I could have stared at him for hours, and did.

Lucas was away sick that day. The schoolyard bullies wasted no time abusing his absence. I was waiting for Christian for us to eat lunch together, like we did every day. I sat on the bottom step of the staircase at the back doors with my lunch in my lap. While gazing down at my hands, I heard three dreaded familiar voices approach me.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little princess Anastasia," the leader chortled; I still didn't know his name one year later. Recently he and some of the other kids had been calling me "princess", since I shared the same name with the late Russian princess. I looked up and frowned, not saying a word. Christian would be here soon…. He was on his way.

"Where's the pansy?" My lips still refused to answer, enhancing my frown instead. "Awe, don't tell me her highness is all alone today?" He teased in a sick, condescending tone. His lackies laughed at this and I felt my cheeks start to flush. Christian is coming; he will be here….. I don't have to worry about these guys. My confidence began to waver as leader-boy took a step closer; he was eying my lunch greedily. "What do we have here? A small lunch for the small princess?" He visibly reacted as I scooted away from his general direction, still not saying anything. A scowl proceeded to follow on his thin, hollow lips.

"I asked you a question. But I'm going to tell you something now; give me your lunch, princess." Still nothing on my end. "Didn't you hear me? I said hand it over, now." I didn't budget, staring desperately down at the lunch. My eyes suddenly grew in horror as his disgusting hand unexpectedly and quite forcefully reached down to snatch it from my lap. I blinked up startled and alarmed, only to find him smiling down at me with the malevolent of grins. "Turns out you can't hear me, after all," he chuckled sinisterly to himself, along with his cronies.

"Give it back." Oh, I can't describe how elated I was to hear that voice. We all looked to see Christian marching over to the gathering, him firing bullets at the leader with his eyes. The leader simply rolled his and "hmphed". "Oh, it's you," he stated like he was annoyed at Christian's arrival. Christian stationed himself securely between me and the bullies, not taking his glare off them. "I told you to stay away from my friends," he growled in a low tone. "Who are you? Playground security? We'll torment whoever we want, when we want." "No, you won't; not Ana. Not while I'm here."

This made me gaze up to Christian's angered face. There was something about him just now… something that made me feel safe and valued. Something I truly enjoyed feeling… And it made me want to make Christian feel this way too, though I had no clue how. The bullies, on the other hand….

They just laughed and nudged each other in the ribcage. "Awe, look at the love birds! Pansy's gonna be so jealous!" "When's the wedding?" "I don't know, princess; I think you can do better." Christian was having none of this; I noticed his fist begin to tremble in rage. "I said give her back her lunch- now!" "No! You can't tell us what to do, Christ-none. Your little girlfriend here deserves to get her lunch stolen if you can't do anything about it," leader-boy said like this was iron-clad logic.

Christian didn't react right away. Then, after a moment or so, his little hand raced towards the lunch box. Leader-boy chuckled and passed it over to his lanky friend, who proceeded to hold it out of Christian's reach. While he was trying to get it, leader-boy just continued laughing with his arms folded and his other friend actually pushed Christian from behind. This made me audibly gasp, covering my mouth with horror. He pushed Christian… he hurt Christian. I could feel a bout of tears coming on as my breathing deepened. Seeing Christian get hurt, in any circumstance…. I felt like I was going to have a panic attack, just like that day I found Christian at the bottom of the staircase with a broken leg….

The other crony came over to him, picking Christian up by the collar of his shirt. Christian struggled to break free, eventually doing so taking a step back. He glared viciously at the two goons but didn't say anything. "Face it, pretty boy; you're outnumbered," leader-boy snarled, his lips curling into a twisted sneer. I watched with a wide, horrified stare. No, I wanted Christian to feel all safe and protected like he just made me feel…. I want to help him too! "No, don't! Leave him alone!" I heard myself scream before I realized that I was the one speaking. I jumped to my feet by now and had my hands gathered on my chest.

Leader-boy rolled his eyes and sent me an unimpressed glare. "Be quiet. You can't do anything." "Yeah, you're too weak and helpless." "Heh, just like a real princess." "Don't talk to her like that!" Christian ordered in a yell. "Would you shut up too?" One of the goons proceeded to shove him back onto the ground. I cried out desperately. "Leave him alone! Don't touch him!" And that's when leader-boy looked behind at me. The next few seconds are hazy, but I do remember the sensation of getting hit. "I said shut it!" He raised his voice, swinging his hand back to slap me clear across the face.

The impact was so hard that I actually felt back onto the steps. There was a bright, burning red mark on my cheek; it stung…. a lot. His cronies gasped in shocked, clearly horrified that their boss would strike a girl. But it was Christian's reaction which I remember best. I didn't see the first punch; I didn't the following punches after that. By the time I checked, Christian was throwing his fist repeatedly into the leader's face. Leader-boy was crying by now and pleading for help.

By now a group of kids had gathered around to see what was going on. Some started cheering, others started shrieking. I don't know exactly how it happened, but the cronies got involved in the fight; I think it was when some older kids- like grade five and six- saw that their leader hit me. Slapping a little second-grader like me was apparently a serious crime. One of the older boys threw Christian off leader-boy so he could get a swing in. Christian tumbled to the ground; amongst all the chaos, I didn't take my eyes off him.

The area was manic by now. Fights never broke out at our school, and when they did, they became a gigantic affair. But I didn't care about any of that; my full attention was on Christian. What I did next I suppose was out of instinct. I saw Christian swipe his mouth with his bloody hand and stare off into nowhere for a second. I still wanted him to know that feeling; I wanted him to know he was safe and valued. And now seemed like the perfect time. Without conscious thought, I stood back up. Looking only at Christian, I slowly made my way towards him through the bustling crowds. Teachers had arrived by now and were trying to break the whole thing up. Course, I didn't notice their appearance either. I simply walked towards, Christian- my beloved friend…..

Christian blinked confusedly up to me when I took his bloodied hand into both of mine. I kneeled down in front of him on the grass, peering down at his hand. I held it as safely as I could in mine, pressing my palms gently into his. Christian watched as I wordlessly brought it up to my lips so to kiss it. Then I looked at him; I looked at him and he looked at me. He was crying; I guess so was I. His eyes shifted to the red patch on my cheek. With his free hand, he stretched up to touch it in a sad, regrettable sort of way. I know he was saying that he was sorry to me, but I shook my head. I placed one of my hands over his on my cheek and softly shut my eyes. There was nothing to be sorry about- he made me feel so safe and valued just now. So long as he felt precious too, there was no reason to be sorry.

"Christian, you don't ever feel lonely, do you?" A smile; a wonderful, perfect smile. "Oh, Ana; I know I'm not alone."

Somehow, without my ever noticing it, it felt so natural, having her near.