• The sound of a pencil turning it's writing surface into an impure perfect could make a young boy's innocence create a sad truth. Nicholas' passion for writing put a permanent deep and down look on his face. It stuck through school, vacations, summer and even during celebrations with family and friends. He would never left his self-felt ability to come to an end. No matter what obstacle awaited him he made sure he'd fight off the block.
    He had recently spoken to his summer tutor about why he slacked off in school so often, and the reason why he had such low grades. The tutor swore Nickie's writing was the cause of it all. He was holding back from his classes and he gave all to a pencil and a notebook.
    No one has ever read his material or has seen the inside cover, he wouldn't let that black book sit two feet from him without having a full and guaranteed Nicholas-only access to it. In fact, he wouldn't even let his best friend, Jason, touch it. Jason has been Nickie's only friend, and they met in 8th grade. Let's just say Jason had some problems; he was the school's bully in middle school. He picked on and sometimes threatened innocent kids that just wanted to get to school on time. Nickie wasn't one of his favorites to pick on, but Jason did watch him. Most of the time he barely saw Nicholas, he was almost never in the hallways when Jason was there, he was a smart kid and got passed him everyday. Not once had they ever even traded two words to each other.
    It just so happen one day that Jason spotted Nickie and took the unfortunate opportunity to act to something twisted and cruel. Jason shoved Nicholas into the boy's bathroom stall. His pressed against the shorter ones every-so-lightly and he gripped his dark hair between his fingers. He was sure this would keep him from trying anything, though the kid barely struggled.
    Nickie knew the bully had family problems, who doesn't? Nicholas could care less about his own, he could deal with it for so long but Jason seemed like he couldn't last much longer under two worlds; one of his father's and one of his mother's. His mother had a drinking problem and no matter how many times she promised Jason she would quit she had the nerve to sneak one glass or five each night. His father wasn't the best around, and never payed attention to Jason. He was just another piece of trash to be thrown away any time soon, and all his dad every wondered was why he hadn't been thrown out already. Nickie never once thought bad of Jason, he figured the neglect and battled anger and activity lead to him acting this way in and out of school.
    The point and time where Jason could feel Nickie's overwhelming anxiety and sorrow was when he snatched the book from his side and- being one of the tallest kids in the eighth grade- held it unfairly above Nickie's head. His crystal blue eyes pierced Jason's gaze as the bully's hand hovered around the toilet. The younger boy flinched as Jason's arm faked a drop, never letting the book fall.
    "Don't," Nickie pleaded just over a whisper. "I'm not done with it yet."
    Jason's brow raised and he could feel his face soften. Something touched, grabbed, an dripped apart him on the inside as those words just barely made it out of the boy's mouth. He remembered back when he was 12, a time his dad had smashed a model tank Jason had been working on for a few months now. All because his father had his own anger problems he had to take it out on a model tank, and guess what, Jason was taking it out on a book. The same sentence and small plea came out of Jason's lip that day, and he felt the same emotions well up and twist his organs until he felt no need to stand anymore.
    "I'm sorry,"
    The phrase surprised both boys, but they both did a good job of not showing it.After a few moments passed, the elder broke down. Since that day the two had been inseparable, filling in each others needs when ever they could. More of it was Jason couldn't keep himself away from Nickie, he was usually the one calling on the phone, starting the conversations or inviting Nickie anywhere. Nicholas didn't know whether to think Jason looked at himself as a brother, a fatherly figure or a significant other.
    Jason was a whole different version of 'Jason', it was like he had a twin brother, and in every way they were total opposites. His grades went from D's and F's to A's and B's and he ended up passing the eighth grade with Nickie just sliding by with him. He grew a love for basketball and proved himself to be a leader to his team mates and a guardian to Nickie. After being by each other so long, Jason had formed a poetic side of him without realizing it, but Nickie could see it when he spoke these words one day;
    "It couldn't be fair to you or anyone in the world. They aren't there, I'm not here to see every precious waking moment. The things you do should be put on tape and saved for a great memory; you sleeping restfully, longing for a return of love or even the scarce smile you do me the honors of showing no one but me. I've never known the you on paper but I can tell. I can tell you'll write with all you can the rest of your life."

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