They say having thicker skin will help you during life and, usually, it did. Unfortunately, that did nothing to help Chord in this situation, walking alongside Xander as he wrapped (more like chained) his arm across his shoulders, his friends trailing behind like ducks following their mother.

They didn't stop walking until Chord was pushed into an empty bathroom, the door locking with a finality that chilled Chord's blood.

"Chord, buddy, you're a smart guy," he said, clapping his hands together.  "So maybe you can help me out. There is this tiny little problem I'm having."

"If you need tutoring, the counselor's office can—" His words were cut short when Xander shoved Chord enough to hit the wall, stumbling.

"You think you're funny? I see you think you're allowed to make jokes, huh?" He placed his palm on the wall near his head, staring down. "We've had a wonderful thing going all these years. You make yourself as unnoticeable as a loser like you can do and I'll stay happy. However, things seems to have become a bit lax. Care to tell me why?"

Chord bit the inside of his mouth, but didn't say anything in reply. After enduring years of bullying from him, he knew nothing he said would appease Xander.

"Come on, you're a smart guy. Right, Charity Case?"

Chord cleared his throat, not quite able to meet Xander's gaze. "I've been doing that. So I don't see what the issue is."

Xander make a tsk sound with his tongue. "I'm talking about Scarlett."

Can this dude just get it over with?

"What about her?" Chord flinched as Xander took his face in his hand, his nails digging into his jawline. Even with just his fingers, Chord could feel the strength he'd gained from football since before middle school.

"Last time I checked, I don't have sight issues. So what I saw back there must be a fucking hallucination. Why the fuck were you talking with Scarlett? Are you best fwiends alweady?"

In actuality,  Xander wasn't much taller than Chord himself. The contrasting difference was the dangerous air that came off of him when you were on the receiving end of his bullying. An air that rooted everyone to the spot, the look that paralyzed you with fear. Xander fed off of the fear others showed him and he milked it for all it was worth. That and the muscle he had.

"We were just coming out of the library at the same time is all. It's not that big of a deal." Chord knew this wasn't the truth, but he also knew nothing he said would appease what Xander said. He just could only hope he didn't say anything to piss him off and make whatever beating he was going to get worse.

Xander let out an amused laugh. "Is that so? Then what were you two talking about then? Were you telling her how lonely and pathetic you are? Did you give her the old puppy eyes to make her feel as bad for you as the rest of us do? Were you wagging your wittle tongue at her, hoping she'd give you the first bit of attention in your life?" He brought his face inches from Chord's. "You know, dogs who wander out of their yard tend to get into trouble. They can get hit by a stray car or they can get shot by a neighbor because they're too fucking dumb. You remind me of the dog my sister had as a kid since you clearly are stupid as it was."

"I'm not lying," he answered honestly. "I ran into her in the library."

"Why don't I believe that?" He hummed thoughtfully. "You two sure looked mighty cozy for someone who just 'ran into each other'."

"We weren't cozy. She's just a friendly person, I guess."

The next thing Chord knew, his head snapped to the side as Xander slapped him. His ears rung and his face stung as he stumbled. There was a faint taste of copper in his mouth, too. His hand balled into a fist as he stared at the ground with unhidden anger. Don't lose your temper. If you do, you're no better than him.

"Could it be that you have a little crush on Scarlett?" This question sounded more dangerous than the others. "Didn't things with Tahlia teach you anything?" A dangerous light glowed in his eyes and Xander took a fistful of Chord's hair. 

Chord felt his lunch turn over in his stomach. Bile rose in his throat. Panic started to build in his chest and it took everything he had to not to lose his control. He was not sure what his feelings for Scarlett were. There had never been a time in Chord's life he had ever been close enough to someone to find out. That was all because of this bastard. 

"She hasn't agreed to it yet, but I'll convince her to go out with me. Paynes are winners and I always win. We get the money, the girl, everything. Then there is you, the son of two junkies who'll just end up like them pretty soon anyway. You'll probably go to community college and drop out or OD on whatever the fuck your kind does. Do yourself a favor and remember that. Okay?" Shoving him one last time, Xander turned his back as he and his friends left the room. "And stay away from Scarlett."

"Fuck." Tears filled his eyes as they stung and he pushed them back. Chord had figured he would be watching, but still. If Scarlett is as persistent as she seemed so far, dealing with Xander is going to be an issue. What exactly am I supposed to do? If he sees us. . . it'll be freshman year all over again.

---------

By the end of the day, Xander's unveiled threat still held its claws in his shoulders. Though he wasn't exactly worried for himself since Xander had taken it upon himself years ago to make his life a living hell— it wasn't a new circumstance in his life.

Chord drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he oozed through the pickup area to get Cinder, the sound of the radio was buzzing noise to him right now.

"What the hell am I even doing?" He ran a hand down his face. "If I keep talking with her, who knows what Xander would do. I can't let. . . Why the hell does it matter if she talks to me? Even if I wasn't around, I'd doubt she'd even give him what he wants."

His phone buzzed and he opened a text from his aunt.

I have a double shift tonight. I left the meat in the sink to finishing thawing for dinner for you and Cinder. Love you!

Typing a quick reply, he set his phone back down as he finally pulled up to the front, and Cinder ran to the car, hands holding onto the straps of her backpack. Her curly hair bouncing.

"Chord! I missed you!" As she practically jumped into the backseat, she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, smashing her face into his.

Looking at her in the mirror, he smiled. "I missed you too." He pulled back onto the road to head home. "How was—" At that moment as she settled herself into her seat, Chord noticed the bottom of her dress was dirty, bits of mud caked to it. There were also scuff marks on her knees and he added, "Why are you dirty?"

Cinder was never one to allow herself to get dirty. Perhaps she was a teenager in a kid's body, but she never let her school clothes get dirty.

Cinder didn't look at her cousin, choosing instead to look out the window as she fiddled with the seat belt. "I fell."

"Those scrapes look pretty bad for a simple fall," he stated. He had a good relationship with Cinder ever since she was born. In a way, she was the little sister he never had, but she wasn't always very forthcoming when it came to her issues. She usually kept her emotions to herself when something bothered her.

In a way, she was exactly like Chord. Just a bit different in a way people did not want to accept.

"Did someone push you?" he asked.

"No."

"Trip you?"

Her hands fell into her lap and she shook her head. "No."

Chord sighed. "Cinder, you know you can talk to me if someone is bothering you. I can scare them away if I have to."

She laughed. "You're not scary, Chord."

He scoffed at the insult. "How dare you! I'll have you know, I can be very scary," he stated. "My point is, you can talk to me if someone is bullying you. You don't have to be alone in it."

Cinder nodded, taking in his words. "I know, but . . . What if I did something bad though? I don't wanna get into trouble." Tears began to swell up in her eyes, her lip trembling.

"In trouble? For what?" Seeing her cry, Chord felt his chest tighten.

"I . . ." She sniffed loudly. "I got into a fight today."

It took everything he had not to instinctively stop in the middle of the road. "You what?"

"It isn't what you think though!" Cinder exclaimed. "Sammy and Jax were being jerks to this boy in my class during recess. They kept picking on him for weeks, calling him stupid, and trash, and smelly because he's adopted."

Cinder crossed her arms defiantly. "It wasn't his fault he is adopted. So I pushed Jax to the ground and punched him in the nose and called him a turd head. I was a bit scared because Jax is like a whale. An ugly whale and Sammy looks like one of those snakes in Momma's garden. I don't like those things."

Chord fought the smile fighting to break, but he managed to keep a straight face. Cinder was a spitfire in a way, and that was all part of her charm.

"Principal Channing said he was gonna call Momma. Has she said anything about it?"

"No, but you don't need to be afraid of her being mad at you, Cin. Your mom will be proud of you for sticking up for the kid in your class."

Her tear-stained face lit up with hope. "Really?"

As they pulled into the driveway, he nodded. "Yeah, though she will probably advise you to refrain from getting into more fights." Turning the car off, he spun around in the seat to face her. "However, you don't need to feel bad. Do you regret helping him?"

She shook her head. "No! I'm glad I did. We're best friends now!"

"Well, there you go then. If those two guys were as mean as you said maybe having a little small fry like you beating them up will teach them a lesson."

Cinder giggled, covering her face with her hands. "I told you to stop calling me that."

"What? Small fry?" he hummed. "Alright, then how about Curly Fry?"

She glared at him. "No! It isn't my fault my hair is so curly. Why are you so mean?"

"Because I'm your cousin and it's my job to tease you. Come on, you can help me get dinner started and I can help you with your homework."

As Cinder ran up the driveway, Chord couldn't help but wonder how was it a seven-year-old was able to stand up for others, and yet Chord couldn't even do it for himself. Probably because he knew just how far Xander would go to set things back into a place where they supposedly belonged. 

Like with Tahlia. If things progressed any with Scarlett, she would end up like that. He had no right to put her at risk like that. Maybe it was best to not even try. If Xander did anything, and she got hurt, he'd never forgive himself. He still hadn't for what happened to Tahlia.

His phone buzzed again as he changed out of his uniform into something more casual. This time a text from Scarlett. Opening it, there was a picture of a tree frog on a window and a knife pointed at it, with a text following it.

I've gone to the mattresses. Chord, pray for my safe return from the battlefield.

He laughed, walking into the kitchen to start supper.

"What're you laughing at?" Cinder asked.

"Oh, nothing."

"Then stop smiling. You look weird when you smile."

"You look weird doing anything."

His phone buzzed again, this time the frog was in a jar.

I've secured the hostage. What should I do with him?

"I'm so screwed," he whispered, hitting his head with his phone.

"Are you having a young-life crisis?" Cinder asked. "Can you help me with my math before that, please?"