Zootopia Drabbles

Of Bullies And Friendships

   Jesse smiled at his dad as he stepped out onto the sidewalk, looking at the school. He beamed with confidence, he was a 2nd grader, he knew the playing field that was Savanna Central Elementary.

   Granted, he was nowhere near the level of the 4th and 5th graders, but he was getting there. His younger sister Hailey was only a measly 1st grader. And his youngest brother Donny was only a giggling 1 year old, still under his grandmother's care during the school day. Meanwhile he, Jesse Jackson Wilde, was a proud 7 year old who knew a good deal. Or at least his mother claimed, as she so often pointed out he was sharp for his age.

The point being he was absolutely prepared. And with his head held high, he walked into his class and sat down at the appropriate spot, the world around him exactly as it should be.

Miss Fawnson (his mild-mannered doe teacher, who he'd discovered was so through the grapevine of the playground) shakily welcomed all the children put under her supervision. Writing on the board, she muttered something about multiplication tables. Nothing extraordinary, Jesse concluded as he absentmindedly read from a book he'd received from his Grannie Bonnie. His mother and grandmother had both made it a point to educate him during the summer on upcoming curriculum. He was half certain they had taught him up to the second semester's worth of lessons.

As if sensing the monotony of the room, a knock at the classroom door caught the attention of the entire class. Not that Jesse looked up. Probably Mr. Prongs, the stag vice principal that popped in to visit Miss Fawnson's room on multiple occasions. Many of the older kids believed he liked her, Jesse didn't care for such gossip but could admit the deer had a look in his eyes much like his father looked at his mother.

Miss Fawnson opened the door, quietly reading a note offered. She nodded, opening the door further and beckoning someone in. Jesse, only half heartedly paying attention, simply decided that there must have been a straggler for the first day. He wondered who the late person might be and spared a second of his book.

Only for his muddy brown eyes to meet sparkling emerald ones.

A skinny waif of a girl, a skunk, dressed in a simple green sundress that brought out her eyes, despite their cover of glasses. Her hands clutched with the messenger bag in her hands, fingers fiddling with charms and trinkets that hung off the straps. She was clearly nervous, taking deep breathes as she looked around. Her eyes met his again and Jesse swore he saw her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink.

A knot formed in his stomach and Jesse grimaced, shoving his face back in his book. He'd heard the older boys mention the effect of girls. The knots in the stomach, the sweaty palms. Jesse growled at the thought of thinking of a girl as anything but a nuisance. His immature sister certainly was.

But those bright green eyes fascinated him and slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered to book to catch a glimpse of them again.

Miss Fawnson guided the girl to the front of the class, quietly asking her to introduce herself.

The girl blushed slightly before clearing her throat.

"Je m'appelle-" She spoke in a timid voice before catching herself. "H-Hello, my name is Charlotte. Charlotte Delafleur. My mother and I just moved to Zootopia from the Meadowlands. She opened a florist shop here in Zootopia."

The girl finished, sheepishly looking up at Miss Fawnson, her eyes clearly begging she be able to take a seat given she seemed petrified.

Miss Fawnson seemed to wrapped up in Mr. Prongs to notice Charlotte's pleading eyes. In a moment of absolute delirium, she sighed dreamily. "Yes, yes, you'll sit by Mr. Wilde, Charles."