A/N: Thank you to all that reviewed! It's awesome to be getting so many! For that, I am writing more. Just for you guys.

Despite the fact that he had originally wanted to show it off, Greg decided that it was better –for some reason – that he didn't show people the bruise his brother had caused. After all, it looked far from one you'd see from a mosh pit, and much more like one you'd see at the hands of abuse. And if he told his Mom he'd gotten it in the mosh pit, like he really had, he was sure she would know he was lying.

Then where would he be? He couldn't tattle on Rodrick; that was the first rule the older brother had made him agree to last summer. He'd have to make up something lame, like a bully at school, or some other lie. Which is why Rodrick had been right – Greg really did have to think about what he'd tell her if she noticed.

At the breakfast table, his Mom eyed him warily. "Greg, it's hot out today. Are you sure you don't want to take off that sweater?" She was irritably fixing Manny some cereal while he slammed his fists against the table to a chant. Despite this, Greg knew he had his mother's attention.

"Yea Greg. Are you sure you don't want to change?" his father asked, now considering his son over the brim of his newspaper.

"I'm sure!" Greg snapped, taking a bite of his toast before tossing the rest onto the plate and shoving himself away from the table. "I wouldn't wear it if I wasn't cold!" he called over his shoulder to his puzzled parents.

Greg had intended to march out the front door and bike to school, but –

"Over react, will you? 'Now they're going to know'!" Every bit of the tone Rodrick was using told Greg he was mocking him. The older brother was wickedly saying it in a high-pitched frightened voice meant to be an impression of his own.

"Shut up, Rodrick! It's your fault I have to hide it. Why did you do this anyway?" Greg hastily stuffed his shoes onto his feet and bent to tie them up. He had to do it twice because his fingers were trembling.

"I don't know," Rodrick shrugged. "You going to school without me now or what?"

It was so quick, the way Rodrick changed the conversation. Greg had no trouble being caught up in these words as well. Of course he wanted to get a ride with Rodrick– but he'd spent the whole night thinking that the older brother must've been mad at him. "Well, no I guess not." He waited while Rodrick grabbed his keys and his backpack before speaking again. "You really aren't mad at me then?"

Rodrick opened the door, waiting as Greg passed before shutting it behind them. "Mad at you?" Rodrick looked puzzled.

"Yea, because of - you know – last night." The younger brother hesitated before opening the passenger door to his brother's van. This was where it had happened, too! But when he heard Rodrick's door slam, Greg had no choice but to get in.

"What happened last night?" Rodrick prompted as Greg slid uneasily into the passenger seat and wrapped the seat belt around him.

Why was he playing dumb? Rodrick had just acknowledged the he "didn't know" he had hurt Greg. Maybe it was his way of dropping the subject. Greg was more than happy to oblige– happy that his brother wasn't mad at him like he'd thought - so he didn't respond as Rodrick backed out of the driveway and began the short trip to his school.

"Greg. Are you listening to me?"

Holly's sharp voice cut across Greg's groggy thoughts. He'd been thinking about his bruise – the cause to his discomfort out in the sun during lunch break. His entire body was covered in sweat as the sun beat down cruelly.

"No. Why do we have to be out here in the first place?" Greg had been hesitant when Holly suggested they eat outside on the bleachers to watch Rowley in his band practice. After all, he was wearing a large sweater, and it was beginning to feel like an oven.

Holly giggled. "If you're hot, then take off your sweater! I don't care."

Normally, Greg would've been secretly relishing in the fact that Holly didn't seem to mind his near naked torso. But it was too hot, and instead Greg wallowed in the fact that it was because of Rodrick that he looked like a gigantic fool.

That was it. He was going to ask Rodrick about it again tonight. This time, he was going to press it. "I don't know" simply wasn't going to cut it.

A/N: Keep reviewing. 3