You're My Brother

Day 200- Hands Off

   Trips are fun. Right? It's a way to relax. A fun trip is what gets you away from the stress of life. Vacations on the beach, a walk in the woods, a hike, even simple outings to the mall. They're fun, aren't they?
   "I don't wanna go..." Keith complained to Mrs. Rose. "Can't I stay here?!" He folded his arms across his chest, sticking out his bottom lip in an attempt to make the world record for biggest pout ever.
   Mrs. Rose gave him a disappointing frown. "The entire class is going and you're coming too."
   "But I don't—"
   "Everything thing with you is always so difficult." She said, cutting him off. "Now go upstairs like the others and grab your backpack."
   Ever since Keith made the rebellious choice to throw away his math papers, his teacher has watched him like a hawk. Apparently, just saying you know how to do math doesn't prove anything. He had to do the work again and is still having to retake the first grade. Quite the opposite of what he would've liked.
   It didn't take long for Keith to grab his backpack and return downstairs.
   Field trips suck here.
   Okay, they're better when you're older, but for little kids, they're pretty lame.
   Just zoos and gardens. Nothing fun like amusement parks and government buildings like the fifth graders.
Following by example, Keith stepped onto the yellow school bus and took a seat in the back.
Not a single person sat next to him. Which was good. He hated the other kids anyway. They were all four or five, while he was six. At least a year older then all of them. A year wiser. A year better.
As he had predicted, they went to another lame place. This was all nature and plants.
It was terrible.
The group of 25 first graders followed the overly excited tour guide around the flowers and bushes for a solid two hours.
It was all the same to Keith. It didn't matter if it was a Rose or a Lilly. An Oak or a Birch. A Chrysanthemum or a Dandelion. They were all plants. Boring, lame, motionless plants.
The only thing that interested him were the succulents and cacti. But there were far too few of them to interest him enough to open his ears and listen to the guide.
Finally, it was noon. Lunch break.
Tables were scarce and the ground was, apparently, off limits. Everyone was squashed into three benches.
The close proximity with other children made Keith want to vomit. They were all so hyper. Each one had way too much energy for their body size. It was so uncomfortable to have to actually sit with them. Let alone acknowledge their presence.
The strangest part, however, was when their guide asked them to take out a pencil and paper and write something they loved about the day.
Keith decided it was best to just pretend like he was writing instead of actually doing what he was supposed to.
This wasn't his decision because he's a bad kid, but because he absolutely hates these types of things.
'Write something you like.' He mimicked in his head. 'Is nothing a good answer?' It was an honest answer after all.
He probably could've got away with his acting, except goody-two-shoes next to him had to go and be a snitch.
"Keith isn't writing anything!" They hollered to the teacher. "He's just pretending!"
"I am to!" Keith yelled back. "I'm just trying to find a pencil!" He lied.
   Keith reached into his backpack and felt around until he found his pencil. He grabbed it and pulled it out.
   But that wasn't the only object that came out of the bag.
   A small plush toy tumbled out too. Keith didn't have the time to catch it, and as a result, it rolled onto the floor by his feet.
   He had somewhat smuggled it out of The Home and onto the bus.
   "Mrs Rose!" The unnamed snitch yelled.
   "Shut up!" Keith made a mad dash to pick up his little hippo before anyone else saw, but he was too late, it had already been picked up.
   "I'm telling!" The other kid taunted and hurried off to find their teacher.
   Keith bolted between the snitch and the teacher, "give it back!" He ordered.
   "You're not supposed to have this. Mrs. Rose said to leave it at home!"
   "Hand it over! Now!" Keith was furious. It was his. He owned it. This other child has no right to take it from him. "It's mine!"
   All of their commotion had gathered quite the crowd. Mrs. Rose was one of the bodies in the audience. "What is the meaning of this yelling?!" She asked the two children.
   "She took my stuff!" Keith quickly answered.
    The little girl held up Keith's hippopotamus. "You said he had to leave it at home. He's being a bad boy." She argued.
   "But it's mine!" He growled, turning to face his classmate. "Give it back. Now!"
   "Mrs. Rose said you can't have it!"
    Keith lunged forward, attempting to snatch his toy back. Again, he was too late.
   His classmate had tossed the plush hippo into the flowerbed beside the tables. "Oops" she said unapologetically.
   "No!" Keith took one small step towards her, his teeth barred like a dog.
   The girl in front of him didn't dare speak a word, but her face said she regretted her actions.
   Without warning, Keith tackled the other child to the ground. "Why?!" He asked angrily. "It was mine! You don't get to touch my stuff!"
   "Keith Kogane!" His teacher pulled him up by his arms, holding him inches off of the ground as he squirmed and thrashed about, trying to break free. "Do not ever attack a fellow student or anyone!"
   "She stole from me!" He yelled, whipping his head back to face his teacher. "She took my things! And threw them away too! She's the one who deserves to be in trouble! Not me!"
   Mrs. Rose slowly placed Keith on the ground, keeping a tight grip on his wrist. "You're acting like a savage! Did your parents teach you nothing?!"
   Immediately, Keith stopped struggling. His eyes filled with tears and his lip began to quiver. "You take that back!" He yelled, his voice cracking with emotion.
   His teacher ignored him and instead grabbed his hippopotamus from the flower and held it in front of him. "You will learn to behave yourself! Until then, I'm turning this in to Miss Marry."
   When her grip loosened, Keith pulled his arm back.
    "What do you have to say for yourself?!"
    "I have to pee..." he mumbled and rushed off to the bathrooms before anyone could stop him.
   He locked the door behind him and made sure no one could see him before he sat in the far corner, curling up into a tiny ball.
   Before he knew it, he was crying. It had all happened to fast. He never meant for any of it to happen. Yet it all did. He lost not only his self control, but his best friend, the stupid hippo he loved so much. Mrs. Rose had taken it away.

***

   At least ten minutes had passed before Keith exited the bathroom. Everyone was starring at him. He kept his head hung low and tried his best not to make a sound.