The school day slipped away quicker than Nina and Tristen expected. By the time the final bell rang, their nerves were already buzzing. They’d promised to meet at the “big tree by the creek” — the secret place only a few kids even knew existed.

When they arrived, their awkwardness showed instantly. Nina plopped her bag down and fiddled with the strap. Tristen kept pushing his curly hair back and staring at the ground.

“So… imaginary friends,” Nina said, trying to break the silence.
“Yeah,” Tristen replied. “I mean, I guess it could be… fun?”

They started tossing out half-ideas, scribbling in their notebooks, but it all felt stiff and clumsy. The only thing louder than their pencils scratching was the growl of their stomachs.

“Okay, that wasn’t me,” Nina laughed nervously.
“No, that was definitely me,” Tristen admitted, grinning.

With no food in sight, they decided to head to the little snack shop tucked in the middle of the park. That’s when things got complicated.

Just as they left the shop with bags of chips and sodas, a group of older kids — the kind who lived to make others miserable — blocked their path.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” one of the bullies sneered.

Before Nina or Tristen could react, the bullies lunged, trying to grab their food. The two darted away, sprinting through the park paths as the group chased them. Their laughter and taunts echoed in the trees.

But suddenly, three figures stepped in.

A tall boy with grease-stained hands flipped open a small compass, squinting at its needle.
A girl with flour dust still smudged on her sleeves clutched a pouch at her side.
And another girl, her earrings catching the fading sunlight, stood with a calm but firm expression.

“Back off,” The boy said, his voice steady.
The bullies hesitated — and for once, they didn’t look so tough. With a few muttered insults, they backed away, leaving Nina and Tristen wide-eyed and breathless.

The trio didn’t say much at first. They just started walking — past the big tree, past the familiar creek, and deeper into the woods.

Nina glanced at Tristen, who shrugged awkwardly. Then, almost at the same time, they both scrambled to pick up their bags and trailed behind.

Neither of them knew exactly where they were going. But for some reason, following felt like the right thing to do.

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