A Missed Opportunity

9

✧𝙽𝚘𝚊𝚑✧

I don't remember my first-first day of school. I think I was too young to. I remember Aaliyah's though. She was five—I was ten. My mom couldn't get out of work and my dad...was doing something. I don't even remember why he didn't have time to walk us in, but he had time to drive us to school, at least.

She was a blubbering mess as I held her hand with her princess backpack in my other. She didn't want to go to school but no one there did, so she just had to deal with it. At the very least, she did walk with me to her classroom. She didn't want to let my hand go once she realized how many kids were in her room though. She was too shy to walk in by herself, and I knew she'd go back to crying if I just left her there. So, I walked in with her and sat down on the colorful rug with her for as long as I could before I was told I needed to go to my own classroom.

The poor kid was still crying when I went to her classroom at the end of the day to get her. And for the rest of the week, that was our routine until she got used to being there and managed to somehow make a friend who could look past her constant crying.

It's been a good long while since I've had a first day of school thing. And it sort of feels weird to call and warn my boss that I'll be a little late for work today. Mostly because she laughs and says she will be too because her daughter's first day is today as well. She happily admits that she didn't know I had a kid too. I end up just awkwardly laughing in response before I wrap the conversation up so I can get off the phone.

I feel kinda awkward too as I wander up to the front of Cameron's school, blindly following Kiara's directions that she texted. Though, I don't actually need them. I know the way up to the front of the school already—having walked up it for half my childhood. It's the same damn way I walked when we went here. Obviously, not everything looks exactly the same, but the layout is all the same.

"Copycat!"

I smile at the little boy who shouts my code name in broad daylight. My smile automatically widens when he starts running over to me to meet me halfway. Kiara is right behind him, heels clicking against the concrete as she chases after him while he runs down the stairs and to the gate where I am. I have to force myself to look at Cameron instead of his mom behind him who's dressed in a white button up shirt tucked neatly into the waistband of her black pencil skirt.

I blink when I look at Cameron to see him tossing his hands up once he's close enough, like he wants me to pick him up. I scoop him up in my arms when he suddenly decides to jump and hope for the best. "Woah," I laugh as I pick him up. He laughs too, beaming like he's actually happy to be here. I smile at Kiara over his shoulder, silently wondering if she's told him who I am already. He only just met me, and already seems so happy to see me.

Or maybe this is just the way the kid is and I'm just being fucking delusional.

"Hey, buddy." I chuckle. "You excited?" I ask. I can't help but scan around for Taffy while I talk, wondering where she is.

"No." Cameron happily admits. I laugh at his honesty. "Mommy said Grammy's coming over after school." He adds, explaining why he's so happy.

"I said she might." Kiara quickly corrects just so he doesn't get too excited.

"Ah, gotcha." I hum. Kiara nods over to the school to silently urge me to start making my way over. I follow her when she turns to go back over towards the stairs. "So, you're not nervous?" I ask skeptically.

Cameron hangs absently onto me while I carry him up the stairs with Kiara right beside us. "A little." He admits on a mumble. Kiara frowns softly at that.