Tristan couldn’t wait for the end of the day. A hug from Helena. It sounded so innocent, so sweet—so incredibly what he needed. His life had been tainted with so much bitterness and anger over the past two years, torn between two people who claimed to love him yet couldn’t look past their own hurt to actually see him.

Helena, with her beguiling green eyes, was pure light, a rainbow after a storm. Maybe that was why he was so drawn to her.

Tristan bought a sandwich at lunchtime and headed out to the bleachers to eat in peace. He didn’t need the company; he could hang out with Helena and get his fill that afternoon.

The sun was vivid in the sky, making the white bleachers blinding. Tristan squinted, wishing he’d remembered his shades, but he wasn’t about to complain. Spring was on its way and he was ready for the warmer weather. The freshly cut grass of the field was a vibrant green, the smell wafting up his nose and reminding him of summer ball games.

Plunking onto the second to top tier, Tristan yanked out his sandwich and quickly unwrapped it. He was about to take his first bite when he heard a faint sniff, then a shuddering breath, followed by a soft whimper.

He cringed, wondering if he could just ignore it, or maybe even sneak away without being noticed. That would be a really jerk thing to do though, and if it slipped out around Helena, she’d probably tell him off for being heartless.

With a sigh, he tucked his sandwich into his bag and bent down to peer between his legs. Beneath the bleachers, huddled against the side, was Mikayla. Her skinny arms were wrapped around her knees, clutching them to her chest like a teddy bear. Her face was red and blotchy, her freckles covered with wet tears.

Tristan’s gut twisted uncomfortably, his reluctance turning his legs to lead. He glanced up, staring at the baseball diamond in the right-hand corner of the field. It’d be so easy to jump down and jog away, touch home plate and disappear back into the school, but…

Do the right thing, man.

Clenching his jaw, he snatched his bag, trotted down the stairs, and ducked beneath the bleachers.

“Hey,” he said softly, easing onto the ground beside her.

“Hi.” Her short word came out as a near squeak, tears making it hard for her to talk.

She slashed at them, sniffing and swallowing.

“What’s up?” Tristan tipped to the side, lightly knocking her shoulder with his arm.

She shrugged, her chin trembling. “Oh, you know, just the usual. Owen trying to make my life hell.”

Tristan sighed, anger and pity flittering through him. “What’d he do this time?”

“He posted a picture of me on Instagram and Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr! It’s been doctored and makes me look like I’m naked in his bed.” She swiped a finger under her nose. “He wrote a post about what we got up to, but it’s all lies. I never slept with him! That’s why we broke up. I wasn’t ready and he got really pissed off with me, so I dumped him…and he won’t let me forget it.”

“He’s such an asswipe.” Tristan’s voice cut through her tears, an angry whisper that made her laugh. It was a watery, pathetic sound. She nodded, a fresh wave of tears convulsing her body.

“I know I shouldn’t care what anyone thinks, but he’s kind of popular in this school and now he’s got them believing we slept together. So the girls who like him hate me and the girls who hate him are disgusted with me. Catcalls and whispered gossip have been following me all day.” She sucked in a sob. “My mom’s on Facebook. What if she sees it?”

“I’m sure they can take that kind of thing down. You could report it somehow.”

She nodded. “Yeah, probably. I just hate that I even have to.” Her words were punctured with breathy jerks, her stomach still spasming after her sob-fest.

“Hey.” He nudged her softly. “You haven’t done anything wrong. He’s the asshole.”

“Then why do I feel so dirty?” New tears flooded her eyes and she covered her face with her hands, a little whimper shooting out of her mouth.

Tristan didn’t know what to say or how else to comfort her. He hated the sound of her tears. He wanted to pummel Owen into the ground for being such a dick, but he wouldn’t. He didn’t want to fight, especially if the fight wasn’t his.

Mikayla rested her forehead against her knees, her small body still convulsing.

Hugs are one of the most underrated acts of kindness on this earth. They make everything better, if only for a moment.

Helena’s sweet words whispered through his brain and before he could stop himself, he raised his arm and gently nestled it around Mikayla’s shoulders. She leaned into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder and whimpering again.

Tristan squeezed a little tighter, perching his chin on the top of her head and whispering, “Everything’s going to be okay.”

She nodded and pressed her face into his chest. Her arm snaked around his waist and she held on like her life depended on it. Tristan rubbed her back, not saying a word as her body jerked against him.

It was kind of nice holding her. She didn’t smell like jasmine. Her hair had a citrus freshness to it, but her tiny arm around his waist, the way her head felt against his shoulder, that part was sweet. And the part that made it sweet was that Tristan was doing the right thing.

Mikayla’s tears dried up, her quaking body stopped spasming, and after a while she went still in his arms. A light breeze snuck between the bleachers and ruffled Mikayla’s fine hair. It tickled his chin and he leaned back, brushing the tendrils away.

“Thanks, Tristan,” Mikayla whispered, squeezing his waist and sitting away from him. “Thanks for listening.”

“Yeah, sure.” He nodded.

An awkward silence landed on him and he twitched his lips, not sure what he was supposed to do.

The bell saved his life, beckoning them back to class. He jumped up, probably too quickly.

“Are you coming?”

“Yeah, in a minute.” Her eyes were puffy and swollen, her nose still fire engine red.

He hitched his bag onto his shoulder and smiled down at her. “Maybe you should skip this period.”

“I’ll think about it.” She shrugged, forcing a brief grin.

Tapping her boot with the toe of his shoe, he winked at her. “Don’t worry. I’ll cover for you.”

“Thanks.” A smile didn’t reach her lips, but it brushed her eyes for a second.

He ducked out from under the bleachers and walked away, unsure what else to do or say. It felt good knowing he’d done the right thing. He’d hoped it was enough. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he bobbed his head, smiling as he touched his foot on home plate.

Yeah, it was something.

It had been enough.