Jack stormed out the door and frantically searched the garage for his bike. He peddled fast down the pavement kicking up rocks behind him. He raced down the hill and tears weld up in his eyes.  He didn't pick his head up, as he rode through his neighborhood and through town. He found the trail he had played on as a kid, and walked his bike through the curves in the dirt. Jack leaned his bike up against a tree and climbed the branches of his childhood. He dangled his feet over the water after pulling himself up. He covered his face with his sweaty hands and tried to catch his breath. All he wanted was to feel like a normal kid again. Who didn’t have to pretend he hurt inside. His tears dripped down onto his red shirt. Memories flooded back from his past, he came here when his dog died, when he lost his best friend, and when his parents first started fighting. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and was startled by the sudden contact. He looked to his left to see Lucy sitting next to him, examining the water below. Lucy was the only other person who knew about this tree. They had played there together as a kid. She rested her head on his shoulder. He wiped the tears from his cheeks, and rested his head on top on Lucy’s. “How’d you find me” Jack asked.
“I followed you after I saw you riding past my house, you didn't wave like usual. I expected something was up.”
“Oh,” he muttered.
“Your parents again?”
“I wish they’d just stop, just make up like you and I do. They yell, and and argue and I can’t take it.”
“I’m sorry Jack.”
He sighed and looked away.
“I almost forgot,” she says reaching into her pocket. She pulled out small round gold coins. “I brought you chocolate coins,” she said.
“Just like when we were kids,” Jack smiled.
They both unwrapped the gold painted aluminum from the outside. A gust of wind blew the wrappers onto the surface of the water. Jack looked at the wrappers below noticing the tiny ripples made by the raindrops that fell. They made bigger and bigger ripples as the raindrops grew. But Lucy didn’t seem to notice.
“It’s raining Luc!”
“I know,” she said smiling.
Lucy pulled off her boots and threw them toward her bike. She balanced her foot on the branch and rolled the cuff of her ripped jeans halfway up her calf. She held onto the branch and swung till her hands couldn’t hold any longer. She was truly fearless. Her feet hit the shallow river bottom and she twirled around in the water. He recalled playing in the river with Lucy many years ago. When his only care was getting home in time for dinner.  “Lucy let's go, we’re going to get soaked!” She grabbed Jack's hand and pulled him into the river. He smiled as they danced together in the rain, spinning around and splashing one another. He got soaking wet, but a friend healed his heart. He remembered the day he first fell in love with Lucy and her courageous and kind heart.
              “Why do you always have to do that?”
“Do what,”she replied.
“Make me smile when it’s the last thing I want to do.”
She kissed his cheek and smiled a soft smile.
“Thank you Lucy.”