AUTHORS NOTE:

Just a quick chapter, before I head off to work. Will probably upload the next chapter tomorrow. :)

Chapter 48: Bullying takes a violent turn

Kyle sat in his bedroom after school. He was already making plans for when Danny was going to take him on a camping trip over the weekend that was only a few days away. The phone rang and Kyle could hear his mother speaking.

"How can you do this Danny? You promised Kyle you would take him on the trip this weekend."

"Look I can't help when work comes in." Danny lied.

In all honesty he only promised to take Kyle camping to shut him up. He never intended to take him anywhere.

"Fine. I'll tell him. The least you could do would be to come over and see him one night, have dinner with him."

"Yeah alright, stop pestering woman."

Alison hung up the phone. "Kyle baby, can you come here a minute?"

Kyle stood at the top of the stairs. "That was your father on the phone. Kyle I'm sorry but he can't take you camping this weekend."

"What? Why? He promised!"

"Baby I know you were looking forward to it, but your father has to work. He's coming over for dinner tomorrow night to make it up to you."

Kyle ran back to his room and slammed the door. Kyle kicked his homework across the floor and punched his bed.

"It's not fair!" He yelled and slumped down on his bed. "Why won't Dad spend time with me? I try everything to make him proud."

The next day at school, Casey was on his way to the playground at recess, when he was stopped by Kyle. Kyle of course was still angry at his father cancelling his camping trip he had to take his anger out on something and Casey was the perfect target.

"Hey cry baby. Didn't think I'd be seeing you here after yesterday."

Casey tried to walk away, but was pushed into the wall and blocked. Kyle placed his arms around Casey to prevent him moving anywhere. "Where do you think you're going?"

Tears welled up in Casey's eyes. He was scared and the boy was older and bigger than him.

"Oh, is the little wimp going to cry again?" Kyle punched Casey in the abdomen. "Cry on this!"

Casey screamed, doubling over and held his abdomen as he cried.

"Shut up!" Kyle punched Casey again, this time hitting his nose.

It wasn't long before Casey felt blood run out of his nose. Kyle punched Casey again on his face, before kicking him hard in his chest. Someone nearby yelled that a teacher was approaching and Kyle stopped and ran off, leaving Casey bleeding and rolling on the ground in pain. As soon as the teacher saw Casey on the ground she rushed over to him.

"What happened?" The teacher asked.

Scared at what his family would think if they found out and what would happen to him if he spoke out about the bullying, Casey lied. "I…I tripped and fell."

"Alright, let's get you to the nurse's office." The teacher led Casey inside and into the nurse's office.

The nurse approached Casey and helped him up on the bed. "Can you tell me your name, sweetheart?"

"C...Casey B...Br...axton." Casey choked out.

"Good. Now can you tell me what happened?" The nurse examined him and helped him with his bleeding nose. Casey refused to answer and continued to cry.

"Hey it's alright sweetheart, we're just trying to help you." Not wanting to push it the nurse left him. "I'm going to call home and get someone to come and pick you up okay."

Casey nodded and the nurse encouraged him to lie down and rest. Before the nurse left she noticed Casey's demeanor change, he began to look pale and was breathing heavily. She acted quickly. Casey was hyperventilating from the shock.

"Casey, I need you to listen to me, you need to calm down, I want you to lie down for me okay and take deep breaths." Casey did as he was told.

The nurse covered him in blankets to keep him warm. "Now I'm just going to make the call okay, I will be back soon." She gave Casey's hand a squeeze and left to dial his home number.

Brax was at the house and answered the phone. "Hello."

"Hello, this is Miss Roslo from the primary school." Brax sighed.

"What has Casey done now?"

"Nothing, are you the boy's father?" "No I'm his brother. What's happened?"

"Well it seems Casey has had a serious accident." "What?" Brax panicked.

"He appears to have suffered a hard blow to the abdomen and has sustained a bleeding nose. He needs to go home and see a doctor."

"I'll be right there." Brax quickly hung up the phone and wasted no time in chasing out the door towards the school. Brax rushed into the school and ran up the front counter.

"Where's my brother? Where's Casey Braxton, I got a call saying he was hurt." Brax said in panic.

The receptionist was about to reply when the nurse heard the commotion and approached. "Hi you must be Brax. I'm the nurse that called you. Come right this way."

"How's Casey?" Brax asked as he followed the nurse down the hall towards the sick bay.

"He is stable again, after suffering a mild case of hyperventilation brought on by shock and anxiety over the accident. He tells us that he fell, but his injuries seem much more that a regular fall. Maybe you can get him to talk, because if it was something more serious we need to report it." Brax nodded.

The two approached the room that held Casey and as soon as Brax laid eyes on Casey he ran to him. "Case," he knelt down in front of him.

Casey looked up at his brother and saw Brax's worried face. Casey fell onto his brother and latched his arms tightly around his neck, bursting into tears again.

"Hey, hey Case, it's okay, you're safe now." Brax carefully wrapped his arms around Casey's waist and held him close, careful not to hurt him.

After several minutes, Brax pulled Casey away from him."Casey can you tell me what happened?" Casey shook his head.

"Come on mate, you need to tell us, so we can help you." "I…I fell."

"Come on Casey I know that's not true, the nurse said your injuries could not have occurred from a fall. Did someone hurt you? Is that what happened? You don't need to be afraid to tell us Case."

Casey again shook his head and latched back on to Brax, crying into his shoulder. "I just want to go home." Brax sighed.

"Okay, but we need to take you to the hospital to make sure your okay first." Casey moaned, "no" and shook his head.

"Come on mate, we need to make sure your okay. I won't leave you. You don't have to worry. I won't let no-one hurt you."

Brax gently picked up Casey and turned to the nurse. "Thank you for looking after him, I will let you know once I get him to tell me what happened."

"Thank you, Mr Braxton." The nurse replied and led Brax and Casey out.