Smiling Critters continues...

Chapter 290

Continuing Flashback

Theodore was silent as he watched a few others playing with each other. He wasn't much of a talker, but once you got to know him he loved to talk. He went over to the naptime area, and fell asleep on one of the bean bags they had lined up against the wall. "It's almost Christmas one of the kids shouts across the room and as most of the kids cheer Theo doesn't, he feels bad during the holidays when he's never really gotten anything like the other kids. Normally the CEO would be in charge of getting all the kids presents for Christmas, but he was never very lucky as most time the CEO would skip over him. Theo wouldn't complain though, he only blamed himself for it. "You're just a bad kid" he'd tell himself, and cry a bit thinking he really was bad, he tried to not think as much, he had his friends around and that's all that mattered. But sadly throughout the month of December all of Theo's closest friends were adopted... he was left with nobody as he slowly wandered into the room and cried for an hour on the beanbag before he fell asleep.

As winter came and went, Theo was still alone in the orphanage, friendless, toyless, and miserable he started to get picked on. "Awww what's wrong little baby?" One of the older kids went up to him every day just to taunt him and tell him to end himself, but Theo never listened, and instead he tried to ignore it the best he could. As he goes to class the next few days though, he does notice new mascots around the school, they all seem to be teacher's helpers and they all seem to be very friendly towards each other and the kids, even if the kids are really rude back to them.  Theo would watch each of the mascots and notice them acting like a few of his friends. Theodore would study them and their movements considering his closest friend Jess was always there for him, and kindhearted, just like Bobby Bearhug it seemed. Theo was confused as he wandered the school and found a few of the kids laughing as it seemed whoever was in the Dogday costume was having a dance party at recess with some of the kids. He was a bit curious about who was under each suit, but never got into it because he knew he might get in trouble for revealing them to be humans to the other students might ruin the "magic" for them. He'd roll his eyes every time one of the kids would cheer for one of the mascots, he knew they were meant to bring joy for the kids at the orphanage, but he seemed to be the only one to find them creepy. "I wish my friends were here.." he said as he wanted to cry, but wish his luck a few of the older kids came over to him, cracking their knuckles and smirking down at him as he sat alone near the school at recess. 'Uh oh..' he thought bracing himself for the blow.