It was a rainy day. Robert and Ronnie were at school. They both were sitting in the classroom. Ronnie was looking outside the window. Staring at the rain. He liked looking at it. Robert on the other hand couldn’t stop staring at Lacy. Lacy was staring down at her desk. She looked upset.
“Why is she upset? Is she upset?” Robert asked himself as he stared at her. He couldn’t help but wonder.
Bryan was leaving his school and going to the library. The school library was in it’s own separate building. The library was for all schools. Bryan made it into the library. “I need a book for my book report.” Bryan thought to himself and was staring at some books on a shelf. “I don’t want to read a real long one. The shortest book on this list is ‘Little Larry’. I want to read that book and do the report.” Bryan was looking around but couldn’t find the book anywhere. “Oh no!” Bryan said as he looked up. He saw the book on the top shelf. There was no way for him to get it.
“What book do you need?” A boy asked. Bryan turned and stared at him. He had long brown hair. Green eyes and wore a hat. His shirt was plaid and wore orange pants. He was dressed a bit strange to Bryan. “Do you need a book on the top shelf?” The boy asked. Bryan nods.
“Which one?”
“Little Larry.” Bryan answered. Craig grabbed the book and hands it to Bryan.
“There you go, kiddo. Got to do a book report?” The boy asked.
“Yeah.” Bryan answers.
“I remember doing that at your age.” The boy said with a smile. Another boy came over to the other boy.
“Craig, did you found your book yet?” The boy asked.
“No. I was helping this little kid get a book on the top shelf.” Craig answered. The boy wearing the hat that helped Bryan was named ‘Craig’.
“Thanks for helping me.” Bryan said looking up at Craig.
“No problem.”
“Here’s the book you wanted.” The other boy pulled out a book. The book was much thicker than the one Bryan wanted.
“Yes it is. Thanks Max.” Craig said taking the book.
“Um…” Bryan just stared at the two.
“Shouldn’t you be going back to class?” Max asked Bryan.
“Y-Yes.” Bryan was walking away from the both of them, but in the process he fell. Max went over to him and got him along with Craig.
“Are you okay?” Craig asked Bryan.
“Did you hurt yourself?” Max asked.
“My leg gave out, that’s all.” Bryan answered honestly. “My leg is hurting really bad today. Both my legs are hurting but… one hurts more than the other.”
“Maybe you should go to the nurse.” Craig suggested.
“I will. Thanks.” Bryan got away from the two boys and went out of the library. He was trying to hide the book from the rain. He didn’t want to get it wet. He went to the elementary school building and was making his way to his classroom. But his leg began to hurt again. He stopped walking and sat down in the hallway.
“Please stop hurting.” Bryan mumbles to himself. “Are you hurting because of the rain?” Bryan just felt in pain today. All he wanted to do was lay down and relax. Or just sit and relax.
It was time to switch classes, Robert stopped Lacy from going to her next class. What?” Lacy asked staring at him.
“Can I talk to you? Alone?” Robert asked her.
“What? Do you want me to ditch class?” Lacy asked.
“Just today.” Robert grabs Lacy’s hand and made her walk with him to the bathroom. They both went to the boys’ restroom.
“I shouldn’t be in here.” Lacy said feeling a little embarrassed.
“Who cares.” Robert said and pushes her against the wall.
“What is your problem?!” Lacy glares at him.
“Lacy, you haven’t spoken to me all day so far. Did something happen last night?”
“No.” Lacy answered and turned her head.
“Tell me the truth. Your mom’s boyfriend didn’t do anything to you did he?”
“He…He didn’t.” Lacy lied.
“I don’t believe you. Lacy, that man was acting all pissed when he answered the door for me. Like I disrupted him or something. Tell me what he did.” Lacy wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to tell Robert, but she was afraid to.
“Robert, there’s nothing you can do about it. Just forget about it.” Lacy said and tries to leave. Robert pushes her again back to the wall.
“Tell me.” Robert seemed to be angry. Lacy took a deep breath.
“Alright. Steven was groping me. You stopped him yesterday from getting any further when you knocked and rung the doorbell. Afterwards, he tried to do something again but my mother and brother came home.”
“Where did he touch you?”
“Does it matter?” Lacy asked feeling annoyed.
“It matters.” Robert tells her. Lacy wasn’t sure what to say, but she managed to speak.
“He just grabbed my breast. He did it before multiple times.” Lacy answered. She felt nervous telling Robert. She felt embarrassed and humiliated. Some tears started to run down her face.
“Lacy. I think you honestly need to come clean to your mother about what’s been going on.”
“I can’t! She just started a new job. She doesn’t got no money. We’ll be homeless!” Lacy said feeling scared.
“No. I can just talk to my dad about it. I’m sure he’ll understand and let your family stay with us until your mother has enough money to get a place.” Robert tells her and brings her close to him. He hugs her. Lacy’s face was red as Robert had his arms around her.
“He’s hugging me… and it’s making me feel…” Lacy stopped crying.
“Something about this girl makes me feel like I need to help her.” Robert thought to himself. Ronnie came into the bathroom.
“Hey, what’s going on in here?” He asked. Robert lets go of Lacy.
“Nothing.” Robert said blushing. Lacy was blushing as well.
“Lacy, are you doing okay?” Ronnie asked. Lacy stared at him.
“I’m doing alright.” Lacy answered.
At 12 noon sharp there was a phone call in Robert’s class. His teacher went to answer the phone. “Yes. Alright. I will.” The teacher gets off the phone and stared over at Robert. “You need to go take your brother Bryan home. He’s leaving school early.” Robert was confused.
“Why?” Robert asked.
“His body is hurting badly and he has no medicine in the school nurse’s office.” The teacher explains.
“Oh. I think I’ll just leave school early too then. Can you call up Ronnie’s class so that I can get help taking Bryan home?” Robert asked getting up from his desk.
“I will. What class is he in?” The teacher asked.
“He’s in biology.”
“Alright.” The teacher went on the phone to ring the class Ronnie was in. The teacher picked up the phone and listened to what the other teacher had to say and then hung up. She looks at Ronnie.
“Alright, you have to go get your little brother and take him home from school. Okay?” The teacher tells Ronnie. He was confused.
“Why? What happened to him?” Ronnie asked confused.
“Your little brother don’t have his medicine in the school anymore and he’s in pain.” The teacher explained. Ronnie gets up and left the class. He went to his locker and was getting his things. Robert came over and opened his locker to also get his things.
“Bryan needs to go home? This is really a lucky day for us to forget school.” Ronnie laughed a little. Robert didn’t say anything. They both went to the office and were signing themselves out of school and then went to the elementary. When they got there they went to the office. They signed Bryan out of school as Bryan walked into the office from the nurse’s office. He looked upset.
“Robert, carry my backpack so I can pick up Bryan.” Ronnie suggests. Robert took his brother’s backpack. “Can you hold Bryan’s too?” Ronnie asked. Robert glared a little and picked up Bryan’s backpack as well. Ronnie knelt down on the floor.
“Okay, get on my back Bryan.”
“No.” Bryan refused.
“You need to.” Ronnie tells him. “Your body hurts, no walking. Get on my back.” Ronnie said in a more demanding voice. Bryan wanted to walk for himself, but he already made a big commotion when he got his brothers to help him go home from school. He decided to get on Ronnie’s back. Ronnie stood up holding Bryan. They all left the school. Bryan’s body did hurt.
“My body hurts so much…” Bryan mumbles and started to cry.
“Are you crying?” Ronnie asked. Bryan didn’t answer.
“We need to take him home quickly.” Robert suggested. They all made it home quickly. When they got there, Ronnie sat Bryan on the sofa and then went to get his medicine. Bryan was trying to dry his tears. He felt embarrassed that he cried in front of his brothers. Ronnie came back with the medicine. Robert got a drink for Bryan and sits it in front of him on the coffee table.
“Take your medicine.” Robert tells Bryan.
“I’m fine.” Bryan lied. He thought he could tough it out.
“You are not. You cried. Take it now.” Robert took the two pills out and hands them right to Bryan.
“No!” Bryan glared at him. Robert makes Bryan hold the medicine.
“You need to. Ronnie, let’s let Bryan take the medicine on his own and leave him alone.” Robert went to the kitchen and Ronnie followed. Bryan slowly took his medicine and looked down.
“I can’t be strong. Stupid body.” Bryan thought to himself and felt like he was going to cry again. He decided to hold it in. He didn’t want to start crying again. He didn’t want anyone to think he was a wimp, but he felt like he couldn’t help it.
Robert came back into the living room. “Did you take your medicine?” Robert asked. Bryan nods and took a sip of his drink.
“Why can’t I be…” Bryan wasn’t sure how to ask Robert the question he wanted to ask him.
“Be what?” Robert asked.
“Be stronger…” Bryan said and looked down. Robert sat down by Bryan.
“You’re strong. But… you were born with something that makes your body hurt. Don’t be upset about it.” Robert tells Bryan.
“But why do I have it?” Bryan asked confused.
“I guess mom did stupid stuff when she was pregnant with you, I don’t know.” Robert guessed.
“Just don’t get upset and think you’re not strong, when you are.” Robert tells his little brother. Hearing that made Bryan feel a little better, but he still felt weak.
“But… I cried.” Bryan says and turned his head. He didn’t want to start crying again.
“So. Lots of people cry.” Robert’s answer was.
“Even you?” Bryan asked looking back at his brother now.
“Let’s not go that far.” Robert got up and left the living room.
“I guess I won’t get upset with myself.” Bryan thinks to himself.