Outside the playground, a boy of about ten or eleven stood beside his bicycle, a small backpack slung over his shoulders.
He lingered near the gate, glancing up the road every few moments, as if expecting someone to arrive.
He looked inside the playground, scanning the space.
Sebastian smiled faintly and wheeled his bicycle in, heading toward the bench. "This boy is again going to be late…" he murmured under his breath as he parked the cycle nearby and took a seat.
But as soon as he did, his attention drifted. His eyes settled on a little girl on the swings, moving back and forth in a quiet rhythm.
She soared high into the air, back and forth, her laughter carried on the breeze.
Her pigtails flew behind her, catching the sunlight with every rise.
Small hands clutched the chains tightly as she leaned into the motion, fearless and free.
Something in the playground had caught his eye.
Sebastian straightened slowly..
The little girl, sensing someone approaching, instinctively stepped behind an older woman—perhaps her grandmother—seeking the quiet safety of her presence.
Sebastian slowed, then crouched down, his eyes falling on something half-hidden in the dust. He reached out and picked up a small chain bracelet, brushing it clean before holding it out gently.
"Here…" he said softly. "I think this is yours."
He remained there for a moment, almost rooted in place, a quiet smile softening his face as he looked at her.
The little girl tilted her head slightly, her pigtails catching the light as they swayed.
From behind her grandmother, she peeked out, her small fingers clutching the fabric of her dress. Slowly, her wide, curious eyes met Sebastian's—shy, uncertain, yet quietly drawn to him.
Stepping out from behind her grandmother, she looked at his hand and realized the bracelet was hers—she hadn't even noticed when it slipped off.
"Thank you…" she said softly, reaching out to take the bracelet from his hand.
"You're welcome. By the way, I'm Sebastian. Nice to meet you." he replied, his smile warm and easy.
"I'm Amelia."
She looked straight into his eyes, her fingers curling around the bracelet. For a moment, she hesitated, as if gathering the courage to say something more, her lips parting slightly before she spoke…
"W-w-will y-you b-be my f-friend then?" she stammered, her voice soft and trembling with hope.
She took a small step closer, clutching the bracelet tightly in her hand, her eyes fixed on him as she waited. There was something earnest in the way she stood there—hopeful, a little nervous, but determined to hear his answer.
Sebastian looked at her for a moment, his expression thoughtful.
"Hmm."
He tilted his head slightly, as if considering something important, then his lips curved into a gentle smile.
"Yeah… I think I'd like that.." he said.
Amelia squealed with delight, bouncing up and down.
"Grandma, look! I made a new friend!"Her grandmother's eyes twinkled as she glanced at her granddaughter,"Yes,my dear..."
From then on, Sebastian and Amie—though he quickly began calling her Amie just like her grandma—became the closest of friends.
The more time Sebastian spent with Amie, the more he began to understand the quiet depth of her past.
Bereft of her parents from an early age, she had grown up wrapped in her grandmother's boundless love and unwavering devotion.
In many ways, she was lucky—deeply, undeniably lucky—to have someone who cared for her so completely, who became her whole world when she had lost so much.
Despite being four years apart in age, Sebastian and Amie both understood each other remarkably well, and their bond grew closer every day.
From the very start, Sebastian's mother treated Amie like family.
She treated Amie like she was part of the family and made her feel very welcome and loved, like one of her own children.
Sebastian's mother really liked her.
The Thompsons had transformed their global enterprise into a vast and enduring family fortune.
With the Thompsons fortune resting in his future, Sebastian's parents focused every effort on preparing him for the responsibilities that would one day be his.
She knew that her friendship with him was always there ...they were always standing side by side through the times and the bad times of growing up through all the happy moments and the tough moments.
Her friendship with him was a constant it was something that she could always count on her friendship, with him was something that made her feel safe....
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This is a fictional piece. All names, characters, companies, locations, events, and incidents in this book, unless otherwise noted, are either imaginary or the result of the author's imagination. Any likeness to real people, living or dead, or to real