Give Me Back Whats Mine ➳ David Dobrik

Chapter Six ➳ It Hurt All The Same

NATALIE

In Chicago, there was this massive oak tree that sat between our two back gardens.

The base of the tree itself was entrenched on David's side of the fence, but the branches and the canopy swung over onto my side.

When we were eleven, our biggest problem was figuring out whose tree it really was.

'It's literally planted on my side of the fence!' He would say, arms crossed over his chest.

'But the entire thing hangs over my backyard!' I would answer back, mimicking his stance.

One summer afternoon, holiday boredom officially setting in, we came up with an idea.

'We're both gonna climb to the very top branch and stay there. The first person who leaves the tree loses.' David declared, holding out his hand for me to shake.

'Fine.' I said, grabbing his hand in mine and squeezing it as hard as I could.

'Ow, Natalie!' He yelled, snatching his hand back.

I stuck my tongue out at him and began climbing the tree, David close behind.

We sat in that tree all day, talking and laughing, playing stupid little games.

Around the 4 pm mark, David starting getting wriggly.

'I really have to pee.' He said, almost in a whisper.

'Well, why don't you?' I asked, trying to mask my excitement on winning the rights to our favorite spot.

'No way!' He said adamantly, but his eyes told a different story.

Not even twenty minutes later he gave up.

'Screw it.' He said, before jumping from the tall branch, landing with a thud on his feet.

'I win!' I sing songed, swinging my legs backwards and forwards.

'Yeah, whatever.' He said, rolling his eyes. 'Now can we go inside, I'm busting.'

'Alright, alright.' I said, starting to climb down.

'Just jump!' He said, annoyance in his voice.

'Fine.' I huffed, before launching myself forward, the ground coming towards me quickly.

I didn't land on me feet like David did, instead I hit the grass, arm first.

'Ow!' I yelped, cradling my wrist, a sharp pain twisting through it.

'Natty!' David yelled, instantly at my side.

'This is all your fault!' I began to cry.

'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' He started, tears in his eyes. 'The tree is yours forever. I'll never climb in it again!'

The rest of that summer was spent inside, me with a broken wrist and David with constant worry in his eyes, like he thought he'd almost killed me. He played video games with me, brought me food and tied my shoelaces. He even refused to go play soccer with his friends.

'If you can't play, than I don't want to either.'

It was the summer that really cemented our friendship.

Of course he never kept his word about staying out of that tree forever, but I didn't really mind after that summer.

It became our place.