The Magical Ring

My Childhood Bestfriend

"Do you need some company?" An unfamiliar guy asked me.

"Just leave me alone," I mmediately replied.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you nor force you to tell me why are you crying here in the dark," the guy said and he sat beside me. "But if you want to tell me why are you crying, it's alright. I'm willing to hear your story," he said.

"Why would you care? You're not my Dad, you can't help me," I said and my tears flow on my cheeks again. "Just leave me," I said.

"You know what. You I can't see you clearly here. I've only seen you crying lately because you opened your phone and it light up your face," he said. "But you're like my childhood friend when we first met," he said and I suddenly remembered my one and only childhood friend too. I was only 6 when I met him.

>>

I'm walking in the streets beside our subdivision's playground with my new neighbor, Daisy, when some children throw there soft balls on me. "Hahaha! Hahaha!" they laugh at me.

"Ain't you the one who always got beaten by your father in the house there?" one of them ask.

"Yes, it is her. It's because she's a very bad girl, she's lazy and stubborn," another boy said.

"Hey, you. Don't ever play with her again. You'll only get in trouble if you stay beside her," a girl said to Daisy.

"You're so bad," I shouted and pushed the girl that caused her to fell on the ground.

"Mommy!!" the girl cried.

"I'm so sorry," I said while helping her to stand up. But, after she stood up. She pushed me too that's why I plopped on the ground.

"Aaaaah! Ouch!" I yelled in pain when my butt hit the ground. My lower arms and elbow had bruises too.

"Now we are fair," the girl shouted on me. "Let go guys. Oops you, why don't you come with us?" she asked Daisy and Daisy went beside her.

"I thought you're a good girl but you're not. You hurt others first, you pushed her and that's only good for you," Daisy said to me. I immediately cried because of the pain in my heart and not in the pain of my butt and arms.

Then, I stood up while crying and sat on a bench. I continued to cry and cry but no one come to me. I don't have any friends, everyone hates me. They are saying that I can only cause trouble if I'm with them. Even my new neighbor Daisy don't want to be friends with me now. Even my father hates me and treat me like a curse to his life.

Until a little boy come and give a handkerchief to me. "Do you need some company?" he asked.

"Just leave me alone," I shouted without looking at him.

"I won't hurt you like they did. I just want to be your friend," the little boy said.

"You will also leave me. You will also say that I'm a bad girl even if I'm the one who always get bullied. You are not a true friend like the others," I cried while saying this to him.

"That's not true. Don't worry, I will protect you from those who bullied you," he said.

"Why would you care about me? You're not my Dad," I said. "Just leave me alone," I shouted at him but he hugged me.

"I'm not your Dad but I can be your true friend," he said and let go of me. "I will play with you, do you like it?" he asked.

"Really?" I happily ask while wiping my tears.

"Yes," he replied and smiled on me. "What do you want to play?" he asked.

"Let's go to the swing," I said and run into the swing while he ran to follow me.

I sat in a swing and he sat in the other swing beside me too. Then we swing ourselves together. We laughed and smiled at each other while swinging. Later on, "Do you want me to swing you?" he asked.

"Really?" I asked back happily.

"Of course," he replied and immediately stood up. He went into my back and hold the chain of the swing. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes, I am ready!" I happily replied. Only grandma and he did ever pushed a swing for me.

"Hold on tight. Okay?" he reminded me and I immediately hold on the chains tightly.

"Hahaha!" I laughed while I am swinging and he is pushing the swing. But, this moments of happiness didn't last longer.

"Hey!" A group of three little boys who looked like same age with us came closer to the swing.

"Why are you playing with this girl?" the boy at the center asked my friend.

"Why would you care? Mind your own business," my friend bravely replied.

"Don't you know that she is an evil? She will only bring you into troubles," the boy in the left said.

"It's not her who bring troubles. It's you who are troubling her. Now, leave us or I'll call my big brother to kick all of you," he threaten the three boys.

"We want to swing. If you don't want to play with us instead of that girl, go and have other place to play," the boy in the right side said.

"We came here first," my friend replied. "You three are the one who must go, not us," he bravely said and the three looks very angry with it.

The boy in the center immediately walked toward me while my friend blocked his way. I'm still sitting in the swing.

"Do you really want to fight?" the boy asked my friend.

"No, but if you bully my friend, I won't let you off," he replied and the boy punch him on his right face. My friend immediately punch the boy too, twice on his face and kicked him on his tummy causing him to plopped on the ground.

I was so shocked to what I'm watching now. The nannies immediately stopped them and took the three kids away. Like me, my friend don't have anyone with him too when went here in the playground. Well, Daisy was with me but not now anymore.

This is my first time that someone protected me except my grandma. I'm very happy specially that my friend didn't get angry with me even I caused him to have a fight lately.

"You have a little bruises on your right check. Your mom will be mad on it," I said.

"No, she won't. She doesn't care no matter what troubles I get into," he told me. After a long day, we agreed to meet again in this playground tomorrow.

On the second day with my friend. We still play and talk everything that we can remember. But, we still didn't know each other.

Then, we talked about his parents, he stayed with them but he said that both his father and mother doesn't have time for him. That's why he is alone and only have nannies around. He told me too that he is only visiting his uncle here in our subdivision for three days. I'm so sad that we will only be together for three days but what can I do?

I also told him my story. He feel so sad for me and wanted to accompany me for a little more time but he doesn't have a choice to. He will be going to his grandparents on US and started to study there, alone and far from his workaholic parents.

There are still a lot of children who bullied me anywhere we go but he is always ready to protect me. I feel secured and comfortable with him. I'm so happy and I could really forget the cruelty of my father when I'm with him.

On the third and last day of my friend here with me in this little playground, we didn't waste any seconds to be unhappy. We share stories with each other. Laughing and smiling like we don't care about the world. We are so happy for the whole day, yes we bring some provisions for lunch in our second and this third day. It's only like we are having picnic here on the playground.

Before we leave each other, he asked me something.

"Can I get your name before I leave?" he asked.

"Really? Get?" I asked. "You maybe asking, MAY I KNOW YOUR NAME or WHAT'S YOUR NAME?" I innocently explained.

"I really mean it. I want to get your name. I want to put it in my brain and bring it to US and even in the future, I will always remember you," he seriously said.

"Alright. I'm Gladilaine, how about you?" I asked him but he didn't answered me.

He hold my hands. "Gladilaine, I will always treasure a friend like you. I promised that I will never forget you," he said and hugged me very tight like it's the end of the world.

Then, I cried. "Are you really leaving? Who will protect and play with me now?" I asked while my tears seems to be racing to flow in my face.

"I don't have a choice. But I promised to search for you when I came back. I will come back, okay?" he said and hold my face. He wiped my tears with his hands. "I will come back and when that happened, I will never leave you again," he said.

"Promise?" I asked while lifting my right hand and stretching my little finger.

"I promised," he said and we tied up our little fingers as a sign of a promise.

"I will wait for you," I said.

"Take care of yourself," he replied.

"You too. Take care," I said while holding his hands.

"I'll go now. Bye," he said and pull his hands slowly from me.

Then, he immediately turned around and walked away. "Bye!" I said and wave to him even if he is not looking back.

"Wait, what's your name?" I shouted even if he is already far away. I tried to ran after him. "Hey, your name. What's your name?" I shouted.