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Her brow was furrowed, and she appeared to be in deep concentration, he just didn't know what over. For the last two days since he'd helped her after the hopscotch incident, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Something about her made him feel lightheaded, unlike anything he's ever felt in the short life he's lived so far. Ever since he'd taken notice of her, he wasn't able to take his eyes off her, it was like some sort of... Connection. It felt like a connection between the two, a connection so strong he couldn't simply ignore... It was strange.

He approached slowly, almost wanting to turn and walk in the opposite direction, but he felt the urge to help her, to see what was wrong.

"Something wrong?"

A tear fell from her eyes, slowly trickling down her cheek and landing silently on the pavement. Sydney didn't speak a word, only steadily kept her gaze on her shoe. Dropping his schoolbag on the pavement, he knelt down and tried again.

"Syd?"

She sniffed, and looked up this time, but spoke no words. He chose not to pressure her though, deciding that maybe she just needed space.

After a minute or two, she spoke. "My shoelaces. I can't..." she whispered, keeping her head down, as if she were ashamed.

"I'll help you..." Michael began, but was cut short when she snapped at him.

"NO!" She begun to stand, but he grabbed her wrist, insisting she stay for a while. She was stubborn though, and didn't give in easily. Looks sure did deceive, because as tiny as she was, as adorably cute as she was with her little plaits and her warm, brown eyes, she managed to pry her wrist away from his grip. And as fast as her tiny legs could carry her, she was off, tearing across the playground in a blur. Stunned at her strength, he stood up from where he was kneeling, and took after her.

It didn't take him long to find her, after all, he was a pro at Hide and Seek. Sydney was behind one of the buildings located near the edge of the school grounds, a place that was well hidden from where the rest of the children were. She seemed oblivious to his presence though, her head buried in her arms as she crouched down against the brick wall. He could hear her faint sobs as he approached, and stood watching her. After a moment though, she spoke in a low whisper, suprising him out of his daydream.

"My mummy... She was... She was teaching me to tie my shoelaces before..." She paused, took a deep breath, and continued, although her voice was a bit shaky. "Before she went to heaven. And she had a special way of tying them. But... But I can't remember anymore. And it's all my fault, it's all my fault. She said... She said she'll keep teaching me until I learn. But she never did. She left me. Left me and daddy all alone. I just... I miss her."

Tears welled up in her saddened eyes, threatening to consume her once again. He looked at her with great sympathy, having experienced what she was going through himself.

"My dad died too."

She looked up in surprise at his blunt words. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I know how it feels to lose someone you love very muchlies." He smiled. "So do you want me to teach you how to tie your shoes?"

Sydney shook her head sadly, and once again avoided his eyes.

"Well... You can have my shoe if you want."

Instantly, her eyes looked up at him in surprise.

"What?"

"They're Velcro." He stuck out his foot to show her. "See? No laces."

"Okay," she giggled in a girlish voice, and pulled off her own shoe, the one that was untied. "Trade?"

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