The next day I went to school and avoided Alex all morning. My family came first, always. Alex knew I was mad and let me avoid her during class. It was at recess that she sought me out. I was talking with some kids over by the lunch tables.

“Rex!” she called over to me with her arms crossed over chest. I looked at her and she simply cocked an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes and followed her. I was pissed, but we’d been friends for six years. It was hard avoiding her. She led me to a spot by the bathroom.

“Look, I'm sorry okay! I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“I know you didn’t Alex, but that’s my family. I don’t tolerate people being rude to them. You can be rude to me all you want, but not them.”

Alex paused and looked at me. “When did you get so tough? You were so scrawny when I met you.”

“Flattery won’t fix this.”

Alex laughed and then her face dropped. “Follow me.”

“Why?”

“Please Rex.”

My mouth fell a little. I’d never heard Alex say please. I agreed to follow. She walked me out to the back of the field by the fence.

She slid down the fence, picked a flower and start pulling the petals off one by one. I sat down next to her and watched her closely.

“My family sucks Rex.” I furrowed my brows, not quite understanding. “My mom is sick, and my dad is… well, whatever. Anyway, your family yesterday just reminded me of what I don’t have. It was too much. I really am sorry. You’re my only friend. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me Alex? Why? I would have helped you. “I ran my hands through my hair. Alex just there blankly as if it didn’t matter.

“Sorry Rex. It’s my shit. I don’t want to involve you in it.”

With that she got up and walked off. I let her go. I needed to process this. I was twelve years old, but I felt like I failed my best friend. For some reason I put it in my head that I was going to make her feel better. I knew I couldn’t stop her parents, but I was going to do everything I could to make her life the best if could be when she was with me.

I didn’t bring it up the next few days. Alex was acting tougher, more aggressive and I knew she was pushing me away, so I decided to give her time to herself. To process. For her to see I wasn’t judging her in any way, shape of form. How her family behaved didn’t affect how I felt about her. She was anxious, and I understood why. A few days later I tried to bring it up to her again, but she brushed me off. She especially hurtful that day. I felt helpless and frustrated. How do you be a friend to someone who doesn’t want to be your friend back? Alex shut me out after that. She was rude at first, but then just avoided me although. I had no idea how to get through to her. For three years it was like this. We were acquaintances. We talked. Hung at school and what not, but I would by no means consider us friends. I dove into football, sports, weights. It became my outlet.

One day I was coming home from football practice, which ran two hours after school. I was dumbfounded to see Alex sitting on my porch with a duffle bag to her right. Her eyes were red and watery like she had been crying at one point but stopped herself. Her hair was cut short and layered like she’d cut it in a frenzy, and her arms had red marks like she’d try to scratch herself repeatedly with no nails. I stared at her, stunned.

“I... I had nowhere else to go,” she whispered.

I walked up to her, grabbed her bag and nodded, gesturing for her to follow me inside. She followed me in silence and I led her to our backyard. Mia saw us, but Alex was looking down, so Mia gave us our privacy. I know she distracted my mom too.

I led her to the side of the house and set her bag down next to us. Then I turned to face her.             

“Talk. What happened?”

Alex’s face hardened.

” My mom’s in the psych ward for two weeks,” her words started flowing out of her. “She hasn’t taken her meds. She’s schizophrenic. My dad’s an abusive asshole and burned me with a fucking fire stick. I don’t know what the fuck they are called.” She lifted the side of her shirt slightly and there was a huge patch of raw skin. “It hurts like a bitch. I have nowhere to go. He doesn’t hurt me that much when mom is there, but when we’re alone.”

Alex shuttered. Literally shuttered, her whole body shook involuntarily. Fuck, I’d never seen her scared of anything.

“I’m a bitch. I know, but I can’t go back to him. Please Rex.”

Her voice cracked. Alex was not as hardened back then as she is now.

“Of course,” I didn’t hesitate. “Yeah like… shit. I’m sorry Alex. I don’t know what to say. Why don’t you call CPS?”

Alex snorted. “This is me we are talking about. You don’t think I’ve tried?”

“Oh,” I looked down. I didn’t even need to know why it didn’t work out for her. I’ve heard horror stories about CPS. “Let’s take care of the burn. It’s bad.”

“It’s fine,” she mumbled.

“Look, I don’t care how tough you are or how much shit you’ve had to go through. Right now, you are here, and while you are people will look out for you. Bottom line.”

She shot me a shy smile. “Thanks Rex.”

“Yep,” I clenched my fists, nervous habit. “You should tell Mia.”

Her head shot up. “No!”

“Alex, I don’t know how to clean a burn. Mia has a car. She’ll take us to urgent care. They are discrete. I promise. It’s either her or my mom. Your pick. Although, I’d prefer you told both. Maybe they can help.”

“Fine Mia. Only because this hurts like a mother fucker,” she said, pointing a finger at me.

“Of course,” I laughed. “Because I don’t get one win, right?”

“Right,” she mumbled. Then her head fell to her chest. “Mia can’t say anything Rex. He’ll kill me. Literally. Please. I’ve already called everyone. I can’t be helped. He’s a government official. Please. Mia…”

“Alex!” I snapped. I desperately wanted to be delicate and pity her, but Alex wouldn’t respond to that. She’d leave. She needed tough. She needed someone to be tougher than she was. “Mia won’t echo a word.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay,” I nodded back. Then I ran inside.

“Mia! Mia!” I yelled. I was frantic. Now that Alex was outside, and I was alone I wanted to cry or punch someone. My adrenaline was pumping. “Fuck,” I whispered then screamed, “MIA!”

“Geez Rex,” Mia grumbled, stomping down the stairs with a twizzler hanging out of her back pocket. How she was so pretty with her shitty diet was beyond me. “What?”

“I need your help… and your secrecy.”

She straightened up instantly. “What does Alex need?”

She already knew. My sister was an angel. A literal angel. She quietly made her way down the stairs and pulled me into the living room. I told her everything Alex said right up until the burn.

“Mia, she needs to go to urgent care with that, but no one can know. Her dad will hurt her. She’s tried CPS and all that. Mom can’t know. I promised I’d only tell you. She’ll trust mom in time, but for now I need her trust me. Please.”.

“Rex,” Mia said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Of course, I will.”

My body visibly relaxed and I took a deep breath. “Thank you, sis. You are the best.”

She smiled. “Let’s go help a snarky little girl before she bites both of our heads off.”

Mia winked and strutted off to the backyard. The girl radiated confidence. I wish she’d passed some of that on to me.  I followed her a few minutes later. When I got to the backyard I saw Mia holding both of Alex’s hands and Alex was breathing deep. I stayed back for a minute to give them some privacy. Plus, I was just downright confused. I waited until I saw Mia give Alex a gentle nod. I tried to act like I didn’t see anything, but the minute Alex caught sight of me she rolled her eyes.

“Oh, please Rex. Don’t act like you haven’t been standing there the whole time.”             

Mia jumped and turned around to face me, throwing me a disappointed look. I shrugged.

“Well, we were just discussing our periods, it was a super emotional conversation. We are both PMSing!” Mia snapped out with a little attitude. I would have been grossed out, but the horrified look on Alex’s expression made both Mia and I bust out laughing.

“We were not,” Alex muttered to herself. “Now am I going to urgent care or what? I have a high fucking pain tolerance, but don’t get me all excited for some relief for nothing.”

With that both Mia and I’s expression fell. I realized the whole time we had been talking Alex’s eyes were slightly watery and her fists were clenched, clearly in pain. I felt like shit.

“Damn it Alex. I’m sorry.”

Before Alex could yell at me for apologizing, Mia jumped in.

“No apologies. Everyone in the car before mom comes out here.”

Alex stomped out in front of us and sat in the front with Mia. I felt like the oddball out when Mia and Alex were together. Something Mia said to Alex made Alex inherently trust her, and nothing made me happier than that.

Mia took us straight to the hospital. Alex pitched a fit, but Mia didn’t even listen to her. She simply turned to her calmly and said, “You would have wound up here anyway with that burn. I am simply skipping a step and lessening the people involved. You are so welcome.”

Alex shut up after that.

Mia seamlessly lied to the front desk about how Alex burned herself. Alex relaxed after that. I don’t even know what shit story Mia made up, but it was impressive. It even impressed Alex.

Alex stayed at the hospital for four days. She put it on her dad’s insurance. I asked if he would be okay with that. She said she was on his insurance, but yes, he’d be pissed, but fuck him. Fair enough.

I still worried though. I never wanted to send her “home”.