What Happened Freshman Year

Chapter 37; Back to the Beginning

Chapter Thirty Seven; Back to the Beginning

Tyler Knightley

I hated these pants, they were so itchy. Mommy always makes me dress up on special occasions and she gives me itchy pants and a tight shirt. I squirmed uncomfortably and tugged at my collar. I stared at the window as we approached the playground. There was a swing set, and sand box, and... Oh my God! Two big orange slides! I immediately forgot about my itchy, tight clothes because all I could think about was going down that slide. I didn't want anybody else to go on before me. "Well, Tyler, what do you think?" Mommy asked and stopped the car.

I waited for her as she climbed out, straightened her dress, and then walked around the car to open my door. "Look at those slides!" I exclaimed as she unbuckled my seatbelt.

Mommy laughed. She does that a lot when I get excited. I grinned at her. I hopped out of the car all by myself, and then insisted on carrying my new backpack. I mean, why wouldn't I? It was NINJA TURTLE! Kindergarten already seemed like it would be fun. I always used to watch all the big kids go to Kindergarten and I am finally going to be one of them. In our town, there is only one kindergarten, one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. We don't have a preschool. "Tyler, are you gonna make some new friends?" Mommy asked.

I thought about it. "No, because then they might want me to share my slide."

"Tyler, it's not your slide."

"No, Mommy, it will be. I will go on it so much that it will even SMELL like me, and everybody will know that it's mine," I straightened up, and walked taller so that Mommy would know that I was serious.

"Laura? Oh, Laura, is that you?" A tall blonde lady called at my Mommy.

"Suzanne? Oh goodness, and this must be Tanner! He is so cute, he looks just like you!" Mommy clapped her hands together and then hugged the blonde woman.

Mommy was happy. Happy Mommy was good. I looked at the boy, Tanner, but he was gone. I saw him running over to my slide... Not gonna happen. I started chasing him down, determined to get to the slide first. I was faster, but he started before me. Oh God, there is another boy running at the slide. I tried to run faster. I was about to reach it when I tripped and fell. No! I mentally screamed at myself.

They were gonna get to my slide first! I started to cry. Right then, I felt two small arms hugging me. I peeked open my eyes and saw Tanner had wrapped his arms around my stomach to make me feel better. He stared at me. I stared back. Then, I felt an arm poke my shoulder. I turned my head, even though Tanner was still staring at me, and saw the other boy. "Oliver," he stated.

"No, my name is Tyler."

"My name is Oliver."

"Oh."

"I didn't go on the slide," he told me.

"Really?" I asked, widening my eyes.

"Yeah, I think we could all go on it together."

Of course, in fourth grade Oliver told me he really had gone on the slide first.