(It’s 2009. Oliver and Alex were born 2003, Lucas in 2002)

(THIRD PERSON)

As little kids, Oliver, Lucas and Alex are playing together

Oliver accidentally hits Lucas in the face with the foot ball and makes Lucas’ nose bleed.

Oliver freaks out and runs away.

> > >

Lucas yells, “Oliver, wait! Come back!”

Alex stops Lucas from running after Oliver. “Loo! Stop! Bleeding!”

Lucas tries to shake Alex off. “I don’t care. I need to make sure Oliver is okay”

Alex yells a little louder. “Wait!”

Lucas stops moving and turns to his friend.

Alex happened to have an unused napkin in [her] pocket and gives it to Lucas to shove in his nose so he doesn’t bleed out.

After clumsily shoving the napkin in his nose, Lucas starts running again.

Alex gasps. “Where are you going?”

“I need to find Oliver!”

“Uh, okay! I’ll tell your mom!”

“Thanks!” Lucas then runs as fast as his little-kid legs can take him, looking carefully for Oliver.

He shouldn’t be too hard to find considering he’s in a yellow hoodie that has a smile made of lemons as a pattern.

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Soon enough, Lucas sees Oliver kneeling down by a tee behind some bushes.

It’s in someone else’s yard but Lucas is more worried about Oliver than some adult getting mad for trespassing.

Oliver is facing away from the sidewalk and is crying quietly.

Lucas stands on the other side of the bush. “Oliver? It’s me, Lucas”

The little freckled boy relaxes a little knowing it’s not a stranger, but then gets worried again because it’s Lucas.

“Oliver? Can you come out?”

“No.” Oliver sobs. “I’m a monster”

Lucas frowns. “You are not a monster.”

“Yes I am!”

Even though Oliver is yelling, Lucas keeps calm.

“No, you’re not a monster. You’re my best friend.”

Oliver cries, “But I hit you with a football!”

“On accident.”

“But it hurt you!”

“It didn’t hurt that bad.”

“You’re just trying to be nice!”

“Okay- Oliver…” Lucas feels a little annoyed that Oliver won’t believe him but keeps calm.

“I know you would not hit anyone with a ball to hurt them on purpose.”

“But…” Oliver quietly cries some more.

“Look at me.”

Oliver slowly turns and sees his friend reaching out to him smiling, his other hand busy keeping the napkin in his nostril.

Oliver is amazed to see the smile

Lucas doesn’t look mad at all

He’s just smiling and offering his hand.

The younger boy wipes away his tears. “You really aren’t mad?”

“No.”

“And you still want to be friends?”

“Yes…. Uh, and I want you to come out of that bush.”

Oliver finally stands up and moves his way onto the sidewalk, now standing infront of Lucas.

Lucas is still offering his hand.

“I think in a minuet, I’ll stop bleeding, and we can play again.”

“Really?”

“Let’s just be more careful with the ball.”

Oliver nods and smiles but then wipes his running nose on his sleeve.

“Ewww.” Lucas pulls out the napkin. “Don’t do that. Use this”

“I don’t wanna”

“Why?”

“It’s bloody …”

For some reason, this makes Lucas laugh, and Oliver starts laughing too.

Hand in hand, they walk back to Lucas’ house, and Alex and Lucas’ mother are standing in the front yard.

Lucas’ mom gasps. “Oliver! Lucas! Alex told me you ran off! Don’t scare me like that!”

Oliver winces at her tone, but Lucas stands infront of him. “It’s fine. We won’t run off again.”

Unsure what else to do, Oliver gives Lucas a hug.

He’s kind of confused, but he hugs back, and Alex joins the hug.

Lucas promises his mom, “We’ll all stick together.”

~ 🕑 ~ 🕓 ~ 🕕 ~ 🕗 ~ 🕙

“Dad? Dad!”

I’m shaken out of my thoughts.

“Are you gonna throw the football?”

“Oh! Yeah- sorry- I just was busy thinking.”

“About what?”

I smile at the ball. “An old friend.”