The kids around me were laughing and screaming as they played tag. I watched as they chased each other like their lives depended on it. It may have seemed like a simple game to others, but to my classmates, it was war. They took the game of tag very seriously, and that sometimes took the fun out of it. I would join them from time to time, but I liked swinging on the swing set better.

I was having fun by myself on the swings. I wasn't swinging high because my mommy had always told me I could break my neck if I went too high. She did not want me to break my neck—I didn't want to break my neck either. I always wanted to go higher, though. Still, I kicked my feet and swung back and forth lightly because I wanted to listen to my mommy.

A few kids were swinging beside me. We swung next to each other, but we were swinging alone because we never spoke to one another. I hummed a tune that I hadn't realized I knew. I was lost in imagination until Wesley and three of his friends ran up to me, keeping their distance so that I did not kick them with my feet. I dragged my feet along the ground to stop myself from swinging.

"Hey, Axel," Wesley stood with his fist balled and on his hips like a superhero.

"It's Alex," I stated.

Wesley and his friends snickered. "I know, same difference. Anyway, Erica told Brody who told Dan who told me that you got a PS3 for your birthday last week."

My parents did get me the Play Station 3. I had been begging for it and I was sure that I was not going to get it, but they surprised me. I nodded at him.

Wesley clapped his hands together. "Cool! Let us come over and play it today after school."

I blinked, unsure of how to respond. Wesley had never asked to play with me before. He was kind of a bully sometimes and had never shown any positive interest in me until now. That was a good reason for me to say no, but I wanted someone to play the PS3 with me. Did I want that person to be Wesley? Not really, but playing with others was better than playing alone. Plus, I was nervous to tell him no.

"Sure," I said with a small grin.

Wesley's friends jumped with excitement and Wesley punched me in the shoulder. It was supposed to be light, but it hurt a bit. I rubbed my shoulder but kept my smile.

"You're the best, Axel!" Wesley exclaimed before he ran off, his friends following behind.

Wesley ran away before asking me where I lived. He had never been to my house before so I had no clue how he and his friends were going to get there. Maybe he planned on following me home after school so that I could lead the way.

"You shouldn't have agreed," Said a voice from behind me.

I whipped my head around but the boy was already walking in front of me and there stood a kid a little taller than me. He had smooth black skin with eyes a mix of brown and green that I had never seen before. His dark black hair was lined neatly on the sides, cut into a clean, low fade.

I had seen him around a lot but I had never spoken to him before. During recess, he would normally be on the field playing ball with the other kids. Whether it was basketball, kickball, or football, he was usually over there. No clue why he was talking to me now.

"Wesley is a jerk, he just wants to use you for your PS3," He told me as he leaned against the pole of the swing set. "Tell him he can't come over."

"I can't," I admitted quietly.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to hurt his feelings or for him to get mad at me... he was never nice to me before but maybe he wants to change—I also want someone to come play with me because I've been dying to play my games with someone but my sister won't play with me because she thinks its stupid, so even though Wesley is kinda a bully I don't mind him coming over because he and his friends will play with me," I sucked in a breath when I finished speaking.

The boy blinked, a humored smile tugging at his lips. "You talked really really really fast, so I could barely understand you."

I could feel the warmth on my cheeks. "Sorry. My dad said that's a problem and I need to fix it."

"I don't think it's a problem, I think it's funny," he said as he giggled goofily. "I will come by your house and play your PS3 if you want me to."

I gasped. "Really?"

He nodded. "Of course, Bunny. Especially if it will stop you from letting Wesley take over your game."

I raised a brow. "That's not my name."

"I know. Your name is Alex, my name is River."

"Then why did you call me Bunny?"

River shrugged loosely. "I dunno. I call Dan 'Bear' because he's big and scary. You just remind me of a bunny, so I said it."

I kicked my legs back and forth lightly, hearing his words but not knowing how to reply. River glanced at Wesley and his friends who were picking on some kid by the slide.

"I will tell them no for you," he told me as he sat down on the swing next to me. "After I swing with you."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "You don't want to go play kickball with your friends?"

He shook his head. "I play kickball with them every day. We're only eight, we have lots of years to play kickball. I want to swing with you."

I felt a rush of warmth by his words. "Okay, River."

"Bet I can swing higher than you!"

"I'm not allowed to swing high," I said sadly.

River looked at me with shock. "Why not?"

"My mommy said it's dangerous."

He looked around for a few seconds, trying to find someone that obviously wasn't there. Then, he shrugged. "I don't see your mommy."

I looked around the playground as well. When I looked back at him he was watching me with a mischievous smile on his face. I mimicked the smile and pumped my feet faster to swing higher, higher than I had ever let myself before.

River and I swung on the swings together every day for the rest of that year. He came by my house and played the game with me, and he even spent the night a couple of times. From that day forward, I had a best friend.