The end of the day finishes and Ryder, Romeo, Kyle, and Casey all wave goodbye to Liam who is picked up by his Dad before the four teens walk home.
Ryder exits the group first to head in the direction of the caravan park, so Romeo continues on with Kyle and Casey.
The three continue to chat while Romeo dribbles his basketball along the way. Once the boys get a block away from Romeo's house Romeo farewells his friends and heads on his way.
Kyle and Casey then walk the few extra streets home.
Brax greets them when they walk in the door.
"How was school?"
"Just brilliant," Kyle sarcastically replies, still feeling miserable from the day's teasing.
Brax sighs and approaches his brothers.
Under normal circumstances, Brax would bring Kyle up over his sarcasm but he knew it was tough for Kyle fronting up to school with coloured hair.
Brax places his hands on Kyle's upper arms and gives them a squeeze.
"Be honest with me, Ky: how was it?"
Kyle hangs his head sadly.
"I got teased over my hair..."
"Nothing seriously bad, I hope?" Brax says in panic.
"Just name calling and laughs, but Ryder, Liam, Romeo, Dex and Casey all stood up for me," Kyle replies.
Brax eyes Casey, being aware of Casey's temper.
"You didn't fight did you?" he warns Casey.
"No! But I wanted to! Why should Kyle be teased because of Heath? He should be the one being teased," Casey answers.
Brax nods.
"Well I'm proud of you for not fighting, Casey," Brax praises.
"Come here," Brax instructs and pulls Kyle in for a hug.
"Hey, where's mine?" Casey says with a pout.
Brax opens up one of his arms and Casey moves closer so Brax can grab him and pull him into a hug too, causing both teens to smile
The hug is interrupted by the front door bursting open and Heath storming in.
Heath goes straight to Brax's fridge and pops open a beer, for he needed another one in order to deal with his brother.
"Don't you have any of your own?" Brax asks.
Kyle and Casey watch on attentively.
Heath huffs and just sculls a big dose of his beer.
"Run out of a six pack already," Heath grumbles.
"What's up?" Brax asks with a furrowed brow and his hands on his hips as he glances at Heath's semi intoxicated stated.
Heath huffs again and glares directly at Casey.
"You: you had to just go and open your big fat mouth; didn't you?" Heath accuses and advances closer towards Casey.
Casey moves backwards, in fear of his older brother.
Brax stands firmly in front of Kyle and Casey, blocking Heath's way.
"Would someone tell me what's going on?" Brax demands; glancing between Heath and Casey.
"I didn't do anything!" Casey argues.
"Oh yes, you damn well did! You told Bianca I was the reason behind Kyle's hair, plus a few other things and now we had a fight. She doesn't want anything to do with me at the moment!" Heath snaps.
"That's not my fault! It's not my fault, Brax!" Casey complains angrily.
"Simmer down, Casey," Brax instructs softly and waves a hand in Casey's direction.
"So let me get this straight: Bianca is mad at you because she found out about you teasing Kyle and Casey?"
"Yes!" Heath angrily confirms.
"Well sucked in! I hope you suffer! At least Kyle and I don't have to pay for a stupid dinner for you!" Casey spits.
"Casey, that is enough," Brax says calmly.
"Oh you wish, baby brother. You owe me big time and even more so now since you ruined my perfectly good relationship!"
"I didn't!" Casey complains in a sulk.
"Look Heath, just go back to the flat and cool down. I don't want world war three happening between you lot," Brax orders.
Kyle gives Casey a comforting nudge, wondering when Heath is going to start on him.
Heath takes his half drunk beer and storms towards the door, but before he has a chance to leave, Brax grabs the beer from his brother's hand.
"I think you've had enough for today," Brax states sternly.
Heath scowls.
"You can't tell me what to do," Heath slurs.
"Try me; get out Heath!"
Heath huffs and as he walks past the teens, he quickly smacks Casey on the head.
"Ow!" Casey yelps and grabs his head, scowling.
"That's for not keeping your mouth shut!" Heath snaps.
Kyle shuffles nervously on the spot as he glances sympathetically at Casey, waiting for his turn for Heath to slap him but nothing comes.
Kyle suddenly feels a rough ruffle of his head.
"At least Kyle here knows how to keep his mouth shut when it matters," Heath praises.
"Heath, just go: and don't come back over here again when you're plastered!" Brax orders.
"Fine!" Heath snaps and storms out of the house and back to his flat.
"I'm sorry about causing a fight and for Heath hurting you, Case," Kyle mumbles.
Casey huffs; still rubbing the back of his head.
"It's no-one's fault. They were bound to have an argument at some point, it just happens to be about some incidents between you boys and him," Brax assures.
"Can I go for a surf?" Casey asks in a grumpy tone; needing his release for blowing off steam.
Brax looks over at the time.
"Well, okay, but I want you home by six for dinner," Brax responds.
Casey nods his head and walks off with a huff to change into his wetsuit.
"Why don't you help me make dinner?" Brax suggests to Kyle.
"Sure; what are we having?" Kyle replies.
"Zucchini and sweet potato slice," Brax informs and makes his way towards the kitchen.
Kyle makes a grab for the vegetables and begins to peel them, while Brax pulls out a few slices of bacon from the fridge, to cut up.
Casey walks out of the bedroom in his wetsuit and grabs his surfboard from the laundry.
Brax pops his head out of the kitchen before Casey reaches the front door.
"You watch yourself out on the surf, Case," Brax yells out; still remaining protective of his brother when he opted to surf at the beach.
Casey turns, scowling and not saying a word.
"Casey, I mean it," Brax adds more firmly.
"Yeah: okay, Brax. See you when I get home," Casey grumbles.
Brax sighs and returns back to his task of chopping up the bacon.
A few moments later, Brax glances over at Kyle who is now working on grating the zucchini.
"Are you alright, Trooper?"
"Yeah, I'm fine Brax; really," Kyle replies.
"Well, you know you can always talk to me if you need to."
Kyle nods, "Like you said I only have to deal with it for one more week and by the time school holidays is over the colour should have washed out."
Brax smiles, "That's a very sensible attitude, little man. I'm glad to see you holding your head high."
"Thanks," Kyle says smiling.
"Put whatever you've finished into the mixing bowl, with the eggs and flour," Brax instructs and adds his bacon pieces.
Kyle drops the grated zucchini in and starts on the sweet potato.
Once everything is mixed, Brax places it into a pan and then into the oven before going for a shower.
Kyle heads to his bedroom and grabs one of his comic books and takes it outside to read in the back garden.
Casey returns back from his surf just before six and puts his surfboard down.
"Have you calmed down now?" Brax asks gently from his position on the couch.
After his shower he had sat down to relax and read a magazine, while the dinner cooked.
"Yeah," Casey replies quietly.
"Well go and get organised because dinner is almost ready," Brax instructs.
Casey walks down to the bedroom where he changes out of his damp wetsuit and into dry clothes and meets his brothers back at the table, where Brax is serving up the zucchini and sweet potato slice.
The next day on Tuesday went by with minimal teasing as the kids in Kyle's classes soon became bored of the same jokes about his hair.
It isn't until Wednesday when Kyle is on his way to meet his friends at lunch that he is bombarded by Wesley and Grant, as they come out of their computer studies class at the top of the stairs before the canteen and junior bathrooms.
Kyle's stomach flips nervously and he tries to back track but it is too late and Wesley and Grant grab Kyle by the arms and hold him tight.
"Not so tough without your little posse hanging around? This is payback for the comments from the other day and your brother's attack on me; my neck got hurt because of his grip on my shirt!" Wesley snickers.
"That and also because this is fun picking on you, especially because of what you did to Aiden," Grant adds.
"I didn't do anything to Aiden; he got what he deserved after what he did to me!" Kyle stutters out, trying to fight back, while also attempting to block out the horrible incident from last time.
"Well we just have to make sure we continue his legacy," Wesley laughs.
The two bullies drag Kyle forcefully down the stairs and into the boy's bathroom.
They roughly shove Kyle into a stall.
"Think of this as a favour Pixie; we're just going to help get that pink colour out of your hair," Wesley laughs.
"Let me go!" Kyle shouts.
Grant holds Kyle down on the ground with his knee pressed firmly against Kyle's back, as Wesley yanks him by the hair and shoves his head into the toilet bowl.
Kyle fights with all his might but cannot wriggle loose from Wesley's firm hold on his hair and neck and Grant's sharp knee in his back; pushing his body awkwardly against the toilet bowl.
Grant laughs loudly as he flushes the toilet.
Kyle holds his breath but sputters when his face is soaked by the strong flush.
The teens hear a gasp from behind them and Wesley and Grant turn to see two year sevens staring with their mouths agape.
"What the hell are you two staring at?" Grant spits.
"Scram: you shrimp year seven's!" Wesley yells.
The two year sevens remain standing in shock; intimidated by the bullies and what they were doing to Kyle.
"What are you both deaf as well as dumb?" Grant mocks.
"If you both don't scram right now you'll both be next in line for a big drink!" Wesley warns.
"And we'll give you a beating too and if you're lucky maybe only a quick hanging wedgie instead of an atomic one!" Grant snickers.
Fearing for their lives, the two year sevens dart out of the bathroom.
Barely hearing what is happening around him from the water in his ears, Kyle takes a chance and lifts his head, getting a reprieve.
Once the year sevens had disappeared out of the bathroom, Wesley grabs Kyle by the neck again.
"Oh no; we're far from done," he sniggers and shoves Kyle's head into the toilet again and Grant repeats the flush.
The teens continue this for another four more times, with each time Kyle becoming more and more sick and disorientated from the drowning sensation.
"Please stop!" Kyle struggles to beg.
"Liking the big drink, Emo Fairy?" Wesley and Grant laugh loudly and as they are about to swirly Kyle another time the bathroom door swings open and two year twelve students rush in with one of the year sevens in toe.
"Get the hell off him you cowardly thugs!" One student yells and instantly springs into action to pull Wesley and Grant away from Kyle by the scruffs of their neck.
He is sporting strong arm muscles and a well trimmed physique and has a towel hanging around his neck, having just finished a training swim at the school's aquatic centre, where his year seven brother came to notify him about Wesley and Grant's threat to him and his friend only moments earlier.
"How would you two like it if someone stuck your heads down a toilet and almost drowned you? What about if you were given; what did you threaten to my brother; a hanging wedgie? If I wasn't so reasonable that's exactly what I would do and believe me when I say: you would not want to get either one of those from me," the muscular student scolds.
Wesley and Grant nervously shake their heads. They knew who this guy was: Scott Jenkins. He had a reputation in the school for being the star athlete in swimming with having won four gold medals in the youth Olympics plus a number of various ribbons for at school events.
Kyle pulls away from the toilet, coughing and choking on the water draining from all over his head and mouth; trying to familiarise himself with his surroundings.
The second year twelve student, who is Scott's twin, approaches Kyle in the cubicle and gently helps him to stand.
Kyle accepts the help willingly and glances at the black attired Goth standing beside him, helping him to stand.
"Hey: I know you, you're that kid that had that song at the assembly; Kyle, right?" The Goth kid says.
Kyle blinks, comprehending how this student knew who he was and that he'd listened to his song; giving Kyle a sense of pride.
"Ye...ah," Kyle chokes out.
Scott glances over at Kyle and becomes angrier.
"You two are going to confess to Principal Scott what you just did to this poor boy and to make sure you both don't chicken out I'm going to take you both there myself and let this be a warning to you both: if I hear of you picking on this kid again or threatening my younger year seven brother or his friends, I'm going to make sure you both know what it feels like to be targeted," Scott threatens.
"Here kid," Scott calls and tosses Kyle the towel from his neck.
Kyle drops the towel in a daze and goes to lean down to pick it up but the Goth student stops him.
"I got it," he says and grabs the towel, handing it to Kyle.
Scott grips both Wesley and Grant by the arm and leads them out and towards Bianca's office.
Kyle composes himself and scrubs his face and hair dry with the towel.
"So what kind of style are you going for with the pink hair?" The Goth kid asks.
"I'm not, it's a prank done by one of my big brothers," Kyle shamefully replies.
"Oh, that sucks. I'm lucky I get on with my older twin brother, despite being total opposites."
"I mostly get on with my brothers, it's just..."
"Hey, it's cool man. I just like it, is all."
Kyle blushes with embarrassment.
"The name's Toby Jenkins, by the way," the Goth kid introduces and holds his hand out for Kyle to shake.
"Kyle Braxton, but I guess you already knew that" Kyle replies softly and shakes Toby's hand.
"Yeah, I was so taken by your song that I remembered you. You wrote some really awesome lyrics," Toby praises.
"You really mean that?" Kyle mumbles.
"Sure, I'm really into music and like to dabble in writing my own," Toby explains.
Scott returns to the bathroom to see Kyle hanging onto the towel and his twin brother talking with him.
Kyle blinks, still taken aback by these year twelve students helping him and especially a big named jock like Scott Jenkins.
"He...here's your towel; thanks," Kyle says timidly and holds the towel out for Scott.
"No sweat. You okay kid?" Scott asks and gives Kyle's shoulder a squeeze and takes his towel with his other hand.
"Yeah: it's nothing new," Kyle mumbles.
"Don't be so down on yourself, kid. Bullies are just cowards trying to make themselves feel better," Scott informs.
Kyle looks up at Scott; feeling mildly intimidated wondering what a mega sporting athlete would know about bullies.
"Take it from me: I get called an Emo, freak, weirdo; all because I'm different and into a Gothic style and wear black clothes and makeup and have a love for arts and music," Toby says with a shrug.
"Believe it or not, I've been the target of many bullies too. In competitions, people can be quite fierce and I've had many people jealous of my achievements, so do anything to put me down, but I've had to deal with it and tell myself that I'm doing the best I can do and I'm doing what makes me happy and it doesn't matter what people think of me because they aren't living my life; I am," Scott explains, taking Kyle by surprise.
Toby nods.
"Unfortunately I can't share my brother's view on that, but I've learned to adapt to dealing with the torments and one day you will too, but always be true to your own style and don't chance who you are just because it's different. You know I'd really love to jam sometime with you Kyle; maybe we could write some music together?"
Kyle furrows his brow and is hesitant.
"But you guys are seniors and we're not supposed to hang together," Kyle replies.
"Who says? You are way cooler than some people in our year," Toby implies.
Kyle smiles, feeling shocked that these seniors were complimenting him and saying he was cool.
"Well, thanks to both of you for helping me," Kyle finally says.
"Anytime; Kyle, is it?" Scott replies.
"Yeah," Kyle answers.
"You seem like a pretty genuine nice guy, so anytime you need some backup or just want to hang and say hi, come and find us. In fact here's my number," Scott adds, handing Kyle a piece of paper with his mobile number.
"Yeah, and here's mine if you ever want to think about us writing together," Toby adds and writes his number down.
"I will; thanks," Kyle smiles and stares at the pieces of paper in amazement.
The two year twelve twins and Kyle make their way out of the bathrooms.
"Did you need us to walk with you somewhere?" Scott offers; wanting to make sure he left Kyle safe.
"No, it's okay. I was on my way to meet my friends and younger brother," Kyle responds.
"Alright, well, see you around then Kyle," Scott farewells.
"Catch you around man," Toby adds and both he and Scott walk off.
Kyle is about to make his way towards the oval when Bianca catches up to him.
"Kyle!" she calls.
"Hi, Miss. Scott," Kyle greets, sheepishly, knowing that she would already know what happened to him.
"May I have a word with you in my office, Kyle," she asks.
Kyle follows Bianca to her office, and he sees Wesley and Grant sitting in an adjacent room.
"Sit down Kyle," Bianca instructs and indicates to a chair on the opposite side of her desk chair.
"I have no doubt you know what this is about," Bianca begins.
"Yeah, I guess," Kyle mumbles.
"I am sorry that Wesley James and Grant Peary have targeted you again after my warning from last time," Bianca apologises sympathetically, with a hint of frustration in her voice.
Kyle hangs his head in shame. She must think I'm the weakest human being to be targeted again, Kyle thinks.
"I think given your past circumstances Kyle, it is best if you have the afternoon off," Bianca suggests. Kyle flicks his head up.
"That's not necessary Miss Scott," Kyle mumbles.
"It's non-negotiable. I have already notified Brax and he is on his way down to come and pick you up."
Kyle sighs: knowing there is no point in arguing and so sits patiently for his big brother to arrive.