Back To December

1.

"Hi! I'm Louis!" The boy smiles at me.

"Hi. I'm Harry." I smile back.

Mum and I just moved next door to her old best friend, Mrs Jay. Mum talked about her a lot before we moved and told me about Louis. He's 7. His best friend Liam lives across the street. He's going to be in my class at school so he's going to help me.

"Do you like transformers?" I nod. "Let's go! Liam just got a new one and he promised to show me." He grabs my hand and starts pulling me out of the yard.

"Louis." I pull my hand away.

"It's okay. Liam is just across the street. I go all the time." I look back at my mum in his kitchen through the window. He turns and pulls me gently to the backdoor. "Harry and I are going to Liam." He announces.

His mum smiles and so does mine. "Be back for dinner love. And take care of Harry."

"Always mum." He smiles and leads me to the back gate. "I like Optimus prime. Liam likes Sideswipe. Who is your favorite?"

"Bumblebee." We look both ways and walk up to the blue house across from Louis.

He smiles at me. "He's my second favorite!" He knocks on the door and smiles as a woman let's us in. "This is Harry. He moved in yesterday. Is Liam upstairs?"

"Go on up Lou. Nice to meet you Harry. Is your mum with Anne, Lou?" She calls as he drags me upstairs. I concentrate hard not to fall on my feet. I stumble a bit and shake my head.

"Yes ma'am." He tightens his grip on my hand and walks slower.

He opens a bedroom door and there's a kid around our age sitting on his floor with his back to us. He's got brown hair and toys are scattered everywhere.

"Help me! Help me!" He screams in a high voice holding a barbie doll.

"Don't worry! I'll save you from the aliens!" He says in a deeper voice.

"No no no!" Louis shouts causing the boy to jump. "That is not Optimus primes voice."

He snorts. "Like you're better. Is that Harry?" He stands up bouncing on his feet.

"Yes." Louis steps in front of me. "Don't scare him Li!" He walks into the room and grabbing the blue and red transformer.

"Hi. I'm Liam."

"Hi."

Louis hands me the yellow transformer and pulls me to sit next to him. Liam sits on my other side and fills us in on the game. Barbie was taken by the evil aliens and Mr potato head. Optimus, bumblebee, sideswipe, woody and buzz lightyear all teamed up to save her. Ken was too chicken so he stayed home is what Liam said. After we rescued Barbie we went outside and played on his swing set. I like Liam and Louis, they're nice. I miss my dad and my old friends but they make me not so sad anymore. Louis dad comes to get us for dinner and takes me home before taking Louis home. Tomorrow is Monday so I start my new school. My mum has to go to work so after breakfast I'll go to Louis house and Mrs Jay will wall us to the bus stop.

The next morning I get dressed in a pair of blue jean shorts, blue t-shirt, and my white tie up shoes. I say the poem as I tie my shoes and smile when I get the knots right and both of them are tied. I sit on the chair in the kitchen and eat my waffles after that I grab my black backpack and mum walks me to Louis.

"Harry!" Louis jumps on my back laughing.

"Louis!" I laugh shrugging him off.

He tells me about how everyone sits in the cafeteria but with their own grades which means I won't be with Louis. He tells me that everyone has recess together so he will meet me by the monkey bars. We don't have lunch together either. He tells me our bus number is 292 and Louis sits next to me letting me sit in the window seat. He leads me to where kindergarten waits. I watch him go sit with Liam in the second grade line, he doesn't ride the bus.

The days passes slowly. We work on our handwriting and learning our numbers. I sit by myself at lunch. I miss my old school. I miss my dad. I miss Louis. It's time for recess so I go wait by the monkey bars. People stare at me but I just look away. I get bored so I climb up the monkey bars and sit on top of them with my feet dangling. I swing them back and forth.

"Sorry. The teacher kept me after for talking." Louis says climbing up the other side and sitting across from me. "Make any friends?"

I shake my head.

"You will." He sounds so sure.

We sit silently swinging our feet. "I want to stay with you."

"Me too. Wanna go swing?" He jumps down landing on his knees dusting them off.

I climb back down and sit down to tie my shoe. He waits and watches me. I have the tree and I go around but it's not working. I bite my lip and try again. No no no. I can do this! Louis is here. I have to do this. He sits in front of me and takes my laces from me tying them so fast.

"There. It gets easier. I'll help you. Liam will too." He smiles and I smile back.

We walk to the swings and I pump my legs back and forth. Liam comes and sits on the other side of Louis and we all push our legs harder to see who can go the highest. A whistle blows and Liam jumps off the swing running to his classroom. Louis walks me to mine then disappears around the corner to his classroom. At the end of the day I wait for him before getting on the bus because I can't remember the numbers. 2 something but I wait by the backdoor. Finally I see his blue and green backpack bouncing up and down as he runs. He runs fast I can't catch up. I'm careful not to trip.

"Harry?!" He sounds like my mum when I went out too far in the water at the beach. She was worried about me falling in. He sighs when he sees me. "There you are. Are you okay?"

I nod. "Didn't remember number. I waited." I point to the door.

"Sorry. I thought you were on the bus already but I didn't see you." He grabs my hand.

Again he let's me sit in the window seat on the ride home. I ask where Liam is but he says his mum picks him up and brings him home so he doesn't ride the bus. I follow Louis when he stands up and we walk to his house. I'm supposed to stay with him and his baby sitter until my mum comes for me. We sit in his room playing games until I hear my name being called.

"See you tomorrow Harry!"

"See you tomorrow Louis."