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Nicky whistled, trying to sound like the lark while walking through the forest. It helped him think about Joe's latest text.
"Has decided to live in our secret spot in the forest forever. Please bring a jam sandwich or two plus juice. Joe."
Nicky's best friend Joe had always been a drama queen controlled by his tummy, so Nicky knew it was better to bring ten jam sandwiches.
"You sound like a lark, Nicky," Joe said when he jumped down from the tree with a big branch. "It sounds so beautiful when you whistle."
Nicky saw Joe dragging the branch over to the other branches before he ran over to hug Nicky.
"Thanks," Nicky replied. "Are you planning on making a fire because you can't do that?"
"No, no, I got a plan," Joe replied. "But please tell me you have brought jam sandwiches."
"I have, yes," Nicky replied as he opened his backpack. "I made ten before I ran out of bread and jam."
Nicky handed Joe the jam sandwiches and the juice before they sat down on the ground.
"You're a life safer and my best friend," Joe said as he started to unwrap the first jam sandwich. "Do you want one?"
"No thanks," Nicky replied. "Not hungry."
Nicky waited to ask questions until Joe ate half of the jam sandwiches.
"Yusuf," Nicky said. Joe knew that he had to pay attention whenever Nicky used his given name. "What is your plan with the branches?"
"Building a house," Joe replied. "With room for us both. Planning on giving you the room with the best view."
"Thanks, very kind," Nicky replied. "May I ask why you are building a house for us? I mean, we're ten years old and aren't old enough to live on our own."
Joe stopped eating and looked at Nicky with a serious look on his face.
"I heard my parents talk last night. They spoke of the new house, which means we have to move. Something I'm not interested in because moving away means I can't be together with you every day," Joe said. "That's why I'm building my own house so that we can be together every day as always."
"That's a lovely thought," Nicky said. "Us living together, and it isn't because I don't want to live under the same roof as you; it just has to wait until we get older."
Joe looked at Nicky with a defeated look which made Nicky ruffle Joe's curls.
"And I think our parents will miss us if we move out in the forest for good," Nicky said. "So, what do you say that we go home?"
Joe crossed his arms and looked away. Besides being a drama queen controlled by his tummy, Joe also was stubborn.
"Yusuf?" Nicky said. "Do you trust me?"
"Yeah, you know that," Joe replied. "But I'm staying here because I refuse to move away from you."
Nicky stood up and brushed the dirt off his sweatpants. Joe suddenly got hit by a feeling of loneliness when he realized once Nicky was gone, Joe would be all alone in the forest.
"Since you trust me, here is what we're going to do," Nicky said as he offered Joe a hand to get off the ground. "We go home and talk with your parents about the move. I'm sure it isn't as bad as you think."
"Ok," Joe replied. "But if we move more than ten minutes away from you, I'm moving back to the forest."
"Fair enough," Nicky replied, pulling Joe off the ground. "Help me pick up the food and paper. We don't want any animals to get sick."
It didn't take long to pick up the litre, and they walked towards Joe's house.
"When you decided to run away four hours ago," Nicky said. "Besides me, did you inform your parents about it?"
"No," Joe replied. "Didn't think about it because I was so sad about hearing about the move."
Nicky placed an arm around Joe's neck and ruffled his curls.
"Stop it, Nicolò," Joe protested as he tried to pull away, but Nicky was, as always, stronger than Joe. "I work very hard each morning to make my hairstyle look good."
Nicky let go of Joe.
"You should do as I do. Roll around in bed and call it the hairstyle of the day," Nicky said with a smirk. "That way, you can sleep an hour longer."
"I think about it," Joe replied, correcting his curls. "Do you have more food on you? I'm starving."
"You're always starving, Joe," Nicky replied as he found an apple in his backpack. "One day, you're going to bigger than me."
Nicky handed Joe the apple.
"I hope so," Joe replied. "That way, I can finally beat Keane's sorry as..."
Nicky stopped walking before he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. Keane was the school bully and constantly picked on those who were smaller than Keane.
"I promise not to fight. I promise you, Nicolò," Joe said. "You're my best friend, and your friendship is the most important thing to me. That's why I was moving out into the forest."
"Good," Nicky replied as he started to walk again. "And I have heard Keane is moving school next year."
"I hope so," Joe replied. "I won't miss him."
Joe ate the apple.
"Something else," Nicky said. "How were you planning on eating? There isn't any electricity out here for a fridge or your beloved telly with the PlayStation."
"I hadn't thought that far," Joe admitted. "My first thought was a house for us."
Nicky laughed.
"Please call a builder," Nicky teased. "I haven't forgotten the tent that crashed down on us after you reassured me that you had done it correctly."
"It happened one time," Joe replied. "Can't you forget it?"
"Not a chance," Nicky replied with a smile as he stopped walking. "Looks like we're here. Ready to talk with your parents?"
"Need a moment," Joe replied. "Will you go with me?"
"I promised I would," Nicky replied. "And I always keep my promises."
Joe looked at Nicky for encouragement before he opened the front door. When Joe stepped inside, his Mother rushed over to hug him.
"Thanks, Nicky," Joe's Mother said. "For bringing my son home as promised."
Joe looked at Nicky again for some explanation.
"After making the jam sandwiches, I went to talk with your parents. I just didn't like the thought of you living in the forest without your parents knowing it," Nicky said. "Please don't be mad at me for telling."
Joe hugged Nicky.
"I'm not mad at you, Nicky," Joe said. "It's someone else."
Joe looked at his mother.
"I don't want to move away," Joe said. "I want to stay here because Nicky is here. My best friend."
"We understand," Joe's Mother replied. "Come sit down and have some tea and cake. Then we'll explain it all when your father is home in a few minutes."
Joe and Nicky sat down at the table, but when Joe refused to touch the tea and cake, Nicky did the same thing, and they sat in silence. When Joe's Father got home, Joe's Mother told him that their son had returned home again.
"Thanks, Nicky," Joe's Father said. "For helping us today."
"Don't mention it," Nicky replied as he looked at Joe. "Glad I could help."
Joe's parents sat down at the table and placed a hand each on Joe's arms.
"Yes, we're moving away," Joe's Father said. "But not as far as you think we're."
"We have bought the house next to Nicky's house. You know the yellow one," Joe's Mother said. "We wanted it to be a birthday surprise for you, Joe."
Joe looked at his parents and then Nicky, trying to understand it all.
"So, we're just moving across the street?" Joe wanted to know, and his parents nodded. "That's fantastic news. What do you say, Nicky?"
"It will certainly make getting the apples easier," Nicky replied. "Now that the apple tree is in your backyard."
"Rascals," Joe's Father said with a smile. "I think we should tell Joe about his other birthday surprise. The rest of your birthday surprises you have to wait with."
Joe's Mother walked over to get her handbag and found a photo before handing it to Joe.
"Two more reasons why we need a bigger house," Joe's Mother said with a smile. "You're going to become a big brother in November to twin girls."
Joe stared at his parents and then at the photo.
"Congrats, Joe," Nicky said. "You're going to become the best big brother in the world."
"Nicky is right," Joe's Father said. "So, what do you think?"
"I can't wait," Joe replied with a big smile. "Uhmm, Nicky, can I have a word with you in private?"
Nicky followed Joe into the kitchen.
"Not that I'm not happy about being a big brother," Joe said. "But I can't see any babies in the photo."
Nicky laughed
"It's not funny, Nicky," Joe said, a bit irritated. "If I can't see any babies in the photo, what kind of big brother am I going to be?"
"The world's best. Trust me," Nicky replied. "Now, go ask your parents for help. It's a family matter."
Nicky pushed Joe into the living room and all the way until Joe was standing in front of his parents. There Joe told his parents that he couldn't see the babies. It helped on Joe's mood that his father had the same problem. After finding the babies, drinking the tea, and eating the cake, Joe and Nicky walked over to Nicky's house and around it.
"Got an idea," Joe said. "Your bedroom is up there, so what if I get the bedroom on the other side? That way, we can see each other and talk together all the time."
"Well, it's a better idea than the house you wanted to build in the forest," Nicky smirked. "Because there wasn't room for your big mirror. You know the one you use to do your precious hairstyle every morning?"
Before Joe could argue, Nicky ruffled Joe's curls again.
"Remember you bought this on yourself," Joe said when he got loose from Nicky's grip. "This time, I'll not be nice."
Joe grabbed the garden hose and turned the water on before he chased after Nicky. While the boys were running around in the garden, they both were so happy that Joe wasn't moving away at all but just next door.