It's Time to Be Happy Again

Dace Sanders

As told I kept an extra eye out for Naomi. She was still quite timid at the beginning but it hadn’t been too hard to encourage her to join in games with the other children. It turned out she was a very nice girl. Not that I had ever doubted that. But her shyness held her back a bit. I went up to her often and talked to her, trying to encourage her. She now smiled every time I walked up to her, which was remarkable progress if you asked me. Or I was just very grateful for every little thing I got.

By the time it was recess, she was running around with the other children as I sat down to watch them. I noticed that she seemed especially cheerful around Max, a boy that vaguely resembled August.

I sighed to myself. It seemed that every thought I was having led back to that boy. I didn’t know what it was about him but I had a feeling that I wanted to get to know him better. Which was an awfully irritating thought. I mean, it wouldn’t be my first time having a thing for a guy but this was a teen. My student’s brother at that. Thank god I didn’t teach at a high school. Who knew what shit I’d get myself in to there with this brain of mine.

Restless and needing to distract myself, I stood up and stretched, straightening my shirt. It would soon be time for the kids to go home. I would call them in in another 5 minutes or so, then we’d go back to the classroom and wait for the parent’s to pick them up. I couldn’t help but wonder if August would be picking Naomi up.

Shut up, I tried to tell my brain while brushing a hand through my hair. I wasn’t allowed to cuss here either. Not that I had ever been one to cuss a lot. But this was simply frustrating. I had to get my feelings under control until I lost any interest I had.

I started counting off everything I saw. Like the tree, the dark grey stone, the pathway, the window in hopes that time would pass faster and my thoughts wouldn’t stray. It still felt like it took an eternity until the time ran out. I had to call a few times before they all lines up in rows of two and I could lead them back inside. Even though it wasn’t a long way off, I told them to hold hands, just so no one would wander away. Naomi was one of the first to arrive with Max. Being in the first row, she reached one hand out to me. Smiling, I took her small hand. She really was such a sweet girl.

Back in the classroom, I finished taping all their name tags, which they had decorated themselves, to the desks they had chosen. Pictures always showed what kids had on their minds and displayed part of their personality. For example boys would draw cars or something simple whereas girls tended to use a lot of pink on butterflies and hearts, faeries, unicorns and so on. It sounded like a prejudice but sadly, it’s true. Parents raise their sons to like cars, soccer and wrestling and their daughters to wear pink and play with dolls.

Naomi had drawn a faerie on hers with a wand and a 3 next to it. Three wishes, I was guessing. What for, I had no idea. But all kids had wishes. New toys, candy…

I was raised the same way and as a child I didn’t see a problem in it. But growing up as a teen, I realized I wasn’t in the same things as the other guys. By then I was so used to acting male, that I had been afraid to change. In the end, I did my thing no matter what others thought and I was happy that way.

Just like they had teased me for wanting to be a teacher in high school and I was happy to be one now. Looking around the room filled with cheerful children, I felt completely fulfilled. I didn’t need anything more to cast a smile on my face.

“Okay, let’s quiet down now for a moment before you all go home,” I called out walking around and directing the kids to their places. “Did you guys have fun today?” I asked them when they did fall silent, only to have them shouting something reply to my question. I couldn’t help but grin at their enthusiasm. Oh, they had no idea to what kind of torture school would turn into for them in high school. that’s why I chose to teach first graders.

“Okay, okay.” I spread my arms to quiet them down again. “I had a lot of fun with the lot of you, too,” I told them. Truthfully. “And I think all of you were very good on your first day.” I was slowly making my way back to the front of the class.

“I also think that all of you deserve…” Reaching into a drawer of my desk, I pulled out a sheet, ”a sticker!” The kids cheered.

“I want a batman sticker!” one boy called out and immediately wishes of all kinds were yelled into the classroom.

“If you line up nicely without shoving, pushing or cutting, you’ll get to choose.” I had to raise my voice to overtone the 24 of them. I was careful not to sound too strict or to end up yelling because I had always hated that back when I was small. They followed my orders as good as six year olds possibly could and they all go to choose, of course.

When Naomi came up, she looked at the sheet silently for a while.

“Which one would you give me, Mr.?” she asked, looking up at me with those cute blue eyes of hers and when I looked down at the sheet, the color-matching dolphin caught my attention. Dolphins were good animals, not only did they help people in need but they lived in groups according to family and mated for life.

“I’d give you the dolphin… because it has the color of your eyes,” I told her, pointing at it with a smile. The same color August’s eyes have as well.

“Then I want the dolphin,” she smiled back.

“Are you sure?”

“Mhm, the dolphin.”

“Alright, here you go,” I gave the sticker to her.

“Thank you,” she said softly and stepped to the side.

When everyone had one, I went up to the parents, which had already arrived, for some small talk and to see the kids off. Naomi ran over to a young woman, maybe even still a teenager, about August’s age, I guessed. Who was she now? Probably his girlfriend or someone, who helped take care of the little girl. Secretly, guiltily, I was hoping this was a sister. Not only for my but also for Naomi’s sake. If this was his girlfriend, then what was with the mother? A sister to bring the girl home made more sense.

“Hello,” I greeted the black-haired girl before extending my hand. “I’m the teacher, Mr. Sanders.”

“Hey. My name’s April. I’m here to pick Naomi up,” she answered and it made me pretty sure she was August’s sister now since they were both named after a month. Naomi not being named after such a pattern would be explained by August having named her.

“Well then, Naomi.” I crouched down to her again like this morning. “I hope you had fun today and come back tomorrow. It’s nice having you in my class,” I told her(, laying a hand on her shoulder gently).

“Mhm, I’m coming!” she nodded eagerly, smiling. I smiled back, letting my hand fall off.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then. A sweet kid,” I said, turning to April in the end, straightening again.

“She really is,” she agreed, smiling fondly at the girl while brushing through her hair. “August takes such detailed care of her. She means everything to him.” I nodded slowly. So, if August took care of her, what was with their mother? Maybe April was his girlfriend after all?

“They seem to pretty close,” I mentioned by first judgment. “Every time Naomi mentioned him, it was always something positive.” April nodded with a slightly sad expression in her eyes.

“They only have each other.”

So, no mother. Just August and Naomi. What was April then? I couldn’t stop the questions from forming in my head. I could only stop them from coming out of my mouth. My curiosity had risen to unexpected lengths just this very first day, while all I should be doing relating to the girl’s brother was forget. A part of me wanted to help though, no matter what might’ve happened to the two. To help August at the most part. A big part of me.