Smash! Bam! I jerked my head up to see the school bully, Brayden Carter, throw Oliver Allen into the lockers. Brayden was tall, blonde, popular, rich, and never without a menacing smile on his face, while Oliver was small, brown-haired, had glasses, and was generally the smartest and scrawniest kid at school. Right now, he was pinned up against a locker, and quivering in fear.

"Boys, look!" Brayden sneered. He was surrounded by his henchmen. "It seems like the little freak is going to cry. Go on, you freak. Go ahead and cry." he cackled. He thinks he can rule the school (well he kind of does), and do whatever he wants! He always bullies people, but he's especially hard on Oliver. It's like he doesn't know everyone here is human. I want to go help Oliver, but what can I do? If I go over there, I'll probably start yelling and get in trouble. Rich Boy Brayden never gets in trouble; his wealthy parents fund the school.

If anybody so much as says a word to his mother's Oh-So-Precious-Baby, then everyone is put into detention. For 6 months. Excluding Brayden, of course.

Brayden kicked Oliver across the hallway. Oliver whimpered. Brayden wouldn't stop kicking him, hitting him, taunting him. I was fed up! I marched up to Brayden and started yelling at him.

"SHUT UP!" I screamed. He smirked.

"It seems like nerd boy's got himself a girlfriend." he jeered.

"I AM NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND, YOU BUTT!"

He continued smiling smugly.

"CAN'T YOU SEE HOW MUCH HE'S HURTING?! CAN'T YOU STOP?!"

"I will if you fight me, loser." he challenged me calmly, probably knowing I wouldn't have the guts to fight him. He was the best boxer in school. But I had to something for Oliver.

"Brayden, I think we could work this out using words and not fists. We should talk it-" I was unfortunately cut off by a mad Brayden Carter.

"I don't think so." he hissed. And threw a punch. He barreled into me throwing his fists everywhere. I didn't fight back. Just merely tried to dodge.

"Hey! Hey!" Out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure walking towards us. "Break it up!" Someone tore us apart. I looked up to see Principal Steinfield glaring at us. "Now what happened here?" He surveyed the two of us. I was covered in cuts and bruises. Brayden looked like he walked out of a magazine shoot. "Now what happened here?"

"She threw the first punch, sir." Brayden said innocently.

"What? But...I-"

"Hush. Lisa, it's high time everyone knows what you did." Brayden said, having a hard time covering an all too noticeable smirk.

"Are you sure Lisa started this, Mr. Carter?" Principal Steinfield asked, eyeing my many bruises.

"Yes, sir."

"Are you completely sure?"

"Positive, sir."

"Are you completely, and utterly sure?" Principal Steinfield interrogated, giving Brayden one of those scary, all too principal-y looks.

Brayden gulped.

It was my turn to smirk.

"Um...well...sir...I..."

Principal Steinfield raised an eyebrow.

"Sir...sir...sir...well..."

Steinfield kept waiting. He started tapping his foot on the cold, hard, white tile.

"Sir, well, please understand. A fight was inevitable. And-"

"Who threw the first punch, Brayden?"

"Well, uh, me, I guess."

"Then you will have detention for a month."

"What?" Brayden exclaimed. His face hardened. He tried a different tactic. "If you punish me, my mother will hear about this. She will stop the funds. Then how will this school survive?" he smiled triumphantly when the Principal frowned.

"Dear me, I knew you were capable to go to lengths to get what you want, but blackmailing the principal? That's low, even for you."

Brayden gasped, as did many others in the hallway, myself included. "Brayden, my decision is final." Principal Steinfield stated firmly. "You will serve in after-school detention for a month."

"You can't do this!" Brayden protested.

"Hmm. How about two months?"

That proved effective in shutting Brayden up.

"Now, Mr. Carter, off you go." Principal Steinfield said, nodding. Brayden then left with his cronies. Principal Steinfield leff, apparently forgetting about Oliver. and leaving him in my care. The rest of the students mingling in the hallways rushed off to their next classes as the bell rang. None of them even spared a glance for Oliver. I should help him. But I couldn't afford to be late for class, could I? I quickly checked my schedule and saw I had Mrs. Safvko next. Perfect, I thought.

Mrs. Safvko was a batty old lady who liked nothing more than to sleep during class, and cared nothing for her students. I doubt she'll notice I'm gone. And if she does, I can always say I was just helping a student who couldn't make it to his class. For the good of the school, I'll say.

I bent down where Oliver was lying sprawled on the floor.

"Oliver... Oliver..." I gently whispered to him.

"Wa...I...nee...wat..." he mumbled. I realized he needed water. I rummaged through by backpack in search of a plastic water bottle I had not drank out of yet. Where is a stupid water bottle when you need it? I finally found one. I quickly twisted the cap open, and raised it to Oliver's mouth, as he was in no condition to raised his arm. He drank greedily. 'Can't blame him. He must be so thirsty.

"Oliver. Oliver." I repeated. He looked up at me. His face was covered in bruises, cuts, and scars. There was an evident look of fear in his eyes. "It's okay, Oliver. You don't need to be afraid." I said gently. The look in his eyes went away, but not completely. "How about I take you to the school nurse, alright?" he nodded, his fear subsided.

I helped him stand up. He groaned in pain. "You'll be alright, you'll be alright." I whispered to him. He slowly took one step forward, and then another. "You're doing good Oliver."

Step by step, we made it to the nurse. "Nurse Frye! Nurse Frye!" I called out. She rushed over.

"Oh, dear." she said, looking at Oliver. "What is your name?" she asked the both of us.

"Lisa Nettle." I answered.

"Whlvr Aln." Oliver mumbled incoherently.

"What was that again?" Nurse Frye asked.

"Oliver Allen." I filled in for him. She nodded. What is with adults and nodding? I wondered. There's no reason to nod, so why do it?

"Please bring him over there." Nurse Frye said, gesturing to a bed. I helped him walk, his small figure leaning against me. "You may go now." she told me. I left. 

~

It was just after the last bell rang when I heard it.

"Thank you."

I could barely hear it. I turned around in time to see a familiar brown head in the hubbub of students.