Daydream Believer

xii. first grade and fairy tales

xii. first grade and fairy tales

I was back in school again. The leaves were starting to change colors. At first they were bright green, but now they were falling to the ground and turning red, orange, yellow, brown, and purple. I had lived here in Odiosis for over a year and today I was waiting for the bus stop again. Mommy was standing next to me.

"Remember what I said, McKenna," she said. "You have to do well in school."

"I remember," I said.

"I want you to make a few friends this year too," Mommy said.

"I have friends," I told Mommy. "Bronto and Strawberry. Justin too, I guess."

"Bronto and Strawberry aren't real," Mommy said.

I hated when grown-ups said that. "They're real to me," I said.

"How about this? I'd like you to make a few human friends."

"I'll try Mommy," I said. I didn't want to try though. I had enough friends.

Aaron came up to me. "Hi McKenna," he said.

"Hi Aaron," I said. "How was Disney World?"

"It was awesome!" Aaron shouted. "I got to see all of the characters! And I got this Goofy Hat." He pointed to the hat he was wearing.

"You're not allowed to wear hats at school," I said.

"So?" Aaron said. "I'm going to wear my hat."

"Which teacher do you have?" I asked.

"Mrs. Smith," Aaron said.

"I have Mrs. Smith too," I said.

"Do you know who Justin has?"

"He has Mr. Dolor."

"That's too bad," Aaron said. "At least I'm in your class."

I nodded and saw the bus coming. "Bye Mommy!" I said. There were a few new kindergartners getting on the bus too. In two more years, Noah would be one of them. I didn't want that though. School was my thing, and I liked it that way.

Aaron and I sat next to each other again. We didn't talk much though. I stared out the window at the waving parents and the people walking to school and the colorful trees. I wasn't as nervous as I was the year before, but I was still worried. What if first grade was harder than kindergarten? Rebecca told me there wasn't playtime in first grade. Would first grade even be fun?

The bus pulled up in front of the school. I guess I was about to find out.