New Kid in New Jersey

I was beginning to get tired. Strange, really. I'd just had a cup of steaming hot coffee.
I wiped my mouth and set my cup down on the table. Rubbing my eyes wearily, I stood up from my chair and shuffled over to the door. I pushed it open and ambled up the stairs, meeting my mom on the way up.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth." She smiled.

"Whatever" I mumbled.

"...And, Frank, I need to talk to you about something important in a minute, so get yourself ready for bed, and I'll be upstairs soon." She said, carrying on down the stairs.
I raised my eyebrows. Hmm. I wonder what she needed to tell me. Ah well, I'll find out soon enough.

I ambled across the landing and into my room, flopping down on the large, comfy bed; being careful to avoid the many cardboard boxes strewn all over the floor. I reluctantly got back up again, and dropped to my knees on the floor, next to one of the larger boxes, labelled 'Clothes'. I slipped a hand inside the box, digging around for a while until I found some grey pyjama trousers and a top.

With my clothes in one hand and my toothbrush and toothpaste in the other, I went into the bathroom to get changed and clean my teeth.
Ruffling my hair in a sleepy daze, I wandered back out again once I was changed, and tiptoed into Felicity's bedroom to say goodnight. She squealed when she saw me, making me jump about a foot into the air. I sighed. I swear, that kid never sleeps! Six years old, and she's still wide awake at eleven o'clock at night. Crazy child...

"Frankieeeee!" She sang.

"Go to bed, Fliss." I grumbled at her.

"Frankieeeee!" She repeated happily.

"Night, Fliss." I sighed.

"Uh. BYE FRANKIEEEE!" She called.

I slowly closed the door behind me as I left the room, smiling weakly. I headed back into my own bedroom, flicking the light switch onto the 'Off' position as I passed it. Flopping down onto my bed for the second time, I pulled away the covers and snuggled into the cosy fabrics, laying my head down on the pillow. I closed my eyes, feeling myself drifting off to sleep.
I blinked; my bedroom coming back into view again. Mom had switched the light back on.

"Hey, Mom..." I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

"Frank, I was going to tell you something, remember?" She said, stepping into my bedroom, and coming to sit down on the edge of my bed.

"Yeah...what was it?" I questioned.

"Well, it's a Monday tomorrow." She told me.

'I'm not completely stupid, you know.' I replied.

"And Monday is a school day..." She continued. Oh, come on. She's not going to make me go to school tomorrow, right? Surely not.

"Yeah...?" I said slowly, dreading the answer.

"Well, you've got a place at the public school here. And you're starting tomorrow." Aw, dammit.

"Tomorrow?!"

"Yes...of course. Why not?"

"But, Mom, honestly, we haven't even been here for long!" I hate school. I'm always the outcast at school. Always. My last school was like a prison...and I doubt this one will be any better.

"Yes, I know that. So..?" She said. So?! How can she be so calm about all of this?

"Surely you remember what my old school was like? I hated it, don't you remember? I didn't have a single friend there." I complained, starting to get angry.

"Aw, Frank. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll make plenty of lovely new friends there." She cooed. Why the hell does she seem to think that my life is all happy and fun and perfect?! I'm not going to make a single friend, I know it. I'm going to get the piss ripped right out of me, from the moment I walk through those gates. And, being the new kid, it'll be even worse than before.

I opened my mouth to argue, but she stopped me before I could say anything.

"Now, you just get some sleep, okay, Honey? You'll need plenty of energy for tomorrow, especially seeing as you'll be walking to school." She said, getting up and switching my light off on the way out of my room. I listened to her quiet footsteps along the landing, and heard her bedroom door close.

"Noooo..." I howled into my pillow. I dread to think of what pain I'm going to be put through tomorrow.
I fell into an uneasy sleep, tossing and turning, dreaming of tomorrow.