Chapter Text
School bell rings, walk me home
Sidewalk chalk covered in snow
Lost my gloves, you give me one
"Wanna hang out?"
Yeah, sounds like fun
Video games, you pass me a note
Sleeping in tents
It's nice to have a friend
— It’s Nice to Have a Friend - Taylor Swift
*****
Simon’s POV
“Will you be okay cariño?” Linda gently asked, brushing Simon’s wild curls away from his face.
“Si, mamá!” Simon enthusiastically replied, clutching onto the straps of his brand-new backpack, unable to stop himself from bouncing up and down with excitement.
Linda chuckled and kissed her son’s cheek, enveloping him in her embrace. “I love you so much, mi cielo,” she whispered in his ear.
“I love you too, mamá,” Simon giggled and squished her cheeks between his hands, making Linda laugh.
From the other side of the entrance, Simon’s ears perked up from the cries of another boy. Curious to see what was happening, he tugged his mother’s hand to where a young boy who looked his age was holding onto the gates of the entrance, wailing uncontrollably.
“Mamma, I don’t want to go!” The boy screamed, his breath coming out in short bursts.
“Wilhelm stop!” A woman beside him who was surely his mother scolded, “Please behave yourself; you’re embarrassing us.” The woman looked around and saw Simon staring back and shot back a look that scared Simon. Mothers were supposed to be gentle, like his mamá. Simon felt sad for the little boy who looked afraid to go to school, unlike himself. He was excited to make new friends and learn new things. Maybe he could ask the boy to be his friend; maybe then he would be excited about school too.
Simon looked at the boy with concern because he wanted to help him. He turned to his mother, tugging on her hand again.
“Mamá, why is that boy sad?”
Linda gently smiled down at him, crouching to be at eye level with him. “Maybe he’s feeling a little nervous,” Linda explained. “Starting school can be scary for some people.”
Simon nodded in understanding. “Can I go talk to him, mamá?”
Linda smiled at her son's kindness, nodding her head. "Of course, cariño. That would be really kind of you," she said encouragingly, giving him a reassuring pat on the back.
Simon walked over to the boy still crying and holding onto the gate. He didn’t know what to say at first, but he remembered how his mamá always made him feel better when he was upset.
“Hi,” Simon said softly. He noticed the boy's rumpled shirt and backpack as if he had been struggling to carry it. “My name is Simon. What’s your name?”
The boy sniffled and looked up at him, his eyes red and puffy. “I’m Wilhelm.”
“Nice to meet you, Wilhelm,” Simon smiled. “I’m starting school today, too. Are you scared?”
Wilhelm nodded his head, still sniffling. “I don’t know anyone here,” he said, his voice cracking.
“I don’t know anyone here too,” Simon said, “but maybe we can be friends?”
Wilhelm looked up at him, surprised, his honey-amber eyes slightly sparkling, “You want to be my friend?” he asked timidly.
“Of course! It’s always nice to have a new friend,” Simon replied, his smile growing wider.
Wilhelm looked at him for a moment before finally nodding his head slowly. “Okay,” he said softly.
Simon grinned, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He had made a new friend and helped someone feel better. He turned back to his mother, waving at her excitedly.
"Mamá, I made a friend!" he called out, feeling proud of himself.
“That’s wonderful, mi amor!” His mamá beamed back at him.
Wilhelm’s mother who was standing aside grabbed his arm. “Come on we need to go register at the office,” she forcefully took him away leaving Simon there before he ran back to his own mother.
“Wilhelm’s mother is mean,” he pouted. “He was really scared.”
Linda listened attentively to her son, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. “It sounds like Wilhelm’s mother is feeling stressed too,” she said gently. “Starting school can be hard for parents too, and sometimes they might not handle their emotions very well.”
Simon nodded thoughtfully. “But that’s not an excuse to be mean,” he said firmly.
Linda smiled at her son's sense of empathy and understanding. “You’re absolutely right, cariño. It’s important to be kind to others, even when they’re not being kind to us.”
Simon nodded again, “I’m going to be the best friend Wilhelm ever had,” he said determinedly.
“I’m sure you will be, mi cielo,” Linda said, hugging him tightly. “Now let’s go inside and start your first day of school!”
Simon grinned and grabbed his backpack, feeling excited and ready to tackle the day with his new friend by his side.
*****