby was crying out for help.

Aunt Cookie and Granddad came running out of the kitchen and into the living room. They saw Tasha on the ground struggling and the two children crying. Aunt Cookie walked up to Jacob and pointed at the door.

"Get out!" she said in a dangerous voice. "Get out and don't you dare return to this family."

That very night Tasha died. She said that her new born baby was to be named Riley. She had left all of her things to her children and her father. She left some for her mother but the day after she died her mother died too.

Riley had been talking to Huey the whole time he was thinking. He was so busy talking about how many ways his school day was going to be screwed up.

"and I bet some punk gon' try to pick on me cuz' I'm little!" he said stepping on the bus. He put his bus card in and headed straight to the back of the bus. Feeling that I should watch him I walked to the back of the bus.

"Why do you sit back here?" I asked sitting next to a Gothic kid and my brother.

"It's something personal." he said taking his book bag off and putting it on his lap. "You wouldn't understand." he pulled out a ipod and put his headphones on.

"You know you can't have that in school right?" I asked looking out of the window that was blocked by the huge gothic kid.

The kid looked at Riley with such hatred that I got a little worried. I turned to Riley.

"You know this lady?" I whispered in his ear.

Riley looked at the kid next to me who was now looking out of the window. He looked back at Huey and shook his head. Huey picked up Riley's book bag and grabbed his hand.

"Your sitting in the middle of the bus." he said pulling Riley down the stairs.

Riley stopped walking and stood in the middle of the bus. Huey slapped his self in the face.

"That's not what I meant." He said pulling Riley in the sit next to him.

Riley was all uncomfortable sitting near the front of the bus. He looked around and noticed the girl sitting in front of him. He checked his breath and threw his head back. He covered his mouth and leaned forward.

"Hey you, do you have a peace of gum?" he asked in a muffled voice.

The girl looked behind her and jumped when she found someone's face so close to the back of her head.

"Oh, I'm sorry." he said in a muffled voice.

"Why is your mouth covered?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"I need a piece of gum." he said in another muffled voice.

The girl dug in her purse and pulled out two silver packs. "I have winterfresh and bubblicious."

"I'll take winterfresh." he said in a muffle.

She handed him the gum and he automatically ate it. The girl giggled and he looked up at her with an eyebrow raised.

"What?" he asked.

"You just automatically ate that and you don't even know me." she said giggling harder. "I could have poisoned that."

He slowly stopped chewing. "Did you?"

She shock her head and picked up her book bag moving it to her lap. She gestured for him to sit next to her. He stood up quickly and tripped over his book bag. Huey stood up and leaned over him.

"You cool?" he asked helping him up.

He nodded his head. He, Huey, and the mystery girl started to pick up his school things. She handed him his notebooks and his folders.

"My names Christina." she said holding out her hand to Riley who was now hoisting one strap of his book bag on his shoulder.

"I'm Riley." he said shaking her hand. "This is Huey." he said gesturing to Huey who was zipping Riley's book bag.

Christina held out her hand. "Hey, Huey."

"umm…I rather not." he said sitting down in his seat.

They got off of the bus and started to walk towards the school. Huey heard some one calling him and Riley. He turned around and saw two girls rushing towards them.

"Hey, Jas., Cindy." said Huey. "How was your summer?"

Jasmine started to catch her breath and then started to walk next to them.

"It was good. My dad took me and my mom to Paris." said Jasmine. "Cindy was there." she said gesturing to the girl behind her. She looked around and noticed that Cindy was staring at Riley and his friend jealously.

"Who's your friend?" asked Cindy slipping between the girl and Riley.

"Hey Cindy." Riley said giving her a one armed hug. "Yea-yea, some challenge this year."

"I was a challenge last year." she said smiling. She looked at the girl cocky. "Who is this?"

"This is Christina, Christina this is Cindy." said Riley gesturing to each girl.

"Hello." said Christina smiling at her.

"Hey." said Cindy quietly. "What's your first class, Riley?"

"I got environmental science." he said looking at his schedule that was mailed to him.

"Me too!" said Christina. "What grade are you in?"

"I'm a… freshmen." he said looking at Cindy who was now so in to checking her e-mail on her cell phone so she didn't hear him.

"oh…me too." she looked at Cindy who was now putting her phone up as they entered to building.

When they entered they looked around the school hallway that was before them. Riley walked into Huey while he was looking around. Huey looked at his brother who looked a little scared. He petted him on the head and walked through the medal detector.

"What's my division room?" asked Riley looking up at his brother when he caught up with him. "Do you know?"

Huey nodded and continued to walk. He looked to his right and noticed his best friend Micheal Ceaser.

"Hey Mik." he said approaching his friend and giving him a high five. Riley was going in a separate direction. Huey looked around and noticed that he was about to walk into Dean Roberts. The bully of the WHOLE school. Huey was about to call Riley but it was to late he had already bumped into him.

"Hey!" said Dean glaring at Riley. "Watch where your going, punk."

Riley looked up at Dean. He noticed that he was ten times bigger then him and twenty times bigger the Ed's granddad.

"uh…uh…My bad." Said Riley trying to go around him. A hand got in front of him.

"Yo' bad! Yo' bad!" said Dean. "it so'll is yo' bad!"

Dean picked Riley up by the collar of his shirt and pushed him up against a nearby locker. Riley struggled and accidentally kicked Dean in the leg.

"Did you just kick me!?" asked Dean tightening his grip.

"Yes," said Riley still struggling. "But by accident." he said with a scared look on his face.

Huey approached the problem. "Come on, Dean leave him alone."

Dean turned around and looked at Huey then looked at Riley. "That yo' brother?"

Riley didn't say anything.

"ANSWER ME!" he yelled in Riley's ear.

Riley nodded quickly and then looked at Huey apolitically. Dean put him down and stepped on his shoelace. Riley tried to run but fell down. Everyone laughed.

"So your this shrimps brother huh, Huey?" he asked approaching Huey dragging Riley across the ground. "You gonna stick up for him?" he asked getting face to face with Huey.

"Leave my brother out of this!" screamed Riley from his spot on the ground. "You're the punk the came to me not him. Put up your choppers!"

"Shut up!" yelled Dean. He picked Riley up and got in his face. "I'll see you at lunch."

He dropped Riley on the floor and walked away leaving Riley fearing his lunch time.