"He's not a thief", Gordie pleads to his father about Chris. What is Chris then, and what makes Gordie and Chris best friends?

Chris and Gordie are best friends and stick by each other through everything. They are always there for each other, and need each other's comfort to rely on. Both boys are rejected from their father, and from society in a way. Each suffers their own kind of abuse. For Chris this it's physical; for Gordie it's mental. Gordie has a good life to begin with, but when his brother Denny dies, Gordie finds he needs Chris more than ever. Although Chris acts tough and rough on the outside, deep down he really needs Gordie there for him too. Chris and Gordie both need their stable friendship to rely on, and the trust they hold for each other is their stronghold.

Chris is...