Golden Gooses

8

Evan entered the classroom, glancing around curiously. The walls were white and decorated with red, blue, yellow, and green stars scattered across them. There were horseshoe tables with 5 colorful chairs surrounding each one. The teacher pointed to a shelf, explaining those were called cubbies. "Just go ahead and put your backpacks over there! Then sit at one of the tables, and we can begin class!" She instructed. All the kids went over and put their backpacks on the shelves, and headed over to a table. Everyone knew where they were sitting, all of them at tables with their friends or siblings. Evan awkwardly shuffled over to a random table with a seat open, tapping on the table anxiously. The teacher clapped her hands, signaling the kids to pay attention. "Alrighty! Welcome to preschool, everyone! My name is Mrs. Montgomery! Right now, we're gonna introduce ourselves!" She gestured to the pieces of paper and crayons at every seat. "On that paper, write or draw some things about yourself! Like your name, and your family! Then we'll hang it up on the walls!" The kids nodded in understanding, so Mrs. Montgomery walked over to her desk and sat on her phone while waiting for the kids to finish their drawings. Evan didn't have much of a unique life. He began to write on the paper. My name's Evan. I live with my mommy and my daddy, he wrote. He scrunched his face up at his paper, feeling it was too boring. He doodled a picture of his house in the background, with his mom and dad holding his hand. Still plain, but it's good! He thought, slightly satisfied. Someone tapped his shoulder from beside him. He turned to them, seeing a pair of fraternal twins seated next to him. They had brown hair, hazel eyes, and freckles all across their faces. "Does your hair taste like cotton candy?" The boy asked bluntly. "What?" Evan asked, startled and confused. His twin shoved him. "Joshua, you dummy! Nobody eats their own hair!" She explained. "I'm just asking! Why else would his hair be pink?" Evan giggled at the absurdity of the situation. The girl rolled her eyes and scooted over to Evan. "Hi, I'm Avery. What's your name?" She asked. Evan struggled to speak, the words drying up when he opened his mouth. He grabbed his paper and showed her, not having the words to say it himself. "Ev.. an... ok!" She pointed to her brother behind her. "You already know, but his name's Joshua, we're siblings." "Cool..." Evan managed to say. "Wanna see my paper?" She asked. Evan nodded and she handed it to him. He began to read it in his head. My name's Avery. I have a brother, his name's Joshua. We live with our nonna. "That's nice..." He responded. Must be nice having interesting things to write. He thought. Joshua also scooted his seat towards Evan, sliding Avery out of the way. "Wanna be friends? Hanging out with a girl all the time gets boring." He whispered, throwing shade at his sister while she scowled behind him. Evan nodded, still surprised at how he made two new friends in such an odd way. "Good! We can play at recess!" He stated, before scooting back to his place. Avery did the same, and Evan looked back to his paper. He smiled a little and edited his introduction. He drew a brown-haired girl beside his mother and a brown-haired boy beside his father. My name's Evan. I live with my mommy and daddy. My friends are Avery and Joshua.