Free Six Years by Stephanie Witter

be walking enough in the bar as it was.

 
    "Why are you crying, Little B?"
    I looked up and watched Nolan climb through my window. I didn't want him to see me cry because my parents didn't want to hear about what happened at school. They didn't care, didn't love me and I didn't want Big No to know about all of it. I didn't want to be that little girl in his eyes.
    He knelt in front of me, his big hands on my thighs. My heart missed a beat and my tummy was all funny again. I shook my head, but I didn't pull away. "Talk to me. You know how I hate to see you cry." His soothing voice made the tears fall faster.
    I opened my arms and sneaked them around his neck, burying my damp face in his neck. He smelt of body wash and smoke and I felt secure against him because I knew that he cared about me. He always cared about me.
    "A boy stole my lunch at school and he made fun of me."
    Big No pushed me away just a little bit, but I didn't want to. I dug my fingers into his shoulders getting bigger. He bit his lip ring and his frown deepened. He was angry. "Nobody told your teacher?"
    I shook my head, my eyes widening. "I'm not a tattle-tale!" I sniffled and pushed my hair away from my forehead. My bangs were getting too long, but I didn't want to ask my parents to go to have a haircut. They were always sighing when I asked for something. I hated asking for anything.
    "You or your friends should have told someone. Who is this boy?"
    Once again, I shook my head. I knew Big No. He'd go see the boy's parents if he knew who it was and I didn't want him to do this. "He won't do it again."
    "Do your parents know about this?"
    "Mom has a headache and Dad doesn't want to talk, I think."
    "Fucking role models my ass," Big No mumbled, and it made me chuckle. He smiled at me sheepishly. He hated it when he said bad words in front of me, he thought it was bad for me or something. "Give me the boy's name, Little B. If nobody talks to him he'll bug you again and I don't want you to cry over a boy. Never. Even if a boy does stupid things to get your attention."
    "He doesn't want my attention."
    He chuckled and shook his head, his hazel eyes soft on me. "God, you're so young." He stood up and looked down at me. "His name?"
    I rolled my eyes. He won't stop. He was so stubborn sometimes. "Cole Troscky."
    He scoffed. "I know his older brother." He grabbed his cell phone in his jeans pocket and started dialing a number before he looked back at me, his frown even more pronounced. "He's older than you, isn't he?"
    I nodded. "He's twelve."
    He brought the phone to his ear and waiting a few seconds before Cole's brother picked up. I wanted to hide and never go back to school. They would all know that I told someone, tomorrow. "Hey Nick, it's about your little bro." He listened a second before he cut the other off. "Yeah, he messed up someone's lunch today and bullied her." He walked to the window and closed it as the wind was getting colder outside. "I care about this little girl so tell him to stay away from Brooklyn Powell." He chuckled and shook his head, tension leaving him. "She's my neighbor."
    Neighbor. That's all I was when just one of his dimpled smiles was the thing I was always looking for to light up my day. I was his little friend and even if it hurt to be just that, at least I meant something to someone.
    He hung up and walked back to stand next to my bed, towering over me.
    “So Little B, ready for our movie night?’’
    I nodded with a big smile as I made some room on my bed for him. I had Big No for me alone for a couple more hours, way more than my parents ever gave me.

 
    BROOKLYN
     
    Of course Nolan wouldn't answer. Seriously, What the fuck was that? I was beyond pissed and I just wanted this day to end. For the third time, I checked the time on my phone. I didn't have the time to walk back home before my shift if I wanted to be there on time. I could kiss goodbye a hot shower and fresh clothes .
    I shook my head and grabbed the earbuds