Added note: I write Harry and Nikki so they are the same age. I know there's a six year age gap but I write them the same age, it makes it easier for me. Just so you know! :D

"Now class" the cheerful young teacher addressed her small class of five and six year olds "We have a new boy starting today"

Five year old Nikki Alexander just stared at the floor and fiddled with a stray piece of thread on the carpet. She had heard her mummy and daddy shouting again the night before, they didn't think she had heard but she had, all the while sobbing quietly and clutching at her teddy under her duvet cover. She then remembered that her daddy hadn't been at home when she had woken up and her mummy had been very quiet.

"Hello" came a voice from next to her and Nikki looked up to see a boy about her age standing next to her, a small smile on his face "Are you okay?"

Nikki just nodded and gave him a small smile before patting the floor next to her, the boy glanced down before sitting there and cocking his head to one side, his eyes filled with amusement.

"What's your name?" he asked and Nikki frowned slightly. All the other children in her class left her alone when she was acting like this but this new boy seemed nice.

"Nikki" she replied quietly

"I'm Harry" he beamed "I'm new"

"Hi" Nikki smiled shyly and reached up to fiddle with one of her bunches "Why are you here?"

"My daddy's not well" Harry replied quietly and hung his head "Mummy thought a change of scenery would be good" he paused "Whatever that means"

"My mummy and daddy shout a lot" Nikki told him as her eyes filled with tears but she hung her head and blinked them away.

"Don't cry" Harry told her and wrapped his arms around her in an awkward sitting down cuddle "You have a pretty smile" he added innocently and Nikki grinned, she liked this new boy.

-----

Harry frowned as he turned to see Nikki talking to the other boy sitting on her other side, he was annoyed that she wasn't talking to him. She was his friend. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at the floor before getting an idea. He grinned and reached up to yank slightly on one of Nikki's pigtails causing her to whip around and glare at him.

"Don't" she told him and moved her head away making him frown, he only wanted to talk to her but the other boy, Bob as Harry remembered his name, had all of her attention. "Don't be mean"

"I'm not" Harry protested quickly and dropped his arm to his side "Sorry"

"That's alright" Nikki smiled and wrapped her arms around him giving him a hug. Harry smiled at Bob over her shoulder and the other boy poked his tongue out at him and was reprimanded by the teacher.

"Bob Mumford what have I told you about doing that?"

"Sorry miss" Bob mumbled before wandering off to the other side of the classroom.

---

A few weeks later when Harry bounded into the classroom on a Monday morning the first thing he looked for was Nikki but he couldn't see her. He frowned and looked again but once again she was nowhere to be found. He sat dejectedly down on his seat and wondered when she was going to get to school. He was grumpy all day when Nikki didn't turn up and at the end of the day his teacher asked his mummy to stay behind for a chat.

"Mrs Cunningham I'm afraid Harry hasn't been himself today" his teacher told his mummy and she looked down at him with a worried look on his face "You see he has become close friends with a girl in our class, Nikki"

"Yes he talks about her" Mrs Cunningham chuckled "I think he has a crush"

Harry pouted and crossed his arms over his chest, he didn't have a crush.

"Well we got a call at the weekend saying that her father had got a very good job in South Africa and they would be moving straight away"

Mrs Cunningham sighed and looked down at her son who was frowning up at her.

"Where's Nikki mummy?" he asked innocently as he tugged on her coat "Is she poorly?"

Mrs Cunningham just sighed loudly and crouched down in front of her son.

Inspired by yet another conversation on Lj..it just had to be done. :D

xxx