Dear diary, Danny’s friends are the worst.

I was talking to Danny yesterday, about what happened and they’re phone kept getting messages. But when I asked about it, Danny froze. Slowly, their eyes drifted to their phone, then back to me. I reached to grab it and Danny let out a squeak. They lurched over their desk and stuffed it in their pocket. I opened my mouth to ask why they were acting so weirdly, but Danny stood up suddenly.

“I just remembered that I have some homework I needed to get done,” they said, while shoving me out of their room.

I turned to point out that they already did it earlier this afternoon, but they slammed the door in my face. That brings me to today. Danny’s acting like nothing happened, but keeps avoiding eye contact. They left their phone on the kitchen bench after breakfast, so I grabbed it.

“Danny,” I said. “Forgetting something?”

Danny turned around. Their phone lit up with a new message. I glanced at it. Danny snatched it back. “Thanks,” they muttered, before running away.

They actually ran. I haven’t seen Danny this on edge in years. Even before we moved, they were more quiet than tense. So, I can’t really be blamed for taking every opportunity after that to look at their phone. Something was obviously bothering my little sibling and I wasn’t going to rest until I figured it out. This time last year, I would’ve gone to Mum or Dad with it. I thought about going to Penelope, but I wasn’t sure if Danny would want her involved. I did the only thing I could; I followed Danny around the second we got home from school.

I’m pretty sure Danny caught on within three minutes. But instead of getting annoyed, they just shook their head. I tried to focus on my assignment and only look them every few minutes. That didn’t work. I spent an hour watching Danny and their phone for any sign of what was wrong. That’s probably why Danny caught on so quickly. After another half hour, their phone started lighting up again. I reached for it slowly, looking to Danny for permission.

They sighed. “Don’t get too worried.”

I read the newest message, then Danny unlocked their phone. I read all of them. I’m not writing them here. I won’t replicate what they said to my innocent, wonderful, brilliant sibling. The words of Danny’s so-called friends don’t deserve that acknowledgement. I didn’t get worried like Danny said. I’ve handled this kind of thing before. I screenshotted the messages and sent them to myself. After I left Danny, I emailed them to their principal with the subject line ‘Cyber-Bullying and Harassment’. When I set down Danny’s phone though, I was a lot less calm.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked.

“I’m always going to have people doing this. It’s time I handled it by myself.”

“Danny, you’re ten. You shouldn’t have to handle this by yourself. You’re just a kid.”

“You’re a kid too! We both are, but that doesn’t matter.” They sunk into their chair. “Do you really think that Mum would’ve done anything about it? Dad might have, but if I told him then he would have told her then she would have made it out to be my fault.”

“But it’s not!”

“I know that. She doesn’t. And if she did try to act like she cared, then I’d just be put into another school again. I don’t want that. I’m sick of moving so much.”

“Danny, we had to move last time because you weren’t safe,” I said. “You need to tell at least me about these things before they can get that out of hand again.”

“Okay.”

I got out my chair and hugged them. “I’m going to make sure they don’t bother you again.”

“Thanks, Emma.”