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narrans · 22 days

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My Borrowed Son | 11 | First Day of School

Chapter Eleven | First Day of School

Parker wasn’t sure why he was so jittery. Well… he did, and yet he didn’t. There were a million things going on in his mind, and yet he couldn’t summon the right words.

His mom had done it. He was going to school.

Well… kind of.

He was in virtual school, which was the next best thing. Parker knew he couldn’t attend normal school because of his condition, but that didn’t matter. Now, he would get to see other kids and hear all sorts of new things from his teachers. There would be homework and reading assignments and, if he was lucky, he would make some friends.

Parker had on his best shirt and made sure everything was tucked in and that his hair was combed out thoroughly. He had been waiting for this moment all summer and he was not about to leave a bad impression or get off on the wrong foot.

Something in the little boy was making him shiver and shake with both excitement and nerves.

What if the other kids didn’t like him?

What if he wasn’t smart enough to keep up with the work?

What happened if he was too smart?

Would he be bullied?

Or would he be welcomed with open arms like any other kid?

Was his condition going to make the others uncomfortable?

What if they asked too many questions about why he got to stay at home and go to school virtually?

Parker took a breath to calm down his mind. It was something his mom taught him. To reinforce the calm he was trying to bring over himself, Parker remembered his conversation with his mom.

“Now, Parker, remember what I said about your condition?” Amanda had asked him earlier that day and every day for the past two weeks.

“It is a rare condition that the doctors are still figuring out. I’m just like you, just a bit fragile,” recited Parker at the drop of a hat.

“If there are other questions about how you’re fragile?” prompted Amanda.

“It’s hard to explain, but it’s basically what it sounds like. My body is delicate. I can break bones easier and stuff like that and being outside makes my body react poorly. It also means I grow differently, so I’m a bit small for my age,” explained Parker. At that moment, Dr. Melissa Hargrove’s words also rang in his ears about how Parker’s body was just like any other kid’s body, just a bit smaller.

For whatever reason, Parker wondered why Dr. Hargrove, his pediatrician, knew about his condition, but he couldn’t find a lot of information about it online.

It’s not like it mattered in the long run.

What mattered was that Parker was getting what he wanted – a chance to be a normal kid.

His entire setup was a bit unorthodox, but it was necessary. Parker had a webcam perched on top of a few wooden blocks so that he was front and center, just like some kind of CEO in a company. His mom had purchased a nice desk for him as well as some bookshelves for him to put his notebooks.

Not only had his mom purchased a nice desk and bookshelves for him, but she also made an expansion to his room so he could have a study space. Everything was set up nicely, making Parker feel like he was in an office room like his mom’s office. It made him feel very grown up.

A computer was nearby so Parker could watch the screen and feel like he was part of the class. If he had a question, he had a few buttons he could press to raise his hand virtually. If he was having some tech issues, his mom was permitted to assist. If he misbehaved, his special permission to be virtual could be revoked.

But Parker was determined to make sure he never lost these privileges.

He intended to be the best student that ever was at this school.

As he readjusted his camera and his desk with his paper and pencils arranged just so, his mom paced not so quietly nearby. Her footsteps sounded like small earthquakes to him. It made the table tremble rhythmically. His mom’s pacing was usually soothing. The miniscule child had fond memories of falling asleep to his mother’s pacing. This time, however, it was making him feel anxious.

It wasn’t until he heard his mother’s signature tongue click that he knew she wanted to say something. He suspected she had a few things on her mind, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to hear.

“Parker, sweetie, do you need anything else before class starts?” she asked.

“No, momma. I have everything,” said Parker. Something about the apprehension in his mother’s eyes made Parker feel uncomfortable. There was a part of him that was afraid she would change her mind at any moment about him going to school, not that she had done anything like that in the past.

“You sure? You don’t want any water or a snack?” asked his mom. Parker shook his head and smiled up at her.

“I’m sure, but thank you,” said Parker. “Momma? Don’t worry. I’ll be good. I’ve got all my supplies and I’ll be fine. I promise.” He pushed himself away from his desk, glancing at the computer screen to make sure he was still on time, and walked over to the edge of the desk.

“I know, and I’m trying not to worry. I just want you to have a great first day.” His mom approached and knelt, her eyes lingering on his eyes. A child’s intuition and innocents are unparalleled, and now was one of those moments. Parker didn’t understand all of the emotions his mother was going through, but what he did know was that she needed reassurance. The moment felt right, so Parker reached out and rested his hand against his mother’s cheek.

“I’ll make you proud, momma.” His words immediately brought tears to his mom’s eyes, and it took everything in her willpower to not scoop him up and pull him away from the world. He was too sweet – too pure – to be exposed to the outside world.

If a mother’s worries were astronomical, Amanda’s were incomprehensible. The terror of Parker being revealed as a miniscule child that could fit in a human hand was almost crippling. The fear of him doubting himself or not succeeding in everything he deserved to succeed in made Amanda want to cry. The desire for Parker to be accepted and to make lasting friendships was stronger than adamantium.

She knew parenthood was going to be a challenge, especially with a small child like Parker, but she didn’t think emotions this intense would possess her.

Amanda wanted to say so much more, but the flicker of the computer screen revealing a classroom caught both her and Parker’s attention. He looked back at her and beamed, a smile spread from ear to ear, as he hurried back to his desk and pressed the “on” switch to his camera.

There he was on screen. The image flicked on and revealed the classroom on the big screen. It made Parker feel like he was watching a movie with his mom, except this one was interactive – real.

The camera picked up all of the sound of the buzzing classroom, which made Parker’s hair raise. It was an odd sensation, but something in the back of his mind begged him to flee and hide away from the camera. The other part of him that ended up winning out had him stay put on the camera and sit patiently as he waited for class to begin.

Where did that sensation come from?

Why was it always nagging him in the back of his mind?

Parker pushed it from his mind as he focused on the other kids in the classroom, absorbing every detail of the classroom. There were at least twenty other kids, all of them around Parker’s age, and they were walking around the room and talking to one another. Based on his position in the room, Parker suspected he was at the front of the room by the teacher’s desk since he couldn’t see it in the picture of the class on his screen.

The desks were arranged in groups of five, making Parker think that his area was set up at one of these five desks since he could only see four other desks around his screen but five desks at all of the other spots in the room. It made him wonder who he was going to be with and if they would get along. His palms felt sweaty and his insides flipped and churned nervously.

The clock at the front of the room was counting down to 9:00 a.m. Each second, Parker felt a fluttering nervousness swirling inside him. He spotted a few of the kids looking and pointing at the camera, many of them covering their mouths and leaning toward one another as they whispered.

It made Parker squirm uncomfortably. Were they talking about him? And, if so, why not just come over and talk? He recited the questions and answers in his head that he and his mother rehearsed, the anticipation of talking to someone new for the first time starting to make him antsy.

Still, he wanted to put his best foot forward. He smiled and waved at some of the nearby groups, but that only made the other kids look away.

The miniscule boy wondered why.

He was just like them, just not there in person.

Perhaps they just know one another from the other grades? Friends gravitate to one another from grade to grade. Maybe they’re just as scared as me?

Parker smiled again and waved as a group of three girls walked past his screen. All of them had this weird look on their face, like it was a mixture of confusion and disgust.

Were all girls like this? Parker wondered.

It felt like a punch in the gut, but Parker was determined; at least, he started off determined.

When the bell rang and no one approached, Parker was feeling defeated. Could the other kids see him? Did he look like some kind of screen robot? Or was this just how things were going to be?

Oh well… I wanted to go to learn too… Parker thought. I guess making friends is harder than I…

“Hey, are you new here?”

Parker was pulled from his thoughts to see a massive face of a girl about his age leaning forward toward the camera. She had charcoal black eyes and black hair that was spun in tight, curly spirals. She had a little gap in between her front teeth, and it was clear she had lost a tooth recently at the bottom left of her jaw.

Again, that instinct to flee and hide welled up inside of him, but Parker choked it down as he fidgeted with his penicils.

“Um… uh… yeah. Hi! Sorry. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Parker. What’s your name?” asked the anxious ten year old. The girl leaned away and stared at the screen, her penetrating eyes making Parker feel like she was actually looking at him, before she looked directly into the camera.

“I’m Bailey. Bailey Johnson. Don’t you have a last name? Daddy always taught me to say your first and last name when you meet someone new,” said Bailey as she folded her arms across her chest and leaned forward on her desk.

“R-right,” stammered Parker, feeling like he was starting to flounder already. He wasn’t going to shy away from this though. He cleared his throat and straightened up. “I’m Parker Silverstein. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” beamed Bailey as she shimmied in her seat. “Um… why are you on a screen? It’s the first day. You sick or somethin’?”

Parker didn’t have a chance to answer, not that he was eager to do so. It was the first time he was going to put his question answering to the test, but it was cut short by someone striking a triangle that hung over the whiteboard.

“Alright, everyone sit down and get ready. We’ve got a lot to cover today and, if you were in my class last year, you know the drill,” said a tall man at the front of the class. He wore black rimmed glasses that reminded Parker of the ones Clark Kent would wear in the comics to disguise himself from being Superman. The man had sandy blond-brown hair, much like Parker’s hair, but he had pale blue eyes that reminded Parker of glacier ice that he had seen in his science books. The man looked young, but he held himself with the confidence of someone older than him. The man began to pace back and forth at the front of the room and continued to speak, which quieted the room.

“For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Mr. William Tamplin. You may call me Mr. Tamplin unless you’re my mother, which I don’t think any of you are, and I’m your homeroom teacher. I’m also you English instructor, math tutor, and I sometimes hold kickball tournaments for your grade range. I play the French horn and give piano lessons on weekends. Tracking?

“Good. Now, today is very simple despite all we have to do today. First and foremost, let’s get up from our chairs and give ourselves a little shake. First day jitters always keep me moving, and I can see some of you squirming in your seats already. So, let’s stand and shake.”

It was an unorthodox method to begin with, but a little more coaxing had the students standing and shimmying and shaking. Some of the kids started laughing, and even Parker stood and found himself laughing a bit at watching everyone get out their first day jitters.

Already, this was making him feel comfortable.

“Alright! Everyone back in your seats. We’re going to be doing a lot of these things throughout the day, so stay still until I ring this bell. As soon as you hear it, stand and get out those jitters. Okay?

“Good! Now, first and foremost we need to introduce ourselves. We’ll take turns, but let’s start small. Look at your classmates and shake everyone’s hand and introduce yourselves. You have thirty seconds. Go!” instructed Mr. Tamplin.

Parker had to admit that his teacher had a special way of conducting the room, and soon he had the names of the other five kids at his table. There was Bailey, of course, but also Davis, Lyanna, and Billie.

All of them asked, almost in unison, why Parker was on a screen and not at the table. Lyanna seemed less interested like Davis, who was currently drawing on his desk, but Bailey and Billie seemed genuinely curious as to why Parker wasn’t there with them.

“Well, it’s a bit complicated, but I have a medical condition. It just makes me a bit fragile, so I have to have school at home,” replied Parker.

“Lucky,” mumbled Davis as he continued drawing on the desk.

“Davis, you shouldn’t be doing that. It’s disrespectful,” scolded Bailey as she turned her charcoal eyes back to Parker.

“So, you’re sick a lot? That’s gross,” said Billie. “But you look fine to me. When I’m sick, I have snot, like, dripping down my face like the nasty monster. Like this. Blleehhh!” Billie proceeded to pretend snot was coming out of his face as he dragged his fingers down his nose.

“Ew! You’re disgusting,” Lyanna said as she rolled her eyes.

“You’re disgusting,” Billie shot back.

Parker was about to interrupt, but Mr. Tamplin rang the bell again and everyone stood and got out their jitters, something Parker was enjoying. It made him feel relaxed and connected to a class he could only see on a screen. It also distracted his table from the current argument they were about to engage in.

“Alright, now everyone needs to introduce themselves to the class, okay? One at a time so we can get to know your face. Just like I did, stand and tell us your name and a little something about yourself. It can be something you like doing. It can be your favorite television show or book. Ready? You have ten seconds and then the first student is whoever I point to. Go!”

One by one, the students stood up and introduced themselves, willing to participate in this game-like activity set forth by Mr. Tamplin. Parker was having a great time until, finally, he saw Mr. Tamplin’s eyes focus on him and his finger point directly at the screen.

“Okay. You. Who are you?” asked Mr. Tamplin. Parker suspected Mr. Tamplin already knew who he was, but it was part of the activity. Suddenly, Parker’s heart was in his throat and every thought was wiped from his mind.

Who was he?

What was his name?

What was he supposed to say?

Parker felt a mixture of nausea and excitement as he stood up from his at-home desk and cleared his throat. His heart was pounding a hole through his ribs. The edges of his vision seemed to blur and refocus.

Then, somehow, the words just came to him.

“Hello, my name is Parker Silverstein. My favorite book is The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and I like inventing and making things,” said Parker. He took a breath of relief as he waited for Mr. Tamplin to instruct him to sit back down.

“Well, Parker, nice to meet you. Everyone say ‘Hi Parker’.”

“Hi Parker!” Everyone echoed back. It was the same thing everyone had done to one another the entire class.

“Now, Parker, would you like to explain why you’re on a screen? Or do you want to save that for another day?” asked Mr. Tamplin. The ten year old child felt a pit form inside him. It made him feel a bit awkward to be called out in front of everyone, but he kind of wanted to get it over with all at once.

Plus, Mr. Tamplin had given him an option of now or later.

“Um… I can tell them now. Um… so… I have a… um… medical condition. It’s a bit rare and it basically just makes me a bit fragile, so I have school at home,” explained Parker.

“Wonderful. Thank you for sharing Parker. Now, onto the next!”

Just like that, without any extra hassle, Parker had explained to over twenty other kids that he was just a little bit different, and no one had any other questions.

Though it was bound to happen, Parker was grateful that Mr. Tamplin didn’t open up the floor for discussion. He didn’t like all of that attention on him if he was being completely honest. It made his skin crawl and he felt like he needed to duck away and hide under the desk away from the camera.

At the same time, it was exhilarating. Parker had just made so many new friends, and some of them were right there at his table.

The day continued, for the most part, without incident. There were a few teachers that came into the room and had additional questions for Parker who emphasized to the class that he was going to get all of the same homework, additional lessons, and supplementary material like everyone else, but no one seemed interested in the particulars.

There was one teacher, Ms. Kendall Kain, who pulled Parker’s monitor to the side to ask, as she said, some “follow up questions.” Many of them were about specifics of his condition followed by a somewhat implying statement about Parker not looking sick. At some point, Parker called in his mom to answer some of Ms. Kain’s questions, which quieted Ms. Kain for the rest of the day.

Parker loved all of his teachers, except for Ms. Kain with her wrinkly brow and thick rimmed glasses held on by a gaudy beaded chain, and he was more than ready to tackle the literal stack of homework he was given.

After that incident with Ms. Kain, Parker’s mom peered in from time to time to give him a little thumbs-up, to which Parker always returned the gesture.

The rest of the day ran smoothly, ending once again with Mr. Tamplin.

Parker logged off from class and, with excitement, rushed out to his ladder to run to his mom to tell her all about the day he had at school. This was a promising start to his educational journey, and a tart to even greater things to come.

Parker was sure of it.

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

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