EXISTENCE: Recovery

CHAPTER 12: My Hero

"What's your name? I haven't seen you around here before!"

She gingerly took the boy's hand with her own, her face a million shades of red. "I-It's Rym." She stood up and brushed herself off, trying to look at her savior but avoiding his gaze at the same time. "W-w-what's your n-name?"

The boy folded his arms behind his head. "My name is Adam! Nice to meet you!" He turned to his friends. "These are my best friends, Juan and Gabriel! But Gabriel's in charge, so he's the Boss."

Juan made a face. "The boss can eat my shorts, he's still Gabe to me." 

Gabriel tugged at his hair, mumbling to himself. "It's not even that crazy..." He suddenly realized all eyes were on him. "Wh-what? It's just hair!" He scowled. "Well, I'm the leader here, so I guess we'll all be friends." He walked over to the girl. "Rym, right? Nice to meet you, I guess." He held out a hand. 

Rym smiled, and took his hand with her own, shaking it gently. "Nice to meet you, too, Gabriel!" 

Juan walked over to her, sizing her up. "So uh, where are you from, Rym?"

"Me?" Rym asked. She gave a smile. "I'm Algerian!"

The two boys turned to Adam, who casually had a pinky up his nostril. He paused. "Wait, you're Algerian?" He thought for a moment. "I'm Algerian! That's cool!" 

Gabriel smiled, and turned to Juan. "Let's go, Juan."

Juan looked confused. "Go? Go where?"

The sivler-haired boy gave him a look. "I said let's go, Juan." He went on his way.

Juan stood at attention and quickly followed. "Okay, okay, jeez," he turned to Adam. "We'll be at our place, I guess, so you can spend more time with her." He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked off after Gabriel.

Rym watched as the two boys left, then turned to Adam. "Those guys are really your friends?"

Adam gave a big grin. "Yep! Best ones I've ever had!" He walked over to one of the nearby trees and sat down. "They're always worrying about me. That's prolly 'cause I'm the youngest, though. I can kinda see why, I guess."

Rym simply stood and watched Adam from where she was. 

Adam blinked. "You don't wanna come sit?"

The girl blushed. "U-um, can I really? Y-you wouldn't mind it?"

"Why would I mind? Aren't we friends now?"

Rym tilted her head. "What do you mean? We never said anything about being friends at all!"

Adam stood up, his grin getting bigger. "It's not like you have to ask to be someone's friend! You should feel it! Like...uhm..." he looked to his hands and put the hand over to his stomach. "Here? No wait! Here!" He placed the hand on his heart. "If you feel all happy around here when you're talking to someone, I think that's when you really become friends, don't you!" He looked at Rym for a moment. "What about you? Do you feel the same way when you speak to me? A happy feeling right around here?"

Rym went red. "I-I think so..." she looked over at Adam, who was still smiling.

"Go ahead! Put your hand right up on your heart!"

The little girl placed her hand on her chest, and immediately felt her heart beating at a rapid pace. It was an uplifting feeling. She looked over at the little boy and gave him a warm smile. "I...can feel it. We're really friends, aren't we?"

Adam laughed. "I told you! It's really easy!"

Rym held onto her hat. "But you don't think I'm, y'know...weird? My hair isn't weird? And I'm a girl...you're a boy...that's not weird to you?"