#9: Needles

"K.O., I need to take you to the doctor for a checkup" Carol pleaded with her son, who happened to be making a show in the middle of the bodega.

"Nuh uh! No way! I know exactly what's going to happen, you're gonna take me to the doctor and they're going to give me a shot! I hate needles!" The young boy said, as he cowered on top of one of the shelves. "K.O. Just get down from there and go with your mom" Enid argued, crossing her arms. The young boy crossed his arms defiantly and pouted, his T.K.O. side showing a bit. "No!"

Carol sighed "K.O. we've gone through this every year and in the end you take the vaccine. Why do you have to make a show?"

"Th-thats because you make me! And I hate them because they're scary!" The boy sounded as if he was about to cry, he was very childish when it came to things like this.

"Dude, it's not that bad. It's just a small pinch that goes into your skin for less than 10 seconds. How hard is that?" Radicles commented.

"I don't want anything impaling me!"

And the 4 argued for about a short amount of time, not noticing somebody walking in the bodega.

"Er, am I interrupting something?" A voice said, and all eyes were on her. It was Dendy.

"Dendy! Please tell my mom to not make me get a shot because I hate needles!" The young boy pleaded, jumping down the shelf to cower behind his friend.

Dendy looked bewildered. "A shot?"

Carol groaned, and used this as the perfect opportunity and approached the two children, and snatched K.O. up in her arms, holding him tightly, he struggled to escape. "No! Please!" He begged, tears forming in his eyes.

"K.O., you need the shot honey. Or else
you're gonna get sick. I don't want my little dumbbell to get sick" Carol comforted, and the boy sniffled.

"F-Fine...ill go...only if Dendy gets to come with me" the boy stated, and his friend's eyes shrunk for a moment. She then smiled.

"I could, accompany you two on your, medical endeavor. To comfort K.O."

The boy sniffled relieved, but some fear was still prevalent in his expression.

:::::::

"Alright K.O., you've been such a good little boy, just need to do one last thing and then you'll be free to go" the doctor said, with a smirk. The doctor left the room for a moment and he began to quiver, knowing what the last thing that was needed to be done was. A shot.

"Sweetie relax, you got your friend Dendy here with ya." Carol explained, and Dendy glanced at the trembling boy,

"K.O., it is alright. It'll be over in no time" and a nurse walked in holding a syringe.

The boy whimpered in fear and the nurse approached him and grabbed his right arm tightly so he couldn't pull it away and began swabbing his shoulder area with alcohol.

K.O.'s eyes shrunk in fear and he turned to look at Dendy, tears forming in his eyes. She gave him sympathetic look and she grabbed his other hand comfortingly. He whimpered as the nurse prepped the syringe for injection.

"K.O., just look at me" Dendy whispered, and she gave him a reassuring smile. He tried to focus on her but his eyed averted back to the nurse, who's hand was slowly extending towards his shoulder, syringe in her fingers. She aligned it against his skin. K.O. began to hyperventilate, his skin turning pale and he wanted to cry until he felt soft lips press against his cheek, his attention was cut away from the nurse and the needle.

"And were done. Wow the first time you don't try to escape."

The nurse chuckled, and covered the injected area with a gauze. Dendy averted her eyes to the ceiling, her cheeks warming up like crazy. K.O. snapped his attention back to reality and he looked at his arm. He didn't even feel it because he was too distracted by-

He blushed. Dendy had kissed his cheek.