Hello!

Listen, I know you're all pretty mad at me for not posting this earlier, but as you know, I've been busy with my other stories. (One Last Entry, To the Sister Rescue!)

So here's Chapter 2!

Chris and Martin met up at the lunch line.

Martin playfully elbowed his brother.

Martin: I saw you with that girl.

Chris: Oh, stop! She's just a friend. Apparently, I've seen her before. Remember that girl in the black ponytails that sent the grown up out when we were being bullied by Eric?

Martin: That was her?

Chris: Yeah.

Martin: (playfully dramatic) It's destiny!

Chris: Shut up!

Chris elbowed his brother in the ribs.

Later, after school...

Chris looked out the window of the school bus. He didn't even notice Aviva was sitting next to him, until she tapped his shoulder.

Chris: Whoa! Aviva, I didn't see you there. You scared me.

Aviva: Yeah, I seem to do that a lot.

Chris: Are you sure you want to be back here on the bus? I thought I saw your friends with my brother up front.

Aviva: Your brother?

Chris: Yeah, see the guy wearing blue wih the sandy blonde hair in the front seat to the left?

Aviva: That's him?

Chris: Yep! That's Martin Kratt.

Aviva: Wait a sec, is he the kid that Eric was pulling his hair when I came out with the grown up?

Chris: Yes.

Aviva: Wow! But he's a senior, what was he doing in our school yard?

Chris: My brother is different then other brothers. He actually quite his recess to help me across the school yard.

Aviva: Really?

Chris: Yeah, I do remember something from that day...

FLASHBACK-

Eric: You guys can do what you want with him, when I'm finished. One thing I know I'm gonna do, Puny, is hit you out cold, so you don't feel a thing, sound good? On count of three. One,

I covered my head best I could. I knew if I didn't, Martin might find me in a coma or something!

Eric: Two,

Eric moved his fist back, ready to strike.

Martin: PUT MY LITTLE BROTHER DOWN! Chris: Martin? Eric: Well, well, whose this?

Eric threw me to the ground.

EriC: What? You rely on you hero bigger brother? Martin: As a matter of fact, HE DOES!

Martin ran in front of me and spread his arms out like a shield.

Martin: Because he can't stand up for himself when he's too weak to stand!

Martin might be Even bigger than me, but even though he was a 5th grader, Eric didn't go down easy.

Zach: Get out of he way Blue Boy! Martin: if you think you're gonna hurt my brother, you're gonna have to go threw me! Eric: Ok. We're flexible.

Suddenly I heard my brother scream in pain as Eric punched him in the face! Martin looked back up with a black eye. Martin reached for Eric, but got pulled by his hair instead. I couldn't just let him get hurt for my sake! I stood up, a little wably, made a fist with my hand, and hit Eric in the face. When I looked up, I saw his nose was bleeding. While Greg and Zach held Martin down, Eric grabbed me slapped me, and threw me against the wall. For me everything was blurry, I couldnt see a thing. All I could hear was my brother screaming.

FLASHBACK-

Chris: And that's when you ran up.

Aviva: Wow. You brother was really brave.

Chris: Yeah, that's the kind of person he is.

There was a long silence.

Chris: Aviva, why are you really back here?

Aviva: I'm hiding!

Chris: From who?

Aviva: Does the name "Zach" ring a bell?

Chris: Actually, yes. He's been enemies with me and my brother for as long as I can remember.

Aviva: This is one small world! Anyway, he thinks I'm..."into him."\

Chris: WHAT?

Aviva: I know, yuck, right?

Chris: No kidding!

Aviva: That's why I decided to sit by you. To show I'm not interested in him, but with someone else.

Suddenly, Aviva turned away, blushing. She knew who weird and awkward that sounded.

Chris also had a what-did-she-mean-by-that look.

Chris: I don't mind.

Aviva: What?

Chris: I don't mind if you need me to protect you from that weirdo.

Aviva: You'd do that for me?

Chris: Sure. Besides, this way, we can have some fun with him.

Aviva giggled.

Aviva: One more thing before I get off.

Chris: What?

Aviva: Do you have a studying partner? I don't.

Chris: Me...neither.

Aviva: Wa...want to be?

Chris: Sure.

Aviva: Yes! So, meet me behind the school, on the bench at 3:30, got it?

Chris: See you then.

Aviva got off the bus, and Chris realized that she lived a block away from his house!

Chris and Martin got off the bus, and, of coarse, Martin teased him about sharing the seat with the girl.

Martin: So, has she accepted your proposal of marriage?

Chris: NO! But we are gonna be studying together tomorrow.

Martin: And so it begins.