It was lunch break, and I was hanging around the usual people, in the usual place and doing the usual things that we always do at lunch; messing around and trying to find some enjoyment in the hell-hole place that we have to attend every day. We were in our usual corner of the tennis courts, everyone keeping a wide radius from our corner, as it's our turf, our territory and if anyone crosses the line they'll get a knuckle sandwich from one of us, usually me. Anyway, we were in our usual corner performing our usual antics when I heard a screech that stood out from all of the others that were erupting from the other students in the courts. I spun my head round and spied the area where the screech came from. The opposite corner contained a huddle of year 9 kids, who were surrounding a small year 7. I sighed and rolled my eyes, time for me to come in and save the day…again.

"Hyde, it looks like your brother is in a bit of a pickle" Bella piped up in my ear, with a hint of amusement in her tone. I turned to Bella in my arms.

"Yup, and guess who's got to clean up the mess?" I hissed back, my voice heavy with exasperation. Bella laughs.

"Go on then, show those children who's boss" Bella grinned back at me. I grinned back, before twirling Bella out of my arms and rolling up my sleeves. Don't worry, Jekyll. Big brother's coming to get you.

I strode confidently towards the opposite corner of the courts, people moving out of my way and turning their heads to what they hoped might turn into an interesting fight. A sly smile crept up my face and remained there as I reached the group of 5 boys surrounding my brother. They had blocked off every possible escape and had him pinned against the fence, the tallest and most brutish clutching Jekyll tightly by the collar of his shirt. Jekyll's bright and intelligent eyes were wide and terrified, tears streaming down his pale cheeks. He was shaking all over, holding up his thin and feeble arms in defence and shaking his head vigorously, denying that he had any lunch money left to give to the bullies. The year 9 gaggle were laughing menacingly, refusing to believe him. I stood behind the group, my feet together and with my hands behind my back, the sly smile still present on my face.

"Well boys, what have we here?" I enquire, adding a slight growl to my speech. The laughing was cut short as the five of them slowly turned round to face me. I looked down at them, and eyebrow raised questioningly, my dark eyes glinting with mischief. I caught a glimpse of my brother and his face had lit up at the sight of me, through the tear-stained cheeks and red eyes he looked relieved. I turned my attention back to the bullies.

"Are you going to answer my question?" I repeated threateningly, my smile slowly starting to disappear from my face. The ring leader who had previously been clutching my brother by the collar started to speak up.

"N-nothing, we just wanted to ask him a question" he replied, cowering slightly.

"Are you sure? I don't think it was a question, more of a statement along the line of, oh I don't know, give me all of your lunch money…what do you think?" I growled slightly with a patronising tone, bending down to their level. They shook their heads furiously.

Suddenly I swiped a hand from behind my back and caught the ring leader's shirt collar, grabbing hold and lifting him up against the fence. I glared fiercely at him, my dark and glowering eyes flashing with rage and impatience.

"I just want you to know, I hate people who lie to me, and you probably are aware of what happens to people I hate. So hand me the money you took from my brother and promise me that you will never hurt, speak or even look at him again because if you do…I swear a lot worse will happen to you and your pathetic bunch or friends here, understand?" I snarl, my eyes shooting daggers, my face barely an inch away from his, my teeth bared slightly. On the verge of tears, the bully frantically reached inside his pockets and brought out the stolen money, placing it in my spare hand with trembling fingers. I opened the hand that was gripping on to his collar and he dropped to the floor, before hurriedly climbing to his feet and scurrying away and out of the tennis courts with the rest of his group. I laughed loudly and triumphantly as they scarper, the confident smile returning to my face afterwards.

I turned to Jekyll, who was crouched in the corner where the bullies left him, with much softer and more comforting eyes, as comforting as my dark and dangerous eyes can be. He looked up at me, still with wide and frightened red eyes, but the feeling of safety was radiating from them. I crouched down to him.

"Hopefully they won't be bothering you again" I said, holding out a hand. He takes it and I pull both of us up. Jekyll quickly wrapped his arms around me in a hug and I rolled my eyes once more.

"What if they do?" Jekyll asked, looking up at me with his bright and inquisitive eyes.

"Then you just give 'em a good kick in the nuts and run!" I whispered, grinning broadly. Jekyll laughed slightly and stepped back from me.

"Thanks."

"No worries, besides, I'm not going to be around forever to protect you, you need to toughen up and become more confident like me" I replied, ruffling his short, neat, dark hair. He protested about this and I laugh.

"Until then, you'll still help me out, right?"

"Right that's what I'm here for, it's part of the job of being an older brother…Why don't you hang with me and my friends for the rest of lunch?" I asked, ruffling his hair once more.

"Will they be okay with that?" he asked, swatting away my hand.

"Sure! Besides, have you met Bella?" I enquired as he picked up his school bag. I place my hand gently on his back and guide him to my territory.

"Of course I've met Bella!" Jekyll said laughing, looking at me questioningly.

"You have? Well you can meet her again" I frowned slightly, before waving at Bella, who waved back cheerily as well as giving a small salute to Jekyll. He grinned broadly.

So for the rest of the lunch break, I hung around with the usual people with the addition of one, in the usual place and doing the usual things we do every lunch. Except not everything we did was the usual, because of course Bella insisted that Jekyll had a say in what we did, which changed everything.