Sorry I took so long to post this! School has really been piling up these days!
This is a tribute to a boy who was in a similar situation, but sadly didn't have someone to save him. I saw it on the news and couldnt stop thinking about it really.
Stop bullying now and remember the people who were victims of it. May he rest in peace.3


"Give me my ball back!" Clare cried, but the two boys just laughed even more.

Clare had just started second grade in a new school and barely knew anyone there except her sister, Darcy, a few grades above her. She had auburn; curly hair that went down to her shoulders and crystal blue eyes. Freckles, which eventually disappeared by the age of eleven, were spread across her face and adorned her cute small nose. Her clothes, a white sundress and light blue jeans, were stained by grass and dirt, caused by the boy's tormented pushing.

"Why don't you go get it?" The tallest one asked. He threw the ball in his hands as far as he could.

It went across the wooden fence outlining the playground and landed on the grass, shortly stopping at the road.

Clare glared at the boys and went running for it.

Once she reached the fence, she opened the gate and closed it behind her.

There were two kids along the fence, one was sleeping on a bench and the other was just sitting on top of the fence, staring into space.

She took one step on the road and then another towards the ball. When she reached it, she bent down and grabbed it.

"Hey, watch out!" Someone yelled.

Clare looked to the side and saw a car coming towards her too quickly. The driver was trying to stop the car, but it wouldn't slow down quick enough.

She closed her eyes and got ready for the end of her short-lived life. But all of a sudden, footsteps came running towards her and an arm grabbed her waist, pulling her away. The person and her fell on to the grass, while the car's driver looked back at them and sped off.

She opened her eyes and looked at her savior.
It was the boy she saw, the one who was staring into space.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She nodded and looked at her ball, slowly deflating from the impact. "What's your name?"

"C-Clare. Clare Edwards."

He got up and stuck out his hand, which she grabbed hesitantly.

"Elijah Goldsworthy. Eli's better, though." He smirked and looked at her cautiously. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, just a bit shaky. You're a bit tall to be a third grader. Don't tell me you're one of the fifth's."

He shook his head.

"Fourth."

"Oh." She looked at him and then back at her ball. "Wow. That could've been me."

He nodded and replied,

"But luckily it wasn't."

"Thanks to you!" She shouted and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He was shocked at first, but then hugged her back. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"You're welcome welcome welcome!" They laughed and separated a bit.

'Bring!'

"Kids, come inside!" A teacher ordered.

Clare looked at Eli and leaned in, kissing him on the cheek. She giggled and ran to the third grade entrance close by, but didn't go in yet.

"Thanks again, and see you next recess?" She asked him.

He nodded, smiling from the kiss. After a second or two, he went back inside the fence, stopping when he saw the sleeping kid.

"Adam, you really missed all that? You sleepy head." He grabbed Adam's hat from his head, waking him up.

"Huh, what? What happened?" He asked.

"I'll explain it to you in math, just come on before we're late."

Adam shrugged and got up.

"You know, Eli, you're never gonna help anybody in life with that attitude."