bubba (Agere story!)

5

Axel walked outside the school under the bright afternoon sun. He was ready to go home already, but he didn't get the chance to talk to Levi all day. His mind went clear as soon as his eyes landed on the distracted boy sitting on the grass under a tree, cooling in the shade. 

Axel had to walk over and start a conversation. 

"Hey Levi! What are you doin'?" Axel accidentally spooked Levi, causing him to jump softly. It resulted in Levi's arm knocking his cup off of his lap, spilling all of his beads onto the ground.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea trying to hold everything in his lap at once...

Levi set his raveled string, tray, and case on the bench and got down on the ground to retrieve all of his beads out of the dirt, weeds, and patchy grass.

Levi's pale knees and legs got coated in more and more dust from the ground as he crawled around to grab each individual bead. He hesitated to grab them off the unsanitary dirt each time he went to pick them up.

"I'm so sorry!" Axel panicked, getting down and scooping them up by the handful.

Levi didn't look at him, he just scooted the cup to the middle and continued looking for the smaller beads that were harder to pick out of the dirt.

"They... Can be washed right?..." Axel questioned in an unsure tone. The beads were small and probably would be a hassle to clean. He had to say something though. He knew he upset Levi.

"I will try to wash them..." Levi spoke faintly, getting up off the ground with the cup.

Axel got up as well, "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Levi didn't reply again, he couldn't find any words to say. He wasn't mad, he just didn't want to start crying while trying to speak.  Especially in front of Axel.

Axel silently stood there while Levi quickly packed all of his stuff into his backpack. Axel was thinking about how he could make Levi happy again.

And then he got it. Right before Levi turned around to say whatever he had planned to say, Axel glanced at his wrist and then he held his hand out to Levi.

"Do you mind untying this for me?" Axel asked, of course Levi untied it for him. Levi looked at the difficultly braided grey and ashy blue colored bracelet in astonishment. 

"Did you make that? It's so good!" Levi adored it with his eyes as he placed it in Axel's palm.

"I made it years ago. Would you like to wear it?" Axel smiled warmly at the joy that Levi presented. Levi's cheeks obviously turned a pink color when he nodded almost immediately after Axel asked.

"Let me see your wrist, bubba." Axel put the bracelet onto Levi's smaller wrist, it was a little loose but Axel didn't mind taking a couple extra seconds to adjust it to fit. Axel stepped back and scanned Levi's new look, letting his eyes stop on his gaze.

"I was right. It definitely looks prettier on you."