The rest of the month passed by quickly for Oliver. After that incident with Arthur, he had not been allowed to go outside. He was exclusively grounded to his room, only allowed to go out for dinner or to go to the washroom. He'd also been given work. How Arthur ever managed to find him work to do on summer break, Oliver will never know, but none-the-less, like the "good child" he was raised to be, he did all of it. Matthew would come up occasionally to try and cheer him up, after all, it was only a week. However, a week of nothing but the companionship of the white walls of his room was very boring for Oliver. He would spend most of the hours of his days alone just sitting at the window, watching longingly as other children would play outside, wishing he himself was out there with them. Then again, he wouldn't have known how to approach them anyways, he had never had any friends before besides Jean, so…

Then he would scoff at the sight angrily before moving over to his desk to draw. He had only the books and the pictures to talk to, thanks to Arthur, and only his imagination for entertainment. He would draw, oh, he would draw. Pictures of beautiful scenery—of lands with mountains and trees, and beasts of all kinds. "One day I'll be able to go out there." He would tell himself, "One day I'll be old enough, and I can see the world like Jean. I just need to get out of this house. It's only till tonight." Oliver sighed, before turning back to the pictures he had drawn from memory. They were spread out across his desk. Pictures of Jean and him as children, and of the happy days spent with Papa, Jean, and Maman. Those were wonderful days, days he spent before Papa Francis, before Arthur, with only Jean and Matthew. Days that they spent outside every day; hunting, picking out berries, and going down to the river to fish, migrating with the animals and…free. "It doesn't matter. Tomorrow I'll go to school and that old man can't stop me from going out."

He smiled. 'Maybe I can see Jean…it is school after all. Only a handful of people can afford to go to school anyways, so it won't be as suffocating…' "Whatever." He said to himself, placing a few of his books into his new bag Matthew had gotten him last week. "I'm so excited for tomorrow. What kind of children will there be? I hope I can make friends…" He thought aloud, before he was interrupted from a call downstairs. "Oliver! Dinner love!" Oliver sighed, placing all his utensils into a pencil case and placing them into his bag along with his sketchbook. He'd just go straight to bed—there was nothing to do after dinner anyways besides staring outside, but since there was no-one out, it was quite boring. "Coming mum!" He called back as he placed the bag on his chair and headed off downstairs.

-Line Break-

"Come on Oliver! You can't hide behind me like that! How are you going to make friends?" Oliver frowned at his mother, hands gripping tightly onto Matthew's arm as he leaned against his shoulder, his bag slung over one of his shoulders. "I don't need friends. People are scary. I'm just fine on my own." He murmured softly. "Don't be silly! You're going to be lonely all in that room by yourself. You'll get over your fear, don't be shy." Matthew laughed, "You're so cute! Like a little boy's first day at school!" Oliver pouted, pushing Matthew away and crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm not a little kid anymore mum! I'm 14!" Matthew smiled, knowing just how to get Oliver riled up, "But you're still cute, I have to admit."

Oliver blushed, "Mum! That's embarrassing!" Matthew smiled, "Well anyways, I've got to get to work now, so why don't you run along and head inside Oliver? Or would you like me to walk you there?" Oliver frowned, "I don't need your help. I'm 14 now. I can take care of myself." Matthew gave him a hug, running his hand through his son's hair as he kissed him gently on the forehead. "Alright then. I hope you have fun on your first day Oliver. Try your best, and be nice. Make some friends. I'll pick you up here at the end of school, okay? Goodbye Oliver." Oliver waved goodbye at his mother, before heading into the school. It wasn't very big, after all, only a handful of children got to go to school, and the ones that did, were taught together within age groups, since there were only a small number of teachers as well. There were only a few classrooms, and it didn't take long for Oliver to find his own. He was placed in a class with older kids, he knew, because he had taken private lessons in England, and therefore, had advanced in classes soon before their time. He entered the room, gently pushing the door open and shyly walking over to the teacher. "Umm…Madame?" He called her, as she turned to face him, he held out his paper to her. She looked it over before turning to him, "Quite young aren't you? I suppose you've taken private lessons? Whatever. I'll introduce you to the others after prayer, alright?"

Oliver nodded, as she turned to the class, she motioned for him to turn and face the class after prayer, his gaze still centred to the ground shyly. "Everyone, I'd like your attention. We have a new student this year. If you could introduce yourself and tell the class about yourself please Oliver. " She smiled, directing the last sentence softly towards Oliver. Oliver lifted his gaze to face the class, "Uhh…Hello. My name's Oliver Stanley. I was living in Canada for as long as I can remember. I studied in England for about three years and I came back to Canada just this summer for good. I hope I can make friends." A few kids in the back snickered as one boy commented, "Vous avez l'air debile!" The teacher glared at the boys in the back, "Vous etre tranquille et etre gentil! Il est nouveau." Once most of the students had quieted down, the teacher had motioned for Oliver to sit at an one of the two empty desks near the window. Oliver took a seat on the empty chair closest to the window. 'Hmm. I guess I'll be alone for now…' He thought, 'Well there goes the idea of making friends with my seat partner.'

"Alright class, why don't we start class—" The door creaked open, Oliver didn't take notice, he was trying to get out his stuff from his bag. "—you're late. Well that's alright, it's the first day back anyhow. We have a new student, now go to your seat." Oliver heard the clicking of the student's shoes as he took out a notebook and a pencil. The student sat down, and Oliver could hear the boy(?) rummage through his bags, growling angrily at something, as he placed a notebook onto his desk. "Ahh…You. New boy." "Yes, do you need anything?" Oliver asked as he turned to face the boy. It was-! Oliver stared wide-eyed at the boy; that voice, those eyes…"Do you mind…if I borrow a pencil, Oliver?"

" …Jean…"

For the first time in years, Oliver was left speechless.

My french is not very good, so please help me by leaving a review and correcting me if I am wrong! :)

Vous avez l'air debile! – You look stupid!

(I think Debile is informal for "stupid". I know Debile is "weak" but I've also seen it used in French class to mean "Stupid" informally…? Correct me if I'm wrong please. )

Vous etre tranquille et etre gentil – You be quiet and be nice

Il est nouveau – He is new.

Desole, this was short since I just came back from work and I'll really tired D:

Leave any comments please! I prefer if you leave them on DA if you have an account, since it is more easily acessable to me!

I hope you enjoy!

.com

Merci Beacoup! :D