I blushed yet kept staring at Jude. I was not going to break the eye contact with him until he did. His gaze did not leave mine at all, but — there was always a but — Theo stood between us, blocking our view of each other. "Stop that!" he said, and the irritation was evident in his tone. I looked over Theo's shoulder and saw Jude raise his eyebrows in confusion. "Stop staring at each other!" Theo added to clear his friend's confusion. I scoffed and stood in front of my brother with one raised eyebrow.

"I didn't know staring was a crime! Forgive me, brother," I declared sarcastically, and he rolled his eyes at me. "Now, let's eat. I'm happy that we get an hour and a half for a break, and I want to use it wisely," I said and stole a last glance at Jude, who was already smirking at me. I ignored him, walked away from them, and was about to toss an empty can in the trash bin a little further away from my brothers' table when I overheard a conversation between a group of seniors that caught my attention.

"... so, I beat her brother. He was badly injured, and then his little sister wanted to check on him, and I just slapped her." One guy spoke as if he was proud of what he had done. Lexi, you are not gonna mind your own business again, right? Damn right.

"That's my man." His friend patted his back, and I lost it. Like, really lost it. No wonder I had anger issues! I walked to them and slapped my hands on the table. What was wrong with me these days? Do I have to meddle in everything?

"Hey! What did you just say?!" I shouted at him with a pissed-off tone. He was taken by surprise at my outburst.

"What do you want?" he asked rudely and wanted to put his same hand that slapped the girl on my shoulder. My shoulder! I just stood away from him.

"You just admitted that you beat up a guy and slapped his little sister just because she was taking care of her brother?! Are you insane?" I yelled and stepped closer this time. He was not that tall, so I could maintain eye contact without looking up like I usually do.

"It's none of your damn business. Now, get the hell away from my sight!" he barked and wanted to sit down, but I yanked his shirt up and made him stand right in front of me again.

"It is my business because I'm a girl. You maybe thought that the guy deserved the beating because he did something unacceptable, and that's none of my damn business, but when you slap an innocent girl who was only caring for her flesh and blood, now that's my business. That should be your friends' business if they were your real friends who'd want your happiness and that shit, but no. He said: 'that's my man,' as in encouraging violence against a woman — a female. Like hell he is! You never, and I mean, never, lay a hand on a girl in an inappropriate way, or in any way, because you don't deserve such a privilege — to be touched by an angel. A girl is a delicate flower, if you pick it up, it will die, but it would hurt you first by sticking its thorns in your fingers," I blurted at the top of my lungs, and you could see that I was furious by my red skin.

My brothers were a few feet away, just watching what would happen. They trusted and believed in me, and I was grateful for that. Everyone was silent, and I could hear the guy's breathing accelerate with every passing second. He knew what he did was wrong, but the look on his face made me believe that he would not admit that anytime soon. He stepped closer and grabbed my shoulders in a tight grip. I just waited for him to enlighten me with his reply, that's if he had any. After a minute or two of him glaring at me, I had had it.

"What? So, you are just going to slap me like what you did to the little girl? Go ahead. I'm not afraid of you!" I exclaimed confidently, and he narrowed his eyes.

"And why is that?" he asked. Really? From all I just said, he got that one?

I grinned. "Because I have brothers, and trust me when I say that you don't want to see them," I stated, then glanced at my dearest brothers, who were smirking and waiting for my cue to jump in on the action.

"Why wouldn't I want to see them? Are they ugly?" he sassed with a smug look, and I twitched my eye a little and took a deep breath. The eye twitch was my cue. Smart, no?

"No, because they'd make you ugly." My brothers were right behind him. I laughed. He looked behind him when Arlo tapped his shoulder, and he gulped. He was acquainted with my brothers: I could tell from the fear in his eyes. "Hey, brothers!" I greeted them like the innocent angel — devil — I was and smiled brightly at the stupid guy who crossed every boundary the moment he laid hands on that girl.

"Lexi, is he bothering you?" Milo asked with a blank face. That face scared me sometimes when it was meant for me, but this time it was meant for the idiot.

I shook my head with the same smile. "No, absolutely not. He was just about to go and apologize to a girl he did something to, right?" I asked him with a hostile glance. I felt evil but, at the same time, sane. In short, I felt good. His eyes widened for a second, then he nodded rapidly.

"Y-yes, in fact, I will go right this second," he declared as he looked at his watch. I hope he sticks to his words. Then, he dashed from us and disappeared. I was getting famished, which was not good for anyone.

"Let's eat, for real this time," I said, and we all sat back on our chairs. I was thrilled that no one asked what happened. As I was about to put the first bite in my mouth, someone slapped my back as a friendly gesture, and I groaned in pain because it was too friendly and familiar.

"Oh, come on! Let me eat! Dad, couldn't you find a better time to come here?" I snapped at him without looking behind me because I was sure it was him, or my brothers would have beaten the guy in seconds.

"Sorry, pumpkin, but I missed you," he replied innocently, and I sighed. My brothers, Jess, Holden, and Jude, gave him apologetic smiles. They knew better than anyone that I was in desperate need of food.

"All I want is to eat. Is that too much to ask for?" I asked and looked at the ceiling.