Hi everyone! This is my first fanfic attempt so I would love your honest reviews. Please do let me know if you enjoy and want more!

Ada Braxton was fiddling with the combination on her locker when she heard his voice.

"Yeah, well, what are you going to do about it?" He yelled.

It was Casey, her brother. He was older than her by almost two years.

She heard a body clashing against a locker followed by more confrontational jesting.

Ada sprinted towards the conflict and found Casey, his forehead pressed against another student's in a macho stand-off.

The student had windswept hair, a pristine uniform and sported this season's latest kicks.

"You really are scum, Braxton. You need to go back to where you came from." He spat, as he shoved Casey.

Casey stumbled back a few steps. A crowd gathered, closing them in.

"I swear to god, you have no idea what I am capable of!" Casey retorted, before he slammed his fist into the locker next to the student's head.

The other student shrugged it off. "Whatever, Braxton." He whispered. "You're not worth it. You're trash."

He sidestepped Casey and began to walk away before swiftly turning back and swinging a fist at Casey's face.

Casey ducked and then recovered, his skin burning bright red.

Ada knew what was going to happen next.

Casey's face contorted with aggression. He launched at his fellow student and threw him back, sending him crashing into the locker.

The crowd gasped. Ada leapt forward and grabbed Casey's raised fist.

"Stop it, Casey. Stop it!" she cried.

Casey wrestled her off and pushed her aside, throwing her into the lockers beside him.

Her head smashed against the sharp corner. She struggled to her feet and pushed herself between the pair.

"Case, let it go." She breathed.

Casey's eyes readjusted, as if realising Ada's presence for the first time. He dropped his fist.

"Just go." She pleaded.

He took a breath and then shook off his anger.

As embarrassment came over him, he sprinted down the corridor. The crowd stared as Ada moved away and picked up her backpack from the floor.

The student, adjusted his shirt and stepped away from the locker, watching Ada.

Their eyes met. "Baby Braxton, eh?" He chuckled. "See you around."

Ada rolled her eyes and, as the crowd dissipated, she became suddenly aware of a sharp stinging pain on her forehead. She touched her hand to it and eyed the blood that transferred to her fingers.

"Are you alright?" A voice asked. She looked up to see a friendly looking face. She recognised it, just.

"That looks pretty deep." He commented.

Ada stared blankly at him.

"I'm Archer." He paused. "Um, we had a class together this morning. First per-"

She cut in, "First period, English. I remember. I'm Ada."

"Are you alright?" He nodded at the gash on her forehead.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She felt the blood trickle down her cheek and pressed her fingers to it again. "Damn it."

"You should go to the hospital, that looks like it's going to need stitches."

Ada sighed. "I don't know where that is. We moved here this weekend."

"I can show you. Third period sucks anyway."

She hesitated.

He smiled. "You are literally dripping blood all over the corridor."

She sighed. "Okay, let's go."

Ada and Archer strode across the green that ran parallel to the beach. Ada pressed a screwed up tissue to her head in an attempt to soak up some of the dripping blood.

"What's his name?" Ada asked.

"Jaxson. Jaxson Brown. He's a rich kid, kind of a jerk. Who was the other guy then, your brother?"

"Yeah. Casey."

"Aren't you annoyed at him?" Archer nodded to her forehead. "He did that."

She shrugged him off. "It was an accident."

"Oi!" A voice shouted from behind them.

They twisted around. Ada's oldest brother, Brax, jogged towards them.

He glared at Ada. "What are you doing out of school?" He looked to her forehead. "What happened?"

'Nothing. I tripped over at school." Ada lied.

Archer threw a glance at her. She ignored it.

"It won't stop bleeding." She explained. "We were going to the hospital."

Brax sighed, looking agitated.

"Yeah, righto. Let's go. You better get back to school, mate." Brax said, looking toward Archer.

"Yeah, okay." Arched replied.

Brax turned and marched off.

Ada offered Archer a grateful smile, "Thanks anyway." She scurried after Brax.

"No problem." He shouted after her.

Brax opened the door. He threw his keys down and headed to the fridge in search of a beer.

Ada walked in after him, her cut now stitched together and held with some medical grade tape.

Heath, beer already in hand, lazed out on the couch. His uncovered feet rested on the coffee table. "What did you do, Ad? Walk and chew gum at the same time again?" Heath mocked.

"Nothing. Just tripped at school." She replied.

She noticed Brax's eyes scrutinizing her, as they had done since she had got into his yute to go to the hospital. He opened his beer, shoved Heath's feet down, and sat down on the couch.

Casey skulked into the living room. His eyes immediately gravitated to Ada's stitches. He went white.

It was as she had suspected, he hadn't realised he'd hurt her.

She widened her eyes in warning and gave him a shake of her head.

He looked away.

She went to the fridge and picked out a slice of yesterday's pizza.

Casey followed her into the kitchen and gripped her arm.

"What happened?" He whispered.

"What do you think?" She hissed back.

"Ad, I'm so sorry!"

"Shut up! Keep your voice down." She glanced towards the living room. "Everything is fine, I'm fine."

Casey sighed. "I didn't mean to."

"Mean to what, Case?" Brax's voice boomed from behind them. "Which one of you two wants to tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing." Ada said.

Brax scoffed. "Really? Because you've got ten stitches in your head and Casey looks as white as a sheet." He turned his attention to the weaker target. "Case?"

"Just leave it, Brax." Ada pleaded.

"Shut up." Brax scolded, not taking his eyes off Casey.

Casey caved. "I got in a fight at school and Ada tried to stop it. I didn't realise she was there, I didn't mean to.".

Ada sighed.

Brax's jaw clenched. Heath joined them in the kitchen, grinning from ear to ear.

Brax stepped to Casey. He grabbed his t-shirt and pushed him against the wall.

"You wanna fight? You join in with the boys. Leave your school mates to sort themselves." Brax murmured. His eyes narrowed. "Ada, she stays out of it. You know that."

Casey nodded feebly.

He let Casey to the ground.

"Oh, and both of you, don't you dare lie to me again." Brax added.

Ada looked to the ground.

Casey shook out his t-shirt.

Brax walked away and slammed his bedroom door behind him.

Ada and Casey shared a nervous glance.

"You idiots!" Heath laughed. He turned and slumped back down in front of the TV.