AUTHOR'S NOTE: A tiny bit of swearing in this chapter.
Back at school, Ryder and Kyle are walking back to the main building from the gym.
"Where are you going so fast, dork? Be careful not to trip!" Wesley laughs and walks backwards so he's facing Kyle.
Kyle ignores him and adjusts the strap of his backpack. Grant however pulls his backpack off his back.
Kyle sighs miserably but doesn't comment, he kneels down and picks it up. Ryder on the other hand takes a step towards him.
"Just leave him alone!" Ryder says and glares at the bullies.
"Alright, alright; you'll be alone eventually, dork!" Wesley threatens and he and Grant walk away.
Ryder turns to Kyle.
"Okay, here's an idea. Tell Brax and Heath about them and then watch as your brothers use their underwear against them as they pull them up to their necks while they beg for your forgiveness. Oh, and have popcorn so you can have something to eat while you watch the show," Ryder says, smiling at his friend.
Kyle chuckles slightly but shakes his head.
"Dude after several wedgies, I can honestly say that no one deserves one," Kyle says, causing Ryder to roll his eyes.
"You're too nice," Ryder says, causing Kyle to cheekily smile at him.
"I know it's a crime."
Ryder gives his friend a playful shove.
As they reach the building they both head off to their separate classes.
Kyle walks into French, he takes a seat and sighs as Haley walks past him.
"Perdante," she laughs as she sits behind him.
He turns around and looks at her.
"That's the feminine way of saying loser," Kyle says and rolls his eyes.
"Your point? You are a total girl!" Haley laughs and whacks Kyle around the head.
Kyle turns back to the front of the class. At least it's only Haley, it would be worse if Zeke and Damien were in this class as well.
Just then their French teacher Monsieur Monet walks in.
"Bonjour!" he calls and stands in front of the class.
"Bonjour Monsieur Monet!" the class calls.
"Today we are going to be working on page forty-five in our textbooks," Monsieur Monet says and everyone opens their textbooks to page forty-five.
French class has finished now and Kyle's making his way to lunch where the rest of his friends are.
Haley walks past him but not without deliberately knocking his bag off his back.
Kyle huffs and rolls his eyes.
He picks his bag up and continues to walk down the hallway and heads towards the outside.
Once he gets there, he takes a seat in between Dex and Romeo.
He pulls out his lunch and starts to eat.
"Hey Ky, we were thinking of going to the Diner after school, we could get a milkshake!" Romeo says and nudges Kyle.
"Sounds good, I'll just check with Brax."
After getting the: all good, from Brax, Kyle continues to have a nice time talking to his friends.
Lunch goes by fast and now it's time for History class; a class that Kyle loves!
He's so happy that has it with his best friend but unfortunately with his best friend also comes his bullies.
"Hey man! How was French? I didn't get a chance to ask at lunch," Dex asks his best friend who looks up at him and smiles.
"Bon," Kyle replies, causing Dex to look at him sideways, "Good."
"Ohhh bueno! That means…." Dex says but is interrupted by his best friend.
"Good," Kyle says, laughing lightly.
Dex rolls his eyes and laughs.
"Yeah, so what did you do?" Dex asks.
"Textbook, what about you? What did you work on in Spanish?" Kyle asks.
"Textbook, but we were starting to talk about the speeches that we are going to do next term," Dex says, looking forward to doing it, and growing even more confident with speaking the language.
"Yeah, we are eventually going to do ours as well, I'm pretty nervous. I mean what if I fail?" Kyle asks nervously; he can't fail, his brothers would be so disappointed.
"You fail? Kyle, you haven't failed anything academic ever! Actually. let me rephrase that. You haven't failed anything: ever. On our very first Maths test in year one you got 110% because after you answered the one hundred questions they gave us, you wrote ten on your own and got them right!" Dex says, causing them both to chuckle.
His whole life Kyle's always been scared of failure and always expected way too much of himself.
"I know, I know, but what if I screw up?" Kyle says, "I can't do public speaking, Dex; you know that! My palms sweat, my heart races and my mouth dries up."
"Kyle, it'll all be okay; you'll smash it!" Dex says as he and Kyle enter their History class. They take their seats and pull out their History books.
Kyle sighs, he just wishes he had a bit more confidence.
Just then their teacher walks in.
"Hey class, today due to us studying World War Two we are going to watch The Boy in Striped Pyjamas," Mr. Harrison says and connects the laptop to the projector.
"I love this movie," Kyle says smiling, he always enjoys watching this movie even though he cries most times.
"Same. Indi loves it, so I watch it with her a bit," Dex replies and Kyle's cheeks redden slightly at the mention of Dex's sister.
"Every time," Dex says, chuckling; he loves how every time he mentions his sister Kyle blushes.
The movie starts so Mr. Harrison turns off the lights and they all settle down and watch the movie.
After History class, Kyle starts to walk towards music class.
"See you at the gate Ky," Dex says and slaps Kyle lightly on the back.
"See you then!" Kyle smiles and continues to make his way to music class.
When he reaches his class, he quickly grabs one of the guitars that are provided and starts to play the song that he has been working on.
His teacher Ms. Egan approaches him.
"That sounds great Kyle!" she praises and smiles down at him.
"Thanks Ms. Egan, I've been working on it, and I seem to be picking it up really well," Kyle says and looks down at his guitar and strums his guitar a few times.
"Well, I must say I'm very impressed with you, you seem to be a very talented young man," Ms. Egan praises again to which Kyle smiles widely.
Ms. Egan walks away and goes to see some of the other students and Kyle continues to work on the song.
After music class Kyle stops by Bianca's office.
"Hello Miss. Scott, how are you today?" Kyle asks as he smiles politely at her.
"Hey Kyle, I'm great thank you; yourself?" she questions.
"Not bad, all my classes were good and now some friends and I are going to the Diner," Kyle replies.
"Sounds lovely Kyle," Bianca replies.
"Yeah, anyway, I've come to get Casey's work. Brax asked me to talk to you about getting it," Kyle explains.
"Ah: yes! I have it all here from his teachers, it says the due date on them, so you all know when they're due and if you could please hand them in to me when they are finished that would be great," Bianca says as she hands the homework to Kyle.
"Thanks Miss. Scott. I'll do that," Kyle says smiling as he carefully puts the homework into his homework file that he uses to make sure all his stuff stays neat and organised.
"Has anyone given you any hassles today?" Bianca asks.
This causes Kyle to shake his head.
"Nah, no one did," Kyle lies.
"Well if anyone does, you let me know, okay. I'm here for you," Bianca says.
"Thanks Miss. Scott," Kyle sighs as he puts his bag back on.
"Bye," he smiles.
"Goodbye Kyle, have a good afternoon," Bianca reciprocates a smile.
"You too," Kyle replies.
He opens the door and walks to meet all of his friends at the gate.
"Milkshake time!" Liam says and throws his arm around Kyle.
"I've been looking forward to this since lunch!" he says, cheerfully.
"Of course you have, it's you and food," Dex says, causing all the friends to laugh.
Liam lets go of Kyle, and grabs Dex and messes up his hair.
"And what's wrong with that? Food is the best!" Liam exclaims, causing the friends to laugh again.
On the rest of the way to the Diner the friends continue to muck around.
"So has everyone had a good day?" Dex asks as the friends reach the diner.
The friends all nod.
"Yep, and the milkshake chips and wedges is just the icing on the cake," Romeo says, as the five friends sit down at the table.
"Hello loves; what can I get you?" Irene asks as she approaches the table.
"To drink, can I please have a caramel milkshake?" Romeo asks and smiles at Irene.
"Can I please have a chocolate milkshake?" Dex asks and Liam puts up his hand.
"Me too please."
"Can I please have a cookies and cream milkshake?" Ryder asks.
Irene nods her head.
"And you Kyle?" Irene asks the shy teenager, "Strawberry?" Irene implies as she remembers that Kyle always had a strawberry milkshake.
"Yes please," Kyle replies.
"No worries boys, and to eat?" Irene asks.
"Can we please have a bowl of chips and a bowl of wedges and make sure there is enough sour cream for all of us?" Romeo asks Irene.
"No worries, loves," Irene replies and goes off to the kitchen.
A little while later Roo and Leah come and give the boys their milkshakes.
"Hey boys; how was school?" Roo asks as she runs her hand through Ryder's hair.
"Can't complain," Ryder says and all the friends nod their heads in agreement.
"Well, I'm glad! Assignments going well?" Roo asks.
"Yeah and of course Kyle and Dex are smashing it!" Romeo says and smiles at the two friends.
This causes Kyle to blush and Dex to smile.
"So is everyone else," Kyle says, "Liam especially is really trying hard and I can see the improvements."
"Well, that's great; well done boys! Say, where is Casey today?" Roo asks.
"He's not allowed at school for a couple of days because there was a bit of trouble yesterday," Ryder explains.
"I see, as long as whatever it is keeps you out of trouble," Roo implies towards Ryder.
"I know, Aunty Roo," Ryder mumbles a reply.
"Well, your chips and wedges will be ready soon!" Roo says smiling and walks back to the kitchen.
The five friends continue to drink their milkshakes and talk to each other.
"Man, it sucks that Casey can't be here!" Romeo says, with the friends all nodding in agreement.
"Yeah! It was so dumb how he got suspended, just for standing up to a bunch of arseholes!" Liam says.
"Language Liam," Kyle says to his friend.
"There are a lot worse words than arsehole Kyle," Liam says to his friend.
Kyle sighs, he knows that not all his friends agreed with his non swearing view.
"It is sad though, all he was doing was protecting me," Kyle says.
"I mean surely Brax will allow him to come out maybe tomorrow, I mean surely he's not grounded," Romeo says, this causes Kyle to shake his head.
"He's not happy, he understands that he was only protecting me. But he's unhappy that he was physical with Aiden, Wesley and Grant," Kyle explains.
"Also known as the arseholes," Liam states, causing Kyle to put his head in his hands.
"Language please, Liam!" Kyle repeats.
Liam rolls his eyes.
"You need to get with the times, Kyle; swearing is so natural now," Liam says with a laugh.
"It still doesn't mean I have to like it," Kyle replies, causing his friends to laugh.
"Anyway, even though he's not officially grounded, he's still on restriction, as he still has extra chores and lots of schoolwork to do especially if the pile of work I've got in my bag for him is anything to go by, so I don't think Brax will let him come out."
"Bummer, doing heaps of schoolwork instead of hanging with us sucks," Romeo comments.
Towards the end of their meal, it starts to pour with rain.
"Oh damn," Liam complains.
Kyle sinks in his seat not keen on the idea of now walking home in the pouring rain, even if it was only a short distance.
"Now I'm going to get soaking wet walking home, even with my raincoat," Kyle says, pulling his raincoat out of his bag.
Indi then walks into the diner and orders a take-away caramel hot chocolate and turns around to spot the boys.
"Hi everyone," she greets.
"Maybe she can give us a lift?" Dex says and nudges Kyle.
"Indi are you free to drive us home?" Dex asks.
"Sure, I've just finished work, so I'd be happy to," she says.
"Great, Liam lives across town, then Romeo lives a few streets away from there."
"I'm all good, I don't need a lift. It's just a little water, besides I've trained in the wet before, it doesn't bother me," Romeo informs.
"Okay, then. Well, Ryder lives near the caravan park and then it's just Kyle and of course me," Dex says.
Indi nods, "Are you boys all ready then?"
They boys nod and get up from the table.
"See you all tomorrow!" Romeo calls and runs out into the rain.
"Come on then," Indi instructs and the remaining four boys head towards her car.
After dropping Liam and Ryder off, Indi drives towards the Braxton house.
"That's a really lovely raincoat you have, Kyle and a very smart idea to carry one. I tend to forget mine and well Dex doesn't particularly like wearing them," Indi says, causing Kyle to blush.
"It helps," Kyle responds quietly.
Indi pulls up at the bottom of the driveway.
"Say hello to your brother for me," she says.
Kyle thanks Indi for the lift and waves goodbye to her and Dex then makes his way into the house.
He spots Marilyn walking back into her house from being over at Brax's and he becomes curious as to why Marilyn had been over. He gives her a quick wave in which she reciprocates.
As Kyle enters, he sees Casey in the living room folding the laundry and Brax standing beside him.
Brax had just arrived home from his shift at work only moments earlier and had been using that time to check on Casey's progress with his chores from the day.
"Hey kiddo, you didn't get too wet I hope?" Brax says as he greets Kyle.
"No, just a little coming up the driveway. Indi came into the diner just as we were getting ready to leave and gave me, Ryder, Dex and Liam a lift. Romeo walked in the rain," Kyle replies, "Here I got Casey's schoolwork."
Kyle grabs Casey's pile of schoolwork out of his bag and places it on the table.
Casey slumps and looks over towards Kyle.
"Great," he moans sarcastically.
"Hey Case, I can give you a hand if you need it; I don't mind helping you," Kyle offers as he drops his bag on the couch.
Casey's eyes widen, knowing with Kyle's help it would mean less time for him to try and focus on the boring work.
"No Kyle, Casey can do it. I'll help him, if he really needs it. I want you to enjoy your afternoon," Brax says, in which Kyle nods his head lightly and Casey groans quietly.
"Okay, but would you like me to cook dinner?" Kyle asks Brax.
"Nah, Trooper; it's okay I'll put the chicken in the oven, you just enjoy the rest of your afternoon," Brax says and Kyle nods and decides to go for a shower before heading back to his room and grabbing one of his old Batman comics that he hasn't read in a while and relaxes on his bed.
After spending the afternoon reading his comic Brax calls him for dinner.
He walks out towards the table and sees Casey is still there but with his mountain of schoolwork put to the side and Heath has joined them too.
Kyle takes a seat at the table beside Heath, while Brax sits beside Casey after serving up dinner.
"Okay eat up!" Brax says and the four brothers start eating their roast chicken dinner sandwiches.
Casey glances up occasionally as the tension is still high between Heath and himself.
As he'd entered the house, Heath only greeted Brax and did nothing but glare hard at the youngest and had not stopped glaring since, still unimpressed at his behaviour towards his girlfriend.