Chapter Text
Rhett usually kept to himself. He had very few people he could call friends though. You'd think his height would intimidate everyone, but you'd be wrong. The boy was extremely shy and barely spoke making him an easy target for the school's bullies. They never hurt him too much, maybe a punch here and there. Usually verbal abuse or taking his belongings was what they did. He’s heard it all by now. Everything from gay to loser to nerd and even worse. One of those things may or may not have been true, but poor Rhett couldn't understand what he had done to cause any of this. He never stood up for himself, he just took it. He’d grown used to it by now.
Link was different. He had plenty of friends. Though, he didn't exactly hang out with the right crowd. Not since middle school anyway. Eighth grade is when it all changed. He was like Rhett, always getting bullied. He’d had enough so he ditched his old friends and got new ones. They were the kinds of kids who ditched school. The ones who stayed up past bedtime and walked all around Buies Creek without a care in the world. They accepted him quickly. Who were they to judge him? It was weird. None of the other kids really bothered them. They just let them be. Maybe it was because they thought that those kids would never amount to anything anyway. They didn't do homework, barely did classwork, and skipped a lot of school. So, why bother with people who wouldn't care anyway?
Now as freshmen in highschool, Link is doing more than skipping school and sneaking out of the house at night. He’s started going to every party he can, and drinking until he can barely stand. Rhett knows about all of this. Even though the two are no longer friends, he still worries. He made a promise that if Link ever needed him, he’d be there. Sure Link totally ditched Rhett eighth grade, but that didn't matter to him. They made a pact, something they both can't forget. Deep down inside Link feels bad for leaving his friend behind. He does still care, but he knows Rhett could never be the way he is now. And that was okay.
One day on his way to class, Rhett gets stopped by a few juniors. They were the ones who always harassed him. He knew what was coming so he prepared himself, but there was something different this time. Link just so happened to be walking down the same hall that day. He saw the three older boys around Rhett. One of them had been pining him to the wall while the others emptied his backpack. Link had seen them mess with Rhett before. He felt horrible for not doing anything, but they were twice his size. So, he would look away like nothing happened. This time was different though. He saw the older boy punch Rhett in the face. That's what did it. Link ran faster than he ever, trying to help his old friend. And maybe. Just maybe, this would bring their friendship back.