Suspect

Connor's POV

August 14, 2002

I poked my tongue just a little past my lips, concentrating very hard at the cursive G I scribbled on to my paper. Mrs. Burr said the student with the neatest G got an animal cracker as a reward and I was starving! I just had to get it! I curved the tip of my pencil into a perfect loop, finishing off the letter with a satisfied smile plastered to my face. That animal cracker was mine! I began fiddling with my fingers as Mrs. Burr made her way around the room, examining all of my classmates papers. She neared my desk and I started getting really nervous. What if it wasn't good enough? What if I didn't get the animal cracker?! Then I'll have to wait for lunch to eat, and I just don't think I'll make that. Lunch is like... forever from now! My fingers were itching to grab my pencil and rewrite the letter, but a shadow loomed over my paper just as I reached across my desk. I looked up to see Mrs. Burr right in front of me, her eyes observing the loopy letter. A hum of approval left her lips, a relief spreading through me at the sound. I won't starve after all! She still hadn't seen the other kids so she carried on seeing if anyone did any better than me. Doubtful. I had the best handwriting in the class. After what felt like an eternity Mrs. Burr finally went to the front of the class room, turning to face us as she spoke.

"Well class I have to admit I am very impressed with your cursive so far. It seems I may have underestimated you all. Now, before I hand out the special prize can anyone tell me what I mean when I say I 'underestimated' you?"
Mrs. Burr asked. Although I was used to my teacher asking us questions about big words I didn't know what this one meant. I was only in 2nd grade, how was I supposed to know what adult words were? Not surprisingly, the hand next to me shot through the air, waving frantically for Mrs. Burr's attention. Zoe Sugg squirmed impatiently in her seat waiting to be called on as I rolled my eyes at her obnoxious behavior. She was such a know it all. And she always had to rub it in my face how much smarter she was than me. I didn't care how smart she was to be honest, I just cared about how funny she sounded. She said words different than the rest of us, she had what Mrs. Burr called an 'accent'. I wasn't too sure what that meant, but when I asked my dad why she talked strange he just said something about people across the pond say words differently. I didn't know what living on the opposite side of water had to do with talking silly, but I still made fun of her regardless.
I was about to swat at Zoe because she kept wiggling our joint desk but Mrs. Burr finally called on her to answer her previous question.

"Yes Zoe?" She asked, pointing to her spastic hand in the air.

"Well Mrs. Burr," Zoe began, her 'know it all' persona taking over, "the word 'underestimated' means doubtful. And for my less intellectual classmates, that means she didn't think we could do it." Zoe smiled triumphantly as she finished with a slight smirk playing at her lips. I scoffed, my eyes rolling for about the hundredth time this morning.

"Excellent Zoe, well done!" Mrs. Burr exclaimed, fishing an animal cracker from its bin. "Come here, that deserves a prize!"

Zoe squealed in delight as she raced to snatch the cracker from our teacher. After retrieving it, she stared expectantly at Mrs. Burr. Zoe gave her a questioning look, arching an eyebrow in confusion. "Well," she stated, "where's the second one? You know for having the best cursive G?"

WHAT?!? No, I had the best G! She already got a cracker, this wasn't fair!

"I'm sorry Zoe, you only get a cracker for knowing the definition of underestimated. Connor had the best letter I'm afraid. Come here Connor," Mrs. Burr beckoned me in her direction, gesturing for me to take my well deserved award. I beamed, ecstatic I wouldn't starve until lunch rolled around. I heard an annoyed huff tumble past Zoe's lips as she trudged back to her desk. I could feel her glare as I walked in her direction, thankful to be spared from her rath when the bell sounded, signaling for recess. I quickly turned on my heel, rushing for the door, barley escaping to the playground.
Eyes wandering the area around me, I kept my gaze open until it fell upon a mop of chocolate brown hair sitting next to much smaller blonde. Quickening my pace I reached the swing set in seconds, plopping down onto the sand next to my two best friends in the entire world.

"Guys guess what!" I exclaimed, proud to talk about the previous events of my morning.

"Hmm?" Troye said, his blue eyes leaving the sand to fixate on mine.

"I beat Zoe in the letter contest today!" I said excitedly.

"Woah, you mean 'know it all from across the pond Zoe'?" Tyler questioned, suddenly showing interest in the conversation.

"Yup," I replied popping the p. I raised the animal cracker to my lips, savoring the way food felt in my mouth right now.

"Lucky duck, I'm starving!" Troye whined, a pout finding his face as he swiveled back and forth in his swing.

"Welll if it helps any, I brought you some Nutella today for lu-"
"REALLY?!" Troye jumped from his swing then, pure excitement shining on all his features. I doubled over, giggles racking my body, and I heard Tyler join me in laughing at Troyes enthusiasm for his favorite snack.

"Yes Troye, I know I'm the best friend ever now calm down-"

I choked on my words as grains on sand filtered past my lips and into my mouth. Wiping my eyes with the back of my hands I searched the playground to find a hostile Zoe standing behind Tyler with another handful of sand ready to hurl at me.

"Zoe, that was really mean! Why did you do that?" Tyler practically yelled at her from where he was sitting.

"He took my animal cracker!" She shouted back, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "My letter was better than his, and he knows it!"
Troye stood up, then marching in her direction.

"Zoe if you weren't such a know it all and a meanie maybe you could have gotten it, but you are and you talk really funny so Mrs. Burr didn't give it to you. Now go back to your place across the pond and leave me and my friends alone!" He said, towering over her to make her fell really tiny and weak. I taught him that trick to stand up to bullies like Zoe.
A muffled grunt escaped the back of her throat as she stomped off in defeat to where she had been playing earlier.
Troye turned around and returned to his position on the swing.

"Troye I don't think I've seen you that mad since I took some of your Nutella. That was really cool," Tyler said, a look of shock making it clear he really believed what he said.

"I don't like it when people mess with my friends. In fact I'm gonna promise you two right now," he paused to hold up his pinky. Tyler and I cast unknowing glances at each other, ultimately shrugging our shoulders and locking our pinkies around Troyes.

"Let's promise each other to always stand up for each other and never let anything happen to each other, okay? Cause that's what best friends do. And we are best friends right?" Troye asked for confirmation. Tyler and I nodded simultaneously.

"So you promise?"

"Promise," I replied.

"Promise. Forever and always," Tyler finished, and with the sound of the bell our pinkies fell apart, our promise still sealed between them.

A/N
So this chapter is basically foreshadowing for future characteristics in each person, and the whole story won't take place in the 2nd grade. I really don't want to give spoilers as to the the plot of this story so I'm not gonna say much. I guess really all you need to know is I'm aware this chapter sucks, and I'm aware my writing is only going to progress and improve throughout this story, so please stay until it gets good 😂 uhh yeah I don't really know what else to say except this is going to be my first shot at a legit fanfic and I plan on this being 100 chapters or so, so stay tuned. Until then, uh idk no ones gonna read this anyway so um later, k bye
Love Annabelle