Sweet Cheeks. Rucas. GMW CHOICE AWARD WINNER!

Chapter.35.There it is.<3

Summer going into the second grade.

"Riley you have to come down from there." Looking up towards the top of the tree, I barely make out the ends of her dark hair as she pushes herself farther inside.

The sun is starting to set, and dad made it very clear that we have to be out before then. Not because it wasn't safe outside during the night but because it would be harder to see the ladder. My dad always worried it was so annoying. I thought moms were supposed to be the worriers. "Whatever man, I'm going inside." Eyes widening as I stare at my best friend, completely baffled that he'd want to leave Riley... his niece up in the tree house. I can't just leave her up there, not only would my mom be mad but that wouldn't feel right to me. My mom loves Riley, like a lot. I can see why though. He stares back at me and simply shrugs his shoulders. "What? I told her not to come!" I hate that he does that, he's so mean to her for no reason. Riley's nice.

Really nice, she gave me her lunch when I forgot mine at home. I negotiated and we ended up splitting it but she gave me her pudding. "It's her first time up there!" I defend, we had just gotten this tree house put in last week and she insisted saying she could handle it when Josh told her no. It didn't help that I was trying to argue with him as well. I wanted her to see my treehouse, I helped build it and she thought it was so cool. I got down before her just to show that it was safe and told her several times I'd catch her if she fell.

I felt funny when she said, 'I know you would.' It made my tummy feel weird. Not like a bad weird where I'm sick but a good weird that had me smiling. My mom said it was because I like her, my dad just rolls his eyes and says we're friends. I heard them talking one time and my mom said she was 'already planning our wedding'. If I wouldn't have gotten in trouble for listening in on grown up conversation well... I don't really know what I would have done. But, I don't like Riley.

"I told her not to come, I told her not to go up there and now she's stuck and won't come down." He mumbles and crosses his arms. Squinting my eyes, I stalk off towards the ladder again leaving Josh behind.

One foot in front of the other... I climb but I don't know what to say once I get there. Sometimes that happens when she's around. But she likes to talk, so sometimes I don't have to which is good because every once and a while I forget my words. Riley is in the corner, knees to her chest and her shoulders are shaking. "Riley are you crying?"

Getting off the ladder completely, I climb inside entirely. "N-no."

"Yes you are I can see your tears." I whisper and crawl towards the terrified girl who could fit in my pocket. Without thinking twice, my thumbs wipe them away. "Why are you crying?"

She shrugs her shoulders and wipes her eyes again. "I t-think I'm scared."

"Oh." With a wide smile I cross my legs in front of her, "Well there's no reason to be scared. I'm at the bottom of the ladder and my mom says that when you conquer your fears once it becomes easier to do it again. So next time you come up to my tree house you'll be able to get down no problem. Isn't that great?" Wide eyes, large smile and I notice she's repeating my actions. "You can come down now and then when you come tomorrow it will be easier. And you know my mom said that we might put in a slide so we can slide down. Won't that be fun?!"

"Y-you'll still let me come up here?"

"Yes! We're friends."

Nodding her head she gives me a hug, "Good. J-Josh doesn't want me to come around. He says we aren't friends. Just you and him are because boys and girls can't be friends."