✔️ | 🎄 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 (Second Chance Series)

| bonus: nosicles

The kids bounced in their seats on their bus as it hurtled down the road. It was Friday afternoon after school let out for Christmas, and a first-grader fought back a lump in his throat as some third graders teased him.

Nick occupied a seat two rows behind his brother, trying to concentrate on his friend's monologue about her day at school, but he heard enough of the teasing that he wanted them to knock it off. He stood, cutting Kylie off, and gripped the brown vinyl seat in front of him. "Shut up, he's not a baby!"

The boys in front of Luke faced Nick. "Yeah, he is," TJ said. "And he's probably going to cry."

"Leave him alone," Nick warned, sliding into his seat again. He glared at the kids as the bus slowed near their stop. "And who cares if he did cry? Sometimes people cry."

"Only babies cry."

"If you mess with my brother, I'll make you cry."

Luke slid from the seat and hooked his backpack over his shoulders before trudging ahead down the aisle. "Bye, Kylie," Nick said, hopping to his feet to follow his brother.

Nearly every other home on their street housed kids who attended elementary school. A small crowd of kids exited the bus at that particular spot, including the boys who teased Luke. And they didn't let up once they got out into the frigid December air.

The Garrett brothers walked toward their house, their hot breath puffing out like smoke. Luke inhaled through his nose. "It's so cold I have nosicles."

"Nosicles!" Nick said, laughing.

The boys began teasing Luke again, and Nick spun around and shoved the instigator's shoulders. As he flew backward, TJ's eyes widened, and he skittered to a halt as he landed hard on his butt.

Nick's voice carried an uncharacteristic edge. "Doesn't feel good, does it?"

The boy fought off tears at his stinging hands and legs that scraped the jagged ice. Luke sighed and dropped his backpack on the ground, approaching TJ and offering a gloved hand.

"Sorry," TJ whispered, sniffling and blinking.

Luke grinned. "Careful, it's cold. You'll get icicles in your nose."

********************

"Hey, hey. That's too many marshmallows, kid."

Snow swirled outside on gusts of wind in the frigid air. The Garrett boys were toasty inside their tri-level house, waiting on the two girls to arrive back from dropping off the Toys for Tots packages.

Six-year-old Luke clutched his mug of cocoa tighter as Jim attempted to slide the cup from his skinny little hands. A few marshmallows tumbled from the top of the mountain of sugar as Luke shook his head violently at his dad.

"Nick, did you give your brother all of these marshmallows?"

The ten-year-old boy grinned as he glanced up from his spot on the couch where he mashed his thumbs against a game controller. The Christmas tree dotted with strings of yellow lights glowed as mischievous as his eyes. He paused and tossed a marshmallow into the air, and Jim snorted as it missed his mouth, bouncing off his face.

"That was way too many, bud."

Nick ducked his head, sheepishly smiling. "Sorry! He had a bad day."

Jim pushed his tongue into his cheek, wryly chuckling. "Uh-huh," he said, turning around. He barely took three steps before an object thwacked the back of his head. As he whirled around, a barrage of marshmallows pelted him in the chest.