Handle Me With Care

4

YEAR: 1949

"George!" I gasped. "Why are ye here?"
"I always stop here after school,"
"Then, why aren't ye inside?"
"Cause I forgot my money," he smirked. "Kinda got distracted this morning,"
"So those are yer friends inside?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Just asking,"
"If ye don't mind me asking, why are ye here?"
"Parents sent me to get some ciggies,"
"Aren't ye a little young to buy ciggies?"
"Yeah but, Al knows me and he knows I'll never smoke," I smiled proudly.
"Jojo," George mumbled.
"Yeah?"
"What's that on your wrist?"
"What?" I said as I looked down to my burnt wrist. "Oh," I sighed as I pulled my sleeve down. "It's nothing,"
"Didn't look like nothing. Lemme see," he said as he reached for my arm.
"Don't touch me!" I yelled as I backed away.
"Jojo-"
"I gotta go..."
"Jojo!"
"What?"
"Lemme walk ye home,"
"Why? I know the way," I pouted. "Bye George,"
"Fine, then I'll follow ye," he smiled as he walked behind me.
"Yer such a pain," I chuckled.
"Ye live on Fleet Street right?"
"Yeah..."
"I'll race ye there!"
"George!" I yelled as I ran after him.

We laughed and ran down the streets of Liverpool for what seemed like forever. Once we were a couple blocks away from my house, George stopped to catch his breath.

"Come on Georgie," I panted. "I'm gonna beat ye,"
"Jojo," he smiled. "I'm gonna die," he chuckled as he fell to the floor in a dramatic manner.
"Yer so stupid," I laughed as I sat down next to him.
"Hey," he said.
"Yeah?"
"I saw a park a block back. Wanna go?"
"I really should be getting home...mum and dad really want their ciggies,"
"Oh come on, what's ten minutes?"
"Fine...ten minutes...that's it,"
"Come on," he got up and immediately grabbed my hand. We began running to the park; there was so much to do, we didn't know where to start. "Let's go on the swings!"
"Okay," I smiled.
"I'll race ye!"
"I'll beat ye!" I yelled as I ran to the swings. "Ha! I was right!" I teased.
"True gentlemen let ladies win," he smirked.
"Oh shut up," I chuckled.

I set down the station bag and took a seat on the rusty swing.

"I bet I can go higher than you," George said.
"I bet not!"

We smiled at each other and started swinging. At first he was going higher, but then I caught up and ended up winning. Once our swings slowed down we both hoped off and laid down on the slightly grassy ground. We laid next to each other and started to laugh while trying to catch our breath.

"Hey Jojo," George said while looking up to the big blue sky.
"Yeah George?"
"Why is the sky blue?"
"I dunno,"
"Why are clouds white?"
"I don't know,"
"Why is yer wrist burnt?"
"Cause my dad burnt it," I whispered.
"So ye finally admit it?"
"Okay, ye asked about it like ten minutes ago," I chuckled. "Oh no, has it already been ten minutes?"
"I think so..."
"I gotta go George,"
"No," he grabbed my wrist.
"Ow! George, let go of me!"
"Jojo, don't go back!"
"Why are ye trying to protect me! Ye barely know me!"
"I don't like people getting hurt...please stay a little longer..."
"Georgie, if I stay any longer, I'm gonna get killed. If ye don't want me to get hurt then you'll let me leave. Now let go of me!" And with that, I was released from his grip.
"Can ye come back tomorrow, y'know after school..."
"Why?"
"Is it so wrong to make a new friend?"
"Bye Georgie," I smiled.
"So, will I see ye tomorrow?"
"We'll see."