Crybaby

Different.

Crybaby smooths out her red baby doll dress as she steps onto the bus for her fifth day of school. Not much different has happened in the last few days. The new friendships have been coming along nicely, and she is learning things that she didn't think she could. She does get in trouble very often, however. The class gets along ok, but it's sort of split between the good kids and the... Different ones.
She arrives and takes her seat that she was assigned at the front of the class.
"Ok class. Can any one read the word written here?" The teacher points to the chalkboard when she says this. Crybaby scans the words on the board and does her best to read them.
"Mm-u-S-ic." She mumbles. Mary Kate raises her hand. "Yes, Mary Kate?"
The teacher says.
"It says music." She sounds very pleased with herself. You can practically hear Electra rolling her eyes.
"Yes! Very good. Today you will all be going to your first music class! You will all learning about singing and instruments."
Around an hour of normal lessons later, they are lead to a big room and instructed to sit on a colorful carpet.
" Hello. I'm Mr. Joel. Today we will just be learning a song from The Sound Of Music! You will each get a solo part, don't worry about being left out."
"This is duuuumb."
A boy named Sam groans.
"No it's not! It's lots of fun. You better fix up your attitude bud." The teacher says enthusiastically. He hands out papers with all the lyrics.
"We will be singing this at the assembly in a few weeks. Ok! First, how about, if you like to sing , raise your hand. You can do the first solos."
Alessia, Mary Kate, Peter, Taylor, and Duke raise their hands immediately, and Lorde adds hers a little later.
"Wonderful. How about... You, with the blue sweater- what's your name?"
"I'm Alessia!" She grins at him.
"Great! I'm going to play the first part so you can hear what you will be singing."
He presses a button.
Doe, a deer, a female deer,

Alessia repeats it in a beautiful singing voice that no one would expect from someone so young. The teacher claps his hands in glee.

As the class wears on, they all get their roles. They are singing it twice so everyone can get a chance to sing a solo.
Crybaby likes hers.
Fa, a longer way to run!

At recess, Harley and crybaby are swinging together. " You're really good at singing you know." Harley's pigtails are dangling around her head as they rush through the air.
" Thanks. No one's ever told me that before." Crybaby smiles softly at Harley. Ever since school started and she has been around other kids like her more often, Crybaby's mind has been so much calmer. She hasn't lashed out or had another panic episode.
For now.
Crybaby has learned never to assume it's over because it can come back when you least expect it.

Lana is swinging a few swings down. "She's with a boy." Harley observes, giggling. "Ooh. I wonder who." Crybaby casually stands up and walks across the playground so she can spy on them without being too obvious.
"His name is Mark." Someone whispers behind the two, making them jump.
Electra is glaring at him. "Dunno much about him yet." She pops her gum "But if he hurts her in any way, he better be ready to kiss his pretty little face goodbye." After saying this, she walks off. "What's up with her?" Mumbles Harley, who is craning Her neck to get a better view.
"She's very protective." Crybaby whispers back.
Lana appears to be giggling at something Mark has said, and he is blushing. Harley grins at Crybaby.

Mary Kate struts past With Connor not far behind. Connor looks....  nervous. His eyes are darting back and fourth. Troye is across the playground with Bunie. He doesn't notice any of this happening.

The whistle blows and they all file back inside.
Days begin to pass faster.
Each child learns more and more.
Lana and Mark are getting closer.
Troye hasn't smiled so much in years.
Crybaby is learning to singing and loving it.
Sooner than anyone can realize, it is their last month under Ms. Valfre.