Adrian sat by the radio his father had bought for the small boy, listening to the songs the station played and nodding along to it while he drew a picture of him and his father, the only person he had left in life. Even at his age he wasn't safe from tragedy. He experienced the death of his mother and brother in the hospital where his brother was stillborn and mother died from complications.

He perked up when he heard the door open, his father stepping inside and shutting it behind him holding a shopping bag in one hand.

"Daddy!" He smiled, hugging the taller man's legs.

"Heya little guy." He patted his head and set the bag down on the kitchen counter. "What'd you do today?"

His father crouched to his level, and Adrian motioned to the table where the radio was set as well as his papers.

"I listened to the wadio and dwew pictuwes!" He laughed a little at his son's lisp.

"What'd you draw, kiddo?" He walked to the table and came back to his dad holding the picture.

"Us!" His father smiled, looking at the picture.

"You did a good job on it, Adrian. I'm proud of you." He stood back up to his full height. "I need to make dinner, kiddo. Wanna help me?" Adrian nodded vigorously, and followed his dad into the kitchen where his father sat him on the counter and started to cook. Adrian liked days like these, when nothing bad happened and his father didn't come home angry or sad and had fun with him. It was nice.
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"It's your first day, kiddo. You excited?" Adrian looked out the window.

"A little..." His father noticed the drag in his tone.

"What's bothering you, kiddo?"

"I don't know anybody, Daddy. What if they don't like me?" He bit his lip.

"They'll like you, I swear. Try and make some friends today, hm?"

"B-But-!"

"If you try and make some friends I'll take you out for Ice Cream after school?" Adrian's eyes lit up.

"Okay!" He smiled. It was an infectious grin, a smile like all children had. A smile that made you want to smile with them.

He dropped Adrian off, and the small boy became jittery when he glanced at the other children his age. He messed with the material of he shirt, tugging and pulling it when he was filled with anxiety.

"Hi!" He looked up fast, seeing two children standing in front of him. A girl and a boy. "I'm Lillie, this is my friend Phillip. Who're you?" The girl spoke, noticing Adrian messing with his shirt hem and touching his arm to stop him from tearing it up.

"I-I'm Adrian." He looked at them. Phillip nodded.

"Come on, you can talk to him at least ONCE, Phillip!" She pouted, turning back to Adrian. "Sorry, he's shy."

"Sorry." He looked at the ground.

The three stuck together throughout the school day, and a smiling Adrian parted from them when his dad picked him up.

"Who're those two?" He hummed, getting in the car.

"My friends! Their names are Lillie and Phillip." His father smiled.

"Let's go then, kiddo." He ruffled his hair slightly.

-End-