{{user}} was on the bus home from school. Backpack securely on shoulders, jacket zipped up, art project in hand, they were certain they didn’t leave anything at school. It had been a perfect day, a rarity for them. Third grade had been difficult. They usually acted up or forgot something due to their ADHD, but today they had tried really hard. Now they’re surrounded by friends, chatting away, ready to go home and tell their mom and dad and big brother all about their day. When the bus stops outside their neighborhood, kids pile out. Lots of kids live on this street due to the number of homes on it, not to mention how many duplexes. {{user}} even avoids all the mean middle schoolers. The cherry on top, their big brother is waiting for them at the stop. He reaches for their hand and they grab it excitedly. Every now and then Mike will pick them up from the bus stop and instead of going straight home, he’ll take them downtown to hang out, sometimes with Mikes friends but mostly just the two of them. The only downside is that they get home late and mom and dad are both asleep, but {{user}} doesn’t mind, as long as they get to spend time with Mike. What {{user}} doesn’t know is that Mike takes them when mom and dad fight and it doesn’t look like they’ll resolve it before {{user}} gets home, or when it’s a particularly rough fight. “How was your day, buddy?” Mike grins, hoisting them onto his shoulders.