An unexpected friend.

A Child Called It-David Pelzer
The Absolute True Dairy of a Part-Time Indian- Rowdy
Setting: David Pelzer's school

David could hear the sound of sneakers against the gym floor as he walked out of detention. He heard the buzzer ring signaling the end of the basketball game.
From the hallway David heard the announcer say, “And that ends the game! Home team score 64, a close victory over the visiting students from Wellpinit High with 58! Good game!”
The gym doors opened and the crowd slowly trickled out. The game was supposed to be some sort of big deal, a school from some Indian reservation was coming to play a school that was only used to playing teams from prominently white suburban towns like themselves. But David didn’t have time to think about all of that, he just wanted to leave the school before the kids noticed he was there.
“Hey guys, its Pelzer smellster!” David heard a kid say from behind him.
“Let’s go see what’s up with him!” Another kid said.
David picked up the pace and tried to get away from the bullies.
“Why would he even come to the game...no one likes him!”
“I bet he was in detention again for stealing other kid’s lunches. What a tool!”
“I know, what a loser! Hey Pelzer, slow down, we just wanna talk to you...”
David heard the laughing die out as he ran out of the school from the back entrance. He didn’t know what he was doing, running away from the bullies at school would just get him home faster, where he would have to face an even bigger bully, his own mother. David was so frantic and confused he didn’t notice the kid coming out of the back gym exit and ran right into him. The kids bag fell on the ground and the items inside fell out.
“Sorry,” David mumbled. He looked up at who he ran into and was terrified to see an angry Indian staring back down at him. He had a huge build, but even worse piercing eyes that said sorry just wasn’t going to cut it.
“You need to watch where you’re going kid!” He said. He shoved David, and David ended up on his side on the cement with a tear in his pants. He cringed, not only because the fall hurt, but because these were one of his few pieces of clothing, and his mother would definitely not be willing buy him new ones.
As Rowdy, the Indian, bent over to pick up his belongings he stole a glance at David lying on the ground. He did a double take when he noticed the bruises alongside his leg, now noticeable because of the tear in his pants. He looked at the rest of David. He was very skinny with bruises and scars all along his arms and legs.
From the ground David could see Rowdy looking at him with a dazed look on his face. He quickly got up from the ground and scrambled away from the scene.
“Hey...wait up!” Rowdy called after David. He didn’t know why he was calling after a perfect stranger, but he felt like they still had unfinished business.
“What’s your name?” Rowdy asked firmly.
“David.” David answered meekly.
“Oh...so what happened to you there?” Rowdy asked pointing at a particularly large bruise on David’s arm.
“Oh, accident.” David said quickly. A little too quickly. Rowdy tilted his head.
“Umm...what happened to you?” David asked, redirecting the attention away from him. He motioned toward a series of bruises along Rowdy’s arm and neck.
“Oh...Uh..Same. Accident.” Rowdy said, also quickly.
The two of them stood there, next to the brick wall of the school, staring at each other, just taking each other in. They both knew that none of their injuries were from accidents. They knew that the other person was aware of that. But they didn’t feel like covering it up. Standing there in the cool autumn air, Rowdy and David both knew that even though they seemed different to each other at first, they both were more similar than anyone could imagine. And without saying a word, the two of them made a connection that only someone who was as damaged as they were could make. And they realized that they weren’t alone, that the person standing in front of them could have it just as bad, and maybe even worse, than they did at home.
Rowdy’s basketball coach called him in the gym shortly after that. And David remembered that he better make it home soon before his mother got suspicious. But the two of them never forgot each other, or that day that reminded them they weren't alone.