Page 2 of Navigating His Heart
And the bully never said a single thing about him or Aria again.
After Bo went back to school, he thanked West for coming to his defense, and West smiled, “You are welcome. I don’t like bullies. I never have. My parents told me that I should always do what is right; I knew that he was wrong and you weren’t. I wanted to help you, but my brother held me back.”
Bo smiled, “I saw. And thanks again. I really appreciate it.”
“Anytime.”
Bo went to walk away, and West followed him, “Have you read the book the teacher assigned us to read? I can’t get into it.”
Bo nodded, “My mom made me read it this week. It was my punishment.”
West smiled, “Some punishment.”
Bo laughed, “It was at first, but then the book got interesting.”
The teacher had given them Where the Red Fern Grows, and some boys hadn’t been excited about it.
West sighed, “My mom said it was a sad book. That she had cried when she read the book and watched the movie.”
Bo nodded, “My mom told me the same thing. The book was sad at the end, but I didn’t cry. I don’t get why girls cry at things like that. It’s not real.”
West nodded, “I know! My mom cries in movies all the time.”
Bo looked at West, “Girls are weird.”
“So weird. I don’t get why my dad and older cousins think they are so great.”
Bo chuckled, “Mine doesn’t. He sticks to himself.”
“Smart guy.”
Bo laughed harder, “He thinks so.”
They spent the next few minutes before the bell rang talking about the book and how weird it was that the girls in class would most likely cry.
They walked to class when the bell rang, and their friendship started.
When Bo left that day, he got in the car, and his dad was driving. Bo sat in the back with Aria, holding her hand as they drove.
His dad looked at him in the mirror, “Your mother told me that you got in a fight.”
Bo nodded, knowing his dad had been away for work the last week, and felt his stomach drop.
His dad looked back at the road, “Did you win?”
Bo nodded again, looking at Aria, who smiled at him, “I did.”
His dad let out a small grunt, “We are dropping off Aria, then you and I are going somewhere.”
Bo nodded, wanting to shrink into himself.
When they pulled into the driveway, Aria reached over and hugged him, then got out of the car with their dad’s help, and she walked slowly into the house, using her crutches, their dad right beside her.
A few minutes later, he came back out, and Bo looked at his shoes, waiting for the lecture he knew would come.
“I know you think I’m here to yell, but I’m not. I wanted to tell you that I’m proud of you for standing up for your sister.”
Bo looked up at his dad, and his dad was grinning at him, “You are growing up to be a good man. One, I’m proud of immensely.”
