I Guess They Never Disappear

the kindergarten interlude

Third Person POV (also it's all in italics because that's how I do flashbacks ~s t y l e~)

Evan's mom leads him to his car, his little hand gripping her larger one tightly. His dad waves from the door, his shirt rumpled and his hair tousled. Evan's dad has been looking really tired lately. He hopes he isn't the problem. 

A few streets down, Jared's mom is also bundling a five-year-old into a car, albeit a much more restless one. 

...

Evan doesn't want to get out of the car when they get to school. School is big and school is people Evan doesn't really know. Except for Jared. Or maybe Jared won't be there. Evan hopes he will be. Jared is nice most of the time and when he's mean he gives Evan a hug afterward and apologizes. 

Evan's dad doesn't like it when Jared gives Evan hugs, for some reason. He thinks it's probably because he doesn't get that many hugs and decides to give his dad a hug when he gets home. 

That's nice, right?

Anyways, Evan asks his mom if Jared will be there and she says yes and smiles and tells him that the two of them are going to have so much fun today because today is the first day of kindergarten. And she explains how Evan is going to do so many fun things and that she's sure that he will love his teacher. 

So Evan tells her that yes, he's ready. 

And Heidi smiles and gets out of the car and goes around to open the door and help Evan undo the car seat buckles. 

There are other kids in the parking lot. Evan scans around. 

Next to the school sign, a little girl in a purple dress with dark braids and a big smile on her face is having her picture taken by her parents. 

Across the driveway, a little group of boys and their moms are all standing together. Evan looks at them carefully. Jared isn't among them. 

A fancy car pulls up and parks two spots away from them. Evan knows this isn't Jared's car, but he watches it, curious to see who might get out. Someone important, probably. But instead, it's just a man in a suit and a woman in a colorful dress and a kid with brown hair that's flying everywhere and his mom is licking her hand and trying to tame it and the kid is squirming and the kid's twin? sister? is standing next to them giggling. 

Then the man turns to the kid and says "Connor, behave," and Evan turns away politely because he knows that voice. That's the voice he's heard from his own father and mother whenever he makes a mess. Evan knows it's always embarrassing to hear your name like that. He feels bad for the boy. 

Then a beat-up blue car pulls through the lot and Evan forgets about the important man and his family. Because that car is Jared's car. And Jared is nice. Jared is a friend. 

Sure enough, Jared and his mom round Evan's mom's car. Evan waves to Jared excitedly. 

"Hi Jared," Evan says. 

"Hi Evan," Jared says. He pulls Evan a little way away from their moms who seem happy with having some boring adult talk. 

"Has she been bothering you, Evan? My mom's been mad all morning."

Evan shakes his head. Like most mornings, his mom has been the calmest member of the Hansen household. 

"No," he says. 

"Oh," says Jared. 

They stand there for a bit. 

The bell rings.