It was unfamiliar and strange, though not thoroughly unpleasant, how much Olive Elephanta drew him in and every time she persisted and sought him out instead of rolling her eyes and leaving him well alone, she interested Enoch more against his will.

How one person could be so damn nice and genuinely good was beyond him. For all intents and purposes he barely knew her at all. He never asked about her, how she was or anything yet she seemed to know him better already than anyone else. Including his parents.

Did Enoch consider her a friend? Yes. Yes, he did. He supposed he had to and dash it all she was right, if he could trust anyone there was a warm, genuine vibe about Olive that meant he could trust her. He did.

The idea of some other person swooping in there and taking her attentions away from him, friendly or otherwise, infuriated Enoch more than he cared to ever admit. Hugh would never, ever let it go how jealous he was and despite the athlete's quite frankly sickening fawning over Fiona, the fact that Enoch might possibly, just the tiniest bit, fancy a girl was apparently much more worth noting.

It was nothing more than a physical little crush, that was all, Enoch told himself. Olive was very pretty and very nice and who wouldn't have been drawn to such a vibrant person? So long as no one else was equally drawn to her. Damn it all.

Enoch groaned and ran a hand through his dark, curly hair as he partially hid from the world inside his locker.

It was Friday, and for a few full days he'd successfully managed to go back to his normal, grouchy, self around Olive. For the most part. He sat at their table, as far in the corner as he could at lunch and shot dark glares at Jacob who usually sat beside Emma now. He spoke in quiet tones to Olive in Biology and had, today, tried hard not to smirk in pride at her expression when he'd dissected their frog with a deftness and skill that came from frequent exposure to death and close contact with corpses. She had been impressed and a tiny bubble of pride had swelled in the centre of his chest.

The boy sighed and pulled his bag over his shoulder as he went to swing his locker closed, and promptly stumbled right into the bank of lockers.

"Whoops, didn't see ya there, freak..."

Enoch's eyes narrowed and he shot a glare over his shoulder at the boys who much to his distaste had not just shoved their way past and moved on.

Jack Bentham came from an extremely wealthy family which had only served to make him uppity and cruel even by Enoch's standards. He had scruffy blonde hair, a thin face and a hooked nose that gave him a thoroughly unpleasant and slightly bird like appearance when coupled with the sneer he always wore.

Enoch scowled and reached down to pick up his bag that had fallen from his shoulder in the impact and tried to march right past, ignoring the other boy rather than encouraging it. It didn't work and the moment he tried to shoulder his way past, Jack stuck out a foot which would have toppled Enoch over had he not caught himself at the last moment.

"Bit clumsy aren't ya? Could 'ave twisted my ankle...I think you should apologise for that, O'Connor..."

"Twisted your ankle?" Enoch growled and turned around to face him directly. He was anything but intimidated by Jack Bentham, who was a full two inches shorter than he was, or really anyone, and he was damn well going to show him as much.

"That's what I said, innit? Apologise..."

"I'll be dead 'fore that 'appens." Enoch snipped and was about to turn around again before, against everything he was trying not to let get to him, Jack said the one thing that did.

"Well you'd know all about that wouldn't you, Mr 'I see dead people'. Go play with a dead thing, freak."

Enoch was vaguely aware of the lull in conversation and bustle around them and the growing crowd of curious students as he turned on his heel and stalked back to glare down at Jack who looked slightly taken aback for a moment before his cocky smirk reappeared.

"An' a corpse wiv 'alf 'is 'ead disfigured and only three limbs is still vastly betta company than you. Nick off." Enoch narrowed his eyes and turned on his heel again to stalk off.

"OI!"

The dark haired boy swore and stopped in his tracks but did not turn his head.

"What?"

"You still haven't apologised-"

"Leave him alone!"

Enoch's eyebrows shot up in surprise and as one both he and Jack turned their heads to the unexpected arrival. Olive had pushed her way through the growing crowd of students and was standing with her arms firmly crossed over her chest and a fire in her eyes that Enoch had never seen before.

He could see where it was going before it did and immediately hissed "Olive!" at her but she either did not hear him or did not pay attention.

"What's he ever done to you?"

Jack had evidently overcome his surprise at Enoch's unexpected defender and turned his cool smirk onto Olive, conjuring his most pompous voice. "He exists obviously."

"You're just mean and spiteful. If anyone's freakish around here, you're freakishly horrid." Olive snapped and Enoch groaned and looked away, colour rushing to his ears unbidden.

Jack burst out laughing and Enoch hated him more than ever for the cruel sneer he directed between Enoch and Olive. The blonde wiped imaginary tears of mirth from his eyes as he stalked over towards them, though shorter than Enoch he still had several inches of height on Olive.

"Aww...O'Connor's got himself a girlfriend to fight his battles for him...how...disgusting."

"I'm not his girlfriend."

Enoch cringed as Olive took a faltering step backwards and her determined gaze flickered under Jack's cold sneer. He was never going to live this down.

"Oh really?" Jack raised a pale eyebrow and Enoch caught the glint of a smile he didn't like one bit as his eyes flickered down to Olive's mouth. "Well how about mine then?"

A disgust and anger so pure and intense fuelled Enoch's next move. In half a second, as Olive stepped backwards and Jack simultaneously leaned forwards, Enoch had closed the gap and shoved the other boy hard back the way he had come. He could pick on him all he liked and Enoch for the most part blocked it out and didn't care. But the second he'd turned his attention, leeringly, to Olive, it was like a very tense string had finally snapped and Enoch hated Jack Bentham more than ever.

"Piss off!"

A collective yelp went through the crowd and Enoch all but threw his bag to the floor as Jack collected himself and stared wide eyed at the sudden ferocity that had sprung up in Enoch.

"Oh now you've done it, O'Connor..." His muttering trailed into laughter cold and slightly manic.

"Enoch, don't!"

He heard Olive and felt her hand on his arm where his fist was clenched and trembling with barely contained anger, but he shrugged her touch off and ignored her for now. Enough was enough.

Jack threw the first punch which Enoch only narrowly avoided taking to his jaw and made Olive behind him jump backwards out of the danger zone. Then all the shouting and a few chants of "Fight!" from a handful of students while someone else cried out about getting a teacher, were lost in a blur of noise, fists and feet as the upper hand was gained and lost by each in turn in the scuffle.

And then, in a matter of less than a minute, Enoch was suddenly aware of arms pulling them forcibly apart. Two sets of arms grabbed his and hauled him from his knees on top of Jack to his feet while two others hauled a kicking Jack backwards.

Enoch swore and struggled against his restraints as he struggled to get one more good solid hit in before someone pinned his arm to his side at the elbow and he heard Hugh's voice.

"He's not worth it! Come on, mate!"

"That's quite enough!" A loud, stern voice shouted and effectively silenced the din. The words were clipped short ad to the point as all heads turned to the principal who stood with her arms crossed and her dark navy suit jacket and skirt staring them all down. Miss Alma Peregrine was a good principal, and a good teacher but she stood for no nonsense under her nose. Whilst Mr. Barron was genuinely unnerving and intimidating, his judgement could go no further than her in the school.

"My office, this instant! Mr. Apiston, Mr. Golan, I think it's best if you accompany these...culprits as far as that."

Hugh clapped his hand twice on Enoch's shoulder as the fight began to go out of him.

"Miss Elephanta, fetch the nurse and have her bring some ice and things to my office and then I think you'd do well to join us as well."

"Yes, Miss Peregrine..."

Enoch turned his head to watch Olive as the red head brushed past them. She'd picked up his bag for him and as she past, turned to look at him with wide and watering eyes.

The adrenaline began to wear off and pain began to set in as they marched, Hugh with Enoch and Henry Golan with Jack to prevent either of them attacking the other, silently behind Miss Peregrine towards the office. His head was throbbing and he tasted blood on his lip where he was sure it had been cracked. But if he was sure of anything, it was that he had given at least as good right back to Bentham.

xxxXxxx

Five minutes later saw Olive, whom Miss Peregrine had asked to wait a few minutes, Jack and Enoch sitting in chairs separated from one another on the other side of the desk where Miss Peregrine sat, drumming her long fingers together and looking sternly from one to another.

Enoch held an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel to his right eye which was already bruising into quite a shiner and his lip was throbbing painfully. Jack had been left with a jaw so bruised it was inhibiting his speech where Enoch had hit him hard, much to the brunette's quiet pride. At least it would shut him up.

"Miss Peregrine..." Olive spoke up nervously and Enoch looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She was wringing her hands together in her lap and was very clear that she was still trying not to cry whenever she glanced at him. "Enoch was only standing up for me. If I hadn't said anything it wouldn't have escalated to-"

Jack scoffed and Enoch shot him an obscene gesture at the side of his chair where the principal wouldn't see.

Olive had a point. Enoch himself had been extremely embarrassed when she'd stood up for him. He was used to it and didn't need another reason for Bentham to open his slimy mouth. But the second Jack had turned his attentions to Olive, Enoch didn't care about her interfering anymore.

"That's very noble of you, Miss Elephanta, but it does not excuse a physical altercation by any means." Miss Peregrine nodded curtly to her and smiled humourlessly. "You may go now, thank you for giving me your account."

"Thank you, Miss..." Olive said softly and got to her feet. Enoch followed her with his eyes as she went to pick up her bag beside the door and a lump rose at the base of his throat when she turned back and gave him a little smile before leaving the room.

"Now." The head of the school fixed each of the boys in turn with a glare that no student could hold contact with for long and tapped her fingernails on the surface of her desk.

"I'm extremely disappointed in both of you. You've been in this office far too many times, Jack Bentham and I assure you that no matter who your parents might be they will be hearing about this incident as well." She turned to Enoch when Jack just rolled his eyes. "And you, Enoch. We have had problems with this attitude in the past but even I did not expect such a violent retaliation from yo-"

"He was tryin' ta-"

"I know perfectly well, Enoch O'Connor, you were hardly the only person there with an account to tell."

Enoch scowled and lowered his eyes, wincing as he pressed the cool compress a little too hard.

"Letters will be sent home with both of your parents detailing exactly when your fitting punishment will be. They have already been contacted and you will both remain outside this office until a guardian comes to collect you. I will not tolerate such disgraceful behaviour between my students, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Miss Peregrine." Both boys mumbled in unison and then promptly glared at each other through squinted and bruising eyes.

"Nice goin', freak." Jack hissed through his teeth the moment the office door closed behind them and they sunk into chairs outside to await pickup. The bus had long left by now.

"Oh yeah, was all my doin', you piece of-"

Enoch was cut off by the sharp tap of high heels down the linoleum floor as a blonde woman in a crisp business suit and a handbag, all of which was undoubtedly expensive, walked through the front doors.

"Jack!"

Enoch let out a sigh of relief when a few minutes later, Jack Bentham's mother emerged from the principal's office and ushered her son out of the school doors. At least he was gone. Now all Enoch had to do was face the wrath of his parents when they had to pick him up for fighting. His father was already less than impressed with him lately.

"Enoch?"

He had to turn his whole head to the left to see properly as Olive's voice took him by surprise from his right. She was still here? Of course, she had missed the bus as well but even so he was sure she would have left. The boy said nothing as she sat down in the chair beside him and played with the strap of her bag which she set at her feet.

"Can I see it?" She said after a moment and reached up one dainty hand to move the compress away from his eye. Enoch did not resist as he felt her fingers over his, warmer still to his cold from the compress.

Olive gasped and Enoch looked away from her, muttering under his breath. "Ain't that bad...don' make a fuss."

"I'm so sorry..." Olive hiccupped and Enoch looked back in surprise at the sound. The entire right side of his face throbbed painfully with the movement and he hissed in pain before shaking his head slightly at her.

"Did I black out or somefin', pretty sure it was 'im that did it."

"If I hadn't tried to stop him being so...mean...I'm sorry, I caused all this trouble." Olive wasn't looking at him anymore. Her ginger hair had fallen like a curtain around her lowered face as she stared at her lap instead.

"Yeah well...did give 'im another reason..." Enoch muttered quietly but, as awful as he felt and angry as he still was, he didn't want to make Olive feel worse. For once, possibly the first time since he could remember, he was putting his selfish nature aside for a minute.

"Did 'e touch you?"

"No. You definitely got him first. Why..." Olive looked back at him, her green eyes so wide that for a moment Enoch was completely caught in them. "Enoch?"

"What?" He blinked and cringed again, returning the compress to his eye and realising he had completely missed whatever she had said. Well that was just adding fuel to a fire he had been so determined to douse.

"I said why did you do it? Jack Bentham surely isn't worth all this trouble." Her nose screwed up a little at the name and Enoch's lips twitched against his will the way they so often did around Olive now.

What was he supposed to say to that? That such a fierce wave of protectiveness had surged up from somewhere far greater than just her talking to another boy did that he needed to defend her. She would have been perfectly capable of avoiding him herself but Enoch wanted to make sure everyone knew it was not okay to pick on her.

No. Of course he wouldn't say that. It had been hard enough to accept that she was really his friend let alone any schoolboy crush he might be trying to hide.

He swallowed and shrugged one shoulder, his blue eyes staring into her green ones which drew him in more than he cared to admit.

"You're worth it."