Thanks for all the nice comments everyone 
. Sorry if the updates will be somewhat slow the next weeks. I'm working feverishly with my first oblig assignment, and I won't have the time to make an update this weekend (though I've got one in backup). Then, we're starting our next oblig in only two weeks 
- But I'll try to make updates when I've got the time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 16: Home in a shoe box -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lily loved school. Already the first day she had gotten several new friends, and during lunch they all sat talking together.
When she had nearly finished eating, she noticed Aidan was nowhere to be seen. He'd been there just a moment ago, hadn't he?
"Anyone's seen my brother? Aidan?"
The girls shook their heads.
"I'll go look for him, then," Lily said, and got up.
He was not in the cafeteria and not in their classroom, and she knocked on the handicap toilet but it turned out to be unlocked.
She looked for him everywhere - except for the boys' toilets, of course. She did ask one of the boys coming out if they'd seen Aidan, but he hadn't. Aidan was nowhere inside the school. Maybe he was outside?
When she reached the door leading out to the playground, she saw him almost at once, not too far away. He stood together with a few boys from their year, and a few older boys. Most of them were laughing or smiling for some reason.
So had he gotten a few friends after all? She smiled, and was about to turn and leave, when she saw one of the older boys push Aidan.
She did not like the sight of this, and strode over to where they were standing.
"Aidan?"
They all turned around except Aidan. He was crying, tears running down his cheeks in a heavy stream.
Then she understood. They were not his friends. Not at all.
"Why are you bullying my brother?" she snapped toward them, putting her arm around Aidan.
"We were not bullying him," one of the boys said. "We were just..."
"What? Teasing him a little, maybe? Just because he's smaller than you, it doesn't give you the right to bully him."
Lily knew her brother was a bit more sensitive than other boys. He hated when she tried to protect him, but sometimes she felt like she had to. Being a minute older than him technically made her his big sister.
"Come on, Aidan," she said, turning him away from the bullies. Teasing Aidan was her job, not other people who didn't know his limits. The two of them had a small fight once in a while - but it never went too far, and they always became friends in the end.
This was different.
"What a weakling," one of the boys said to the others, and laughed. "Being protected by his sister!"
Lily turned around again, fire glowing in her eyes and face going red with anger.
"WHAT did you just say?"
Had she known karate or something like it, the boy should have felt really sorry for himself right then, because his remains would probably have been sent back home in a shoe box. Unfortunately (for her) she didn't. This didn't hinder her from using her mouth, though.
"Just because my brother is a tiny bit different from you doesn't mean you have the right to bully him! He may be smaller than you, and he does have problems walking - but that's NOT his fault! And it is NOT a reason for bullying! There are NO reasons for bullying at all! You should be ashamed of even saying one wrong word to him! And if you ever had half a brain you wouldn't even dream of saying a bad word to anyone! If I ever catch you bullying my brother or anyone else again, I'll make you forever curse the day your mother met your father!"
She had learned that one from Tony, so over-protective big brothers did come in handy once in a while. And the best part? They would never ever admit a six year old girl had said anything like that to them. They just wouldn't! She had to admit she didn't have a clue what it meant but it did sound pretty good.
The boys stood stunned, watching her as she led Aidan away. She noticed he leaned on her heavier than usually, and was still trying to stop his tears. Lily loathed seeing him like this.
"Did they say bad things to you?" she asked, and gave him a comforting hug when they had gotten out of sight of the other boys.
Aidan nodded, drying away a tear.
"Don't let them bully you, Aidan. You have got to fight back!"
"It's not that easy Lily," he mumbled against her shoulder. "I hate being different. I hate being sick."
She patted his back. "I know, Aidan. I know."
After this incident, the bullies luckily (both for Aidan and for themselves) stayed away from Aidan. A few days later, he had gotten several new friends. Even though they all knew Aidan was a little different because of his disease, they were not bothered by that little detail. Just because he couldn't run or jump or climb as well as the rest of them didn't mean they couldn't have any fun. They treated Aidan just like they treated the other kids - with respect and kindness. Lily loved to see her brother happy. It made her smile. It made her happy.
But just in case, she asked her mother if she could start karate lessons. You never knew, right? She didn't say the reason behind it, though. Aidan didn't want her to say anything, and she hated to add more worry for her parents. They already had enough to worry about.
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