"Tate, sweetheart, it's time to wake up." Tate groaned slightly at the sound of his mothers voice. "Come on, honey. You have to get up.", she said as she moved the blanket to reveal a small head of golden curls. Tate opened his eyes to look at his mother. She was already dressed, with her hair and makeup already done. Tate wrinkled his nose as the smell of his mothers perfume quickly became the only thing that he could smell. It was far too strong for a morning smell.

"Momma, do I have to go?", Tate asked as he sat up and tried to rub the sleepyness from his eyes. He stayed up late the night before, worrying about the day that was stretched ahead of him. The first day of kindergarden. Most kids his age would be excited, but Tate knew better. This was the first day of the rest of his life. Kindergarden was the first step. They tricked you into coming with promises of toys, and new friends, but before you know it you are stuck in school for years. Then you get married, and work, and have kids who also get trapped. Kindergarden was the cheese on the mousetrap of life. From now on he was doomed.

"Of course you have to go, Tate. It will be fun. You will make new friends, play with toys, and learn all kinds of new things.", his mom said cheerfully as she gave tate a broad smile.

"I'm doomed.", Tate said quietly as he looked down. He knew better than to think school was going to be a happy place to be. He was doomed.

"You're not doomed. You are just nervous. Everyone gets nervous when something changes. Now get up. I have to get your sister ready too.", his mom said as she gave Tate a kiss on the cheek. Tate tried to smile at her, but his nerves turned it into more of a grimace. He watched as she sped out of the room.

"Doomed.", he said as he slid out of bed.

(Later)

Tate watched with wide eyes as they pulled up to his school. It was huge.

"Well, here it is!", his mom said cheerfully as she unbuckled his seatbelt and held out her hand to her son to help him out of the car. Instead of taking her hand, he stared at it like it was a bear trap, waiting for him to spring it closed. "Come on, sweetheart, it won't be that bad. Before you know it, you will be running around with your little friends having fun.", Constance said warmly as she tried to coax her terrified looking son from the car. By the look on his face you would think that she was sending him off to war with nothing but a spatula. She secretly hoped that he wouldn't pee himself. "Tate, at this rate school will be over before you step even one foot out of this car.", she said hoping that she wouldn't have to carry a screaming Tate into the school. She didn't want to be seen as one of those parents. She smiled as Tate placed his small hand in hers. Good, she wouldn't have to make a scene.

"I'm doomed.", Tate thought as they walked towards the school. His heart grew more scared with each step, and his feet felt too heavy. It felt as though him and his dad switched feet. He held on to his mother's hand with both of his, afraid of what would happen if he were to let go.

When they finally reached the classroom Tate looked around at all the other children. He wondered how many of them knew just how doomed they all were. Some looked as scared as he felt, while others played and talked acting as though this wasn't the worst day of their lives. They were the ones he felt sorry for, they couldn't see it.

"Alright, honey, this is where I have to say goodbye. I will see you after school.", Constance said carefully as she knelt down in front of Tate. He looked at her like she just told him that it was time to die.

"What? No n-no!", Tate exclaimed as he stared at her horrified. She did not tell him that she was going to just leave him there.

"I have to, sweety.", she said sadly. She hated the idea of leaving her perfect little boy behind, but it needed to be donw. He looked at her like he was going to have a heartattack.

"No, momma you can't leave me here! Don't leave. Please don't leave me here. Please, momma, please." , Tate pleaded as he clung to his mothers hand. He watched her with wide eyes as tears rolled down his face. He couldn't do this alone. His momma was strong, she couldn't just leave him there.

"I'm sorry, Tate. I have to. I love you & I will see you late, okay?", Constance said as she gave him a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. Tate could see that she was beginning to cry, and that scared him more than school. His momma never cried. Could school be worse than he thought?

Tate stood there, frozen, as he watched his mom walk away. He was all alone now. He looked around at the other children and whimpered...He was scared.

(Later on during the day)

Tate walked around the playground clutching a block the teacher gave him to play with in a attempt to make him stop crying. Instead of playing he clutched the block, and ignored all the others. It was recess time and he did not make a single friend. Many kids, especially girls, talked to him, but they would leave when he wouldn't respond. His eyes slowly scanned the area, looking for something to do. They soon fell on a girl who sat on the floor of the playgroind. Her small frame shook with sobs as she cried. Tate stood there for a few moments just watching. She was beautiful, like a angel, his angel.

"What's wrong?", Tate asked as he sat next to the girl. She looked up, blinking a few times, as she took in the boys appearance. He had curls that looked like sunlight and eyes dark as night. He was very cute, she decided quickly. "Hello?", Tate asked patiently as the girl stared at him.

"Some boy called me ugly, and said I couldn't play with him 'cause imma girl.", the girl said sadly. Normally she wouldn't tell just anyone why she was upset, but this boy didn't seem like just anybody. He looked at her with shock before becoming angry.

"Who was he? Point him out.", Tate said as he stood up. The girl looked at him with wide eyes before pointing out the boy who made her cry. Tate walked off quickly in the direction she pointed in. When he got close enough he pointed at the boy and glanced at the girl to make sure that he founf the right one. She could only nodd her head in reply.

"Hey!", Tate shouted at the boy as he threw the block at the kids head. The boy turned around quickly with tears in his eyes.

"What was that for?", the kid shouted at Tate as he rubbed the spot where the block made contact. Tate glared at him with clenched fists.

"You made fun of her!", he replied angrily as he pointed to the now shocked girl. By now all the children on the playground gathered around the two boys. The boy looked at the girl Tate pointed to and laughed.

"Her? I told her she couldn't play with me 'cause she's a girl. She is ugly too.", the boy said loudly as he looked at the girl. Tate growled as he launched himself at the boy, and began to pummel him with his tiny fists. This boy hurt her feelings and deserved to be punished. The boy looked at him shocked as tears streamed down his cheeks and he tried to protect his face from Tate's fists.

"Help!", the boy screamed when he realized he couldn't push Tate off of him. By now his nose and lip were bleeding. The boys blood splashed onto Tate's face, but he didn't stop.

"Stop it! You're hurting him!", the girl shouted as she ran over and tried to pull Tate off. He was heavier than her but eventually she managed to pull him off. Tate looked at her shocked, then looked back at the boy he was hurting.

"But, he hurt your feelings.", he said as he looked at her. She frowned at him.

"He hurt my feelings, but that doesn't mean that you should hit him.", she said as she looked at the blood on his face. She reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a small pack of tissues, and cleaned the blood off. She hated the sight of blood, and it looked all wrong on his face. By then a few teachers came running on to the playground and looked at the children.

"What do you think you are doing, Mr. Langdon?", a teacher said as she grabbed Tate's wrist. "Your mother is going to hear about this.", she said as she began to pull him away. Tate looked back at the girl, realizing that he didn't know her name.

"What's your name?", he shouted back. The girl looked at him and smiled.

"Ava, what's yours?", she shouted.

"Tate!", he yelled back before being pulled into the school. Ava smiled, and looked back at the boy that Tate hurt. A teacher scooped him up and carried him into the school, talking about having to call his mother. Tate, she thought to herself. She liked this boy.