The Mystery Fighter

The Mystery Fighter (7)

I leaned comfortably against the worn seat of my motorcycle as I stared up at the elementary school building towering in front of me. My posture resembled my relaxed mind as I stood with my feet crossed and looked to where Celine would be showing up at any minute.

As I waited, my mind wandered back to the conversation that had taken place in the high school parking lot just some minutes back. The boy had approached me with a winning smile and a confident aura. I had almost let myself show my surprise at his sudden desire to start a conversation with me in the parking lot.

I was almost certain that he was friends with the obnoxious boys I had met yesterday in the halls. The way he had started and handled the conversation so smoothly like he had done it a hundred times before, made me cautious of him. Not wanting to waste my time on someone like him, or anyone for that matter, I exited the mostly one-sided conversation and drove to pick up Celine.

I didn't have to wait for long before my little sister made her way down the steps of the school, looking for me. I was about to shout for her when I saw her stumble and drop her backpack down the rest of the stairs. Behind her stood a boy her age laughing at the scene, crossing his previously outstretched hands over his chest in content. My eyes narrowed and protective instincts took over as I made my way over to my little sister, who was currently gathering all her books back in her bag at the foot of the steps.

He was about to sneak up behind her, most likely to push her again, but stopped short when I stepped between them. Anger bubbled inside me as I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Get out of my way," he rudely demanded as I stared down at him. The kid lacked manners in every way.

"Not before you say sorry to my little sister for pushing her and promise her that it will never happen again," I ordered, my teeth gritted as I attempted to keep my temper at bay. He is just a kid, I reminded myself as I ignored his childish glare. From the corner of my eye, I noticed some of the parents look over at us, probably wondering who I was to yell at a kid I didn't know.

I mentally snorted. I didn't care, if nobody wanted to teach this kid what was right and wrong, I would gladly show him.

He looked a little older than Celine, maybe nine or ten years old, but he acted like a five-year-old by the way he glowered at me.

"I can do whatever I want. My daddy says if there is something I feel the need to do, I should do it," he announced, puffing his chest. My eyebrows furrowed at his words. That's some messed up advice, dad, I thought as I looked down at him in disbelief.

"Well, here's some reasonable advice for the future, kid. If you continue following your father's encouragement, people will grow to hate you. If you continue this 'doing whatever you want' attitude you got going on, it is going to come back and bite you in the ass. Stop while you're ahead and save yourself the trouble."

With that, I took my sister's hand and returned to my motorcycle.

I went over my words to the kid, wondering if I had been too harsh on the nine-year-old. However, I wasn't a 'children person,' my sister being the only exception. I had never been comfortable around other children. Not really knowing how to separate my attitude and way of talking from adults made it difficult for kids to like me anyway. And I probably hadn't won any brownie points from this boy after telling him off.

"It was okay, Cassie, I could have handled it," Celine murmured as I strapped my helmet on her head.

"Like you handled the mean girls that pestered you at your old school?" I shook my head. "No, Ce, you need to show them that you are not to be messed with. I can't keep dropping you off at school knowing that people will bully you like that. I told you the exact same thing just a few months ago when we still lived with mom. I need to know that you will be able to protect yourself when I'm not there."