"Daddy!" Danny Walker screamed by the front door, "I'm going to school!" As he walked out the door all he got was a moan from his half a sleep drunken father.
Danny was excited, it was his first day of first grade at Gorman Elementary School. There had been a long vacation for the harvest season giving Danny a good time to enter the school year.
It was a cool late autumn morning, around fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Danny wore a sweater and pants and walked briskly to the schoolhouse not far from his home. He walked along the path to find the old school building used during the 1800's but now more advanced to acquire to needs of the early 20th century.
Danny entered through the entrance. He could smell the rotting wood holding up the old building, also the chalk dust gathered up in the crevices that stayed for a life.
The front of the classroom seemed to be empty. Partner desks lined in rows went from the back to the front of the room. Danny walked up to an empty desk and sat down watching the other kids play.
Rafe McCawley entered the small schoolhouse. This was his second shot at the first grade. His mother had combed and gelled his short dirty blonde hair. He had brown eyes that matched his cute little freckles. He wasn't very tall a little shorter then Danny. Rafe was wearing a white button down shirt, neatly tucked into his khaki pants.
This year I'm gonna do much better, Rafe said to himself. He wasn't left back because he was shy, he had plenty of friends. Nor, was it because he was stupid. It was just letters; he just got them messed up sometimes.
"Rafe! Sit with me!" Cheers from children yelled as he walked into the room. Rafe saw them all sitting with their friends talking and playing games. He then looked in the corner to see his neighbor all by himself.
"Is anybody sitting here?" Danny heard someone ask behind him. Danny turned his head and smiled. It was Rafe, pointing down at the seat next to him. Don't slip just say "No" so he can sit here. Danny thought.
"No," Danny whispered out. He was very shy especially since he was the only five year old in a first grade class. He had always been smarter then his piers and could almost read a book by himself.
"Well, can I sit here?" Rafe asked.
"Sure," Danny said, a smile formed across his face. Was Danny Rafe's friend? Or did he just feel bad for Danny?
A young tall woman walked in and introduced herself. She was probably 25. "Let's review some words she said holding up some cards.
"Dog," a chorus of children answered.
"Dog," a lower delayed voice said.
"Flower."
"Flower."
"Mr. McCawley!" the young teacher scowled. "Please answer with the rest of the children."
"Yes ma'am," and embarrassed Rafe responded sinking into his chair.
Danny looked at Rafe with pity. He had distinguished the words far before the others so as the teacher showed the next word he whispered. "Plane," Rafe perked up.
"Plane?" he said looking around the room realizing that was the word he had read. He looked at Danny and smiled. "Thanks man."
For the first time in Danny's life he had felt accepted. Even though Rafe and he were nothing alike they could each feel the start of a long friendship.
A/N: ok I have another chapter coming but my fingers hurt from typing right now so I'll add it on tomorrow…hope you like it so far and please review…KINDLY!
