Tiny Zack!

What even is school?

"A week?!" A week suddenly seemed like a minute to the small Zack. He only could stare at Rachel as she walked away from him. "... I thought you cared about me..." He managed to speak. "I thought you wanted to protect me... and care for me... if you do... then why are you sending me away?"

Rachel turned to Zack, looked him straight in the eye, but ultimately said nothing.

Zack's eyes shut. He ran away from Rachel and into their bedroom. He curled up on his bed, and groaned. He hated the idea of school. And he was starting to resent Rachel for taking him there.

Meanwhile, Rachel grabbed her laptop, and started enrolling Zack. Lucky for Rachel, there was a seat open on one of the first grade classrooms. She changed Zack's name to "Zack Gardner" in oder to not raise too much suspicion. It's been years, and they moved far away from the original city that Rachel lived in, so no one would remember her or her last name.

She used the last of her begging money to pay for school supplies, and since Zack got angry and even more moody when she asked him "what backpack do you want?" She picked a random black-and-brown backpack that matched his old hoodie.

Rachel sewed together the school uniform for Zack to wear. She didn't have the money - and never will - to buy the uniform, so she sewed her own, and it looked similar, if not better.

She then thought she took care of everything Zack needed for school. And she did. Except for Zack.

The morning of Zack's first day of school arrived. And Zack refused to leave his bed. His leg was better, and had been for the past two days, so he didn't have any excuse.

"Come on, Zack!! You're going to be late!" Rachel pulled the blanket from Zack's grasp.

Zack curled into himself. Feeling the sudden cold. "No! Leave me alone!! Stop it!" Rachel sighed. She didn't have much pf a choice at this point. Rachel grabbed Zack, and carried him out of bed. "No! Stop!! Stop!! Stop!! Leave me alone!!! Don't make me!!" He kicked, and screamed, but Rachel refused to comply.

"You need fo change into your uniform. You also need to eat breakfast." Rachel said, simply.

Zack huffed. He knew there was no getting out of this. So, he complained, but did as told nonetheless. He put on the "crappy" uniform that "itched like hell", and ate the breakfast waffles, which were his reward for putting on the "damn" uniform.

Rachel literally dragged Zack out of the motel, and to the school, which wasn't too far away, but Zack made it seem like they were crossing a desert.

They eventually arrived at the classroom, and all Zack did was beg to stay with her.

"Please! I'll do anything! Please! They'll just make fun of me!" Zack gripped tightly to her shirt.

Rachel sighed. She gently patted his hair. "He is so scared... he really doesn't want to go, does he? Should I really make him do this?" Rachel thought to herself. Having second thoughts if this was really the best thing she could do.

Then the teacher appeared.

"Hello! Is this our, Zack Gardner?" The teacher wore a forced smiled. It made Zack's blood boil. She saw Zack glare at her, and watched as his grip tighten on Rachel's clothes.

"I'm sorry, he's just really nervous. He doesn't like it when I have to leave him alone." Rachel explained. She rubbed Zack's back, trying to calm him down. Zack looked away from the teacher, and up at Rachel, pleading with her to not leave him in this hell-hole.

Rachel bent down to look Zack in his multicolored eyes. "If anyone tries to make fun of you, please tell me. But you must stay here. I'll be back as soon as I can." Zack didn't understand why this had to happen. He couldn't understand, and for that he didn't leave her side. Rachel had no choice in that moment. She roughly shoved him into the classroom.