On the way to school the next morning, he couldn't help but realize she was trembling a bit. "Ronnie? What's wrong?" he asked. She shivered when she heard his voice. She shook her head. "N-nothing," she said. She couldn't tell him that it was because of his presence. That he was so close to her, and she felt almost somewhat uncomfortable... and happy at the same time. "Are you sure," he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm fine Andrew," she sighed and she shrugged his hand off. "You don't need to be so... never mind." He frowned, but he let the issue go. He noticed a group of boys eyeing her and he suddenly grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. "A-Andrew?! What are you doing?!" she said in almost a shout. "Just bear with me for a minute," he whispered to her. "I promise I'm doing you a favor," he said quietly and he pulled her a but closer to him. He could feel that she was still trembling, but he made no move to show that he was going to let go any time. She was scared... frightened that he would notice... That her body was trembling all over and that her heart was racing inside her chest. She too had noticed the group of guys... But she didn't expect this reaction from her brother at all. He released her when the were past the men and she squirmed away from him, unable to speak. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "It's alright," she said equally as quiet. "I know what you were trying to do..." "Yeah... It was just an instinct... To protect my little [i[ sister," [/i] he said and he looked up at the sky. Sister. So that's what he thought of her. She was somewhat bothered, but she accepted it as well. Obviously it was wrong for him to think of her any other way, so she was quite alright with him thinking of her as his sister. But then... It saddened her as well... In a way... She didn't feel the same. She... "Well I'll see you after school." He eyes widened and she turned towards Andrew. "Is something wrong?" "N-no... I just... I wasn't looking as to where I was going," she said. She looked around at the school that would be hers next year, fenced in by a new and shiny black gate that stood seven feet off the ground. The school was grand too. A rich kid school... As they would call it. "Ronnie?" "Uh... I'll see you after school, Andrew", she said and she smiled at him. She waved before she turned and quickly ran down the street to her middle school. His heart raced as he watched her leave. He felt a tightening in his chest when she was out of sight. It was definitely something he couldn't ignore...