Through The Years As Best Friends

Second Grade (Age: 7-8)

And again, like the last 3 years, Kensi and Deeks were, luckily, in the same class for 2nd grade.

For Kensi, this was just one of those years where you just need your best friend by your side, without fail.

Because this year, the girls in their class were a lot meaner.

And they made fun of her for how she dressed, which wasn't necessarily like how a girl would dress at that age. She more or less dressed in jeans and t-shirts.

They targeted her for her tomboy personality.

They said it was weird to be a girl and have a best friend that's a boy.

But he was her best friend, and she wasn't giving him up because of what the other girls said.

It was more or less the whole personality and wardrobe thing that got to her.

So, naturally, when it all got to be too much, she ran to her best friend for comfort.

It was about time for kids to either go on the bus or be picked up by their parents to go home, but Kensi and Deeks were staying a little later because their parents had to work late.

The other girls had just finished making fun of Kensi for the day, promising rather rudely that they would do it again tomorrow.

"Marty!" Kensi said, running towards him.

"Yeah, Kens?" Deeks asked, turning toward her.

"I need you," she whispered in a small voice.

"What happened?" Deeks asked, concern written all over his face.

"I'm being bullied," she mumbled, looking down.

Deeks brought her into a tight hug.

"By who?" he asked, feeling bad for Kensi but also really mad at whoever was doing this to his best friend.

"The other girls in our class. They say that girls should dress in dresses and stuff like that, not jeans and t-shirts. They said that girls should be into dolls and fashion, not action figures and guns and climbing trees and things like that. And they said it's weird for a girl to have a boy best friend, but I don't care about that part, you're my best friend, and that's that," Kensi cried.

Deeks hugged her tighter.

"Please don't leave. I don't know what I'd do without you as my best friend, Marty. Please. I need you," Kensi sobbed.

"It's okay, Kensilina. I'm not going anywhere. Best Friends Forever, remember?" Deeks said, rubbing circles on her back.

Kenai nodded and pulled out of the hug a little.

"And for the record, I don't know what I'd do without you as my best friend either, Kensi," Deeks said.

Kensi smiled.

"I'll be by your side every step of the way. I won't let 'em hurt you, Kens," Deeks promised.

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

The next day, at recess, the girls started bullying Kensi again.

Luckily for Kensi, the girls had picked recess to do it this time, which was a time when Deeks was always with her.

"I see you're still not wearing a dress and acting like a girl." one girl, Katie, said.

"No, she's not. And she doesn't have to, just because you guys are still stuck in gender roles. Well guess what: some boys like girl things, like makeup and nail polish, and some girls like boy things, like cars and guns. And you know what? It doesn't matter that Kensi doesn't necessarily dress 'like a girl', and it doesn't matter that she's a tomboy, because she's the nicest person I've ever met, and she's an amazing best friend, and I love her just the way she is, and if you can't see how amazing Kensi is, then that's on you, because she's an amazing friend! Now, if you're still stuck in gender roles, then I'd suggest you stay away from my best friend!" Deeks yelled, effectively making the girls speechless.

Eventually, deciding they looked like idiots just standing there, they walked away.

"Thank you, Marty!" Kensi said, giving him a big hug.

"No problem, Kensi. I know you'd do the same for me," Deeks said.

And for the rest of the year, Kensi wasn't bullied once, partially because Deeks was practically attached to her, and partially because his speech scared the girls out of bullying her.

And when the school year ended, they were even closer than when it started.