Scrapped Knees and Cherry Lollipops

When the recess bell had rung, all the children ran outside as if they hadn’t seen the sun in years. Soon enough you could hear the shrills of little kids, the chatter of conversation and faintly in the background the boing-boing of a rubber ball hitting the pavement. Alex pulled a plastic baggie filled with potato chips out of his pocket with a wide smile plastered on his face. The boys friend Jack already had his Snak-Sak of Chips Ahoy Cookies out, which they swapped, an exchange that happened every day. The small boys aimlessly walked around the schools “playground” which in reality was just an unused parking lot with a pathetic excuse of a patch of grass.
It’s peaceful and fun, but they get rudely interrupted by the bully of the first grade, Eddie. He snickers and teases the younger boys, the words spewing from his mouth mean enough to make a little girl cry. Fed up with him and his snide remarks they try and get away but he follows his victims, an angry dog when there are unknown beings on its territory. Alex and Jack pick up their speed, moving their short legs as fast as they can but so does Eddie and before Alex knows it, the little boy is tumbling to the ground landing hard on his little hands and knees. The boy lets out a loud wail; he can feel something sharp puncturing his knee sending the most searing pain through his tiny body—the most he’s ever been in in the whole seven years of his short life. Jack is by his friends side in an instant his hand on Alexs arm pulling the boy up. He supports half of the others weight and leads him to the tree stump on the other side of the yard. Alexs eyes are screwed shut until he feels the soft smooth wood of the trunk under his body, telling him that he was sitting. The boy opens his eyes and glances down at his leg regretting it seconds later. Alex lets out another screech, eyes closing again the image of blood rushing down his leg seeping into his pure white sock playing in the back of his mind. He’s now aware of the feeling of the warm crimson red liquid flowing down his leg. His knee feels as if it’s pulsing; having a heartbeat of its own. The British boy barely acknowledges the teacher by his side trying to coax him to stand and go inside to the nurse. Alex can’t hear her clearly, his body racking sobs drowning out any other noise. The teacher is persistent though, grabbing the boys arm and helping him stand. She starts to walk him to the schools entrance before Alex let’s out another yelp.
“Jack!” He shouts. “I need Jack!”
The small Lebanese boy’s eyes widen then, lighting up like a Christmas tree. In less than a second he’s by his best friend’s side, holding his hand. Alex turns to face him, with a small smile on his lips. Jack only grins back.
“It’s okay Lexy.” Jack hushes, walking in the empty halls with his friend and teacher. Alex is still limping and whimpering but he feels slightly better with Jack by his side.
Once they’re in the nurses office, she quickly goes to healing the boy as the teacher tries to usher Jack out of the room.
“N-No.” Alex says, his small fisting rubbing the tears off of his face. “No Jack stays.” He says with as much authority as the seven year old can muster up.
The teacher sighs, but doesn’t protest. Jack silently makes his way next to his best friend and again, resumes holding his hand.
“Squeeze if it hurts.” He whispers in Alexs ear as the young nurse wipes the injury with sterile wipes, and sprays it with antibiotic spray. Alex does as told, gripping onto Jacks hand, squeezing his eyes as tight as he possibly can.
Once their done the nurse hands Alex two cherry lollipops one for Alex for being such a good sport, and the other for hack for being such a good friend. The boys thank her and leave her office, Alex still half limping on his hurt knee.
“Are you okay Lexy?” Jack asks, looking at his friend through lidded eyes and the lolly in his mouth.
Alex nods his head, but frowns. “Hurts.” He mumbles, hand motioning to his knee.
“My mommy says kisses make the hurting go away.” Jack says thoughtfully. “Maybe a kiss will make your knee feel better!” Jack is grinning, like he just thought of the greatest idea in the world.
Alex thinks for a minute but nods his head. “Maybe Jack.” He agrees, putting his lolly in his mouth. “But there’s no mommys here to kiss it.”
“I can do it!” Jack reasons. “I don’t think it matters who gives the kisses.”
“Okay.” Alex says, as Jack pulls the lolly out of his mouth, crouches down and plants a kiss on the boys bandaged knee.
“Did it work?” He asks eyes wide and excited. Alex shakes his head.
“It still hurts.” He mumbled, trying not to disappoint his friend who is only trying to make him feel better.
“Well maybe if I kiss your lips?” Jack thinks aloud. “Because that’s what mommys do.” Alex only nods, already pulling the lolly from his lips.
Jack puckers his plump red lips, planting them on Alexs, and then he’s pulling the boy in a tight hug kissing his cheek as he pulls away.
“Does it feel better now?” He asks, already putting his lolly back in his mouth.
Alex thinks for a minute, feeling the stickiness from the kiss on his cheek, and how he could tastes jacks lolly on his warm lips. The boy giggles, and nods his head because he isn’t thinking about the pain in his knee so that must mean that Jack fixed it.
Jack lets out a “yay!” and claps his hands together happily. “I’m glad I could make you feel better Lexy.” He says, walking beside the boy back to class.
“I’m glad you made me feel better too Jacky.” Alex says with a smile, placing his lolly back between his lips. “I’m also glad you’re my best friend.” He says matter of factly.
“Me too.” Jack agrees, nodding his head.
For the rest of the day Jack keeps his eye on Alex, making sure he doesn’t need his help, and making sure that he’s not in pain. He sits inside with Alex during the lunch recess, because Alex claims that he doesn’t want to go outside and get hurt again. And when Jacks mom picks both boys up from school that day he proudly announces the day’s event with a smile on his lips the whole time. Jacks mom listens and smiles, slightly shaking her head.