Nick was always a little strange, even as a kid- especially as a kid. But what did you expect? His mother worked two jobs, he only met his father twice by the age of six, and his uncle Pete couldn't watch over him all the time.
Nick was six when he met Luke, who was eight at the time, on a playground. Nick had tried to "run away" from home again and ended up with a backpack full of transformers and a juice box. He sat on the slightly wore out swing, sighing to himself. He didn't know why, but he just felt...sad.
It was times like these were he wished he had a friend- a big, strong friend that would beat up the bullies and play with him. But Nick knew that wouldn't happen. His dad told him that no one would love him, that he was a mistake. But Nick could dream...
The boy jumped when he felt a hand grab his shoulder and push him off the swing. He fell on the mulch with a thud. His eyes started to form burning tears. He looked behind him to see one of the school bullies, Steve, laughing at him.
"What? You gonna cry now?! Damn, what a baby! You gonna cry to your mommy?" The boy taunted. Nick tried to hold back his tears, but they still fell off his face to the mulch below. Nick tried to pull himself up, but Steve shoved him back down. The boy picked up a handful of the mulch and threw them at Nick's face.
"Please...just stop..." Nick whimpered between soft hiccups, his eyes were now blood shot and he wished that he could go home.
"No!" Steve yelled as he kicked the smaller child in the ribs. Nick coughed and sobbed as the other kicked his side, stomach and face. He whimpered as he stopped feeling pain in his abdomen and began to hear a yelp of pain and a thud from his abuser.
He opened his blue eyes to see a pair of hazel staring back at his. It was a boy who looked a bit older than Nick. His brown hair just about reached his shoulders and his hand was extend out for Nick, who sheepishly allowed the boy to pull him up.
He glanced at Steve, who was now in the fetal position, sobbing slightly. Nick felt a pang of guilt for a moment, but fixed his eyes on the boy that saved him.
"Are you okay?" The boy asked, Nick nodded.
"What's your name? Mine's Luke." The older boy smiled at Nick. Nick looked at the ground and mumbled "N-nick..".
"Okay, Nick. Do you want me to walk you home?" Luke asked.
Nick looked up and smiled at Luke "Yes, please."
The two boys headed to Nick's small house hand in hand. Nick looked at the blue sky thinking one thing...
'Thank you...'