Crystal was helping Alvie with his Math again. He got confused, but she could work with that. What she struggled to work with was him getting distracted easily.

"Oy, focus." She smiled, pinching his leg sharply. Alvie looked at her curiously, as if he hadn't registered any pain. She had been well known for her harsh pinches in her old school. "Anyway, look." She started going through the fraction rules with him. This was past work he didn't understand, but had kept in the hope that his mother would find a free hour to help him. Having six other children as well as Alvie and a demanding job, Annabeth rarely had free time, even at weekends when she was off. "Are you OK?" Crystal asked, pulling Alvie from her thoughts. Alvie nodded and looked back down at his Math book. Crystal had made notes in his book for him, but her neat writing swirled and jumped about. If only she knew how to write in Ancient Greek… his life would be so much easier.

A bottle of water fell into Alvie's lap, minus a lid. Water splashed everywhere, soaking Alvie's trousers and his Math book.

"Heh, look. Dumbass has wet himself." This was followed by mean laughs and jeers. Alvie just ignored them, as his mother had told him to.

Crystal, however didn't, snatching up the water bottle. It was still half-full, at least. She chucked the water at Liam, soaking his trousers in retaliation.

"Oh look. King Shit has wet himself." Liam snarled at her, grabbing her wrist. "Get off me." She growled.

"Or what, girly?" Liam spat in return.

None of them expected Alvie to jump up and tackle Liam. Crystal stumbled and nearly fell over with them, but Liam's grip had gone slack in his surprise and she was free. Regaining her balance, she saw Alvie had Liam pinned to the ground and in a headlock.

"Alvie?" She asked, stunned. Alvie didn't respond to his name, as usual, but that's not what bothered her. His eyes seemed darker, sharper. Liam was struggling to get out of the headlock. Alvie's athletic frame betrayed hidden strength, amazing them all. "Alvie, stop it." Crystal moved forward and tugged on Alvie's arm. His eyes dulled and he looked confused.

Noticing he had Liam in a headlock, he let go and scrambled away. Crystal helped him to his feet. "Are you OK?" She asked him again. Alvie nodded, as he had before. "Let's get you cleaned up."

"Alvie Jackson to my office, please, Alvie Jackson." The principal spoke over the tannoy.

"Second time this week, Alvie. What are you up to?" Their Science teacher smiled. Alvie just shrugged, shoving his book in his bag and leaving.

Alvie met his father outside the principal's office.

"Hey, bud." Percy smiled warmly, moving forward and putting his arm around his son. "I literally had to write the call I got down- apparently you tried to kill that Liam kid." Alvie didn't reply, knocking on the principal's door. "Your mom's gonna flip when she finds out." Percy ruffled Alvie's hair, noticing his son's hesitation.

Liam and his mother were sat on the right side of the room. Mr. Brooks directed Alvie and Percy to sit on the opposite side.

"So, Alvie, here again." Alvie just nodded. "Did you strangle Liam at recess?" Alvie shook his head. "I've been told that you were strangling Liam until one of his friends managed to pull you away as Liam was turning blue."

"Who said that?" Alvie asked quietly. Mr. Brooks checked his notes.

"Daniel."

"Figures."

"Daniel's full of bull." Percy said at the same time. "We all know that." Mr. Brooks regarded Percy for a moment before looking at Alvie.

"What happened then?"

"Liam dumped water on me. I ignored him, like Mom told me to, but Crystal threw the rest of the water over him." Alvie felt all eyes on him and curled his fingers into his T-shirt nervously. Percy put a hand on Alvie's shoulder. "Liam grabbed Crystal's wrist and wouldn't let go."

"Is that when you, uh, attacked him?" Alvie remained silent. The principal sighed, reaching for one of the phones on his desk. This one was the tannoy. "Will Crystal Murphy come to my office? Crystal Murphy." He put the phone down.

Crystal arrived two minutes later. She smiled kindly at Alvie, glared at Liam briefly before taking a seat next to Alvie. "Crystal, what happened at recess?" Crystal boldly explained everything, not caring that Liam was glowering at her. She spoke so calmly and so easily, it was like she was here for tea and not in possible trouble.

"And then Alvie tackled Liam and got him in a headlock."

"At any point did Liam turn blue?"

"No."

"Alvie didn't strangle him?"

"Can you imagine Alvie strangling anyone?"

"Well, I didn't imagine Alvie tackling anyone." The principal countered calmly.

"Fair point." Crystal admitted. "But he's not heartless like that. He's too nice to endanger someone's life."

"We have to very different stories. What now?"

"Shoot the lot of them." Percy advised. Mr. Brooks looked at him, smiling in a slightly amused fashion.

"Like father, like son." He muttered. Percy still heard him and smiled.

"Tobias?"

"Yep."

"Pain in the ass." Mr. Brooks chuckled and nodded in agreement.

Alvie had a fifteen minute detention for attacking Liam, but it was argued it was out of defence. Crystal smiled, remembering how he only reacted when Liam had threatened her. Liam was temporarily excluded for bullying. Alvie was going to have a nice two weeks without Liam.

She was walking home on her own, Alvie having stayed behind to have one-to-one Math tutorial session.

Sliding her key into the lock, she smiled. With her help, Alvie's grade had gone up from an F to a D in Math.

"Crystal, baby!" Crystal's mother joy bounced over and crushed the life out of her in a greeting hug. "How was school, sweetie? Learn anything?"

"Apparently not. I've got to go back tomorrow." Crystal's mother laughed.

Crystal loved her mother. She was called Joy and they could have been sisters, they were so identical. Except that Joy was a few inches taller than her daughter and more hyperactive. Joy lived up to her name, always smiling and laughing while also very excitable.

"So, how was school then?" Joy repeated.

"Well, I got called to the principal's office…"

"Again? Oh, Crystal, I knew you were trouble." Joy teased, waving a mocking accusing finger at her. Crystal smiled.

"No, it's just this jerk was being mean to Alvie, chucking water over him. There was some water left so I threw it over the jerk." Crystal explained what happened again. "I don't get it, Mom. Alvie won't stand up for himself, but when Liam didn't let go, Alvie floored him. Oh no, you've got that look. What are you thinking?"

"I think he likes you!" Joy exclaimed happily, practically bouncing in joy and hyperactivity.

"Mom, we're just friends."

"Oh, sure…"

"Mom…" Crystal warned.

"Tell me more about Alvie." Joy insisted, pulling up a bar stool at the breakfast bar in the middle of the kitchen. She put her elbows on the table and propped her head up on her hands, her silvery-blue eyes shining in excitement.

"Mom, I've told you about Alvie." Crystal sighed, smiling.

"No, you haven't!" Joy protested, whining. Crystal shot her the Look. "Ok, you've told me a bit, but not everything. Sit and talk, now." Crystal reluctantly obeyed. "Right, so what's he like?"

"He's great."

"Have I seen him before?"

"No."

"What does he look like then? Is he cute?"

"Mom!"

"Tell me what he looks like!" Joy beamed.

"Uh… he has really dark black hair, but there's this grey streak he said he was born with."

"Has he got blue eyes?"

"No, grey."

"Grey?"

"Like, um, silver-grey kind of colour."

"Ooh, that sounds interesting. What else? Is he sporty or scrawny?"

"In the middle." Crystal said carefully.

"How does he dress?"

"Casually. Why are you asking so many questions?"

"I'm being socially aware."

"Nosy, Mom."

"It's not nosy, it's socially aware!" Joy scolded playfully. Crystal rolled her eyes. "Oy, don't you roll your eyes at me."

"Mom, you can't tell me off, you're too nice."

"I know, I know. Now more about Alvie."

"Really?"

"I thought you were his friend?"

"Yes, friend. Not stalker."

"A friend should know this stuff about him. What does he do in his free time?"

"Oh, I don't know. Let me check the CCTV I've installed in his room." Crystal said sarcastically. Joy pulled a face at her. "He probably reads or something."

"So, he's smart."

"In a way. He doesn't seem to get Math that well."

"You could help him with that."

"I am."

"Good girl. What does he read?"

"Harry Potter and some other stuff."

"What's he like to you?"

"He's… really sweet. A bit shy though."

"Ooh, I want to meet him. Invite him over."

"Mom!"

"What? Wait, is he nice?"

"Yes." Crystal paused. "He's a bit of gentleman as well." She said slowly and carefully, predicting her mother's reaction.

"Ohmygod, tell me more!"

"Well, he, uh, opens doors for me and carries my stuff." Joy smiled happily. "He'll walk me to class as well, even if it makes him later."

"That's it. Invite him over. Now."

"Mom-"

"If you don't do it, I will."

"What about William?" Joy gave a sound of annoyance and mocked throttling her daughter.

"Who cares? If he sees how nice Alvie is, he might lighten up a bit." Crystal scoffed.

"William? Lighten up? Oh please."

William was Crystal's stepfather. Her real dad had wandered off somewhere shortly after she was born. William had turned up in her life when she was two, but she had never liked him. He was spiteful and deceiving. Joy knew that, but was too nice to do anything.

Or too scared. Crystal thought bitterly. William was possessive and controlling and liked things his way.

"Go. And. Invite. Him." Joy ordered, rolling up a magazine and playfully beating her daughter up with it.

"Alright, alright, I'm going." Crystal laughed, running out of the kitchen with her mother on her heels, the magazine raised threateningly.

"Oy, Alvie, it's for you. Wait, who is it?"

"Percy, you're not allowed to answer the phone." Annabeth scolded lightly.

"I wasn't stupid this time."

"Wow. This time?"

"Oh shut up." Percy smiled. "Alvie! Get your ass over here and talk to your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Oh really?"

"She's a friend that's a girl."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"Away!" Annabeth shooed Percy away, snatching the phone from him. "Ignore your dad, Alvie." She smiled kindly.

"I do that anyway."

"Good boy." Annabeth handed over the phone and left him to talk while she went to beat her husband up (again).

"Hi, Crystal."

"Hi. Mom's threatening me with a magazine to invite you over."

"Oh. Um…" Alvie looked around for his parents. Judging by Percy's laughter and mock pleas for help, Annabeth was pretending to strangle him in the kitchen. "Hold on a sec." He put the phone on the side and went to talk to his parents.

"When?" Annabeth asked. Alvie shrugged. "Oh, you're as helpful as your father. Go and found out when, where and what time does she want you there and so on and so forth." Alvie nodded and left again.

It took ten minutes to arrange Alvie to go to Crystal's on Saturday, stay the night and return Sunday morning. Annabeth had a chat with Crystal's mother for about an hour before handing the phone back to Alvie so he could talk to Crystal.

"You'll be fine, Alvie." Annabeth assured. She had met Crystal before, seeing as Alvie's friend had been round quite a few times after school for dinner while her parents were working. Annabeth was relieved her son had found someone decent to hang out with, someone that helped him with Math and someone who could coax him out his shell.

"So, you're spending all day Saturday with me…" Crystal teased.

"I don't think I'm going to last that long." Crystal giggled.

"See, you do have a sense of humour."

"Meh."

This is the seventh page, all made up on the spot. Woo! :D