"What are you doing here?" asked Natasha as she instantly glared at him she did not look happy to see him at all.
"Wow, you don't look happy to see me." he replied.
"That's because I'm not..." she replied as she frowned confused and annoyed.
...
Meanwhile upstairs.
Joy had finally arrived upstairs after taking a little break to enjoy some potato chips that had been served.
She decided to remove her shoes because they were so nice and she did not want them getting dirty or damaged while she played around, so she took them off and put them right at the exit of the indoor playground.
After she had done that she climbed up the ladder to the slide as she was about to slide down when a huge boy that looked a few years older than her suddenly pushed her away.
"Move slowpoke." he said as Joy lost her balance and fell down on her behind.
"Hey, what's your problem? Why did you push me?" she asked him as the boy turned to look at her.
"Because a delicate little flower like you shouldn't be here, this place is for the big kids princess." he replied as Joy frowned.
"That's not nice, we're supposed to take turns." she said as she stood up and shook her head.
"This isn't some wonderland princess." replied the boy with a scoff as Joy decided to ignore him and go on the other slide and to her surprise he pushed her off that one as well.
"I'm going to go on that one too." he replied as Joy's frowned deepend.
"But you are not even there yet." she said.
"I'm saving it for when I come back up." he replied as the sound of happy children playing on the swings, the monkey bars and in the ball pit resounded.
"You're just a big meanie you know that." she said as she proceeded to go on the last slide and he pushed her down yet again.
"Can't you take a hint princess? This is my turf and I don't want you here, no girls allowed!" said the boy as Joy got up.
"I am going to report you for being mean for now reason, I did nothing to you, all I want to do is slide like everyone else." she said.
"Oh okay then." he replied as he suddenly pushed her on the slide without any warning at all as Joy went tumbling down into the ball pit.
"Ouch." she said as she opened her eyes and refused to cry, she did not want to fight or scream or shout, she did not want to cause a huge mess when this was such an important night for the entire family, so she decided to just go back to find her parents.
Joy climbed out of the ball pit as she walked to get her shoes but suddenly bumped into someone she had not expected to see.
"Sorry." she said softly as she looked up and gasped in surprise.
"Ethan! What are you doing here?" she asked in a mis of surprise and relief of seeing a familiar face.
"Oh great, just great, the dummy is here..." said Ethan as he sighed, so much for an evening that was all about him, now that Joy was here she was going to stick to him like glue.
"I was invited dummy that's why I'm here." he rudely replied as Joy gave him a hug.
"I'm so happy to see you, I was sad because I..." said Joy as Ethan cut her off.
"Don't want to know and don't care, in fact, I don't want to have to take care of you tonight, so please leave." he said as the smile on Joy's face was replaced with a very sad expression.
"Okay... see you later Ethan." she said as she wore her shoes turned around and was on her way out when abruptly the mean boy from earlier just happened to slide down as he picked up two extremely hard balls and he threw them straight as Joy as she was hit in the back of the head.
The throw was so powerful that Joy felt her head ache instantly as she shouted oww and started to cry as she held the back of her head.
Ethan who had seen everything unfold did not even waste a second, he walked straight to the ball pit and held the boy who had been laughing at Joy's pain.
"Are you an idiot or what? What am I even saying you are an idiot, why would you deliberately harm a little girl, now if you don't come out and apologize I'm going to beat you up and before you can even go running to your mommy or daddy I will be long gone, do you hear that?" he asked as he held the boy by the collar and the boy shivered and nodded.
"Good, now come apologize." said Ethan as he carried the boy and did not waste any second as he placed him down in front of Joy.
"I'm sorry..." the boy said as Joy cried.
"Say it like you mean it, and on your knees as well." said Ethan in a very threatening manner as the boy cowered in fear, he had never felt so scared in his entire life so he did as he was asked to.
"I am sorry, really, really sorry for being mean to you and throwing those balls at you." said the boy as he got down on his knees and begged, tears threatening to drop from his eyes while Joy couldn't care less about his apology.
"Get out of here and I don't want to ever see you here again, and if I even smell you picking on another child, believe you me, you will find me right behind you ready to beat you up and disappear right after, are we clear?!" asked Ethan sternly as the boy cowered.
"Y...e... yes..." replied the boy.
"Good, now get out of here." said Ethan as the boy did not have to be told twice as he ran away.
"Are you okay?" asked Ethan as he scoffed and turned to look at Joy who was still crying Joy shook her head as tears were still falling from her eyes.
"Does that make you feel better?" he asked as she shook her head.
"Gosh, you need to learn to stand up for yourself, you can't allow yourself get bullied like that." he said as her eyes were red and teary.
"Can you stop crying already? The stupid boy already apologized!" said Ethan in annoyance.
"I can't... it hurts..." she said as she cried even more and Ethan sighed, how could be forget that he was dealing with a baby?
"Alright, where does it hurt?" he asked her as she pointed to the back of her head.
"Okay, there, there, does it feel better now?" he asked as he patted the back of her head and she shook her head, causing him to sigh as he picked her up and hugged her.
"I'm really sorry that you got bullied, and I'm sorry that idiot hurt you, I know it hurts really bad, but please don't cry, you have to be strong and big girls don't cry, you're a big girl aren't you?" he asked as she sniffed and nodded.
"There, there, it's alright, everything is alright, I won't leave you alone and no one will bully you as long as I am here okay?" he said as she nodded believing him as she finally stopped crying.
"Good." he said as he put her down and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Would you like some chocolates would that make you feel better?" he asked as she nodded and sniffed.
"Okay, stay here, I will be right back." he said as she nodded and he walked to one of the waiters.
"Hey, over here, down here." he said as the waiter looked down confused.
"How can I help you little boy?" asked the waiter as he smiled.
"I need you to get me two chocolates and two orange juice boxes." demanded Ethan as the waiter laughed wondering where such a young boy got so much moxy.
"What's so funny?" asked Ethan seriously.
"You of course." he replied.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" asked Ethan.
"I am dead serious, go get me what I asked for." he said.
"Firstly, I'm not obliged to answer to you." said the waiter.
"But you are hired to cater here aren't you?" asked Ethan.
"Yes, but I don't answer to you." replied the waiter haughtily.
"Well maybe not to me, but let me tell you something, that girl standing over there is the daughter of the CEO of this company, and that's all this party is about, the company's anniversary, and you were probably hired by this family. Now she's upset because some idiot bullied her and she wants chocolates and juice boxes, and you have to get it for her." said Ethan.
"Nice try kid, I answer to no one." he replied with a scoff.
"Wow, I don't think you will be saying that when you get in trouble with her aunt who organized all of this. I wonder how she and the entire family will react when they find out what happened... they might even fire you on the spot." said Ethan as he smiled with intimidation as it seemed to be working.
"That... that's not true, that would never happen." said the waiter.
"Are you sure about that? Perhaps you want to test it out?" asked Ethan with an innocent smile on his face.
"Well then be my guest. 1...2...3..." he said with a smile.