Emily walked home from school, taking the same route as always. She watched other children returning home with their friends, laughing and chatting, and felt a pang of sadness because she was alone.

Emily had no friends at school because of her mother. Emily’s mother, Sandra, worked as a teacher at the school, and nobody liked her because she was very strict.

All the children started to treat Emily badly too, even though she had done nothing wrong. Sandra was just as strict with her.

She demanded high results, limited her free time, and gave her a minimal allowance of two dollars a day to teach her to save. But Emily still didn’t spend her pocket money on herself.

She reached the corner store and went inside, greeted by the familiar chime of the bell above the door. She bought a simple bun and milk, as she did every day. The cashier gave her a sympathetic smile, knowing her routine.

Leaving the store, Emily walked a bit, turning her head as if looking for someone. She walked past houses and trees until she saw Earl, whom she called “Two Shoes” because he always wore mismatched shoes and could never afford a matching pair. Earl was sitting on his usual bench, his eyes lighting up when he saw her.

“Oh! Shiny Eyes!” Earl called out when he saw Emily. He called her that because he said her eyes always shone with hope and faith. “I thought you wouldn’t come today.”

Emily smiled and handed Earl the milk and bun. “How could I not come? What would you eat for lunch then?” she asked.

Earl took the food with a grateful look. “Oh, child, you must be the only person in the world who cares about what a homeless man eats for lunch,” he said, starting to eat. “How was your day? Did you make any friends?”

Emily’s smile faded, and she looked down. “No, I don’t think anyone will ever want to be friends with me,” she said softly.

Earl shook his head. “Nonsense. You’re a wonderful girl and very kind. Someday they’ll realize it. Trust me, you’ll have more friends than you can count.”

Emily sighed. “I don’t think so.”

“But I’m your friend,” Earl said with a smile.

“Only because I buy you food,” Emily replied.

“The food isn’t important,” Earl said, taking a bite of the bun. “It’s the company you share it with that matters.”

Emily smiled, knowing Earl was likely lying to keep her buying him food, but it still felt nice to hear. She enjoyed their chats and felt less lonely with Earl around.

After spending a bit more time talking about her day and listening to Earl’s stories, Emily glanced at the sky. The sun was starting to set, casting a warm glow over the park.

“I need to go home now, Earl,” she said, standing up.

Earl nodded. “Alright, Shiny Eyes. Take care.”

She waved back as she walked away. “See you tomorrow, Earl.”

Earl waved happily. “See you tomorrow.”

Emily approached her house and saw that her mother’s car was already parked in the driveway. Her heart sank because she knew Sandra would scold her again for talking to Earl.

When Sandra had first found out about Emily’s visits to Earl, she had been furious. She punished Emily by taking away her allowance for a week.

Fortunately, Emily had saved up some money from her birthday, so she continued buying Earl lunch in secret. Sandra always said that people like Earl were to blame for ending up on the streets, as if they chose that path.

Emily disagreed. She believed that situations varied, and anyone could end up in a similar position. She had always felt too awkward to ask Earl why he ended up homeless. Despite this, she knew that Earl was a good person, and that was enough for her.

Emily took a deep breath and opened the front door. Sandra was standing in the hallway, arms crossed and an angry look on her face.

“Where have you been?” Sandra asked sternly.

“Walking home from school,” Emily replied.

“Why did it take you so long?” Sandra pressed.

“I decided to take the long way,” Emily said, trying to stay calm.

“Did you buy food for that homeless man again?” Sandra demanded.

“His name is Earl,” Emily corrected.

“So, you did,” Sandra stated.

“I don’t see the problem,” Emily said, her voice shaking.

“The problem is that I don’t want my daughter associating with people like him,” Sandra snapped. “I’ve had enough. I’m calling the police to have him removed.”

“Don’t!” Emily cried out.

“People like him shouldn’t be in our neighborhood,” Sandra said firmly.

“Mom, please,” Emily begged, tears welling up in her eyes.

But Sandra wasn’t listening. She was already walking to the kitchen to get the phone. Emily watched in panic as Sandra dialed the police.

“I’ll stop buying Earl food!” Emily blurted out. “Just don’t have him removed.”

“You’ve told me that before,” Sandra said, not looking convinced.

“This time for real, I promise,” Emily insisted, her voice desperate.

Sandra paused, looking at Emily. “Fine,” she said finally, and hung up the phone.

The next day, Emily bought milk and a bun for Earl for the last time. She approached him with a heavy heart, holding the familiar food items.

“Earl, I can’t buy you food anymore,” she said softly, handing him the milk and bun. “Mom wanted to call the police on you, so I had to promise I wouldn’t talk to you anymore.”

Earl looked at her kindly and said, “It’s alright, Shiny Eyes. I’ll manage.”

Emily hesitated, then asked, “Can I ask why you ended up on the streets?”

Earl nodded. “Of course. I’ve been waiting for you to ask. My children turned out to be very greedy. I wanted to help them, and after their long persuasions, I signed over my house and company to them. But they didn’t want me living with them and threw me out.”

“Isn’t there anything you can do?” Emily asked, her eyes wide with concern.

“I signed everything over voluntarily, so unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do,” Earl explained. “I tried to find a job, but because of my age, no one wanted to hire me.”

“That’s very sad,” Emily said, feeling a lump in her throat.

“Yes, it is,” Earl agreed. “That’s why I appreciate your kindness so much. Thank you.”

“Thank you for being my friend,” Emily said, her voice trembling. “But I have to go now; Mom will be angry.”

“Alright. Goodbye, Shiny Eyes,” Earl said, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Goodbye, Earl Two Shoes,” Emily replied, waving to him.

As she walked away, tears streamed down her face. She felt a deep sadness for Earl and for not being able to help him anymore.

Several weeks had passed since Emily stopped buying food for Earl. She missed their daily chats and the warmth his company brought her, but she honored her promise to her mother.

One afternoon, while walking home from school on her usual route, she felt a chill run down her spine. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed two strange men following her.

Her heart began to race. She quickened her pace, hoping to lose them, but the men matched her speed.

“Hey! Just give us your backpack, and we won’t hurt you,” one of them shouted, his voice echoing in the empty street.

Emily was very scared. Her legs trembled, but she forced herself to run onto a low bridge over a river, hoping the narrow path would deter them. She thought she could escape, but the men were persistent.

They caught up to her and grabbed her backpack, trying to pull it off her. Emily resisted, thinking about how her mom would scold her if she lost it.

“Let go!” one of the men growled, yanking harder.

Suddenly, someone started shouting at them. Emily looked up and saw Earl running toward them, his arms waving wildly. “Leave her alone!” he yelled, his voice filled with anger and determination.

The men, startled by Earl’s sudden appearance, hesitated. One of them pushed Emily off the bridge before they both ran away. Emily screamed as she fell into the cold water. Although she could swim, the current was too strong, and she struggled to stay afloat, her limbs growing heavy and numb.

“Help!” she gasped, the water pulling her under.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Earl jumped into the water. He swam towards her with strong, determined strokes. “Hold on, Shiny Eyes!” he called out. Earl reached her, lifted her onto his shoulders, and carried her to the shore, his strength unwavering.

Emily coughed up water and felt very cold, her body shaking uncontrollably. Earl ran to the road, his clothes dripping, and flagged down a passing car. “Please, call an ambulance!” he begged a woman. She nodded, her face pale with worry, and quickly dialed 911.

A few moments later, the ambulance arrived. The paramedics wrapped Emily in warm blankets and gave her dry clothes. She felt exhausted but safe. She sat in the hospital room, waiting for her mom, her thoughts swirling with gratitude for Earl’s bravery.

The door burst open, and a worried Sandra rushed in. “Emily!” she cried, hugging her tightly. “What happened?”

“Some men tried to take my backpack and then pushed me into the river,” Emily said, her voice shaking.

“Oh my god, how awful. How did you get out?” Sandra asked, eyes wide with fear.

“Earl saved me. He scared off the men and pulled me out of the water,” Emily explained.

“It’s a blessing he was there,” Sandra said, relief washing over her face.

“Yes, it is,” Emily agreed, nodding.

“Why didn’t you just give them the backpack?” Sandra asked, confused.

“I thought you’d scold me if I lost it,” Emily admitted, looking down.

“Oh, sweetheart. I’m sorry I made you feel that way,” Sandra said, hugging Emily tightly. “I’ll try to change so you won’t have those thoughts anymore.”

The next day, Emily and Sandra went to thank Earl. They went to the store and bought groceries and a pair of comfortable shoes. When they arrived at Earl’s usual spot, Sandra took a bag of groceries from the car, and Emily held a box with the shoes.

“I want to thank you for saving my daughter,” Sandra said, her voice sincere.

“It’s what anyone would have done. And Emily saved me every day,” Earl replied, smiling at Emily.

“Thank you anyway,” Sandra said, handing Earl the bag of groceries. “We brought you some food.”

Emily stepped forward and gave him the box with the shoes. “These are so you finally have a matching pair,” she said with a big smile.

Earl looked at the shoes, his eyes tearing up a bit. “Thank you, Shiny Eyes,” he said, his voice filled with gratitude.

Sandra cleared her throat. “And also, we’re looking for a janitor at the school,” she said. “Janitors can live in the small house near the school, if you’re interested.”

Earl’s eyes widened in surprise. “I would be very grateful for that,” he said, almost in disbelief.

Emily watched the exchange, her heart swelling with joy. She was happy that Earl now had a second chance at a new life.