— no compromise

"Settle down class. You are all understandably excited for the Summer Festival but do not let it hinder your studies, alright? Now take out your math homework, let us review!"

Collective groans resonated within the class. The kids took out their homework notebooks and slapped it on their tables; murmurers rose for final attempts at copying answers.

"Open your books to page 56 and exchange your notebooks with your partners', we will tally together," the teacher announced.

Nadia followed suit and opened her book. She slid her homework notebook to her partner and picked up a pencil to mark the wrong answers. Though, as she sat back in her seat, waiting for the teacher to explain the first question — a picture on her mathematics book, beside the questions, caught her eye.

Instantly, she looked up to the second row, first seat and caught Bernie looking back at her with a familiar twinkle in his eye. Nadia turned to look back and spotted Ryker giving her a nod.

"Yes! That's how our wizard is gonna be!" Nadia exclaimed, during recess, as she held the torn piece of paper in their faces.

Bernie stood with his mouth agape, staring at the paper with scandal in his eyes.

"We all have books, all of us saw the math wizard, you didn't have to tear it up and bring it along!" Ryker scolded, brows furrowed with partial exasperation and partial amusement.

"I cannot believe you harmed a book like that, so cruelly," Bernie tsked, shaking his head with disappointment.

They were sitting against the fence of the restricted section with their lunchboxes in their laps and a cold gust of wind accompanied their memory. The small paper wizard flapped with the wind, agressively agreeing.

"I just got a little excited okay, look at that, he even has a mascot! How cute!" Nadia held out the flapping paper against the sun. It was a picture of a man dressed in a black and purple suit. He wore a tall top hat upon which were perched two rabbits. The wizard had his wand pointed at one of the rabbits on the right. The exercise was on multiplication.

"I have black suits, that settles it. I will be the wizard," Ryker said, lips subtly curved, awaiting a blow-up from the other two.

Though, instead of passionately revolting and fighting for the main lead, Nadia merely shrugged and Bernie held his thumb up.

"Yeah cool."

"Sounds good."

"What? Why did you agree so easily? Why did you say it like that? Are you going to let me do it all by myself?!" Ryker gasped.

Nadia pursed her lips in a line and patted Ryker's shoulder. Bernie reacted the same without making physical contact.

"We went to the teacher's office in the third period and do you know what we heard?" Nadia began in a comspirative tone.

"Apparently, the auditions will be done during the school assembly. Everyone will watch, vote and judge," Bernie continued, gritting his teeth.

"And everyone needs to speak for two minutes! Even mimes need a narrator! That's so dumb!" Nadia whined.

"Wah," Ryker mumbled and picked up the pickle burger Nadia had packed for him. He took a bite and chomped on it, unceremoniously.

"I think Ryker would be the most handsome magician!" Nadia exclaimed upon witnessing Ryker's gloomy expression.

"Yes, he'll be so cool with his wand and props that we'll make," Bernie nodded.

"I would need an assistant as well, all magicians have them," Ryker said with his mouth full.

"I think Bernie would be an excellent assistant, he's got the perfect face for it," Nadia said and framed her fingers around his face, "So cool!"

"But I think the assistants are supposed to be girls! You'll be better, of course!" Bernie insisted, pointing at Nadia.

"No no no, you cannot stereotype like that. Mumma says stereotyping is bad. Anyone can be anything!" Nadia smiled and pushed two fries in Bernie's mouth. "Eat on it," she grinned.

After school, the duo waited for Bernie to sneak out of his house and meet them in the deserted lane behind his house. His father was shouting about something, as per usual, but Nadia was too excited about the materials in Ryker's hands to fully comprehend the words.

"Woahh you really brought all of it! Where did you get the money? That doesn't look cheap! Don't tell me you just—"

"It was from a sale, where I live, they were giving away their son's stuff because he got into an international college and was going away. I got it all for like $10 only," Ryker clarified before Nadia could make anymore wild assumption.

THUMP.

Landed Bernie on the street with a bedsheet scrunched underneath his arm. "I took it off my bed, couldn't find anything else," he said as he presented his offering to the meeting.

Nadia tapped bag in her arms, "I brought warm fried rice!" She exclaimed proudly.

"Good, let's go now before it's too late," Ryker snatched the lunch bag from Nadia and sped forward.

"Yah! You cannot hold everything!" Nadia snapped and followed behind him, aggressively attempting to pry the bag out of his clasp.

"I can, watch me you oompa loompa," Ryker teased, swinging the duffle bag filled with craft materials on one arm and the small lunch bag on another.

"Haw! Bernie! Help me here!" Nadia demanded, glaring at Ryker's back.

"You could pay him by the hour," Bernie shrugged and jogged to catch up the distance between them.

It was Bernie's second day, hanging out with Nadia and Ryker, and already he had less distance to catch up. He was running less and walking beside more, observing less and contributing more.

A twenty minute walk past the Bruno Square, straight down Herrin Road and detour on the left, led the trio into the outskirts of a former reserve forest. The forest was built during the early 1900s to protect a species of deer only found in Alamia but was closed down after the deers were displaced during the world wars.

Nadia had tagged along with her mother to collect soil samples from the forest and discovered an abandoned forest ranger shelter in a quiet clearing. It was half-consumed by the encroaching wilderness, bearing a history of regret and neglect. What was once a sturdy outpost for weary rangers would now become home to three kids with dreams.

"Is that a house?" Bernie asked, staring at the small, single-story, wooden cabin.

"It's a shelter built for forest rangers, mumma told me," Nadia explained, eyeing the vines and moss creeping up the sides, snaking its way to the logged roof, creating patterns on the faded earthy paint of the cabin walls.

"It seems to be good in condition," Ryker remarked, observing the absence of fallen shingles.

"It's a bit rusty but it has got the spirit," Nadia scoffed and headed to the front door. It hung crooked on rusted hinges, one corner slightly departing from the doorframe's grip. She grabbed the knob and yanked it towards herself, opening the door.

A lizard jumped out of the crevices, clearly displeased by the intruders of its solace.

"The spirit is very animalistic," Bernie said through gritted teeth. He peeked over Nadia's shoulders, into the darkness, "Well, I guess no one brought a flashlight?"

"My apologies, I thought the sun would be enough," Ryker said, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Not very wizardly of you," Bernie grinned.

"Should we make a fire? With wood and stones?" Nadia proposed, eyes sparkling with adventure.

"Absolutely NOT!" Ryker all but shouted, eyeing Nadia with exasperation as he realised that she shared her survival skills with a boiled potato.

"We might as well make our graves," Bernie snorted at Nadia's comment, "I think we should just sit out here today. Maybe we can do better, for it, tomorrow?"

Not having the gall to step inside and trigger some ancient curse, Bernie pressed his face against the mesh wire covered windows in order to get a clearer view.

"I spy from my eye, a table."

Inside, the air was thick with the scent of damp wood and earth. A wooden table stood in the center, its surface scarred by knife marks and weather stains.

Nadia rolled her eyes at Bernie's juvenile attempts and stepped inside. Ryker face palmed himself as Nadia beelined towards the table Bernie spied and patted it for a sturdiness check.

"It's kids like you that die in horror movies. Get possessed and take a demon home or something," Bernie chided.

"Couldn't agree more," Ryker said, words supporting Bernie while his actions betrayed him. He walked inside and placed the duffle bag and lunch bag on the table, eyeing the rusted lantern that sat in the corner, long burned out, next to a few scattered ranger logs, the ink smudged by moisture.

"It's also kids like me who discovered Narnia," Nadia tsked and pointed at the simple cot resting against the wall, hosting two folded blankets which were stiffened with age.

"You're so delusional," Bernie groaned through the window.

Ryker found a stove on the right, choked with leaves and ash, its chimney barely holding against the weight of ivy strangling its exterior. He pointed at it and called for Nadia's attention, "We could make it work. It would be worth it."

"I'll bring my bible tomorrow and bless this place before entering," Berine said, patting his chest. He moved away from the shelter and onto the old patrol path which once boasted a well-trodden dirt trail and now was nothing but a faint impression beneath a blanket of ferns and fallen leaves. Beside a rusted water barrel, he spread out his bedsheet and sprawled on it.

"The one who reaches last will do the cleaning tomorrow!!" Nadia declared and ran out of the shelter, flung her shoes mid air and plopped herself onto the bedsheet. The sudden impact on the ground made her wince in pain.

Ryker strolled behind with two bags in hand and closed the door behind him. He stared at Nadia with evident disappointment and shook his head. "You so deserved it, does it hurt?" He asked as he plopped the bags on the sheet.

"A lot!" Nadia sobbed.

"Tsk, come here," Ryker said and took off his shoes. He sat beside her and placed Nadia's feet over his lap. To an unassuming observer, Ryker seemed like he was about to give a leg massage. But to a seasoned audience like Nadia, the odd twinkle in Ryker's eyes conveyed otherwise.

Though, before she could pull her feet off him — he grabbed her by the ankles and began tickling mercilessly.

"Ah—hahahaha! Ryker!! Ahh-NO! sTOP— BERNIE!! AAH— HELP!"

Nadia flailed with all of her body, squirming and kicking to get out of Ryker's demonic grip. Until, Bernie jumped over Ryker's back and tackled him to the grass, giving Nadia an opening to pounce on him and launch a counter strike.

The summer of 2009 let three lonely hearts bask under the light of friendship. Though each held a weight that grounded their wings, together they were able to lift eachother high enough to feel the breeze on top of the world.

...

At dinner, Ryker hesitantly placed a lunch box in front of Aaron. Darcy fumed and stomped, muttering curses under her breath as she placed dishes after dishes of food on the dining table — only for them to be ignored.

"Ohh, is it the infamous Nadia's work? Smells divine!" Aaron exclaimed as he took off the lid from the lunchbox.

Instantly, a hand from behind pushed the lid shut. "You're not allowed to eat anything that hasn't been approved by me, you know that, Master Aaron," Darcy seethed through gritted teeth.

"I don't think you understand the concept of, 'I don't care,' Darcy, get over yourself," Aaron turned to smile at her before shoving her hand off the lid.

"Young Master!" Darcy exclaimed as she glared at Ryker, "Your mother shall hear about this."

Ryker clenched his teeth, hands bunching the ends of his shirt as he confessed, "I have been eating it for a while now. I am all good. Maybe your are misunderstood Mrs. Darcy, not everyone is trying to poison us."

"Yet," Darcy snapped. "You trust one person today and you trust two tomorrow. Maybe you weren't poisoned today but you could surely be poisoned tomorrow."

Ryker slumped his shoulders and heaved a sigh.

"What if I poison you first, Darcy-doo, maybe then we shall all be at peace," Aaron grinned and took a bite of the fried rice. Instantly, his eyes lit up. "Oh! the flavour is bursting in my mouth. This is the most amazing food I have had in quite a while! Rykie! I hate you for hiding such good stuff from me. Maybe I will be poisoned by flavour now, what a good death! And she's nine, right? The one who made this? Oh-ho! What competition you have, Darcy!"

"You're laughing today, wait till the burst of flavour triggers the arsenal of allergies that you posses," Darcy grumbled and walked away.

As soon as she retreated, Ryker perked up and leaned towards his brother, grinning ear to ear, he asked, "Is it tasty? Really? How tasty is it? It's really good, right? You love it, right?"

"Yes yes yes, I love all of it, it is the most delicious stuff! It is wonderful! I am in awe!" Aaron exclaimed and patted his little brother's head.

Later that night, laying on a hospital bed after having his stomach cleaned, Aaron groaned out curses when Arabella poked his side.

"Oh, so you can speak. Where were your words when you were shoving green beans down your throat, you little fucker?!" Arabella scolded.

Aaron made a miserable face and turned to Elio for help.

"No dude, just because it was Ryker's best—"

"—first," Aaron interjected hoarsely.

"Shut up," Arabella seethed.

"Yes yes, first friend's food doesn't mean you will shove it down your throat knowing that you're deathly allergic to more than half the edible pallette on Earth." Elio chided.

The concerned siblings rolled their eyes as Aaron raised a hand as if to ask for permission to speak.

"Go on," Elio scoffed.

"Darcy, I wanted to make her feel bad. Yeah. And you know, we promised to give Ryker a happier childhood than ours. He needs to be happy and feel all that love that he is missing out from mother and father. With Ryker, there's no compromise."

"Oh what nobel brother!" Arabella exclaimed sarcastically.

"I understand where you are coming from, but know that we never want to get a phone call where you are spewing your guts out and begging for help. It is traumatising enough to know that any deal could be our last and here you are, threatening your life in more ways than it has to offer. I understand that Ryker is your priority but you are ours, okay? So, for us, keep yourself safe." Elio all but begged.

"And if you just wanna spite Darcy, I'll shove a bullet in her head and be done with it. Larissa Cordelio wouldn't say shit to me, you know it. Easy." Arabella shrugged her shoulders.

"Not yet," Aaron coughed, "I'm just glad to have you both by my side." He said with a smile on his face. His eye lids drooped as the medicine kicked in but the corners on his lips did not dip. Aaron could always go to bed peacefully, knowing that Elio and Arabella would always be watching over him.

"Fucker knows that we love him too much," Arabella snapped and pulled up the comforter over Aaron's chest.

"Yes, clearly," Elio scoffed and tugged the comforter under Aaron's arms and thighs to keep him warm over the night. "You go home, I'll stay," He said as Arabella took a step back from the hospital bed.

"See you in the morning," Arabella waved and walked out. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number on it. The call was picked up on the third ring. "Hey, Ricky, wassup? Yeah, no, I need you to do a background check for me. Yes, unofficially, of course. You know me, dinner's on me. Yes, the name is Nadia Paisely. Mhm, somewhere around Bruno Square, yes, yes, thank you. I owe you one, man."