Chapter 8

"C'mon sunshine! It's Friday!" Lex's father called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming dad!" Lex yelled back, sliding down the stair railing.

"Sweetheart, I told you not to do that. What if you got hurt?"

"Dad, I'm fine." He rolled his eyes as he handed Lex her lunchbox.

"There. Now hurry up! School starts in 20 minutes!"

"Bye dad! Love you!" Lex said, kissing her dad's cheek before running out the front door.

"Hello Blue Thunder!" Lex said jokingly as she hopped onto her bright blue bike, strapping on a matching colored helmet. "To Norrisville High!" Lex proceeded to speed off towards the school, her hair billowing behind her in the wind. As the school came into sight, Lex immediately noticed Howard and Randy standing outside with their backpacks slung over their shoulders.

"Hey guys!" Lex shouted with a broad grin as she rode nearer.

"What? Oh, hey Lex!" Howard said, grinning back.

"You seem quite chipper today!" Randy noted with laugh when Lex nearly crashed her bicycle into the bike rack.

"Yep! I thank you for noticing!" Lex chuckled, chaining the bike up and jumping off of it with ease.

"To think, you weren't exactly happy yesterday. I mean, it was pretty obvious something was up." Howard commented.

"It wasn't anything a good cry and some sleep couldn't fix." Lex said, a tiny blush on her cheeks.

"You…cried?" Howard asked, clearly surprised.

"So what if I did? Got a problem with it?"

"No! No problem!" Lex laughed at Howard's cowardliness.

"So, what did you two nut-burgers do yesterday?"

"Played Grave Puncher!"

"I wondered why you were upset."

"Aww, that's sweet Cunningham! Although, I think Howard spent his time better."

"See! I told you!"

"Shut up!" They all idly chatted as they entered the building, paying no mind to the other kids and such. Until they heard the unmistakable cackle of someone far too familiar to Lex.

"That's genius, Bash!" Laughed Mordea.

"Oh great."

"Ah, Alexandria! What a surprise!" Mordea cackled with her sickening smile.

"Who's that?" Howard whispered, staring at Mordea.

"My witch of a sister, Mordea." Lex groaned.

"So, these are your 'friends?'" Mordea emphasized the word 'friends' in a way that implied she thought Lex had paid them.

"Yes. So, this doofus is your friend?" Lex smirked, pointing at Bash.

"Who you calling a doofus, newbie?" Bash asked with a growl.

"Who do you think?" Bash raised a fist threateningly at Lex, but Mordea held up her hand in front of his face.

"Now now Bash. Let's not think too rashly. Yet." Mordea smirked at her sister.

"So, how was your yelling fest yesterday?"

"What are you talking about?" Lex avoided her sister's gaze.

"Your little shouting match with Andy here. Do tell; what was it about?"

"First off, his name is Randy. Second off, that's none of your business what I shout about." Lex clenched her fists tightly at her sides.

"Oh, I like to think it is my business! After all, we are…sisters. Or at least that's what our awful mother use to tell us."

"Don't you talk about mom like that!" Lex shouted.

"What's the matter? Ah, yes. You cared about that wench. Well guess what, genius? She's DEAD! D-e-a-d, dead!"

"Stop it!"

"The day you cry me a river, build yourself a bridge, and GET OVER IT! She was horrible and she had what was coming to her!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Lex yelled louder, a few kids stopping to look over at all of them.

"Lex. Calm down." Randy whispered, putting a hand on the enraged girl's shoulder. Lex looked over at Randy and saw the concern in his eyes. She lowered her fists and took a deep breath.

"Okay." She said, "You know what Mordea? I'm done and I refuse to go so low as to play your twisted game."

"Aww, how touching! The loser and her prince! Since when did you do what you're told like an obedient little mutt? Bash, I think the mutt needs to be taught a few new tricks, don't you agree?" Mordea said with a smirk towards Bash.

"Oh, I agree plenty!" Bash said, cracking his huge knuckles. He raised his fist and it hurtled down fast, right into Lex's face. She fell down the ground with a thud, holding her hand gingerly on her nose.

"Lex!" Howard and Rand knelt down beside her.

"You okay?" Randy asked.

"Yeah, except for a probably broken nose, I'm doing just peachy." Lex answered back.

"Hold up, I'm not done yet!" Bash laughed idiotically. He pushed Randy and Howard aside with little to no effort and kicked Lex.

"Get up weak person!"

"Really? That's all you could come up with?" Lex chuckled, standing up uneasily.

"Wow, you're a bigger doofus than I once thought."

"Says the…! Uh…not smart…person!"

"Who's the one beating up a girl because of the orders of another girl? I believe I'm the smarter person in this scenario."

"Not to me! If you were more smarter than me, you wouldn't be sporting a bloodied nose!"

"More smarter? Wow, I feel so smart right now. C'mon hot shot, take another go at me. I dare you." Bash threw another punch at Lex, which she dodged carefully. Bash, confused turned around to meet Lex's own fist. Her punch left Bash dazed, but he recovered fast and punched her again, this time nailing her shoulder.

"Enough! I'm finishing this now!" Bash said, grabbing Lex by the front of her shirt and raising her up.

"Stop!" Everyone turned around to look at Randy, who had shouted at Bash.

"You want some too?"

"Calm down Bash. I'd very much like to know what he has to say." Mordea silenced the bully and looked to Randy.

"Well? I'm waiting."

"Put her down. Now."

"Aww, freshman thinks he can command me! Listen honey," Mordea walked over to Randy, "I don't take orders from anyone. Especially losers. Luckily, I've had enough fun for today. Bash!" Mordea snapped her fingers and Bash dropped Lex to the ground.

"Adieu!" And with that, she left, her clique and Bash following closely behind.

"Ow…" Lex groaned, raising her head up. "Lex!" Randy ran over to her.

"How are you feeling? Is anything broken? Do you need to go to the nurse?" Randy badgered Lex with questions of concern as he checked to make sure she was fine.

"Randy, I don't exactly think she's feeling like a bag of skittles." Howard remarked, though he seemed just as concerned.

"He has a point, Cunningham. Thanks for your concern though. And for helping out." Lex said.

"Let me see your nose." Randy demanded gently.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"C'mon Lex!"

"No!"

"Please?"

"Ugh! Fine…" Lex removed her hand from her nose to reveal that it was quite bleeding profusely.

"The juice! You need to go to the nurse! No exceptions!" Randy helped Lex up and began to walk to the nurse's office.

"Howard, do me a solid and explain where we are to ?"

"Got it!" Howard sped off to their homeroom.

"Cunningham, you not have to do this. Just go to class, I'll be fine." Lex said persistently.

"Nope. It's my fault this happened, so I'm going to make up for it."

"Cunningham," Lex stopped ad turned to face Randy, "this isn't your fault. What made you think that?"

"If I had done something before the fight started, you wouldn't be hurt. Heck, if I had just stopped asking you what was wrong yesterday, this wouldn't even have happened!"

"Cunningham. I want you to understand that, again, this," Lex gestured to her bloody nose and slowly blackening eye, "isn't your fault. If anything, it's mine for not explaining anything to you yesterday."

"Lex…" Randy looked at her and she gave him a weak smile.

"You wanna hear the explanation for my yelling yesterday?" Randy nodded slowly, not knowing what to do. He had just heard her explanation the previous night, but as the Ninja. He couldn't let her know that.

"Well, yesterday, when Howard left, knew what you we going to ask." Lex sighed as she spoke.

"You wanted to know what was wrong. You do remember meeting my dad at the door, right?" Randy nodded.

"Well, he's my only parent."

"You mean that…?"

"My mom died when I was nine. She caught some rare disease and I guess she just couldn't live with it. I still remember the days when she would tell me that she was fine, even though the disease was slowly taking her away."

"I can tell you two were close."

"Yeah, we were. She was always there for me no matter what. When I cried, she'd make me smile again. When I was scared, she'd tell me everything would be alright. When I was hurt, she'd make everything better again." Lex let out a sad chuckle before continuing.

"That's why I miss her. She was basically my best friend. One of my only friends, to tell you the truth. I just wish she could come back…"

"Lex…I know that I can't bring your mom back, but I'll do everything I can to help you with your emotions, alright?"

"Thanks Cunningham. That means a lot. Now, get to class before starts yelling at you!" Lex chuckled, pushing Randy away when they were in front of the nurse's office.

"But-"

"No buts Cunningham." Lex pecked his cheek and gave him an adorable half smirk.

"Go on." Randy nodded slowly and began to walk off, his hand on the cheek she'd just kissed. Once he rounded the corner, Lex heard him yell "yes!" triumphantly and laughed. He was so cute…

And…author's note! I've been getting fantastic story ideas from you guys in the reviews, which we all know at least three have made it in here already! So I thought, "hey, how about letting more bruce ideas in here?" If anyone has ideas, I will now accept them by private messaging! (Unless you're a guest, in which case still use the reviews!) it just seems more organized and no one will be able to guess what happens next that way! See you people's in chapter 9! Stay Bruce!