written by Rubyrings

"Anjanette! What happened to you?"
As soon as Uncle Bruce opened the door, he noticed Anjanette had been hurt. Part of her had been hoping he wouldn't notice so as not to worry him, but there was something nice about having someone around who cared enough about her to worry. "I'm fine," Anjanette assured him, trying to smile. "Actually, better than fine - I got this for defending a new friend I made."
Anjanette went on to tell her uncle all about Ferdinand, and how nice he was to her and how he was a hippie, how they both loved the Beatles and sixties music, and how Ferdinand was allowed to have not only one pet, but three. While Anjanette talked, Uncle Bruce put some ointment on her eye. He was delighted that she had made a new friend, and that she was feeling more sure of herself, introducing herself to Ferdinand and standing up to the bullies. But he was angry that Anjanette had found herself in this kind of situation in the first place. "I want you in a safe environment, Anjanette. If this is the way the other children treat you, I don't think your parents should keep sending you to this school."
Anjanette shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't think they care about that," she said. "Besides, where would I go if I left? And Ferdinand would be all alone."
Uncle Bruce frowned. "I need to know that you're safe, Anjanette. This is no way to get an education, living in constant fear of bullies. Maybe I should talk to your parents and the school myself about this bullying problem."
Anjanette could only imagine what the bullies would say if they knew she had gotten her uncle involved. And her parents would probably just think she should toughen up and deal with it. "You don't have to."
"Yes, I do," her uncle said. "I won't have anyone hurting my little girl."
My little girl. Anjanette suddenly felt her eyes grow teary. Her parents would never have called her that.
Anjanette wound up staying with Uncle Bruce that night, not wanting to go home and face her parents. For the first time ever, Anjanette found herself wondering if all other children had to go through what she did. If some children got to grow up with loving adults who cared about them.
The next day, Anjanette arrived at school to find Ferdinand waiting for her outside the doors. "Hi, Anjanette!" he said, sounding genuinely happy to see her.
"Ferdinand!" Anjanette hurried over to join him. No one at school had ever waited especially for her and looked happy just because she was there. "I hope no one bothered you while you were waiting for me," she added, remembering how the bullies had reacted to Ferdinand yesterday.
Ferdinand shook his head. "I'm not worried about them. I can take care of myself. I don't believe they didn't get in trouble for hurting you, though."
"Well...." Anjanette shrugged, more than used to the teachers turning a blind eye on the bullying. "That's the way it is here."
"It shouldn't be," Ferdinand said vehemently. "You don't mean they always treat you like that and get away with it?"
"No, of course not..." muttered Anjanette, not quite meeting Ferdinand's eye. She still wasn't ready to get into her issues with him. She was pretty sure he didn't believe her, but to her relief he didn't press the issue. Ferdinand sounded like her uncle Bruce, worrying about Anjanette's safety if she stayed in this school with these bullies. Anjanette had always just accepted schools with bullies as a part of life.
"Ferdinand?" she ventured, as the two of them walked inside the school building together.
"Yeah?"
"What are your parents like?"
Ferdinand smiled as if at some pleasant thought. "They're great, actually. My mom is lots of fun; she can get very silly. When I was a child she'd always come play with me and the other children in the neighbourhood, and she'd almost be like one of the kids herself. My dad is much quieter than her, and he's a great listener. I can always talk to him whenever I need anything. They don't give me a lot of rules. They always say that they trust me to make the right decisions."
"What do they do if you don't?" Anjanette was terrified at the thought of what her own parents might do if she broke one of their rules.
"They talk to me and tell me they're disappointed," Ferdinand replied. "Believe me, it's effective. They're such nice people I never like to think I've let them down!" He gave an easy laugh.
Anjanette was fascinated at the idea that there could be parents like that in the world.
"How about yours?" Ferdinand asked, turning to Anjanette.
Anjanette froze. She had not expected to have to answer the same question she'd just asked Ferdinand, and her mouth opened and closed, unsure of what to say.
Just then, the bell rang. Anjanette said a hurried goodbye to her friend and rushed off to their classroom, partly relieved that he still didn't know about all her troubles at home, partly disappointed that she hadn't had the chance to confide in him.