CHAPTER 11: First Day of School

After spending a few days at their new house, the trio of friends were getting accustomed to their new home. Morgiana and Alibaba have found jobs for themselves and Aladdin will be going to a school not too far away. Aladdin had not met many other children, so he was scared of meeting new people. Especially since he would be away from Alibaba and Morgiana, the very two people he trusted. What if the other kids don't like him? What if they laugh at him? What if he got expelled? Maybe he was overreacting, but he couldn't help it.

On the first day of school, Aladdin would hardly touch his breakfast. Morgiana noticed and glanced at Alibaba. Alibaba didn't notice how Aladdin was feeling and was too engrossed in eating. He had a sausage dangling from his mouth when he noticed her look. He, too, looked over at Aladdin. The child was looking down and fidgeting. Alibaba finished what was in his mouth before getting Aladdin's attention.

"Are you going to eat that, or are you just going to let it sit there?"

"I'm not really hungry...," Aladdin replied in a quiet voice.

"Is there something wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Morgiana asked him. Aladdin shrugged.

"I just don't feel like eating."

Morgiana and Alibaba exchanged glances.

"I think I forgot something in my room," Morgiana said as she stood up. She was just making an excuse to leave the table so Alibaba could talk to Aladdin.

When she left, Alibaba turned to Aladdin.

"What's going on, Aladdin? I've never seen you turn down food."

"I just...can't I stay home?"

"Sorry, buddy. I don't have anyone to look after you while we're gone. Why do you want to stay home?"

"I don't want to go to school. No one will like me," Aladdin said, turning away. Alibaba was surprised to hear this.

"Whoa, slow down there! Why do you think no one will like you? We like you."

"Because I'm...different."

"Everyone is different, Aladdin," Alibaba told him. He stood up from his chair and knelt down next to him. "Come on. You can tell me. Why do you not want to go to school?"

Aladdin was quiet and he adjusted in his chair. He swallowed before answering.

"I'm scared. I won't have you or Morgiana with me. What if the other kids pick on me? What if I can't make any friends? What if I fail? I just...I don't wanna be by myself."

Alibaba was quiet as he listened to his little brother. He ruffled Aladdin's hair and smiled.

"That's a normal feeling, Aladdin. You're nervous, but you'll get over it. You'll be just fine without me or Morgiana there with you."

"How do you know?"

"Because when I was your age, I felt the same way about meeting new people. I got nervous when I first stared working, but I learned how to hang lose."

"Really?" Aladdin asked as he looked up at him. Alibaba nodded.

"Yeah. Just be yourself and you'll be fine."

Aladdin hesitated before giving a small smile, "Okay..."

"Good boy! Now drink your milk and get dressed. We'll need to leave soon."

Aladdin obeyed and drank his cup of milk dry. Then he got up and went to his room to get ready.

Alibaba got ready as well, and so did Morgiana.

Upon arriving to Aladdin's school, he held onto his friends' hands. He was getting nervous again, but his friends gave reassuring squeezes. Aladdin got settled in the classroom shortly after and his friends left, promising that he'll have a good time. He sat quietly at his desk, looking down at his hands. The kids around him were all talking and laughing. The teacher walked in, her hair was black and short cut. She had brown, yet caring eyes. She announced that they had a new student and Aladdin froze, knowing that she was talking about him.

"Aladdin, would you like to come up and introduce yourself?" she asked him. Aladdin blushed as he noticed all eyes were on him. He remembered Alibaba's words from that morning; 'Just be yourself and you'll be fine'. He took a deep breath and stood up. He walked up beside the teacher, who gave her name as Carolyn, and held Ugo's flute close.

"Uh...My name is Aladdin...I just moved here a few days ago. I'm six years old," he wasn't sure what else to say.

"Where are you from, Aladdin?" Carolyn asked him with interest.

"Uh...Quising...," he told her. A few kids started whispering at this response and it made Aladdin blush. Were they teasing him?

"Thank you, Aladdin. I'm sure you'll feel right at home here. Children, why don't you all say hello to Aladdin?" Carolyn suggest.

The children all said hello in union, but it was quiet. Maybe they were unsure about Aladdin just as he was about them? Aladdin quickly sat back down at his desk and listened as Carolyn started lecturing.

During the lunch break, Aladdin sat down by himself under the shade of a tree. He clutched Ugo's flute close.

"No friends yet, Ugo. Maybe I am weird?" he mumbled. He began eating his sandwich when he noticed a few boys looking at him and whispering and laughing amounts themselves. One of the boys approached a minute later and grinned.

"Hi."

"Uh...hi," Aladdin tried to smile.

"You're from Quising, right? I heard that everyone there is a slave. Do you know what a slave is?" he asked him. He had braided black hair and red eyes.

"I don't think everyone is...but some people are...slaves."

"Slaves are low lives! They have to do whatever their masters say, or they get punished. It's like that here too. Did you know that?" He asked him. He began circling Aladdin, which was making him nervous.

"Uh...no."

"Well, they do! I bet you didn't know that I own this school, either, did you? You happen to be sitting in my favorite spot!" He said as he pushed Aladdin out of the shade of the tree.

"Hey, I was there first!" Aladdin said. The boy grabbed hold of Aladdin's hair and pulled.

"I've never seen blue hair before. That's weird! I bet you would be a valuable slave!"

"I'm not a slave!" Aladdin yelled at him and tried to pull his hair free. The boy laughed, but wouldn't let go.

"What's you're hurry, SLAVE?"

"Leave me alone! I'll tell Miss Carolyn!" Aladdin warned. The boy frowned and punched him in the face.

"Please, you can't do anything!" he noticed tears in Aladdin's eyes and started laughing again. "What? Are you gonna cry?" he mocked him.

Suddenly, the boy was pushed and knocked off balance. He glared at the boy who dared to push him.

"Leave him alone, Judar!" the boy said.

"Oh, yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?"

The boy smirked and lifted his hand which had a hook attached to it. A big bubble appeared in the air and Judar looked a little intimidated and shrugged.

"Fine, whatever. I was getting bored anyway. This baby's boring," and he walked away. The boy offered his hand to Aladdin.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Aladdin wiped away his tears and blushed. He took the boy's hand and stood up.

"Thanks...," he said in a small voice. The boy smiled.

"Don't worry about Judar. He may be one of the biggest bullies in this school, but he doesn't like to fight people stronger than him. My name is Orba, by the way."

"Aladdin," Aladdin told him.

"Stick with me, Aladdin. You'll be safer that way."

Aladdin nodded and managed a smile.

Orba spent the rest of the day with Aladdin and they soon became good friends.

Aladdin was a little sad that the school day was over, but he was happy he finally met a new friend. When Alibaba and Morgiana came and picked him up, they noticed a change in Aladdin. He had gone to school as a frightened child, but now he seemed as happy as can be.

"Hey, Aladdin. Had a good day?"Alibaba asked him. Aladdin nodded.

"Yeah! I can't wait to come back tomorrow!"

Alibaba and Morgiana looked at each other and smiled.

"Glad to hear it, Aladdin," Morgiana said.

"What about you two?" Aladdin asked them. "Did you get the jobs?"

"Yeah, we did!" Alibaba told him. But Aladdin noticed something hidden in his friends' faces.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Aladdin! Come on, let go home!" Alibaba said. They all took each other's hands and walked back home.