Finding True Friendship by: Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters. You have been warned.
The days were going pretty quickly. Already the middle of the week and Pent kept the back of his mind focused on his usual activities. The backlit possibility of him going to Arthur's house was something that had very much fallen to the wayside. He had all but stopped talking about it and his brother was no longer certain if he was even going or not anymore. Samaliel wasn't about to let the issue go. It was the first time as far as he could remember Pent trying to make a friend and he wanted to do anything he could to help.
Samaliel woke up that Wednesday morning bright and early. He set a rather quiet watch at his bedside to wake himself up in hopes it would not be loud enough to get his older brother out of bed. The little device buzzed and hummed next to him as he silenced it within seconds. The young cub was mentally prepared for this. He didn't care that it was 30 minutes earlier than normal. All he wanted to do was to prepare for the day in question.
Samaliel had worked out a plan in his head. The younger boy did not know Arthur himself but he knew someone who did. Samaliel's friend had a sister who was very close to Arthur. In the friend's own words, it was Arthur's girlfriend but that wasn't what Samaliel cared about. He planned to get insight into Arthur and see if he could figure out a way to ensure he and Pent remained friends even despite the white fox's insular nature.
The cub peered over his bed and down to the bunk below. He saw that Pent was still deep in sleep and silently cheered to himself. The boy panned over to his dresser and grabbed his phone before padding back up to the upper bunk. He unlocked the phone and hurriedly began texting his friend in hopes he was up as he asked him previously to help him out.
"Hey, Darren. You awake?" Samaliel impatiently awaited a response.
Several moments passed before the phone buzzed, and Samaliel quickly silenced it. "Yep, I promised I would be on. What's up."
"Well…as I told you my brother isn't exactly a social butterfly. He seems to be getting along with Arthur and I know your sister is close with him." The salt and pepper fox got right to the point.
The other boy responded shortly after. "Right well, I know that they are dating. Arthur has come over a few times to hang out with her."
"So what does he appear to like?" Samaliel wanted any insight he could get.
Again another silence followed. "Every time I've talked to him he talks about games but that might be because he's trying to relate with me when we talk."
"Hmm so no sports or anything like that?" The fox knew his brother wasn't much of a gamer.
A few seconds passed. "She's been to a few of his hockey games so I know he likes that."
"That sounds promising. How about puzzles? My brother likes puzzles." The boy wanted to find anything in common the other two might have had.
Darren didn't respond for over a minute. "Sorry, I don't know but I can try and ask if you want."
"Nah, do you think you're sister would be willing to talk to my brother about him?" Samaliel wasn't sure how Pent was with girls.
Silence followed for a bit. "Maybe. I don't think she even knows who he is. At least she's never talked about him."
"That's usually the case. Pent doesn't talk to anyone. That's why I want this thing with Arthur to work out." Samaliel wondered if he could arrange something without Pent knowing.
Darren immediately responded. "Why not create a gift or something and say Arthur gave it to him?"
"That seems silly, especially if he asked Arthur about it." The salt and pepper fox thought about it a moment more.
The other cub responded quickly. "Well, what do you want me to do?"
"Do you have anything of Arthur's at your house?" Samaliel had come up with an idea in his head.
The boy texted back after a few moments. "Yeah, he left his gym bag here the other day."
"Good, bring it with you. I have an idea. I will meet you in front of the school this morning." Samaliel began concocting the plan in his head and planned exactly how he wanted it to work.
That morning Samaliel had met up with his friend. Samaliel collected the bag, carrying it with him throughout the entire day. It was until the end of the day that ended up going through it, finding only a small figure as an item of interest. When inquired by Pent why he had it, the cub insisted his friend asked for Pent to give it to Arthur. Pent gladly agreed, and Samaliel smiled at him. The game was afoot.
The following day came before long and with it the auspice of a new day. Samaliel was the first to wake up with Pent waking up soon after. The white fox jammed his finger into the bottom of his bunk. Samaliel stuck his head over the mattress and down at Pent.
"I'm awake. Don't worry." Samaliel hopped down from the top bunk and shook his brother to be funny.
Pent got out of bed and playfully shoved his brother. "Come on, let's get breakfast, you bozo."
The two proceeded to walk to the kitchen together. Samaliel jetted down the hall towards the room, eager for whatever they were going to have for breakfast. The white cub began making them some pastry tarts and fruit. The salt and pepper boy working on the drinks and dishes. It always went faster when they worked together. Pent peered over at the bag that had been set on one of the kitchen chairs.
"So why did your friend ask me to give the to Arthur anyways? Why did they have it?" Pent was curious.
The smaller fox had already come up with a white lie. "Because he forgot it at my friend's sister's house. Besides his favorite figurine is inside."
"Figurine? What kind of figurine?" The boy was a bit of a collector himself, though he mostly kept to sci-fi products.
Samaliel peered over his shoulder. "I dunno. I didn't look. That's just what Darren told me."
Pent finished making the food and dropped it off at the table before walking over to the bag and rifling through it. "Oh wow."
"What is it?" Samaliel asked assuming that his brother could identify it.
The white fox held it up. "It's a Dalek…from Dr. Who."
"Isn't that your favorite show?" The salt and pepper fox couldn't help but smile.
The cub's tail wagged behind him softly. "Yeah."
Pent placed the figurine back into the bag before joining his brother.
"See…you have something in common with him now." The young brother stated proudly.
The white fox softly nodded. "I guess so."
"Can you help me study for a test tonight?" Samaliel asked as he knew his brother would likely be willing.
Pent smiled. "Of course."
The two proceeded to work through the breakfast in front of them. Once they were done they worked together to clean up. When they were almost done, Pent dismissed Samaliel so he could get ready for school. The white fox walked over to the bag again and looked at the figure on top. It was in pretty good shape and he wasn't sure if Arthur was a collector like himself. Immediately he wanted to ask about it and possibly even discuss the show.
Pent knew it would have to wait and decided to get ready for school. Placing the figure back in the bag, he headed back toward his room. Samaliel was already halfway dressed, only his shirt was missing. The older brother poked his stomach causing the other boy to giggle. The white fox walked over to the dresser drawers and set out his school uniform.
"Where are my socks?" The cub asked as his dark socks were nowhere to be seen.
Samaliel shrugged. "I dunno, maybe the sock monster ate them?"
"Very funny." Pent proceeded to look through his stuff again and found nothing.
"Seriously, I don't see any of my school socks." He peered over in the hamper and there were a few in there but he wasn't about to re-wear those, especially since many of them were wet from the bad weather.
The salt and pepper fox shook his head. "I mean I can offer you a pair of mine but they might be too small for you and they aren't the same color."
"Yeah, I'm not sure that would work." Pent looked one more time to be certain.
The smaller fox finished dressing before hanging over a pair of his socks. "Are you sure?"
"Yup. I guess I just have to wear a dirty pair." The white fox began to dig through the hamper.
An idea popped into Samaliel's head. "Why not go check your friend's gym bag?"
"And wear Arthurs? I guess it wouldn't hurt. It's better than wearing soggy socks…" Pent stopped digging and headed back toward the kitchen.
Pent popped his head back into the kitchen and rifled through the bag again. Sure enough, a pair of wadded-up black socks was within. He grabbed them and withdrew them. HE assumed the other boy wouldn't care if he used them. The cub returned to his room and proceeded to change into his uniform.
"Any luck?" Samaliel asked.
Pent showed off the bundled-up pair of socks before putting them on his paws. "Yeah. They are dry."
"Now you all have something else in common." The salt and pepper fox attempted a joke.
The bigger boy rolled his eyes. "I guess. It's just socks. It's not like it's a big deal."
Once the two were ready, they both grabbed their book bags. Pent made sure to grab Arthur's duffel bag before zipping it back up. They were ready to go and headed out of the door. The two brothers made their way to school, taking the usual path to the bus and waiting for the bus. The bus ended up not showing up til later, making them rather pressed for time. Still, the school was aware of it so neither of them would get in trouble about it.
They arrived at the schools before long. Both boys separated ways as they always did. Pent waved to his brother who waved back to him. Samaliel hoped his plan would work out just the way he had envisioned it. Knowing only that time would tell and there wasn't anything else he could do to help it along.
Pent proceeded to the front of the building. Most of the students were already inside since the bus had run late. Some members of the administration
were out front directing the students to get to class as quickly as possible. Handing each of them a pass so that none of them were marked as late. The white fox took one before being on his way. Pent hated being late, even when it was outside of his control.
The fox made his way to his first class. Looking around, he didn't see Arthur in his class though he had never actually checked before. The cub decided he was probably in a different class and that he would have to go and find him later. Literature was his first class of the day on his schedule that day and they were once again going over the book he had long ago finished. Pent had no issue remembering most of the details, though his mind had moved on to other things as the book wasn't interesting.
The teacher only ended up picking him up twice, and he was able to answer the questions without issue. The assignment wasn't that challenging for him either and he was able to dive his head into the latest book he'd been interested in. A revisiting of one of his favorite authors Richard Dawkins and the magic of reality. A rather dense book for a child of the cub's age but it didn't much bother him as he began reading in kind.
The class released before long and the crush of cubs escaped out of the door, leaving Pent behind to finish the page he was on. Still carrying the book in his hand, already eager to get to the next page. The teacher smirked at the bookworm as he passed her by. The woman couldn't help but shake her head but had long ago gotten used to his quirks and didn't think much of it anymore as long as he did his work.
Pent proceeded to the hallway with Arthur's bag in his paw. The fox looked around for the Eskimo dog, unsure where he normally hung out. As Pent was rushing through the halls and making a turn at one of the junctions, he ran into someone.
"Sorry about that…I wasn't paying attention." Pent picked himself up off the floor.
Arthur smirked at him. "It's alright, I wasn't paying attention either."
"Oh, Arthur. I was looking for you." The white cub looked up at the bigger boy.
The Eskimo dog cocked an eyebrow. "You were?"
"Here…let's get out of the middle of the hall." Pent moved to the side before the other cub did the same.
Pent handed him the duffel bag that he'd been carrying throughout the morning.
Arthur looked confused. "Huh? Is this mine?"
"Yeah, my brother's friend gave it to me to give to you." The smaller boy waited for him to take it.
The other boy hesitated before grabbing it and looking through it. "Oh, yeah. This is mine. Thanks for bringing it to me."
"It's cool. Just trying to help." Pent wasn't sure what else to say and had almost forgotten about the toy.
Arthur reached behind him into his bag as if he was looking for something before turning back around with something in his paw. "Look what I got?"
Pent looked at it, it was a graphic novel. "A book?"
"Yeah, I felt bad about making you play games with me last weekend and was hoping you'd be my book buddy this weekend." The Eskimo dog shuffled his feet in place as if nervous about the other boy's response.
The fox murmured. "You…want to read with me?"
"I mean…you seem to like it…so yeah why not?" Arthur didn't like books but wanted to try to relate to them.
Pent's tail wagged behind him softly. "I would like that. Say…do you like Dr. Who?"
"It's alright. Why do you ask?" The bigger boy had forgotten he had left his toy in the bag.
The white fox seemed disappointed. "Oh, no reason. I just noticed you had a Dalek toy and I thought it was neat."
"My dad gave it to me. I kind of forgot it was even in there." The cub shrugged as the trinket didn't matter much to him.
Pent looked at the floor seeming at a loss for words.
"Do you like Dr. Who?" Arthur noticed Pent looked disheartened and wanted to cheer him up.
The white fox nodded softly. "Yeah, it's one of my favorite shows."
Arthur reached into the bag and pulled out the toy before holding it out to Pent. "Would you like it?"
"But your dad gave it to you…I can't take it." Pent felt a sudden sense of guilt come over him.
The bigger boy put his arm over the other boy and pulled him in close. "It's okay. I promise I didn't even know it was in there. I probably haven't touched it in years."
"No….I can't…sorry. It…just feels wrong." The white fox shook his head defiantly.
Arthur wasn't sure what to say. "Alright, well…thanks for giving my bag back."
"Did you um…want to read with me during lunch?" Pent stopped the other cub from walking away.
The Eskimo hesitated as he wasn't sure what the other boys would think if they saw him reading. "Uh…"
"It's okay if you don't wanna. I can read alone." The fox's tail wagged behind him again as if excited about the prospect.
Arthur still wasn't sure what he wanted to do. "Can I think about it?"
"Sure…I'm ok if you don't. I know you aren't crazy about books and stuff. Well, I'll catch you later, alright?" Pent tried to force a smile to hide his disappointment.
The Eskimo nodded softly and placed his book back in his bag so people didn't see him toting it around. "Yeah, okay. See ya."
The fox made his way down the hall. He kept his gaze down to the floor but occasionally looked up so that he didn't run into anyone else. Still, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. Arthur had gotten his hopes of having a book buddy. Yet another person who had misled him, at least in his mind. Realizing he only wanted to do it in private made him feel even further alone.
The Arctic fox proceeded to his next class. Math was a class he was usually excited about but today he wasn't in the mood. He was more withdrawn than usual, not even willing to answer questions except when he was forced. The teacher noticed it too but said nothing about it as they knew they had to get through the lesson. Pent finished his work a little slower than usual but still managed to get through it.
Once the class was finished the teacher stopped him to talk but Pent wasn't willing to talk about it so they let him go. The teacher knew full well something was bothering him and couldn't help but wonder what it was. The cub made his way outside of the classroom to the nearest corner. The only thing Pent wanted to do was withdraw and shut himself out. He felt completely alone and just wanted to read his books again.
It was recess time for some of the students. Many of them went outside. Pent had no interest in it that day. Instead staying inside, not wanting to talk to anyone else. The fox bottled his feelings up again, telling himself he shouldn't care but it was obvious he did.
"Can I join you?" A familiar voice asked him nearby.
Pent did not immediately respond. Instead, he was covering up his face as he didn't want anyone to know he was crying. Sniffles could be heard rather loudly.
"Are you okay?" The same voice spoke again.
The white fox bundled up in his legs. He knew who the voice was but had no desire to speak to them.
Arthur kneeled next to him. "…I'm sorry I made you upset."
"Go away." Pent said in a broken tone.
The Eskimo dog sighed. "How can I make it up to you, Pent?"
"Leave me alone." The fox continued to cry quite evidently.
The bigger boy wasn't entirely sure what to do but he knew he messed up. He decided to sit down next to Pent and pulled out the book he had brought with him. The smaller cub remained mostly silent except for the occasional sniffle.
"I don't know how you feel, Pent but I want to be your friend." Arthur started to attempt to read his book even if he was slightly distracted.
Pent side-eyed Arthur to see what he was doing. Arthur knew all too well he was being watched. Reading the book was nothing exciting for him but he wanted to prove to the boy he had changed his mind.
"Come on…let's read together, Pent. I promise we can be book buddies if you want…even in school." Arthur hadn't read a single word and continued to fake it.
Pent sniffled once more. "Do you mean it?"
"Yeah, I do. I promise." The Eskimo occasionally looked around to see if anyone else was hanging about.
The white fox smiled and nodded. "Okay."
"So do you want to be my friend?" Arthur asked the question that had been on his mind for the past few days.
Pent nodded a few times. "Yeah, I would like that."
"Come on and read with me then, book buddy." The Eskimo dog playfully shoved at Pent.
The smaller boy smiled and began reading again, already feeling better. The two remained there for the remainder of recess. Neither said much anything more. When the bell signaling the end of recess rang, Arthur was quick to get up. Offering his paw to Pent to help him back up. The white fox still had a smile on his face.
"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Arthur said as he needed to get to his next class.
Pent nodded and waved. His tail wagging behind him once again. He felt immediately better about his day. He was much more excited about his next class, which happened to be his favorite. The fox showed up early as he often did. The old badger at the front of the class waved him in when he entered. The two chatting it up briefly about a recent discovery before the rest of the students came into the class.
Today's assignment was a diagnostic. The students were expected to produce results that could easily be replicated in a lab. They were provided the chemicals for the test and told to come up with the most efficient results for catabolic cleanup. The goal, in the end, was for them to clean up the most rust in a rather old pot that each of the groups was given. Of course, Pent ended up alone, but he didn't care much as he knew he could pull it off.
Pent worked through the chemicals he was given. He didn't mix all of them as he knew that would be a foolhardy mistake. Instead going with a more tried and trued method of running through the MSDS of cleaning agents until he found something he could make.
Sure enough, after only two tries he came up with something workable. Trying it out on the little pan, he found very little rust remaining.
The fox continued working until it was not noticeable. The teacher commended him on his effort and the class was dismissed shortly after. It was lunchtime and Pent was looking forward to the prospect of having someone to hang around with. The boy didn't wait around like he normally did but still stayed behind to avoid the normal crush of students. When most everyone was gone he made his way to the cafeteria.
When he arrived he found that the lunch room was just as busy as usual. Giving a brief look around, he didn't see Arthur around. Pent wasn't certain when the other boy would arrive and part of him thought that he wouldn't show up. He proceeded to wait in line until he was up at the front of it. Smiling at the cafeteria worker and thanking them before picking some items off the salad bar.
As he exited from the line he looked around once more. Sure enough, he saw Arthur sitting down with some other students. Perhaps he had forgotten? Pent told himself silently. But…he knew he had promised. The fox was used to being let down and it was far from the first time this has happened. He decided to not say anything and see what happened. Filing toward the back of the room, he found himself an empty seat and sat by himself.
Pent ate meagerly as he was somewhat distracted by his thoughts. Thinking to himself about if he had been fooled, if he had gotten himself worked up over nothing. He regretted the other boy seeing him cry but knew it didn't matter now. He tried to force himself to eat, though he couldn't finish all of it. Eventually deciding instead to bury his head in yet another book, the only consolation he was convinced he had.
Time flew by as it always did when Pent read books. The bell rang and he looked around once again and he could see Arthur was still hanging out with the other kids. A sense of disappointment and anger filled him. He hated being misled but it was far from the first time that he'd been stood up. He decided that the so-called friendship was yet another farce and that it just wasn't worth the effort.
Pent exited the lunch room without saying a word to anyone. He was deep within his thoughts, as he often was. The cub was looking forward to the final class of the day. A chance to let out his frustration. Even going as far as to arrive earlier than normal to get changed. The white fox entered the locker rooms until he found a vacant area near the back where he could go undisturbed.
"Is this spot taken?" The same familiar voice from before spoke to him.
Pent huffed. He had no desire to respond.
"I'd be angry too. You don't have to answer me." Arthur knew he had screwed up.
The smaller boy took his shirt off, still ever silent.
"I forgot. I'm sorry." The Eskimo dog felt incredibly guilty but wasn't sure what he could do to fix it.
The other cub continued to get changed, still uninterested in talking to him. Arthur stood there for a moment unsure what else to say. The white cub finished getting dressed and exited from the locker room to the field as it was kickball day and he knew he had to report outside. Once all of the cubs were outside, two of them were picked as captains. Pent was picked close to last as most of them assumed he was far from athletic.
Pent didn't care much. Arthur was on the other team and all he wanted to do was beat him. The fox cub's team was the first up to bat and every student was allowed to kick the ball to see if they could score a run. It was a warm day out but the fields were somewhat damp from recent rainfall that muddied the already slick fields. The boy waited his turn patiently, watching as most of the kids were caught out or otherwise kicked afoul.
When it was finally Pent's turn he was ready to kick the ball. Arthur knew it was the boy's turn. He was just as frustrated by his actions, eager to make something happen since Pent was the last one in the lineup. The pitcher took the ball and rolled it out. As with all the pitches they were slow going and easy to kick. Pent kicked the red ball as hard as he could, sending the rubbery object far into the distance.
Pent began running once he hit the ball with the brunt of the tip of his toe. The players in the outfield all started to run toward it. None of them even came close to catching the thing. The fox made it to first base but not stopping as the defense had made no effort to deter him. Arthur waved his hands, and one of his teammates beamed the ball toward him. The Eskimo caught the ball and quickly reeled it back towards Pent as quickly as he could in hopes of catching the cub before he hit the second base.
The fox felt something hit the side of his head. The boy fell to the floor with a thud. Pent's body remained motionless as it lay there. The nearby base coach didn't even bother to declare him out. A small bit of blood was pouring from the boy's face.
"We need to get him to the clinic, fast!" The base coach announced that they witnessed the event happen from the closest vantage.
The game stopped and most everyone fell silent.
One of the other students yelled at Arthur. "Good work, Arthur. You showed that nerd whose boss!"
One of the adults on hand took it upon themselves to help the boy up and off the field. The cub seemed to be unconscious as he was showing no signs of movement. Arthur looked on in disbelief. He couldn't believe what he had done, even if it wasn't his intention. He had just hurt his so-called friend and fell to his bottom at a loss for what to do. Pent was carted off to the clinic where he was looked at by the on-staff nurse.
The woman diagnosed him as just being knocked out and needing rest, much to the surprise of the adult who brought him here. The white fox was left on his own, recovering on one of the beds. His guardian was contacted but she had no interest in checking in with him. Of course, once Samaliel learned of it the boy showed up to check on his brother. Remaining at his side until Pent woke up.
When Pent awoke, he didn't entirely remember what happened. All he knew was that he was playing kickball and running to second base. He smiled meekly at Samaliel who was at his bedside. The smaller boy handed him a plush to clutch, who instead clutched his brother from the side and started sobbing. The pain and suffering the day had brought him had become too much to bear.
"Does he want visitors?" An unfamiliar voice beckoned from outside the room.
Samaliel peered outside the door since Pent was in no condition to look up at the older boy. "Who are you?"
"My name is Xavier…but you can call me Xae," The older boy was a chipmunk who had seen what had happened to Pent and felt badly.
The younger cub crossed his arms defensively. "And…why are you here? Does Pent know you or something?"
"No. Probably not. I just saw what happened at kickball and wanted to check in on him. He seemed pretty badly hurt and I was worried." Xavier scratched the back of his head as he wasn't sure what else to say.
Samaliel hesitated a moment before he stepped to the side and allowed the older boy in. Pent was still lying on his back, still sort of out of it.
"You alright?" The buck tooth cub looked over the other boy once he was close enough.
Pent's eyes were a bit glazed over but he could see the other boy. "Who are you?"
"I'm another student in your class and saw you get hurt. I just wanted to check in on you. It looks like the blood has stopped at least." Xavier was no doctor but saw no apparent signs of the injury other than a few stains of blood.
The white fox wasn't sure what to make of his visitor and remained silent. He wasn't one who readily trusted people, especially after what had just happened to him.
"I'm glad you're alright. Arthur was a jerk to you. I don't know what his problem was but he could have hurt you." The chipmunk cub seemed genuinely mad about what Arthur had done.
Pent murmured a bit as he was still peeved at having trusted the other boy. Xavier waved to them before making his exit.
"Well…he seemed nice at least?" Samaliel felt a renewed spark of hope that Pent would finally get a friend.
The white fox groaned and turned to his side.
"Look…I know you're angry. Arthur is a jerk…so what? Maybe that boy would like to hang out with you instead?" The salt and pepper fox walked back over toward where Pent was.
Pent sighed. "He'd just be the same. No one likes me except for you."
"Can you please try for me? I will read whatever you want me to. I'm tired of seeing you alone all the time." The younger boy pleaded with his brother.
The older cub closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I can try."
"That's all I wanted to hear. Come on let's go home." Samaliel helped Pent off the medical table.
Pent and his brother returned home in due time. The older fox was able to return to his strength, though he wobbled a bit. With the help of his brother, they were able to go home. The white fox told him everything that had happened and Samaliel couldn't help but feel guilty as he had played a small part in it. The older fox of course didn't feel that way but Samaliel still took it more personally than he should have otherwise.
The next morning Pent and his brother awoke to the sound of the alarm as they always did. The older cub still had a bit of a headache from his injury but he had mostly healed up. The white fox waited for Samaliel to join him before getting dressed for the day. The two were peas in a pod and very rarely had an issue with one another. Samaliel smiled at his brother who seemed to have a smile on his face despite what had happened the other day.
Once they were dressed, they made their way back to the kitchen. Pent decided to make something a little more involved than usual, making both their eggs and
hash browns. The white fox considered himself somewhat of a chef despite never having done much outside the realm of frozen foods. Still, Samaliel wasn't one to complain as neither boy was that picky about what they ate.
Samaliel busied himself to make them fruit and juice. Sitting down together once the food was prepared. Pent put his arm around the other boy and pulled him in closer. The younger brother couldn't help but smile and hugged him back. Going through their meal rather quickly as they knew they didn't have much time before school started. After everything was done, they made their way to school once again.
Pent and Samaliel arrived at school after their bus ride. They weren't their separate ways and Samaliel looked back at the bigger boy, hoping he would have a better day than before. The white fox made his way to the front of the school. Many students were already out and about. He saw Arthur hanging out with his friends, deciding to stay well clear of him. He couldn't help but feel angry but knew that getting even was no answer to his problem.
The fox went to the side of the school and shuffled his bag to his side. It was darker on this side of the building since the shadow of it covered him. He contemplated reading but wasn't sure he would be able to with the lack of light. The boy continued to the back of the building where the light was a little more prominent and sat down. Pent proceeded to stuff his face in yet another book, eager to get through as many pages as he could.
Pent went undisturbed for a few minutes until he heard a vaguely familiar voice.
"I was wondering where you went hiding. Are you feeling better today?" The chipmunk boy from yesterday peered over Pent from above.
The white fox put his book down, not remembering who it was. "I guess."
"Not much one for words are ya? That's ok. Care if I join you?" Xavier took a spot right next to him, not awaiting an answer.
Pent murmured a bit. "You want to read…?"
"Yeah, sure. Why not? What's the problem with reading." The chipmunk smiled widely and pulled out his book before showing it off.
The other cub looked at it a moment, it appeared to be a book about lacrosse. "Cool."
The white fox shut himself into the book again. Neither boy said much until the bell rang signaling to head for class. Xavier got up and offered a helping paw to the other boy.
Pent took the help and got up. A small smile cracked his face. Looking at the other boy, Xavier was a bit smaller than himself with a more narrow face and shorter ears. His fur was light brown with a few darker stripes running through it. He seemed to have a bit more athletic tone to his body than Pent. Through his cheeky grin, two buck teeth poked out.
"Come on…let's go to class." Xavier put his book away into his bag.
The bigger boy nodded, feeling better about himself suddenly. They walked together, one next to the other through the halls. Passing right by Arthur who simply stared down Pent as he passed him by. Yet the presence of the other cub kept him from doing anything further. Little did Pent know that Xavier was one of the star players on the school's Lacrosse team. Though since he attended little other than hockey he didn't know that.
"What's your first class?" The smaller cub asked trying to take an interest in his new friend.
Pent stuttered a bit as he spoke. "L-literacy."
"What's wrong? Cat got you're tongue?" Xavier said, trying to get a laugh out of him.
The fox took it more literally than he should have. "No…"
"You're funny. You know that?" The chipmunk kept from laughing so he didn't hurt the other boy's feelings.
Pent was rather confused. "I am?"
"Yup. Funny fox is funny." Xavier stuck out his tongue to exacerbate his comment.
The bigger cub shrugged as he was unsure how to respond to it. "I suppose."
"Do you normally sit alone when you read?" The chipmunk wasn't one who like to see anyone alone.
The white fox nodded, not seeming bothered by it. "Yeah."
"Would you mind if join you again?" The chipmunk wasn't crazy about books but he wasn't averse to reading.
Pent couldn't help but smile. "Sure."
"You don't talk much do you?" The smaller cub playfully shoved the other boy.
The kit lost a bit of his footing. "Sorry."
"It's fine…I understand. You don't know me yet." Xavier was trying to be understanding.
Pent's tail wagged a bit behind him. "Yeah."
"Cool, well see you later? I need to get to class." The chipmunk smiled at him.
The bigger cub nodded. "Sure…I would like that…"
"That a boy." Xavier patted him on the back before walking away.
Pent turned around, feeling rather good about himself now. He made his way to Literacy where they were to finish going over the book they read. He isolated himself from most of the other students. Still unwilling to fully integrate. Though the teacher had no issue with it since he was always doing his work and able to go above and beyond when push came to shove. The teacher went through their usual routine of the lesson.
It was a review and many of the students still hadn't bothered to read the book. Of course, Pent was able to answer all of the questions when he was called upon. The teacher was equally annoyed when she discovered that none of the students had gotten to the end of the book. Awarding Pent with a small piece of candy for his cooperation. The cub turned it down, instead giving it back to her as he was happy with the grade.
The class was over before long and with it, the end of the book was given away. Many of the students were unsurprised by the ending. Many of them were kept for a few minutes for a lecture but Pent was released to not punish him in the same way she was everyone else. Back in the hall, the white fox kit made his way to the next class. Proceeding to the end of the hall to the older student's grades.
He passed right by Arthur and his friends. They stared at Pent as he walked down the hall. Pent could do little to avoid them. The hallway offered no alternative.
"Aw…look at the little crybaby." One of the boys in the group shouted at him.
Pent continued walking past them as quickly as he could. He had no interest in conflict. They continued to mock him as he passed by. One of them came out to stop him but the white fox had picked up pace enough that he had put distance between them. He continued to try to ignore them as they badgered him among themselves. Arthur had caved into peer pressure, no longer wanting to hang out with a nerd or cultivating a faux friendship.
The fox found his way to math class. Glad he was in the presence of a somewhat trusted adult. He made his way into the class in hopes the other kids would leave him alone. The teacher eyed him as he entered. They continued working on the activity for today, before turning to Pent and handing him a small puzzle to occupy himself. Pent was able to assemble the small toy in minutes, much to the surprise of the teacher who thought the thing to be difficult.
The students arrived before long and the lesson began in kind. A simple introduction to the finding of angles inside split-up circles. Something Pent was fairly familiar with already and able to accomplish without much of a hassle. The teacher went above and beyond for once and handed him an enrichment assignment that went into some of the trigonometric functions. Pent couldn't help but stare at them, trying his hardest to understand their purpose, and began working on an example to see if he could come up with the same solution.
Through some trial and error, he was able to come pretty close to the answer in question. Of course, he wasn't happy with anything but perfection. When the class came to a close, he was a bit frustrated he hadn't figured it out and brought the worksheet with him. Continuing to occasionally look at the worksheet despite the class being over. Even looking at it in science. His favorite teacher was more than surprised to find him a bit distracted.
By the time lunch came around, Pent had figured it out. The conquering of the formula gave him a bit of pride as he crumpled it up and threw it away. Now he could show the math teacher that he could do it. The cub arrived at the lunch line where he got behind some of the smaller kids. He kept an eye out for Arthur and the other kids who had been bugging him throughout the day, hoping they wouldn't do so again.
When he was about halfway through the line, some of Arthur's crew had found their way to him. They cut in line, right in front of him, before pushing him against one of the adjoining walls of the room. They were far larger than he was and Pent tried to keep them off of him but there were too many to do anything about. One of the adults in the room came to break up the fisticuffs, seemingly sparing Pent from further issues from his bullies.
The other boys were taken away. The students in the line said nothing. Pent felt completely alone again. He was gently touched on the shoulder. The fox looked over to find that Santiago had found his way to him. The younger boy couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort even if the other boy hadn't said anything. Pent proceeded through the line with the older boy and got himself a tray of something to eat.
Santiago and Pent sat down together. The younger cub explained what had happened the other day. Since Samaliel had told him what happened he had a better recollection of it all. The squirrel couldn't help but feel bad for him.
"Well…if you ever want to talk about it just let me know?" The bigger boy patted him on the back.
Pent nodded. "Alright. I'll be alright."
Santiago wasn't sure he was convinced. He knew sometimes the students who he helped with counseling bottled things up and he had an inkling that Pent wasn't the most social cub in the world. Still, he wasn't about to push him into it until he was comfortable talking about it.
"That
sucks Arthur wasn't trying to be your friend." Santiago tried to find another way into the conversation.
The white fox frowned a bit. "Yeah, but I think I made another friend today."
"Oh yeah? Who's that?" The older boy continued to try to make Pent talk.
Pent smiled a bit. "His name was Xavier."
"Xavier…the star Lacrosse player?" Santiago had never heard of the jock being friendly with people outside of sports.
The smaller boy nodded. "I guess? He hasn't talked about Lacrosse yet."
"Well…that's cool. Just be careful. He's much more popular than Arthur is and…yeah." The squirrel didn't want Pent to get hurt again.
Pent felt certain this wouldn't be the case. "He checked in on me yesterday after I got hurt."
"That's nice of him. I'm glad to hear it. I hope it works out." Santiago forced a smile but wasn't sure what to make of it.
For the rest of the lunch, they went silent. Both boys were busy eating their food. Arthur's crew had joined Arthur in internal suspension so Pent would not have to deal with them again. Pent didn't seem to be bothered by the somewhat negative attitude that Santiago had towards Xavier. All he cared about was that he finally had someone to read with. He didn't care about the fact that Xavier was on the lacrosse team or not.
After lunch was over, they parted ways and Pent proceeded to gym class. Arthur had already been removed from his class, even with the prospect of his suspension. The athletic department had little tolerance for even the smallest signs of bullying. The school also understood the situation and knew that Pent was something of a target. They just wanted to see him succeed and be a kid whatever way made him happy.
Pent arrived in the locker rooms to a mostly space. Many of the lockers were empty of stuff and the students hadn't quite arrived yet. He figured it was too early and busied himself in finding a space to get dressed for whatever activity the coach had in mind today. Pent had been advised by the school staff to limit himself from contact sports for the time being. An issue that didn't bother him much since the hockey season was still a few weeks away.
The fox decided he would jump some rope before anyone showed up. Quickly changing out of his school uniform and into the gym clothes that the school had given him. The staff was stiff and airy, giving off a faint odor. Telling himself that he would need to take it home to wash it. Once he was ready he made his way into the court where the gym was to be held. One of the coaches saw him and checked in on him, glad to see he was alright from the other day.
It was a few more minutes before students started to arrive. Pent was happy to be left alone and worked himself up into a bit of a sweat by jumping rope.
"You're pretty good at that." A familiar voice spoke to him.
Pent didn't stop, not seeming out of breath, looking over his shoulder. "Hey, Xavier."
"Hey, Pent. I guess I never noticed you were in this gym class before." The chipmunk watched the other boy continue to skip rope.
The white fox looked forward so he could focus. "Yeah."
"Do you like sports?" The smaller cub wasn't too sure an academic boy like Pent would be into physical activity.
Pent simply nodded. "Yeah, I like hockey. I plan on trying out in a few teams."
"Were you on the team last year?" Xavier had never watched hockey before but was familiar with the sport.
The fox nodded again. "Uh-huh. I played defense. Do you play Lacrosse?"
"Yeah, how did you know that?" The chipmunk knew he was well-known enough but tried to be humble about it.
Pent shrugged. "I heard it from someone. They told me you're pretty good."
"I suppose. Would you like to come to a game today?" Xavier figured inviting the boy would make him feel more welcome.
The fox stopped what he was doing. "You want me to come to your Lacrosse game?"
"Yeah? Why not?" The smaller cub approached the bigger boy and waited for a response.
Pent murmured, his tail wagging behind him. "I-I would like that."
"Cool…you don't have to ask your parents?" The brown-furred boy didn't know of the white fox's home situation.
The kit thought to himself a moment. "I doubt she'd care but I will let my brother know."
Pent stopped short of explaining himself as he wasn't sure he was ready to share it. Still, he knew Samaliel would want to know.
"Cool, I will look forward to seeing you there." Xavier smiled widely at the other boy.
The fox started jumping rope again. "Thanks for inviting me."
The chipmunk nodded and they parted ways. The class participated in Basketball but Pent ended up being kept out of it due to his previous injury. Instead, the fox kept himself busy by continuing to jump rope and eventually working on a bit of his stick work with one of the makeshift soccer goals that the school kept around. Pent was able to keep himself busy for the duration of the class. The coach was more than glad to see him keeping active as she knew sometimes students shut down after an injury.
When the whistle was blown and the class was over, Pent retired back to the locker rooms. He hadn't thought much about going to the Lacrosse game but it was still in the back of his mind. He drank some water and sat down as he tried to recover. The fox was still carrying the stick he had borrowed and put it to the side as he let himself cool down. He poured some of his water over his body.
Pent considered taking a shower but figured the Lacrosse game was outside. After thinking about it, the fox wasn't certain of where it was. He was sweaty enough that changing clothes didn't seem to make sense. The cub looked around to see if he could see Xavier but there were too many students around to make anyone out. Being one of the smaller cubs didn't help when needed to find his way through things.
After he cooled off and rested a bit, he decided to head out. The bell had already rang for school and Pent grabbed his bag. The fox kit kept the water bottle he had drank so he could take it outside with him. He headed outside the school to the front of it. He waited for his brother as he needed to tell him what he was doing. Samaliel was more than happy to accommodate him and even more glad that he was pursuing a friendship with Xavier.
The white fox made his way to the rear of the school. He assumed the game would be held in one of the many fields of the school. The number of furs around made it easier to determine where he needed to go. Small groups of people were congregating every which place leading towards one of the fields that were full of people. Pent figured this had to be where the game was but he wasn't sure where he should go from here.
"Hey, Pent!" Xavier shouted to him as he saw the unmistakable white-furred fox boy walking around.
The other cub looked around until he spotted the chipmunk. "Hey, Xavier."
Pent looked at Xavier. The boy had changed into his lacrosse uniform. Wearing the number 33 on his chest. The boy was carrying a lacrosse stick over his shoulder.
"Come on…" Xavier impatiently tugged on Pent to follow him.
The bigger boy followed along without hesitation. He figured the game must be starting soon. Eventually, he was led over toward the bench where the home teams players were sitting.
"Everyone…this is Pent. He is going be watching the game for the first time today." The chipmunk presented the boy in front of him.
The white fox suddenly felt uncertain of himself as he did not like attention. "Hi…?"
"The coach said you can sit on the end of the player's bench if you want. I asked before you came." Xavier pointed over to the bench where there was an empty spot.
Pent murmured. "Okay…"
The fox meekly walked toward the empty spot. The other students didn't bother to make space for him, so he had to stand up. The game started before long and a faceoff was held. Pent had never seen a game of lacrosse before and this was the first time he was experiencing it. He watched with interest, though he mostly kept an eye out for the boy in the red jersey with the number 33.
The opposing side took the ball first, reeling the ball back towards the midfielders. Each of them passes to the other before giving it off to one of the attackers. The walrus holding it bounded forward. Easily the biggest kid on the field, just by looking at them. They ran forward, trying to make a quick snapshot toward the goal. The goalie was more than ready, able to pick it up and pass it to one of the players on the home team.
The defender passed it to Xavier. The crowd immediately erupted into a cheer as they suddenly caught Pent off guard. The chipmunk raced forward, passing the ball to one of the other players on his team. The cheetah girl was intercepted by one of the defenders. Xavier followed up with a quick tackle as he managed to get the ball up and back to the same girl, Reeling the ball to the net but falling short of its mark.
The home team helped Xavier up and the opposing team picked up the ball again. Making underhanded passes amongst each other but Xavier was able to scoop one up. The crowd roared again as he raced towards the next. Shooting forward, the goalie leaped towards it but was not able to catch the ball before it hit the back of the net. One of the refs changed the score before retrieving the ball from the back of the net. Pent clapped at him, surprised he was so good at the sport.
The game proceeded in much the same fashion for the remainder. A back-and-forth ordeal between two evenly matched sides. The score remains a constant 1-0 for the duration of it. When the game finally came to a close, the home team was announced the winner. Xavier was picked up by his teammates and celebrated as the hero once again. It then became apparent to Pent just how popular the boy was.
As things were winding down and the celebratory atmosphere passed, some of the kids began to congregate from the
field. Pent picked himself up as he knew his foster mother would never pick him up. He was about to leave when he heard a voice call to him.
"Hey, wait!" Xavier noticed Pent before he walked away.
Pent turned around. "Huh? I'm just going home."
"I hope you had fun at the game. Aren't your parents going to pick you up?" The smaller boy wiped some of the sweat off his forehead.
The white fox looked at the ground. "Nah."
"My parents will take you home if you want a ride?" The chipmunk wasn't about to let his new friend walk home alone.
Pent seemed surprised. "Really? Are you sure?"
"Yeah, come on…it's getting dark." The brown-furred cub pointed at the vehicle that his parents drove.
The kit's tail wagged behind him a bit as he followed the other boy to his family's car. Xavier asked his parents once they were close enough. They were more than happy to drop him off. Pent provided them with his address and got into the back seat.
"Thanks, Xavier's Mom and Dad…" Pent said before he buckled up his seat belt.
The chipmunk woman up front gave him a thumbs up. "New friend, Xae?"
"Yeah, this is Pent." Xavier put his lacrosse gear into the trunk before getting inside.
The white fox meekly waved as he put his bag on his knees. "Nice to meet you."
The car took off before long and they began the short journey towards Pent's home. The fox felt a bit uneasy being in their car but figured it was better than walking. Remaining silent the entire time and staring out the window. Xavier looked over at him, uncertain of how to make him more comfortable. He reached into his bag and offered Pent his book.
"Would you like to read?" Xavier just wanted to be accommodating.
The fox shook his head. "Nah…it's okay."
An awkward silence was shared between the two in the car until they arrived at Pent. Pent was happy to be home and let himself outside of the vehicle. Xavier still felt a bit guilty the other boy was still a bit uncomfortable around him. Just before Pent was about to close the door, he came up with an idea.
"Pent hold-up. Hey….Mom and Dad?" The chipmunk boy leaned into the front seat.
They looked back at him, his mother answering. "Yes, hon?"
"Would it be okay if I hang out with Pent this weekend?" Xavier just wanted Pent to be his friend.
The woman looked over at her husband and then back at him. "If he likes."
"Pent, would you like to do something this weekend?" The brown-furred boy was hopeful the other would say yes.
Pent shuffled his feet in the gravel. "I-uh…"
"You don't have to say yes if you don't want to." Xavier wanted to be supportive of his friend's decision.
The fox still seemed uncertain. "Can I think about it?"
"Yeah…here's my number. Text me or call if you want…" The chipmunk handed him a small slip of paper.
Pent looked at the paper, his tail wagging behind him again. "Okay."
"See you tomorrow, Pent. I hope you had fun." Xavier waved to the other boy.
The white fox waved back and turned away, making a quick dart to the front door. Xavier was hopeful Pent would respond but still had no idea if it would work out.
"He seems nice, Xavier." The mother commented once they were all alone in the car.
Xavier eased back into his chair. "Yeah, I like him even if he doesn't seem to like me back."
"Don't be so sure of that, hon. I just think he is shy. Give him time." She assured her son.
The chipmunk smiled and nodded. "Okay, mom."
They pulled out of the driveway and back towards their own home. Pent arrived much later than usual. Samaliel had plastered himself near the door on the sofa, eagerly awaiting him. The younger fox wanted to know nothing more than how it went. The moment Pent opened the door, the salt and pepper fox bounded out of his char.
"How was the game, Pent?" Samaliel asked his brother within seconds of him entering the home.
Pent shoved the matted fur out of his face. "It was interesting. Xavier is a very good player."
"Yeah? Do you like him?" The smaller cub was hopeful that would be the case.
The white fox nodded. "Uh-huh. He invited me to do something this weekend."
"He did? Are you gonna go?" The younger boy took his brother's bag.
Pent shrugged. "I dunno. I'm not sure it's a good idea."
"Oh, please Pent…please go. I will read two books…even three…just…please go." Samaliel pleaded with the other cub.
The white fox stopped in his tracks. "Why do you want me to go so badly?"
"I'm tired of seeing you lonely, Pent…I just want you to make a friend…just one." The salt and pepper fox didn't hold back any punches.
Pent sighed. "I promise I will go, Samaliel."
"Thank you, Pent….now go take a shower. You smell like heck." The younger fox pinched his nose to indicate his displeasure.
Pent rolled his eyes and headed towards the bathroom. His stomach was rumbling but he knew it could wait. Once he had stripped naked and gotten into the stall, he looked out the window. The sky was full of stars staring back at him. He tried to outline the milky way with his claw. His mind was preoccupied with his thoughts. He was still conflicted about going, trying to convince himself of what he wanted.
Once he was clean, he dried himself. Pent looked at his pants where the cell phone he normally used stuck out of the pocket. He snatched it from within and punched in the number from the paper his new friend Xavier had given him.
"Hey, Xae? It's Pent. Can we still do something this weekend?" Pent hesitated before pushing send, and so…the deed was done.
Pent changed into his pajamas and made a quick entry into the kitchen. He made one of the microwave dinners in the freezer as he had no patience for waiting. The cub had left his belongings in the room with his brother. He hadn't given much thought to it since Samaliel normally didn't go through his stuff. After finishing his meal and cleaning after himself he returned to his room.
Samaliel was already in bed, still not bothering to read the book he had promised. Pent chucked at him but said nothing. He checked his phone but the device showed no response just quite yet. Perhaps it was too late…he told himself. He climbed into bed and peered out the window again. The light from their room was still on as he'd forgotten to turn it off. He contemplated reading but knew it was too late.
The white fox got up and checked on Samaliel who had been pretty silent that night. It appeared the younger fox had already fallen asleep. Pent checked his phone. A single notification from the same number he texted earlier.
"Yeah, you that sounds good." Pent's face smiled widely.
He put away his phone and turned off the lights. It had been a long day but Pent was glad he had met the other boy. The cub got into his bed and curled underneath. Finding his brother's plush, he decided to return it to the boy before retiring for the night. The older fox allowed his mind to rest, eager for the next day to begin anew. His heart was high and hopes were restored for the possibility of a new friend that would be worthwhile for him.
