Chapter Text
Charlie had been so excited about starting school, that he could hardly sleep the night before. His mum had been telling him stories about how he would get to play with so many cool toys, jump on trampolines, ride tricycles in the backyard, and that there would be circle time where everyone danced and sang together! He would always make a happy sound when told that last part. He loved music so much! It was his absolute favorite thing. Whenever he was watching a show, be it Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or the Backyardigans, he would stomp and jump, hold his hands in front of his face, and lightly bite his hands as he turned them. His mum would usually take his hands and dance with him when he did that last part. He loved dancing with his mum.
He watched American TV shows because the British shows didn’t have enough music. If more than 5 minutes of a show passed without a song playing, Charlie became so upset that he would cry and scream until he got to listen to music again. His mum would start playing a song on her phone for him. Sometimes she would keep him in her lap, playing musical clips from his shows on YouTube.
Charlie woke up on his own this morning, running to the door and yelling and pounding on it until his mum came to open it for him. She tried carrying him out to bring him to breakfast, but he quickly wormed his way out to get his favorite plushie, whom his mum called Kitty.
He had no problems getting ready that morning, even letting his mom brush his teeth! Which he really did not like. He was too busy being excited to care too much. After breakfast, it was finally time to go, Kitty in toe, to school. He made especially happy sounds while riding there, a smile stuck on his face. He couldn’t wait for all the fun he and mummy would have there!
When they arrived at school, his mummy walked with him inside but then she said “bye”? He would not have any of this! He clung to her leg, refusing to notice the teacher in front of him, telling him about the fun toys and asking him to come along. His mum told him to go, telling him how exciting all the toys would be. With one hand in his mum’s and another in the teacher’s he finally started going toward the toys. Then his mum let go of his hand and waved goodbye again. He started to run after her, but the teacher picked him up. As he screamed and cried, his mum walked away and out of the room. The teacher carried him to a construction toys playset in the middle of the room as he continued to scream and try to escape her arms.
At the playset, he and the teacher sat down. He was about to run off when this boy handed him a bulldozer toy. The boy stared into his eyes as he did so. “That’s great sharing, Nick!” the teacher beside him said. “Can you say ‘hi’?” Nick didn’t seem to hear a thing, returning back to his own playing. Charlie held the car he had been given and just looked at it. He tried to open the door, but couldn’t. This was different than the cars at home.
Frustrated, Charlie began to cry. He handed the car to his teacher, but instead of opening the door, she took it and pushed it down the ramp on the playset. Charlie picked it up and did the same. Over and over again. Beside him on the playset, Nick was using a big crane to pick up and drop off little rocks. Charlie watched this for a while too, curious about the playset and curious about the boy. “It’s circle time!” Nick’s teacher grabbed his hand, but Nick wouldn’t walk with her until he saw Charlie and his teacher were walking there too.