Best Friends

Today's my fifth birthday! My parents threw me a surprise party. My mom, dad, older brother, Amalie, and Evi are all here! We're all having cake and celebrating, it's a load of fun. I never really got to experience anything like this in my past life. I had 2 online friends that I played games with, but that was it. I was never able to make friends at school. I was always too scared to speak up and talk to people. I'm sure I could've made friends if I tried, everyone at my school was really nice, and it's not like I was bullied or anything, but I thought I might've been if I ever spoke up. There was one girl at school who was always really nice to me, but I never really had the courage to talk to her.

Oh well though! That's all in the past now!

Evi had to go home a little early, and my parents and older brother were out on a walk, so Amalie and I are alone now.

"Did you have a good birthday Heinrich?"

"I did! It's all thanks to you Amalie."

"Ah don't mention it! I was so excited when your mom invited me, and I knew just what to get you. Speaking of..."

She reached into her pocket.

"Here, Heinrich! Happy birthday!"

"Woah! Thanks Amalie!"

It was a small gift box, small enough to fit in her pocket the whole night. I started to unwrap it with a big smile on my face. I opened the small box, and inside of it was a beaded necklace. It was made from beads of all sorts of colors.

"I love it, thank you so much!"

"I made it myself actually, I'm gonna give one to Evi too, and I have one as well. They're friendship necklaces! The three of us all have matching ones to show that we're friends. I hope you'll like it!"

"I really do! I'll make sure to always wear it."

What a sweet gift, i'll always wear this to remember my first real friends.

"Hey... Heinrich..."

"What's up?"

"What do you... think of me?"

"Huh? Where'd this come from?"

"Well... I just wanna know if you like me is all."

"You're my best friend Amalie, of course I like you."

"That's not what I... nevermind. Sorry for asking."

"No worries Amalie, we'll always be together, no matter what. Don't forget that."

"I won't Heinrich."

Amalie had a big smile on her face after I said that. We spent the rest of the night talking and playing with my new toys until her parents came to take her home.

"Goodnight Heinrich, see you tomorrow!"

"Night! See you then!"

The next day, Evi, Amalie, and I all went to play at a nearby park together.

"Yay! Look at us! We're all three wearing the friendship necklaces I made, I'm so happy!"

Evi and I both smiled in agreement.

While we were all playing together, three older boys came to the park. They had to be at least three years older than us.

Uh oh, this can't be good. This is definitely your typical bullying scenario.

"What're you punks doing in our park?" The biggest out of the three asked.

I gotta come up with a clever response, something to really piss him off. Maybe a good old fat joke would work, he is kinda big.

"Well we were just minding our business and playing around, but seeing your size, we might as well leave so you can get plenty of exercise without us being in the way."

Bingo. He turned beet red, now he's pissed.

"Why you...!"

He started to charge at me. Shit. What do I do here?

I have three options:

1. I can run as fast as possible, but that would leave Amalie and Evi behind which puts them in danger.

2. I can take the blow in hopes that he'll take all his anger out on me, and then he wouldn't hurt Amalie and Evi.

3. I dodge this charge, trip him, put him in an arm lock and make him admit defeat.

I think I'll choose option 3. And so I did just that, I stepped to the side, tripped him, jumped on his back, put him in an arm lock, and forced him to cry and admit defeat.

"Ouch-OUCH! STOP! LET GO OF ME RIGHT NOW!"

"Admit defeat and say you're sorry."

"No, I'll never admit defeat to a runt like you."

"Say... SORRY"

I started to push his arms in further, hurting him even more.

"N-never..."

I stood up on his back while still holding his arms, and began to dig my foot into his back. Isn't this a little much....? Eh, it'll be fine.

"OUCH!! OKAY OKAY. I ADMIT DEFEAT. IM... S-SORRY."

"That's what I thought, now get lost fatty."

He started to stand up, he brushed himself off, and then swung at me again. I quickly ducked under his punch, but he followed it up with a punch to the gut. FUCK. That hurt so bad. I fell back on the ground and spit everywhere. Shit, this isn't good. I'm on the ground now with three of them surrounding me, what do I do?

"You think you can best me you little runt? I'll teach you a lesson for hurting me like that."

Maybe I did push it a little far, but he's older than me! He was about to bully three little kids!

"Amalie... Evi... RUN!"

After a moment of hesitation, the two took off running. Thank god. Now it's three versus one, and I can fight without worrying about them. I slowly stood up, and got my fists ready to fight. I looked the big one dead in the eye.

"Bring it on."

I'm strong, I can do this.

"Oh... you think we're gonna fight fair?" The big one said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket knife.

Shit.

I can try to fight, but i'm going to lose. I could try to run, but could I get away? If I run home, they'll know where I live. Shit shit shit shit shit! What do I do here?! I can't think!

I blacked out.

My vision was blurred. A mysterious figure was standing above me. He was wearing some sort of military uniform. "Come, join me Heinrich, we can do great things together." He said as he reached his hand out to me. I grabbed his hand. He pulled me up and we walked away together.

Then I woke up. Oh, so that was a dream. I woke up back at the park where I blacked out. I sat up to see Amalie and Evi crying and putting a cloth on my stomach.

"Guys... what happened?"

"Heinrich! You're awake! Are you okay?!" Amalie said.

"I think I'm fine, why?"

"You're bleeding!"

Huh...?

Oh... I am bleeding. There's a huge cut on my stomach.

"We were watching from afar, those bullies pulled out a knife and then you blacked out. They used the knife to make this cut on your stomach. They also kicked you around while you were knocked out. That's when we ran over."

"What?! Did they do anything to you guys?!"

"They hit me once and pushed Evi to the ground, but that doesn't matter, you're bleeding!"

"I'm so sorry you two, this is all my fault."

That's when Evi finally spoke up.

"Heinrich stop! It wasn't your fault! It was all their fault not yours! Please don't blame yourself!"

I guess she's right.

They'll pay. One day, somehow, I'll make them pay.

After that Amalie and Evi helped me get home, and mother treated my wound.

I was fully recovered the next week.