AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you so much everyone still reading and supporting this story and to Braxton54, Bonnie Sveen Fan and Guest for reviewing. There is slight swearing in this chapter.
Kyle makes his way to his English class on his own, trying hard to ignore the looks and sniggers around him from the other students in the halls.
Just as Kyle heads into the classroom, Haley and Zeke run up to him.
"Hey, it's Pinky!" Zeke teases with a laugh.
Kyle's face flushes in embarrassment and he proceeds to walk on.
"What, not even a hello; Pinky Braxton?" Zeke laughs.
"Hey, you have to just tell me your hair styling secrets because I'm just dying to know. I mean a girl's got to know and you seem to be trying out to be one!" Haley laughs loudly.
Kyle sweats, feeling so uncomfortable and humiliated; wishing he could be anywhere but here.
"Take your seats everyone," Kyle's English teacher Mrs. Jones says.
The students take their seats and Kyle could just feel the eyes of Haley and Zeke boring in his back as they sat at the back of the class, no doubt talking and laughing at his expense.
By the time lunch comes around and Kyle joins Casey and their friends, he'd had enough of the paranoia associated with the snide remarks and laughs.
"What's wrong Ky?" Casey asks.
"I told Brax me coming to school was a bad idea. I feel everyone is just making fun of me and making me out to be some girl and the jerks in my advanced classes kept calling me Pinky," Kyle admits sadly.
Casey hangs his head, sympathetically. He wants so much to protect his brother, but he can't admit how the students in his advanced class intimidate him after they teased him.
"At least the day's almost over, right?" Ryder comments.
Before Kyle gets the chance to answer the group hear a loud roar of laughter.
"This is one classic memory. I just wish Aiden were here to see this."
"Quick: take a picture!" Grant instructs his other friend, Wesley, who quickly snaps a photo on his phone.
"Ignore those idiots, Kyle," Dex reassures and rubs Kyle's arm.
Kyle sighs and hangs his head, hiding his reddened cheeks, wanting nothing more than to be swallowed up in a great big hole.
Casey rages upon seeing Kyle so humiliated by the bullies and stands up to match their height.
"Piss off Wesley and Grant; you ass-wipes!" Casey warns.
"Ooh, little brother acting tough again. Whatever happened to using your fists like last time?" Wesley teases as he stands tall to increase his slight height advantage to Casey.
Both Grant and Wesley were still very angry over their friend, Aiden being expelled because of Kyle and having been present at the time of the fight with Casey, also knew if the youngest got into another fight he would be expelled.
"Just get out of here and leave us alone, you jerks!" Romeo stands up and yells.
"Just piss off and stop being such bullying vultures!" Liam adds.
"We're not talking to you pathetic losers!" Grant spits and turns back to Kyle.
"So, what's it like pretending to be a pixie?" he laughs.
Casey flexes his fists, fighting all urges to control his temper and not punch the lights out of the two bullies.
Wesley laughs, "What's the matter Casey have you forgotten how to use your fists or are you just as weak as your brother?"
Wesley gives Casey an encouraging push, urging the angry teen to fight back.
"Back off: Wesley!" Romeo snaps as he stands beside Casey.
Casey being unable to control his temper any longer grips Wesley by the shirt and shoves him hard.
"I'm not weak and my brother isn't some pixie you can bully around just because you're a dumbass!" Casey yells.
Wesley tries pushing Casey back.
"Whoa! If only a teacher could see you now; you'd be expelled for being violent again," Grant snickers and makes a move backwards to indicate he was going to find a teacher so Casey could get caught.
"Casey, don't: just leave it! I don't want you getting expelled over this!" Kyle yells.
"I don't care! I'm sick of them treating you like this, especially because of what Heath did!" Casey yells back and shoves his grip harder on Wesley.
Romeo and Liam both grab hold of Casey to stop him attacking Wesley.
"Forget it Dude," Romeo comforts.
Casey finally retreats and is pushed down beside his older brother, still feeling full of anger.
"Brax would care if you got expelled and so would I," Kyle tells Casey firmly as he places a comforting hand on his arm to try and calm him.
Casey knows Kyle is right and after his suspension he wasn't keen on having to deal with Brax if he'd gotten expelled.
"Better listen to your emo fairy big brother; get it? Pixie as in fairy, emo fairy," Wesley jokes.
Casey seethes and makes a move to attack Wesley again, but Kyle holds his arm, stopping him.
"Oh, real smart guys. Does bullying others make you feel so good? What kind of person does that make you?" Ryder snaps.
"No-one asked you!" Wesley snaps.
"Kyle might have pink hair but at least it doesn't make him ugly like both of you, with the zits on your face like mountains!" Casey spits angrily.
"So: what? It's not like you all have perfect skin; it's normal!" Grant snaps back; Casey's comment hitting a nerve for the bully.
"Don't like hearing the truth huh?" Liam laughs.
"Casey's right: you both are ugly on the outside as well as on the inside!" comments Dex.
"You want to start something now too, you geek?" Wesley snaps at Dex.
Grant gives Wesley a poke as he sees Bianca approaching.
"Later dudes, Pixie, and loser Braxton," Wesley snickers.
"Bugger off before I smash you both!" Liam snaps just as Bianca approaches the teens.
"Was there any problem here?" Bianca asks.
She doesn't get an answer before she takes sight of Kyle's hair.
"My goodness: Kyle! What on earth happened to your hair?" Bianca exclaims.
With a hard scowl still on his face from his raging emotions, Casey answers.
"Ask your boyfriend!" he snaps.
Kyle stares at Casey, unbelieving he willingly just dobbed Heath in, and his stomach sinks in dread of just making Heath angrier.
"What do you mean? Kyle, how did your hair turn pink?" Bianca asks.
Kyle doesn't answer.
"Kyle, answer me please," Bianca demands.
"I'd rather not say," Kyle mumbles.
"I'll say! Heath changed Kyle's hairspray with a strong dyed hairspray and that's not all your so brilliant boyfriend has done! He's played some rotten tricks on us, like scaring Kyle, putting salt in my drink and giving us wedgies that hurt. He's just been plain mean, and this was way before our dinner joke!" Casey explains angrily.
Bianca frowns, shocked by the information being thrown at her.
Kyle gives Casey a rough elbow jab in the side.
"What? She deserves to know what a dick Heath's been!" Casey snaps.
"Casey, you will not use that kind of foul language in the presence of myself or other teachers; is that clear?" Bianca scolds.
"Well, it's true; he is," Casey grumbles, only to receive a stern glare from Bianca before she turns her attention back to Kyle.
"Are you alright Kyle?" Bianca asks in a softer tone.
"I'm fine Miss. Scott," Kyle mumbles.
"Well if anyone gives you trouble you come and see me," she informs.
Kyle nods.
The bell for the end of lunch sounds.
"You all best hurry up and get to class," Bianca orders.
All teens gather up their bags and head in the direction of their fifth period class.
Bianca returns to her office feeling confused and upset. She picks up her phone and dials Heath's number; she had to find out if what Casey had told her was true.
"To what do I owe this pleasure, Babe?" Heath answers playfully as he answers his phone and flops down on his couch.
Bianca sighs heavily; doubting whether she knew Heath at all.
"I'm not in the mood Heath. Tell me why in the world you would do such horrible things to your younger brothers?" Bianca demands; taking another deep breath.
Heath is taken aback by the tone of his girlfriend's voice; she did not sound happy at all.
"What are you talking about?" Heath quizzes.
"Don't play games with me, Heath. I mean Kyle's hair and the mean jokes you played on them and even hurting them with giving them wedgies? How childish can you be?" Bianca accuses, raising her voice again.
"I was teaching them a lesson," Heath defends.
"You are their older brother and it's your responsibility to care for them and lead by example, not punish them with cruel jokes, that is not teaching them a lesson! You already know Kyle is already bullied at school and you know how sensitive and gentle he is, and Casey, he's full of spirit and humour and sure can be a bit mischievous but he just needs guidance. Kyle couldn't even tell me what happened to him, Casey informed me. So did you threaten him not to tell or you would hurt him?" Bianca yells.
"No! How can you ask me that?" Heath argues.
"I don't know. I honestly thought you were a pretty decent guy, Heath; maybe I was wrong?" Bianca admits, softening her tone.
"Come on Babe; don't be like that," Heath mutters.
"Don't call me that!" Bianca snaps.
Heath sighs in frustration.
"What about the dirty pranks they played on me at our dinner date?" Heath says in protest.
"They are teenage boys, and they make mistakes and have a right to act out sometimes, where-as you Heath, are an adult and should know not to be so immature and mean. I just don't know if I can date someone who treats their teenage brothers, or their family the way you do," Bianca concludes.
"Bee, what are you saying?" Heath stutters, beginning to feel like he'd been slapped in the face.
"I need a break from you," Bianca replies flatly.
"Bianca, wait; please Babe, don't do this," Heath pleads, reeling in shock.
"I need to get back to work Heath," Bianca says, with a hint of despair and feeling saddened.
"Bianca, can't we talk about this?"
"I'm done talking, Heath," Bianca snaps.
"Well can you at least give me some idea when we can get together again?" Heath asks in desperation, to hold onto his relationship.
"When you've decided you've grown up and can act more mature and show me Kyle and Casey mean more than an outlet for your revenge. Now don't call me for a while. Now goodbye," Bianca responds firmly and hangs up the phone before Heath even gets the chance to reply.
Heath stares wide eyed on the couch in a state of shock realising he'd just been dumped and given a hard truth.
Heath brushes aside his mixed feelings and tosses his phone angrily on the couch next to him.
"Bloody hell; damn all this!" he screams.
Heath gets up and stomps around his flat, reaching for a six pack of beer; quickly cracking the first bottle open to drown his sorrows.
His anger slowly fades from the resentment from being dumped to that of his little brother; this was his fault.
If Casey hadn't opened his mouth, none of this would have even happened.
Heath sculls down another beer and waits for Kyle and Casey to return home from school; he had a score to settle.