Here's my first entry to Fabinafan1357's Story Challenge. These will be short and to the point, and hopefully somewhat funny/entertaining.

Tree

Alfie Lewis likes to climb trees. It's what he does. That is, when he's not pranking someone with Jerome. But when he's pranking with Jerome, he always seems to get in trouble and get all the blame.

Trees don't get Alfie in trouble. Well, there was that time he climbed a particularly high one and broke his leg from falling off. But other than that trees are pretty dependable.

Trees are where Alfie goes when he wants to be alone. Most people can't follow him to the top of a tree.

It's quiet up in the tops of trees. You can just sit there and think in peace for hours. And, if you pick the right tree, there's an amazing view.

One day, after a long day including being rejected by Amber (again), Alfie climbed up an oak tree right near Anubis House. Through an opening in the branches Alfie could see Patricia walking past by. She suddenly stopped, backtracked and addressed Alfie.

"Alfie?"

"Yea?"

"Why are you in a tree?"

"Why am I in a tree?"

"Yes."

"Because I can think better up here."

Instead of responding to that, Patricia kicked off her high healed boots and climbed up the tree in her socks.

"Are you okay?" Patricia asked in a soft tone.

It was odd for Alfie to hear Patricia speak in anything other than her usual sarcastic tone.

"Just…a lot on my mind." Alfie said while watching the sunset through the branches.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, nudging Alfie's shoulder.

"Not really."

So they sat their in a comfortable silence and watched the sun dip beneath the horizon. They didn't head back to Anubis House until a few hours after it had gotten dark.

From then on Alfie didn't climb alone. Every time he was upset or sad or even just bored, he would knock on Patricia's door and they would find a new tree to climb.