The Middle Child (The Offspring Series)

Grandma's And Broken Bones

I was always considered the weaker kid of my school. I mean, thin arms, twiggy posture, it was bound to happen that a bully would target a simple thin kid in fourth grade. 

I never once thought about being bullied, ever. Of course my grandfather told me as much when I was six and he was on his deathbed. 

While his last words to my brother Conner were things like "chase your dreams," I got "Mark-I mean Conner-I mean-well whatever your name is, just remember that you should watch your back, people like to target kids like you." 

"Thanks gramps. And my name is Nathan, in case you wondered for your last few breaths of life."  

Anyway, I got in trouble after that because my mom thought that since I was always calling my grandpa for advice or help when I was hungry, she believed I stressed him out so much that he landed in his grave! 

The man is ninety-five! I think he was gonna go anyway! Forget I said that, it was disrespectful but to be fair he wasn't even the one I was calling. I was calling grandma.

I guess I never thought bullying would happen because I had some form of protection, by my brother who boxes.

I don't think that was the case when Samuel Reed decided to mug me behind the school. Samuel was three years older than me but had to be held back a few grades because of his obvious stupidity. 

He first chased me from my classroom all the way out of the school and caught me on the football field. He dragged me to a place no one would see and decided to go at it. 

I think he hated me so much because after he kept poking at Victoria's head (a classmate who is a female) and calling it 'empty' I had tried to comfort her by saying "Don't worry about it, he's just jealous he doesn't have a brain like yours." 

Yes, I had a crush on Victoria, ever since second grade. She was so pretty, sweet, and the smartest girl I knew! 

Samuel heard me and slid his finger across his throat before sitting down because a teacher walked in. 

I was a naive child back then and had to look up what the motion meant. When Google gave me a heart attack by telling me it meant he's gonna kill me, I started sweating like crazy. 

Samuel Reed knew exactly how to murder someone and I was sure of it once the last guy who crossed paths with him ended up dissappearing. 

So there I was, getting beaten up by Samuel, and wishing with all my might that my older brother would walk by. 

He did actually. Conner was walking by with his friends when he saw what was happening. He blinked and stared for a moment while I called out for him to help me. 

Samuel stopped to look at my brother who was watching in shock. 
Then, to my horror, Conner laughed! 

He buckled over with laughter and snorted as he and his friends chortled. 

Samuel then decided that it was funny too and laughed it up with them. 

Finally Conner wiped away his tears and looked at Samuel saying "Okay, okay, that was funny but a teacher always walks by here at four thirty so you might wanna scram otherwise you'll get in trouble." 

Samuel had gotten up, sneered at me, and high five Conner before running away. 

I stood there with a bruised eye, bleeding nose, sore ribs, and all sorts of other injuries. 

Conner grabbed my shirt and pulled me to my feet before telling me his friends couldn't give me a ride home because I'd bleed all over the car seat. 

I didn't know what to do because the buses were all gone, and if my brother wouldn't let me ride along with his friends, there was only one option left: to walk home.