It is sixth period and Kyle is in his math class and the teacher, Mrs. Marks is about to hand the tests from yesterday back to her students, having marked them already.
"Firstly, I'd like to say well done to all of you for your efforts for this exam. Unfortunately, some of you just missed the mark and declined in your marks, but I am very impressed by the majority of you who improved immensely," Mrs. Marks says as she glances at her eight students in her class.
Kyle shifts nervously in his seat. He is certain he was not going to get his usual ninety-eight percent after how much he struggled yesterday.
Mrs. Marks hands back the first test to Cole Parker who is sitting to the left of Kyle in the front row.
"Well done, Cole. A slight improvement from your last mark, however, still needs some work to boost that sixty-five into a seventy," Mrs. Marks praises then hands the next paper to Eric Millar; however, she has a slight frown.
"Not your best work I'm afraid, Eric," she comments and Eric glances down at his grade of sixty-three.
"Very well done, Isabelle," Mrs. Marks praises and hands a test back to a red-haired girl to Kyle's right.
Isabelle Davies smiles at her mark of seventy-one and turns to glance in Kyle's direction as he is nervously shifting in his seat awaiting his result.
Isabelle smiles politely at Kyle and turns her attention back to her test and flicks her fingers through her long hair.
Kyle gives a small smile back at Isabelle before she looks away. He thought Isabelle was the kindest person in his class, along with Julia Wilson who usually sat behind him. They were the only two who ever congratulated him on his marks and although they never really talked to Kyle, they would at least on occasion say hi.
"Very impressive Haley," Mrs. Marks says and gives Haley her test.
"Woo-hoo seventy-eight!" Haley cheers.
"Nice one Hales!" Zeke praises and gives his friend a high-five.
Kyle swallows hard, wishing Mrs. Marks would hurry up and put him out of his misery.
"Seventy-two is a good mark for you Damien," Mrs. Marks comments.
Damien shrugs and high-fives his two friends.
Mrs. Marks then finally walks to Kyle's desk and hands him his test paper.
"Quite a substantial drop from your usual marks, Kyle," Mrs. Marks says and frowns at her normally top student.
Kyle stares wide-eyed at the red mark in a circle at the top of the page: a big sixty-seven.
Mrs. Marks hands back Julia's paper and the brown-haired girl with glasses sighs; hoping to have achieved a higher mark than sixty-seven.
Mrs. Marks finally hands out the final paper to Zeke.
"A magnificent effort, Zeke; in fact, you topped the class with your result of eighty-one," Mrs. Marks announces.
Kyle's face falls as he continues to stare at his shameful mark; mentally pleading that the sixty-seven could magically change to a ninety-seven.
"Wait: I came top?" Zeke asks in disbelief and Mrs. Marks nods.
"If I came top, where does that leave top of every class: expert Kyle?" Zeke announces.
Kyle hangs his head in shame.
"There is no need for comments like that please, Zeke," Mrs. Marks replies as she notices Kyle staring down quietly.
"He was just asking. It seems odd is all," Haley pipes up.
"Please don't you add to the comments, Haley; another student's marks are not of concern."
Mrs. Marks walks back to the front of the class.
"Now I want to give a big congratulation to Zeke, for coming first in the class," Mrs. Marks says and everyone bar Kyle gives a clap of praise.
"Also, a congratulations to Haley for coming second and Damien for coming third."
The class again claps, and Cole and Eric look back at the three top test winners at the back.
"I have awards for the top three students so will Zeke, Haley, and Damien come up the front and collect your awards," Mrs. Marks instructs.
Kyle hears the three walking towards the front of the class as they cheer and continue to brag to each other about their marks.
Kyle shoves his test paper under his book.
Once the three return to their seats, Mrs. Marks announces a fourth award.
"This final award goes to the most improved and that goes to Isabelle, who in fact came very close to being third with a mark of seventy-one."
"Woo, Isabelle!" Zeke calls out; he had a crush on the slim, red-haired teen.
Mrs. Marks hands Isabelle her award and she looks behind her at Zeke who is giving her a cheerful thumbs up.
Isabelle rolls her eyes, not interested in the likes of Zeke: a muscular teen with jet-black hair and brown eyes.
"Thank you, Mrs. Marks," she says.
Zeke gives Haley a poke and chuckles quietly.
"Maybe, last?"
Kyle hears Damien comment. Kyle's cheeks flush and he squashes against his desk, wishing to be swallowed; he just knows they are talking about him.
Mrs. Marks instructs the class to continue on with the next chapter of their textbooks: Algebraic equations, for the continuation of the lesson.
Kyle opens up his textbook and tries to concentrate but he struggles as he can't get his mind off his test.
"Yo: Cole and Eric: what did you guys get?" Zeke calls out.
Mrs. Marks glances up.
"Please refrain from shouting in the class, Zeke," she informs.
"I got sixty-five!" Cole yells back.
"Mine's sixty-three!" Eric adds.
"Hey Julia: what's your mark?" Haley asks.
Julia doesn't answer and the friends take guesses until Julia gives up and informs them.
Kyle feels sick to his stomach as he listens in on everyone else and realises he had come equal fifth with the same mark as Julia.
Kyle pretends not to hear the three at the back chattering and calling out to him for his result and focuses on the equations in front of him, although they are not making sense with his mind elsewhere.
"It must be bad if he's this quiet," Haley snickers.
"Enough discussing results now please, and focus on your equations," Mrs. Marks instructs.
Zeke, Haley, and Damien begin working through their textbook whilst continuing to quietly talk.
Cole gets up from his seat and walks to the back of the class and kneels down in between Zeke and Damien's desk.
"What have you guys worked out for question six?" Cole asks.
Damien goes on to explain his working out of the equation as Haley and Zeke still chatter and stare over at Kyle who is still remaining very quiet.
"I'd love to know what he got," Haley snickers.
"I bet he came last if he won't even say his mark," Zeke adds.
Cole glances over at Haley and Zeke then follows their direction to Kyle.
"Nah, he wasn't last; he beat me; he got sixty-seven. I saw his paper when the teacher handed it back," Cole casually explains.
The three don't have a chance to comment as the bell rings for the final of the lesson.
Kyle slams his textbook shut and not even bothering to shove them in his backpack, he rushes out the door.
Zeke, Haley, and Damien quickly pack up their belongings and race out to catch up to Kyle.
"Oi: what's the rush, genius Braxton?" Zeke calls out and rushes in front of Kyle, halting his walking.
Haley and Damien are soon to reach Zeke and Kyle and following Zeke's lead, Haley and Damien circle around Kyle, blocking any means of escape.
"Tell me, Kyle: what's it like not to come first?" Zeke taunts and gets right in Kyle's face, hovering over him.
"I would think it would suck; especially when you come in fifth instead," Damien adds with a snicker.
Kyle's eyes widen, as he becomes curious as to how they know about his mark.
"Come on; let us see that marvelous low mark of yours," Haley laughs and makes a grab for Kyle's textbook he has grasped tightly in his arms and that had his test poking out the top.
"Leave me alone," Kyle protests timidly, while the three just laugh.
Damien pulls at Kyle's arm, allowing just enough movement for Haley to snatch his textbook away.
She yanks out his test and holds it high in the air and throws Kyle's textbook down on the ground.
Kyle attempts to lean down to grab his textbook when Zeke roughly shoves him towards Damien and Haley.
"Who said you could pick that up, loser?" Zeke demands.
Kyle sighs defeated as he looks up at Haley holding his test way out of reach.
"Ooh a sixty-seven; that's got to hurt! Who'd have thought shrimpy-intellect Braxton was human, with a score like this? Finally, I beat the genius!" Haley laughs, still holding the test up high and taking a good look at Kyle's score.
"We all beat him, Haley," Zeke corrects.
"It's almost like he barely passed," Damien adds in with a tease.
"Give it back," Kyle mumbles; feeling physically and metaphorically small, surrounded by the taller teens.
The three laugh and pass Kyle's test around.
"I said: give it back," Kyle repeats; his cheeks flushing with embarrassment and dismay as he makes a grab for his test which Damien is holding on to this time.
"We all haven't finished our good laugh for the day," Haley teases and shoves Kyle away from Damien so the shortest of the three could have his turn at basking in beating Kyle's mark.
"Please, just give it back. You know what my mark is already," Kyle begs.
"But we're having so much fun knowing we beat you," Damien comments.
"Please give it back!" Kyle begs again.
"Give it back," Zeke taunts, "Is that all you got to say? I seem to remember you being pretty vocal when we were having our little chat with your imbecile little brother; this is payback."
Zeke jabs Kyle hard in the chest with his finger.
"Don't call Casey that," Kyle mumbles; lacking in all confidence, as he casts his eyes down; only now looking at their shoes.
"Why? Feeling like you're becoming stoop-id too?" Haley taunts in a babyish voice.
"Maybe it's because he's around that dim-witted moron for a brother all the time, surely it has to rub off. Is being around that dumbass cretin making you dumb?" Zeke laughs and looks down on Kyle again, intimidating him further.
Kyle has no more energy to fight back for Casey, or for himself and just feels like scrunching into a ball and crying, which he was very close to doing so.
"Hey: leave him alone you guys!"
Kyle glances over and sees Isabelle coming towards them.
The three got mildly distracted enough for Kyle to carefully kneel down and make a grab for his textbook, now he only needs to grab his test back and make a run for it, but Haley still had it in her hands and her extra six inches of height is no match for Kyle.
"Hey, Izzy: whilst you're here, how about we talk about a date?" Zeke asks with a flirting smile and wraps his arm around her shoulder.
"Get off me and don't call me that," she says and shoves Zeke's hand off her shoulder, despite his mild height difference of two inches.
"Just because you all beat Kyle in some test doesn't give you bragging rights; Kyle's never done anything to you and unlike you Zeke, Kyle's heart isn't black. So, you can get real about a date; I'd never date someone like you. Just because you are smart doesn't make you a good person and that goes for the rest of you," Isabelle declares before walking off.
Kyle blinks in shock at what just happened, and he glances around wondering if he would be able to escape as he stands back up to full height with his textbook back in his arms; just forget about his test and run for freedom.
Before he can make a move, he is surrounded by the three tormentors again.
"Going somewhere?" Damien snickers.
"You got Isabelle fighting your battles now? It's because of you I won't get a chance with her. I hope you're happy," Zeke spits.
"I didn't say anything," Kyle mutters.
"Shut up!" Zeke barks and shoves Kyle against the wall.
They notice Julia coming down the hall and realise she must be finished talking to Mrs. Marks, so it wouldn't be long before Mrs. Marks leaves her classroom.
Zeke flicks his head at his friends that it is time to leave and snatches the test from Haley.
Zeke screws up Kyle's test and throws it at Kyle's face.
"Don't think this is over, loser," Zeke warns.
Haley snickers and smacks Kyle's textbook from his arms onto the floor to join his scrunched-up test.
"Have a nice rest of the day shrimpy; you and that moron brother."
Haley walks off and follows Zeke after giving Kyle a shove also.
Finally, Damien yanks Kyle's backpack from his shoulders and chucks it on the floor, giving it a small kick.
"Enjoy your sixty-seven loser," he adds.
Kyle bends down to pick up his bag, textbook and test when Julia stops to lean down and help; only adding to Kyle's humiliation. Not only had Isabelle seen his bullying, so has Julia now.
Kyle makes a quick grab for his test and bag.
"Here," Julia says as she hands him his textbook.
"Thanks," Kyle replies as he stands up, now packing his book into his bag and shoving his test in his pocket.
"Hey, it's a bummer about your mark, but I think it's cool I got the same mark as you. It's an honour to get the same mark as one of the top students of not just the class but the year," Julia says in admiration while looking up at Kyle, with a smile on her face.
She is much shorter than Kyle at only a little over five foot and is quite large chested.
Kyle manages a weak smile, not wanting to hurt Julia when she is only being sweet and helpful, but Kyle however didn't feel very admired or smart at that moment, so instead of making a big deal, Kyle follows it up with a quick word of thanks.
Julia smiles meekly.
"See you around," she adds and waves, before leaving.
Kyle doesn't waste one more moment and hurries out the door.
Casey sighs as he finally catches sight of his older brother.
Kyle meets Casey outside of the gates.
"Finally; what took you so long?" Casey says impatiently.
"Just had to sort something out with my math class," Kyle mumbles, not wanting to talk about what had just happened with the bullies and his low mark.
Casey stares around at the school grounds that are slowly emptying, feeling annoyed his older brother took so long when all Casey wanted to do is get away from school as fast as possible after the last bell and here Kyle is taking extra time in school.
"You don't always have to stay behind just because you're always the smartest and most school loving goodie," Casey comments.
Kyle stares at the ground; Casey's comment about him only adding to his misery.
"Ryder, Liam, and Dex have all left to catch the bus," Casey informs.
Romeo is about to ask if Kyle is okay as he notices Kyle's forlorn look but is interrupted when his Mum's car pulls up at the gate.
"Sorry guys, my Mum needs my help at the shop this afternoon, so I better go."
"Call me later!" Casey calls.
Romeo gives his friends a wave and hops into his mum's car.
"Looks like it's just, you and me; what do you say we go and grab a milkshake?" Casey suggests.
Kyle shakes his head and starts to walk towards home.
"Why not, come on Ky? It's not like Brax would mind if we came home a bit later because we went for a milkshake," Casey protests.
Kyle just continues walking ahead.
"I don't want a milkshake," he replies.
Casey rushes to catch up.
"How could you not want a milkshake?"
"I just don't, so leave it alone," Kyle grumbles.
"What's up with you?" Casey asks with a frown.
"Nothing is up, not even my marks so shut up, okay?" Kyle snaps and storms ahead again.
Casey furrows his brow in total confusion and runs to catch up to his disgruntled older brother again.
"Ky, what happened; what did you mean?" Casey asks.
Kyle sighs heavily.
"I just got my math test results back that I did yesterday, and you might as well say that I flunked," Kyle explains.
Casey lets the news sink in before making a reply, thinking Kyle is just exaggerating.
"What, like you got a ninety-seven instead of a ninety-eight?" Casey says with a laugh.
Kyle glares, feeling annoyed that Casey is making jokes at his expense, especially after being made to feel stupid from his class tormentors.
"Why don't you just mind your own business and leave me alone? It's not a joke when you find out you barely pass!" Kyle yells.
"Kyle; Ky, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I thought you were just joking. What happened, you never get bad grades?" Casey asks, resting a hand on Kyle's slumped shoulder.
"I don't want to talk about it. I just want to get home and forget today ever happened, so please stop talking about it, Casey," Kyle replies.
Casey nods and releases his hand from Kyle's shoulder.
"Just know it's not the end of the world Ky, I barely pass tests all the time," Casey assures; thinking he is cheering Kyle up but instead it has the opposite effect.
"Well, I'm not you, Casey," Kyle grumbles and continues walking; picking up his pace as he turns the corner into Saxon Avenue.
Casey finally gets the hint and keeps his mouth closed as he follows Kyle down their street to midway where their house was.