You are my reason

The bell rings for school

As summer began to come to a close, the freedom of the young children also began to fade.
Keith and Katie hadn't talked much over their summer days out but rather watched the older two bond. They were all going to be in Altea Primary in September, Keith and Katie going in to year 1 and Shiro and Matt entering their final year 6. They already knew settling in was going to be hard, especially with how they ended up in that predicament but they were ready to face it head on.

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Sunday finally came around to Katie and Matts dismay, Katie especially was very nervous. Matt had Shiro but Katie and Keith weren't exactly friends.
That evening Katie had a plethora of nightmares, waking up in a fit of screams. Her mind was against her as it threw painful thoughts at her through out the night. Unbeknownst to her, a young boy was also awake desperate to talk to her and hated hearing her screams. He sat with his window open and heard Matt rush to her aid cradling her. "It.. it was-mama and papa" she spoke muffled and softly "they're-they're really gone Matty" she cried in to his shirt "I know Pidge, I know" he spoke soothingly to her. Eventually he rocked her back to sleep, the spectator staying awake a million thoughts on his mind.

Pidge? I wonder what that's about?

Keith also dropped off around 2, only to be woke 4 hours later to get ready for his first day in year 1.

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

Shiro groaned, not missing the monotonias repeating noise his alarm clock made. Shortly after his mother, Krolia, swanned in to his room. Humming, she opened the window blinding the 10 year old as he groaned again. "It's 6 sweet heart time to get up, your uniform is on your wardrobe door. Please help your brother once your done whilst I make your breakfast." She spoke in a cheery tone and Shiro reluctantly threw off his covers and began to get dressed. He heard Keith groan as well from the next door open
"NO MOM NOT THE CURTAINS AAAAH" he screamed and a loud thud followed as he fell off his bed. His father, Charlie, chuckled as he told his son to get a move on.

One house over the exact same routine was going on, Matt had been woken by his alarm and Then went to wake up his little sister. Her eyes still read and tear stained from the night before. "Come on Pidge, time to get ready" he said as he walked in to his sisters room only to find she was already awake and dressed sat up at her desk trying to fix her fathers pocket clock that she had picked up from the ruins.
"Pidge come on leave it" he said sternly ruffling her hair. "Do you want me to do your hair?" She nodded giving the clock one last look before getting up and following her brother away and downstairs.
The sweet smell of Syrup filled her nose and made her stomach growl, pancakes had been neatly arranged on the table and she ran throwing some on her plate.
"Colleen these are amazing thank you so much!" She said her eyes full of hunger and happiness and Matt plaited her hair
"Please call me mom if that's ok? I know I'm not your birth mom and I will never be able to replace her or even be on the same scale as her but I'd like to do my best, as will Sam"  Katie nodded "ok,mom, you can call me Pidge then, it's my nick name Matt gave it too me when I was young. I don't really like Katie or Katherine"  she spoke loud and proud for the first time finally feeling confident with them. The door bell rang shortly after and Shiro and Keith appeared with Krolia at the door step. "We are bringing them to school with you this morning as Krolia has to rush off to work" Sam explained. Colleen ushered them in and they waved goodbye to their mom. "Morning boys." Sam said from over the top of the paper "Morning Sam, morning Matt and Morning Katie" they both muttered politely.
"Hurry up now you pair, we are going to be late go get your shoes and book bag" Colleen began and the pair left the kitchen
"Ka-Pidge your book bag is by the stairs and so are your shoes. Matt your shoes are in your room and book bag is with Pidges" she finished shouting leaving Keith and Shiro to cock their heads in confusion at 'Pidge'.
"It's a nickname for her." Sam answered their looks. They both looked at eachother and shrugged.
Katie and Matt reappeared in to the kitchen fully ready, Katie's hair in neat plaited pig tails and in her shiny new shoes, a smile plastered on her face as she held her Light green book bag. Colleen sighed, "First day! We need a picture of this!" She shouted as she frantically ran around looking for a camera.Keith smiled at Colleen shouting "Cheese!"clutching on to his own read book bag whilst Shiro and Matt had there arms around eachothers necks, Katie also smiled timidly feeling small among the others. Keith shot her an uneasy glance after what he heard last night once Colleen was done with the camera and before turning to leave following Colleen out.

They all piled in to the car for the two minute drive to the Primary school, it was a large building with their traditional colours of  blue and white all over it. Students filed in to the building all chattering and excited after seeing all their friends after a long summer break. Matt and Katie both followed Keith and Shiro to the office to collect their time tables, both happy as they realise they are all in the same classes. Katie sighed in relief as she followed Keith to their class room, nerves getting the best of her at the door. Keith watched her as her panic arose not knowing what to do,
"Hey it's ok we can do this together" he said to her and she calmed down and he reached for the handle "You ready?" He said and she nodded in reply. He pushed the door open and went to his seat leaving Katie at the teachers desk to explain herself.
"Why don't you say a bit before taking a seat at the back next to Keith" the teacher said loud enough to stop the class holiday chatter.
"Uh Hi," Katie spoke timidly her face flushing red.

"Hey it's the orphan!" A larger girl shouted from one of the middle rows earning a giggle from her group and a growl off of Keith

"Quieten down Zethrid, carry on please Katie" the teacher said shooting daggers to the group "I am Katie Holt and I used to live in the city, my favourite colour is green and I love peanut butter cookies but i don't like peanuts on their own" she stammered out before stumbling to her seat. Keith glanced at her "You did good don't listen to them" he said seeing the sadness dimming her sparkling eyes. The lessons sped through and break time soon  came around, Katie followed Keith again through to the hall collecting their biscuits and going to find Shiro and Matt on the play ground. Keith had gotten surrounded by the other kids in the year and had lost little Katie to the crowd.
Little to his knowledge she had be corned by Zethrid and her group, "You don't belong here" she sneered "You're just an orphan, not Even your parents wanted you" her friends laughed pushing her to the floor. Katie felt tears well up in her eyes "Leave me alone" she spoke quietly looking down at her hands " Oh wait the orphan speaks, what do you want?  Mommy and daddy?" She said again kicking her. Keith had pushed his way out and found Matt and Shiro.
"Where's Katie?!" He said to them frantically looking around before his eyes landed on a group in the corner by the entrance gate all laughing and cheering. He ran over and pushed his way through, Matt and Shiro in tow. "Get away from her" he said throwing himself infront of her a scared Katie and pushing Zethrid off taking the punch meant for the small girl. Shiro and Matt dispersed the crowd "What is wrong with you!" Matt screamed before picking up his sister who had passed out and brought her inside followed by Keith and Shiro. "Will she be alright?" Keith asked a tone of worry in his voice
"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have lost her, I should've protected her. It's my fault" he mumbled out as they reached the nurses office. "Hey it's ok she'll be alright,thank  you for looking after her Keith" he said before walking in with his limp sister cradled in his arms.
Shiro and Keith returned to their class rooms, Keith rather annoyed as he sat down looking at the empty seat next to him, worry and sadness filling his heart and mind.
He didn't concentrate for the rest of the day and sprinted all the way home to his bedroom and threw open the window. He had collected some small pebbles and began throwing them at Katie's window. She popped her head up from her bed and opened her window
"Are you ok? I'm so so so so sorry I wasn't there! One minute you were behind me then you were gone and I couldn't find you" he rambled on his apologises before Katie cut him off.
"It's ok, I'm ok. Thank you for rescuing me." She says looking down and blushing
"What are friends for?" He laughed.
"Friends?" She looked up at him
"Of course we are friends!" He laughed again and she smiled at him.
She didn't fear the school bells tomorrow because she knew she had Keith.

She wasn't scared anymore.