I'm No Good at Colouring Inside the Lines

Causing Problems Immediately

Puffy's car smelled like poppies and yogurt, the fuzzy seats were relatively clean, aside from the odd stain, and the windows were only obscured by the occasional cartoon sticker. It was pretty cozy.

Tommy hated Puffy's car.

Well, he hated being in Puffy's car. He hated that he had to have a car seat and that soft music or boring radio was always playing, but most of all he hated the fact that the car took people away.

"Do you have everything?" Puffy asked, not taking her eyes off the road.

He did, not that he would tell her that.

She hummed, seemingly satisfied with his silence as an answer.
"Good, it won't be long now"

The picked at his fingers as the car pulled up to the school, Henry sat in his lap, he patted him on the head.

"Out you get" said Puffy from the open car door beside him.

He had already given Puffy enough trouble this morning, so he let her unbuckle him and slid onto the sidewalk.

He watched the other kids jumping out of cars, holding hands with their parents as they got lead to the front gate.

Once Puffy had grabbed his things she guided him briskly into the school, past colourful walls, and kids bustling about.

They stopped at the front desk.

"How can I help you?" greeted the lady cheerily.

"Just checking in a new student, he missed orientation, but he's in kindergarten" said Puffy, returning the happy energy.

"Ah I see" said the Lady with a smile, "What's his name?"

"Thomas Simons"
He frowned at the mention of his full name.

There was the clicking of a keyboard.
"Ah yes! Classroom 6, the Bumble Bee Room"
She pointed towards an extra decorative hallway, already filled with a sea of people his age.
"I'll just grab his name tag"

Once they'd acquired the name tag they joined the many that were giving farewells to their children. Puffy bent down, ushering mixed warnings and good lucks while she pinned on his name tag.

"I'll be out the front at the end of the day" she said trying to look confident, "Sorry I can't stay longer"

He nodded, "It's okay, I understand"

She laughed dryly.
"You really do sound like an adult sometimes"
Her eyes were sad, but Tommy didn't know why. Wasn't it good to be like an adult? Adults were big and smart and didn't need anyone to look after.

She stood up, and ruffled his hair. "Try not cause to much trouble, okay?"

He hummed vaguely.

She turned and walked back in the direction of the office before offering a final wave and disappearing behind a corner, leaving him and the small swarm of kids to the teacher.

He didn't want to watch the strangers about him, so he slumped against a wall, and waited. Busying himself by making Henry look as nice as possible. After all it was his first day as well.

His trance was broken when a teacher clapped, gaining the attention of the chattering mob, which now only consisted of children.

She spoke in that sickly sweet voice all adults did when they first meet kids.
"Welcome everyone! I'm sure your all excited for your first day of school! Find yourself a cubby and put your things away, then head into the classroom"

He begrudgingly obliged, shoving his small beat up bag into a cubby nearby, but keeping Henry carefully slung over his arm.

The other students started filing into the classroom, he followed, but just as he reached the door the teacher stopped him.
"Sorry Dear, stuffed animals are for playtime" she said with that fake sweetness.
"You'll have to leave it out here.." she read his name tag, "Thomas"

He scowled at her. "No. Henry comes with me"

Her expression faltered for a moment, but restored itself quickly. "He'll be waiting for you as soon as you come out, why don't we put him away-?"

She reached towards him, she was trying to grab Henry, he panicked, doing the only thing he knew worked.

He screamed, loud.

She looked at him in shock, her face shifting to anger.
"Thomas! This is no place for such behaviour, I'm going to have to put you in time out!"

She tried to grab his wrist, he dodged, smacking her arm as hard as he could. She pulled her arm back, cradling it in front of her.
"We do not hit!" She scolded firmly.

He threw his arm forward in another attempted slap.

"That's it!" she said sternly. "If you can't behave, you don't belong in my classroom"
She rose and firmly grabbed his wrist, leading him out and down the corridor.

He continued to yell and flail as she dragged him down the hall, gaining the attention of any passerby. She was probably taking him to the office so they could call Puffy, and make him go home.

She stopped at a door, knocking swiftly. He made sure to yell especially loud in protest, but she paid him no mind.

Soon the door swung open, he pulled back as hard as he could but it was no use.

"Excuse me, I know it's early, but could you please take him? I need to start my class" said the Teacher desperately.

"Of course" said a new, gentler voice, seemingly not bother by his never ending noise. "Come here mate."

He felt his wrist being handed over, and pulled at it, to no avail. The new hand was not nearly as smooth, but the grip was less rough while still being just as strong.

"Thank you" muttered the Teacher as she hurried off. Leaving him to this completely stranger.

He was unrelenting as he was taken inside the room, refusing to stop his tantrum even when the door was closed and his arm released.

It was odd to yell and scream, and have no one try to stop you. Tommy knew the person was still there, yet there were no harsh words or silly promises in pleads to get him to stop, it was just him yelling and someone listening.

In the end it was the pure curiosity at the identity of this unaffected force, that made him stop. He opened his tightly shut eyes, to peek out at them.