The Error, by LittleMatt

Chapter 1
Chapter 1

Chapter Description: By LittleMatt

The Error

By LittleMatt

Chapter 1

This was not the way Thomas Welton wanted to begin his first day at his new school. This was not the way any 13 year-old should begin any day. Tom took every insult to his maturity seriously and this one was particularly grievous. He had grown tired of everyone assuming he was a little kid, a mere elementary schooler. He was officially a teenager and even if he was a little shorter than average, adults should know better than to simply presume he wanted a kid’s menu or whatever it was they did to overlook his status as a teen.

   These are, at any rate, the things he told himself. Though he was barely aware of it he envied younger kids, the way they didn’t have to struggle to prove that they were big and mature and completely independent. Somewhere in the back of his mind the thought lingered that he had wasted his opportunity to simply be a carefree kid on his constant quest to prove himself grown-up.

   But no matter how aware he was of those feelings he wasn’t about to let on as his mother drove him to his first day of morning daycare.  Her new job required her to arrive early, too early to take Tom to school. So she had found a nearby daycare that offered a bus service to the local schools. Tom thought he could ride his bike to school but was over ruled by his mother who insisted it was much too far for that. So he sat staring glumly out the window taking some solace in the promise that this particular center had an area for Jr High students in his position so he wouldn’t have to spend all early his morning hanging out with little kids and being treated like a little kid.

   He was momentarily pulled out of his brooding funk as he felt the car come to stop. This was all quite worse than than he thought. Crude art projects decorated the windows. Cheerfully colored playground equipment sat waiting to be used. To Tom every detail screamed that this was a place for immature little brats, something that he was not, something he never was. He stepped out of the car and glared at this rugrat jail only to be interrupted by his mother giving him a quick pat on the head before starting her way to the door. Tom gave gave a resigned sigh and followed her in.

   Inside the daycare center was a desk marked by a single name plate decorated with teddy bear stickers and bearing the name “Sarah.” And behind the desk the Sarah identified by the name tag sat beaming at the new mother and student who had just walked through her door. Her slightly plump round face and easy smile made her a natural for the part of a daycare teacher, To most of the parents here she was the face of the daycare and her obvious pride and experience in her work reassured them all that this was a safe and comfortable place for their little ones.

   “This must be my new student,” she said cheerfully “Tommy isn’t it?”

   “Tom” he corrected her tersely.

   Her eyes twinkled at his attempted protest “I’m sorry Tom, I didn’t know I was getting such a grown up boy.” She turned to his mother and gave her a knowing smile before asking “And what school will we be sending Tom to this morning?”

   “Stone Ridge Junior High” Tom answered with a a touch of pride before his mother could even speak.

   “Well” Sarah chuckled “I guess we really do have quite the grown up here. Before you know it he’ll be working here.”

   Tom glowered silently as the adults went about their final arrangements.

   “I’m sorry” Karen Welton said “he thinks he’s too old for daycare so he’s a little grumpy this morning.”

   “Well I’m sure we’ll find a way to make him fit right in.” As Sarah smiled her reassurances at him Tom couldn’t help but notice the odd twinkle in her eye. It took him aback momentarily and he couldn’t help but think that however sweet this woman might be she meant everything she said, perhaps in ways he could never quite understand.

   With her business concluded Karen turned to her son and kissed him on the forehead “Have a good day at school sweety. I’ll pick you up right at three, maybe we can rent a movie or something.”

   Tom mumbled a good-bye and watched her walk through the door leaving him in the care of Kiddie Town Daycare. Sarah called over one of the teachers and introduced her to Tom.

   “Linda” she said calling over a younger blond haired woman and handing her a packet of papers “this is our new boy, would you mind showing him around.”

   “Tom this is Linda she’ll show you where to put your things and get you settled in.”

   “Come on Tommy” Linda smiled “I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun here.”

   Tom crossed his arms and issued his correction for the second time today “I only like to be called Tom.”

   “I’ll be sure to remember that” Linda said paying little attention to her new charge’s indignation “These are the cubbies we part all our things in, we will make sure to get your name on yours.” She explained using the voice she obviously reserved for small children as she took his backpack and coat and tucked them neatly into his cubby.

   “And over here is the play area. We’ve got toys and games on that shelf over there...”

   “I really just need to see the area for kids who are going to the junior high. I’m just here so I can get on the bus, I don’t want to play with toys or be babysat.”

   “I’m sorry hon but we don’t have any other kids going to your school today so we’re just putting everybody in this room for now. But I’m sure you’ll be able to have lots of fun in here too.” Linda said not breaking her condescending manner at all. She gave the papers Sarah had handed her a second look and shrugged before leaving Tom with some more reassurances.

   Tom stomped off and found a chair where we could sit and wait. “What is wrong with everybody in this town?” He thought to himself as he tried to ignore the throng of kids playing around him.

   It wasn’t long before one of them came up to him with a big red ball in his hand “Hi, I’m Johnny and I’m in third grade, do you wanna play something.”

   Tom didn’t even look before spitting out “Look, I’m not a little kid like you guys and I don’t want to play, just leave me alone.”

   “Well sorry,” Johnny rolled his eyes “I was trying to be nice.”

   Tom returned to glaring into space as Johnny went off to play. He sat and stewed until it was finally time to board the bus. Outside he found several different buses. He stopped and looked around for a second until one of the drivers leaned out the window with a clip board  and called “Uh Tommy Welton, this is your bus.” Tom gritted his teeth at being called that name again but boarded the bus relieved to be done with daycare for the day.

   Tom looked out the window and thought about how great it would be to finally establish his new teenage life in his new town. At least he’d have something to balance out his dreadful mornings. He was bought back to reality by the driver calling out “Alright Tommy, this is where you’ll be getting off.”

   “Tom.” he corrected as he walked hurriedly off the bus. He stepped of the bus and looked around, something obviously wasn’t right. Behind him he heard the bus drive off as he tried to figure out what had happened. Finally he spotted the sign on the lawn in front of the office “Sunny Brook Elementary School.”

   “Shit these idiots brought me to the wrong school.” Tom muttered to himself. He cursed his luck and walked towards the office determined to clear up this grievous mistake. Little did he know the forces he was up against.