Seven months later and after finish Kindergarten, it was the first day of first grade for Rick, Kate, Javier, Lanie and Kevin.
"Kev, I don't t think looking at your watch and staring out the door is gonna make the bus come faster." Stacey notice Kevin was pacing and checking his watch she got him for his 6th birthday.
"Sorry. I just couldn't wait to see Javier, Lanie, Rick and Kate again."
Stacey rolled her eyes and put her arm around to stop him. "I know. I can't wait to see them either, so relax."
"Where's Karen? The bus is coming in 5 minutes."
"Beats me. I mean, how should I know and why do I care? Apparently, she's turning into a real rebel lately."
Kevin groans and turns to the stairs. "Karen, the bus is coming!"
-inside the car-
Kate, kicking her feet in her seat, waited patiently for her mother to come out the house.
"Come on, Mommy."
A minute later, her mother emerges from the house and got in the car. "Sorry, Katie. I just got a call from work."
"I don't wanna be late."
"It's only the first day of school. You probably have butterflies in your stomach." Her mother smile, stroke her hair and drive off.
-Waiting at the bus stop-
Outside Javier's building, he and Lanie were having a conversation.
"How's your brother?"
"Fine. He's started to crawl. How's Maria Camille?"
"She's good. She messing up the drawers after mom did the laundry."
They laughed until the bus pull up.
Javier got up and grabs his bag. "Come on."
Lanie take Javier's hand and got on the bus.
"Hey, Kevin."
Kevin looks up. "Hey, guys. You ready for the first day of 1st grade?"
"Yeah." Lanie put on her seatbelt.
"Are you kidding? I'm all over it." Javier smile as the bus pulled away.
-at school-
In St. Ann of Sacred Heart, Rick was looking at a banner that reads "Welcome back" when his mother comes out of the office.
"Okay, kiddeo." Martha replied. "I might be working late, so you're gonna be staying with your friends because Nanny Elise is out of town."
"Okay, Mom."
"Good luck on your first day." Martha gives her son a hug and left, just as the bus came up.
"Kevin! Javier! Lanie!"
Kevin, Javier and Lanie jump off the bus and ran over to Rick when Kate and her mother stop by.
"Okay, there's Rick, Kevin, Javier and Lanie. So…" Before coming out, Kate turn to her mother and gave her hug.
"Bye, Kate."
"Bye, Mommy." Kate comes out of the car and ran over to the others when a bunch of kids knocked her over.
"Oh, sorry." A girl, about 7-8 with dark brown hair in a polo dress, help Kate up.
"Come on, Nicole!" another girl, around 9 with medium blond hair, yelled.
"You're the one who ran into a first grader, Brenda!"
"Scrubs get in the way."
"You're being mean." A boy with bob-style brown hair hands Nicole her bag.
Kate ran over to the gang. "At least, there's one older kid who is very kind."
"Come on, guys." Stacey wave at them and they ran over to the door.
-in class-
In their class, Rick, Kate, Kevin, Javier and Lanie were in the midst of reading when a nun in her 20s-30s lightly taps Kevin on the shoulder.
"Kevin, can you do me a favor and get this attendance sheet to the office?"
"Yes, Sister Josie." Kevin close his book, got out of his seat and left for the office.
Rick, Kate, Javier and Lanie turn to look at one another as Sister Josie look at them with a smile. "He'll be fine."
-Outside the office-
Kevin waited patiently outside Father Francis's office when he notice the same girl who help Kate up before school with a small girl with blond hair pulled back in a high ponytail talking with a staff member.
"Mr. Ryan?" a middle-aged man in his mid-20s lightly knocks on the door as Kevin look up. "I see that Sister Josie send you down to give me something."
"Yes, sir." Kevin hands in the attendance sheet and was about to leave when Father Francis stop him.
"Oh, before you go, I was wondering if you can take someone to your class with you."
With a smile, he turn to his office as the girls came up from behind him.
"Hey, I recognize you." Nicole replied. "I saw you with the girl I help up before and three other kids."
"Yeah." Kevin said.
"I'm Nicole. I'm a 3rd grader." Nicole place a hand on the girl, wearing a short-sleeve tuck polo, school uniform blazer, kick-pleat scooter skirt and Mary Janes, hiding behind her and gentle push her, "This is my sister."
"Hi, I'm Kevin Ryan."
"I'm Jenny O'Malley, it's short for Jennifer." The girl smiled.
"She was supposed to go to Room 342. Apparently, they got her mixed up with another class."
"Oh, that's my class. I can take her there."
"Thanks. I gotta get to class." Nicole smiled and head towards her class as Kevin and Jenny turn down the hallway.
-On the way-
"So you have two sisters?" Jenny asked as they head upstairs.
"Yeah, only they couldn't stand each other." Kevin replied.
"Why?"
"I don't know. Here we are." They stop in front of the door and Kevin lightly knocks on the door. "Sister Josie?"
"Yes, Kevin?"
"We have a new student." Kevin takes Jenny's hand and brings her in. "This is Jenny. Jenny, this is Sister Josie."
"Hello, Jenny." Sister Josie extends her hand and Jenny shakes it. "Why don't you sit with Rick, Kate, Kevin, Javier and Lanie?"
Kevin and Jenny walk over to their desks and sat down. "Guys, there's someone I want you to meet. This is Jenny O'Malley. Jenny, these are my friends, Rick Rogers, Kate Beckett, Javier Esposito and Lanie Parish."
"Hey, Jenny." Lanie said as Rick, Kate and Javier waved.
With that, Rick, Kate, Javier, Lanie, Kevin and Jenny continued their reading.
-At lunch-
During lunch, Rick, Kate, Javier, Lanie, Kevin and Jenny shared a conversation.
"So where you from, Jenny?" Lanie asked.
"Well, I'm from Queens. It's really not so close, so my mom drives me and Nicole here."
"Wow." Rick was amazed.
"Yeah." Jenny takes a bite of a cream cheese and jelly sandwich when two girls around 8-9 came up.
"What's that?" One girl, with brown hair, grabs Jenny's sandwich from her.
"Hey!"
"Cream cheese and jelly?! What's wrong, you don't like peanut butter?" Another girl, with black hair, wrinkles her nose.
"Hey!" Nicole and Stacey came up to the table, trays in hand. "Why don't you stop picking on little kids?"
"Ooh, who's gonna make us?"
"I can." A teacher came up. "I want you two to head inside for Father Francis' office."
The two girls groaned, hands Nicole the sandwich and heads inside.
"Why doesn't Jenny eat peanuts?" Stacey turns to Nicole.
"She's allergic to peanuts."
Jenny notice Kevin about to fall out of his seat, but Rick and Javier catch him. "Kevin?"
"What's wrong with your brother?" Nicole asked.
"He's afraid of nuns." Stacey replied.
"Why is your little brother afraid of nuns?"
"Don't ask."
-Math lessons-
During their math lessons, Kevin and Jenny were writing the numbers.
"So, you're allergic to peanuts?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah, I can't eat anything with peanuts in it." Jenny looks around. "What's 2+2?"
Kevin showed Jenny the answer with his fingers. "It's simple. I just think of how many objects I have or how many books are on a shelf."
"One, two, three, four. It's 4, right?" Kevin nodded. "Thanks."
Kevin smiled and turns back to his work.