“I got up and kinda whupped them both,” Braden said.

“You did what?” Mack gasped.

Braden went on. “I told them I knew martial arts. Before we came here, I kinda watched videos on it and practiced. Me and Holly both did in case we got into trouble with a gang or something, but they just laughed at me. Lester had me pinned down, and Martin was undoing my belt. I showed them some tae kwon do and some jujitsu. I kicked one of them in the nose, hopped up, and did a spin and put a heel in the other one where it hurts real bad.”

“We have a no-bullying policy here,” Mr. Wallace said. “Why didn’t you come tell me that these two boys were being mean to you and Isaac?”

“I didn’t want them to hurt Holly and Faith, and what they said they were going to do to them made me want to throw up,” Braden said. “Did I do wrong when I fought them off me and Isaac?”

“Absolutely not!” Lily shot a look toward the principal. “If anyone tries to take your pants off, you do exactly the same thing next time.”

“I wholeheartedly agree with your mother.” Mack laid a hand on Braden’s other shoulder.

Mr. Wallace hit a button on his desk and said, “Would you please bring in Lester and Martin?”

The two boys were ushered in by a short guy wearing glasses. One of the boys had bloody smears all over his shirt. The other one was still a little pale and walking like a ruptured duck. Lily didn’t care if they had to crawl into the office right then. She had no time for bullies.

Both sets of their parents crowded into the room, all four of them demanding answers.

The principal held up a hand. “I’ve gotten Isaac and Braden’s statements. Now, do you two want to tell us what happened out there this morning?”

Martin gave Braden a go-to-hell look. “He bloodied my nose for nothing, and he kicked Lester so hard that he’s still walkin’ funny.”

“What did the two of you do that caused him to do something like that?” the principal asked.

“We was just jokin’ and playin’ around with him and Isaac.” Lester’s voice really did sound a little high for a big boy his size.

“Stealing lunch money is playing around? Threatening to hurt girls is just joking?” The principal stood up. “You two boys have in-school suspension for the rest of the year. I would suggest that you keep your distance from Braden.”

“You picked on two little kids half your size?” Martin’s daddy asked. “Well, son, you just got your phone and television privileges taken away for the rest of the school year.”