AUTHORS NOTE:

Hope you all enjoy the sweet brotherly interactions in the next few chapters.

Don't forget to please leave a review and let me know what you think. :)

Chapter 35: First day of school

Casey waited in the lounge room for Brax and Heath to finish getting ready so they could go to school. He was getting antsy, it was his first day, and he had been looking forward to it ever since Brax told him he was going to school.

Heath came out of his bedroom and saw Casey jigging about on the couch.

"Settle down will ya"

"I excites-ed about scwhool." Casey replied.

"Ha, you don't know what ya getting into kid. School's a horrible place where you have lots of strangers tellin' ya what to do and other kids stealing ya clothes and worst of all there's these monsters that come after you if you're not quick enough." Heath smirked.

Casey stopped fidgeting and stared at his brother. Brax rushed out of the bathroom.

"Are you boys both ready?"

Casey ran to Brax and latched onto him. "I don't wants to go to scwhool Brax." He whined.

Heath laughed. "Runs in the family hey." Brax looked at Heath.

"What brought this on? You where excited to go not that long ago Case."

When Casey didn't answer Brax knew Heath had said something to him. "Heath!" He yelled.

"What?" Heath shrugged innocently.

"What did you say to Casey?" "I never said nothin'"

"Yes you did. You says that there are mean people there and you get your clothes taken and there heaps of scary monsters." Casey piped up.

"Squealer." Heath replied and pulled a face at Casey. Brax shook his head.

"Heath what did I tell you about telling Casey lies about school."

"I was just messing with him."

"Well don't. Casey don't you listen to Heath. School is fun and you get to learn lots of fun things." Casey looked up at his big brother and felt reassured.

"Now have you both got everything?" Heath and Casey nod and Casey ran to get his bag.

"Good, let's go." Brax shoved Heath out the door and held Casey's hand as they walked to school.

Brax dropped Casey off at the gate to his school and gave him a hug.

"You be a good boy okay and I will be back to pick you up later this afternoon. If you have any troubles you tell your teacher okay." Casey nodded, not feeling fully reassured anymore.

Brax smiled at his brother. "You'll be okay. You'll see."

Casey turned to head into the grounds. "Bye squirt." Heath spoke. "Enjoy your time in the black hole."

Brax scowled at Heath and gently hit his chest. "What?"

"You know what. Get moving Heath."

Heath scoffed and continued on his way to school, closely followed by Brax.

"You don't have to walk me to school, like Case ya know." Heath stated, embarrassed to have his older brother walking him to high school.

"Too bad. I ain't having you stuff this year up Heath."

Reaching the high school Heath went to meet his friends but was quickly pulled back by Brax.

"Hey this is your first year at high school, I don't want any more fights, skipping school and bad grades, ya hear?" Heath rolled his eyes.

"Yes sir." He saluted.

"Heath don't get smart, just do as I say."

"I thought you wanted me to get smart, didn't ya?" Heath smirked. Brax shook his head, slightly annoyed.

"You know what I meant Heath." "Yeah but you said..."

"Heath!" Brax snapped.

"Urg fine. Whatever. I still don't see why I can't just stop going like you."

"Heath we've been over this already. Don't waste the chances you have."

"Right." Heath sighed and walked off to meet his friends.

Brax was already waiting outside the gate when it was time for Casey to finish. Brax saw Casey come out of his class and as soon as Casey spotted Brax he ran up to him and leapt into his arms. Brax engulfed him in a bear hug and laughed.

"Hey Case. How was your first day of school?"

"It lots of fun Brax and look what I mades for you."

Casey waved a sheet of paper in his brother's face. Brax laughed as he tried to take hold of the paper in Casey's hands that he was waving around. On the paper was a mixture of blue and yellow and what looked like a surfboard and a small person next to a taller person with the words, I love you, scribbled down the bottom. Brax was touched.

Casey smiled at his brother. "Do you like it? I paint that in class today."

Brax smiled at Casey and cuddled him. "I love it Case. You did a really good job."

Casey smiled satisfied. Brax placed Casey down on the ground and held his hand as they walked towards the high school.

Brax and Casey saw Heath talking to his friends. "There's Heaf Brax."

"I know mate. I hope he hasn't been standing there all day."

"What?" Casey asked confused. "Nothing mate."

Casey let go of Brax's hand and ran down to his brother, tugging his shirt.

"Heaf guess what happen at scwhool today."

One of Heath's friends scoffed. "Who's this twerp Heath?"

Heath rolled his eyes and glared down at his brother. "He's my annoying little brother. Go away Case. I'm in the middle of something."

Casey didn't move and tugged Heath's shirt again. "Casey not now." Heath snapped and pushed Casey away, clearly embarrassed.

"Heaf, Brax says we have to go home."

"Well I'm busy Casey." Heath rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Brax be's mad at you."

"Arg!" Heath yelled frustrated and turned to see Brax watching him.

"Heath! Casey! Come on!"

Casey quickly ran back to his brother. "Heaf says he's busy."

"I'm sure he is." Brax mumbled sarcastically. "Heath! Hurry up before I come over there!" Brax yelled.

"Geez. Look I better go before my older brother Brax cracks a nut. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Yeah see ya." His friends replied.

Heath stormed over to his brothers. "I'm here now, let's hurry up and go." Heath snapped.

"You weren't there all day were you Heath?" Brax asked.

"No Brax I wasn't. I did go to class." He replied smugly.

"You wrong bouts scwhool Heaf. I had lots of fun." Casey piped up.

"Great Casey. I'm so happy for you." Heath grumbled sarcastically.

Half way home Heath turned to his brothers who were following behind.

"Do you both know how embarrassing you are? I mean I'm in high school now. I can't be seen with my brothers."

"I'm sorry we're not cool enough for you mate, but I wouldn't be doing my job now would I?" Brax joked and smiled down at Casey who returned the smile with a giggle.

Heath grumbled. "Fine make jokes. Don't you remember what high school was like Brax?"

"Don't be so dramatic Heath. It's only your first year, you'll live." Heath walked into the house and stormed into his room.

"Is Heaf mad at you Brax?" Casey asked.

"Nah mate. He's just finding his feet." Casey put his bag down in the lounge room.

"Thanks again for your picture Casey. I'm going to put it somewhere special now."

Brax took the picture and walked into his bedroom. Brax smiled as he looked at the picture again. Words couldn't describe how special Casey was to Brax, ever since Casey was born it gave Brax a feeling of pure love and completeness, he adored Casey and to know Casey felt the same meant the world to him. Brax placed the picture down on his bedside table where he would see it every time he went to bed and woke.

Brax walked back out to the living room to see Casey fast asleep on the lounge.

"I guess you had a day of it, hey mate." Brax whispered and walked into the kitchen to organize dinner for himself and his brothers, he doubted whether his parents would be home again that night.