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Nicky wasn't paying attention to class. He would rather be outside playing with Joe, but Joe wasn't home before Sunday.
"Nicky?" Miss Jackson asked. "Did you hear me?"
"Sorry, no," Nicky replied. "I was looking at a bird."
"Ok, but pay attention now," Miss Jackson replied. "You're working with Steven today since Keane also is gone today."
Nicky looked over at Steven Merrick. Everyone in class knew Merrick was bad news and that he was lazy, letting others do all the work. That was why Keane was so happy to stick to Merrick because Merrick let Keane tease the other children.
"Ok," Nicky said. "But Miss Jackson, can we sit at the table nearest your desk?"
Merrick's stupid smile disappeared when Nicky suggested that. Merrick preferred to sit in the back, hoping not to be discovered when Keane did his schoolwork. And moving to the table in the front meant he couldn't force any of the others in the class to do the work, and Nicky knew it.
"Yes, you can," Miss Jackson replied. "Steven, come join Nicky."
Merrick sat down at the table and stared daggers at Nicky. Miss Jackson told the boys they each had to solve half a task and get the answer when they compared the work. Nicky started on his half, while Merrick didn't. It was first when Miss Jackson said that Merrick wouldn't get his break, he began to do his half.
"I know a thing about your precious friend Joe," Merrick said. "He has been lying to you."
Nicky tried to ignore Merrick because nothing good came from listing to Merrick.
"I heard Joe say to Millie that he was going with his family to Holland this summer," Merrick said. "So, if Joe is doing that, how will you spend the summer together?"
Nicky stopped writing and looked at Merrick. Joe had promised Nicky he would never lie. Nicky stood up and walked over to the table where Millie was working together with Walt.
"Hi, Nicky," Millie said. "Sorry that you have to work with Merrick today."
"Millie," Nicky said. "Is it true that Joe is going to Holland this summer?"
"Yes," Millie replied. "But Nicky...."
Before Millie could finish the sentence, Nicky left the classroom crying. Miss Jackson found Nicky in the corner of the library, where he and Joe would spend many of their breaks together. Nicky refused to go with anyone else but his Mama. Nicky's Mother turned up 20 minutes later and took him home, where she tried to convince Nicky that Joe hadn't lied, but Nicky didn't want to listen and buried himself under his duvet the entire weekend refusing to eat or drink anything.
Joe had been celebrating Eid with his family, and the first thing on his schedule, when he got home, was to visit Nicky.
Joe was carrying a big box with cakes and Nicky's birthday gift when he encountered Merrick and Keane.
"Oh look, who we got here, Keane," Merrick said. "And he got gifts for us."
Keane laughed.
"Buzz off, Merrick," Joe said. Nicky had said he didn't like it when Joe used bad words, so Joe invented new words instead. "This hasn't gotten your name written on it."
It was clear to Joe that Merrick was fuming.
"Keane," Merrick ordered. "Take it."
Before Keane could take the box or Nicky's birthday gift, Joe felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Steven," Enzo said. He was Nicky's father. "Don't you think you have done enough damage this week?"
"Don't know what you're talking about," Merrick replied. "And it's Joe who doesn't want to share with me. Even after I asked nicely."
Joe knew that "nicely" wasn't a word Merrick knew.
"Better get moving," Enzo said. "Or else I'll call your parents."
Merrick made a sign that Keane should follow.
"Signor Di Genova?" Joe asked. "What did you mean with damage?"
"I'll tell you on the way," Enzo replied. "Do you need a hand, Joe?"
"No thanks," Joe replied. "I promised Nicky a big box with cakes from the Eid fest. And I'm keeping that promise."
On the way, Enzo told Joe what Merrick had done in school and how sad Nicky was for thinking Joe had lied.
"The next time I'm going to an Eid fest, or somewhere else, I'm bringing Nicky. No matter what," Joe said. "And you know I didn't lie to Nicky, Signor Di Genova."
"I know," Enzo replied as he opened the front door. "Go tell Nicky that."
Joe nodded and made his way upstairs. He knew the way to Nicky's room in his sleep.
"Nicolò?" Joe asked as he opened the door to the room. "It's me, as promised."
Joe heard a sob in the dark, so he placed the box and the birthday gift on the floor before pulling the curtains to the side and opening a window. Then he looked around and saw someone move under the duvet.
"There you're," Joe said as he walked over to the bed. "Have you started going into hibernation? You do know that it's like six months too early."
"Go away," Nicky said. "I don't want to talk or see you again."
Joe sat down on the floor.
"A shame," Joe replied. "That means more cake for me. Did I mention I brought your favourite? The honey cake with figs."
Nicky still didn't move from under the duvet, so Joe gently lifted it to get a peek at his best friend.
"Leave me alone," Nicky said as he pulled the duvet over his head again. "And go away."
"Not a chance," Joe replied. "Could you not at least tell me why you don't want to speak with me?"
Nicky peeked out from under the duvet.
"Because you lied to me," Nicky replied. "So, say Merrick."
"I'm gone for like five days," Joe replied. "And you believe in what Merrick says now and not me?"
"Millie confirmed it," Nicky replied. "You promised me we would spend the summer together, so how will we do that when you're going to Holland?"
Joe placed Nicky's birthday gift on the bed.
"Please open your birthday gift," Joe said. "It will tell you that we will spend the summer together."
Nicky looked at the birthday gift before he pulled the duvet over his head again. It made Joe lift the duvet again.
"If you don't like your birthday gift," Joe said. "I promise to go."
Nicky sat up but still with the duvet over him. He unwrapped his birthday gif; it was a photo book, and inside was a plane ticket.
"Our folks talked together after I asked if I could invite you to Holland this summer, and they said yes," Joe said. "I asked Millie to help me find the photo book because she also loves books like you do."
Nicky was still looking at the plane ticket. It had his name on it and a date that said they were leaving in sixteen days.
"I thought we could take a lot of photos while we're in Holland and put them in the photo book," Joe said. "Just an idea."
Nicky jumped down from the bed so he could hug Joe.
"Thanks. I love my birthday gift and the idea with the photo book," Nicky said. "Sorry for thinking that you lied."
"I promised that I would never lie. Only at birthdays and Christmas," Joe replied. "So, I'm not mad at you."
"I'm glad to hear that," Nicky replied. "But I still feel guilty..."
"If anyone should feel guilty, it should be Merrick," Joe cut in. "And we both know he doesn't do that."
It was something Nicky could agree to.
"Joe," Nicky said. "Do you still want me to go with you to Holland?"
"Only if you do one thing for me," Joe replied. "Please take a shower. And so you know it. Your room smells worse than my brother's. And that is saying something."
"Yeah, I can see that," Nicky replied. "I haven't been outside since Thursday."
Nicky promised Joe to be quick in the shower. While Nicky was gone, Joe opened the other window in Nicky's room. Then Joe walked downstairs and got something to drink for them, together with a couple of sandwiches. When Joe returned, Nicky was sitting on the floor.
"There is my best friend," Joe said as he gave Nicky the sandwiches. "And you're still hopeless at drying your hair. You're still dripping."
"And so?" Nicky asked with his mouth full of a sandwich. He had never been this hungry before. "I'm not the one who is using up to two hours in the bathroom in the morning."
"Only at the weekend," Joe replied. "On weekdays, it's only 45 hours."
They both laughed.
"Just so you know it," Joe said. "I'm going to have a word with Merrick tomorrow."
"Please, don't," Nicky replied. "Can't we just forget that this happened? And look ahead at our summer in Holland?"
Joe sighed.
"Fine," Joe replied. "I got a job for you before we get on the plane."
"Ok," Nicky replied. "Where's the cake you talked about?"
Joe handed Nicky the box with cakes.
"We're getting up at 3.30 AM," Joe said. "Do you think you can sleep over at my place, or we can do it here? Or else I fear I won't get up."
Nicky laughed.
"I get the hose," Nicky smirked. "Or better yet. Ice."
"Don't you dare," Joe replied. "Wake me gently."
Nicky promised.
"So," Nicky said while licking his fingers. "Where are we going in Holland, and what will we experience? I want to see tulips, windmills, and wear clogs."
"Already on the list," Joe replied as he found his Ipad. "We're visiting Rotterdam and Amsterdam. My folks say we can each choose a place we want to see in the cities. In return, we must go with them and my brother to see something they want."
"That's fair enough," Nicky replied. "So, what to choose?"
They spent the next many days planning what to see until they left for Holland, which would turn out to be the best holiday ever in their life so far. When they returned to school, Merrick and Keane were gone and had moved school, because it turned out they had been stealing from the school and other pupils.