Ten-year-old Ralph Langley was hesitant about transferring schools. He knew that he was physically ready, but was questioning his emotional preparedness. Military school meant only seeing his parents on weekends. Military school meant doubling his physical training time. Military school meant no longer being the best. He'd be attending a school where his classmates would be as fit, prepared, strong, and capable as he was. He was used to having the admiration of everyone around him at school; friends wishing they could be like him, teachers praising his mind and strength, bigger kids bullying him because they couldn't beat him, his determination, his discipline, or his dedication.
As he packed his bags for military school, Ralph questioned whether he'd ever make colonel. He thought about all the bigger, stronger, more powerful kids he'd be up against. Zipping up his last suitcase, he yanked it off the bed and dragged it out into the hallway with the rest of his bags.
"Ready, kiddo?" his dad asked as he effortlessly picked up three of Ralph's heavy bags at once. Ralph was a mini version of his father, and wanted nothing more than to be like him someday. Jeffery Langley was fit, a frequent gym goer, a level headed man, with a passionate love for his family. He wasn't the richest parent at Ralph's current elementary school, but he taught Ralph about all the things in life that were much more valuable than money.
"I think so" the boy answered, hoping his dad didn't notice he was shaking in his brand new boots.
Ralph and his parents loaded the backseat of his father's truck to the brim with all Ralph's bags. Ralph climbed into the passenger seat as his dad slid in on the driver's side.
"You'll do better than great" his mom assured him from outside the open passenger window. "I wish there was enough space in the truck for me to come with you, but I know you'll be okay" she added, earning a forced smile from her doubtful son. "You'll be okay" she repeated reassuringly, always capable of reading Ralph's mind based on nothing but the look in his eyes.
"I love you" Ralph said, sticking his arm out the window to her. She kissed his little hand before reminding him she'd see him two Fridays from now.
Ralph and his dad made the three and a half hour drive to the military school. Ralph was dreading the moment they'd finish setting up his bed and hanging his clothes in the closet. When that moment finally came, he swallowed his childish fears and waved his dad goodbye.
His roommate hadn't arrived yet, so Ralph sat in silence as he studied his new dorm room. It was very bland. No posters or color on the walls, no toys or personal items anywhere. It looked like an empty motel room. Ralph glanced at the white, unmade mattress on the other side of the room. A shitty roommate would ruin this whole experience, he thought to himself.
13 minutes later, and Ralph had been boredly counting, his new roommate entered the room, pulling a suitcase in each hand. A lady Ralph assumed to be his mother followed in behind him, carrying more bags. The boy and his mother tiredly set everything down and made to catch their breath.
"Hi" the boy finally said, acknowledging Ralph. "I guess you're my new roommate."
"I guess so" Ralph smiled forcibly but warmly. "I'm Ralph."
"Simon" the curly headed, brunette boy replied.
Simon's mom helped him set up his bedding, and fill all his drawers with his clothes before giving him a hug and a kiss goodbye.
"So how old are you, Ralph?" Simon asked as he continued to unpack.
"I'm gonna be eleven in February."
"Cool, I turned ten in November" Simon said.
Ralph and Simon talked as the younger boy continued to unpack his things. He filled his bedside table with personal knickknacks, toys and photos from home. Ralph silently cursed himself for not thinking to bring a photo of his parents with him.
"So where do you live? Or where'd you use to live?" Ralph asked Simon, rephrasing the question when he realized that this was home now.
"Evansville" Simon answered, finally plopping down onto his bed as he finished unpacking.
"Where's that?" Ralph asked. He'd never heard of Evansville.
"Indiana."
"Indiana?" Ralph's practically shouted with surprise. "That's like 5 hours from here!"
"Six and a half by car" Simon corrected him.
"Do you get to go home on weekends?" Ralph wondered aloud.
"No, only holidays. Why? Will you?"
"Yeah, I'm from East Point. My parents are gonna pick me up every other weekend" Ralph explained.
"Lucky. East Point's here in Georgia, no?"
"Yep. Pretty far north of here, over three hours" the older boy said.
"Better than six" Simon sadly countered.
"Definitely."
An hour later, Simon and Ralph joined the rest of the military school boys in the dining hall for dinner. They agreed it was a bummer that they never serve dessert or anything sugary at all, but that was to be expected. Bainbridge Military Academy was very strict about keeping its pupils on a healthy diet.
Ralph talked to a couple other boys his age during dinner. Simon sat with him as well, and Ralph was relieved that his roommate situation hadn't been a disaster after all. Simon was not only his roommate, but his new friend. Having somebody to talk to and walk through everything with was going to make the transition that much easier.
Later that night, Ralph and Simon began getting ready for the school year's first night away from home. Simon watched Ralph scan the room for somewhere to change. Ralph was reluctant about being seen half-naked in the dorm room, and about using the washroom that was shared with half the boys on the second floor.
"There isn't a point in changing in the stalls, we'll all be showering together all the time anyway" Simon explained as he pulled out his pyjamas from the drawer he filled just a few short hours ago.
"I guess I'll have to get used to that" Ralph considered as he reluctantly began to undress. Simon smiled shyly at him before turning away to make the older boy feel a little more comfortable.
Just as both boys were getting changed, there came a loud knock at their door that made them both flinch.
"Come in" Simon called out as he finished dressing, not realizing that Ralph, on the other side of the room, was still undressed from the waist up.
Two boys stood in the now open doorway of Ralph and Simon's room. Ralph's eyes immediately locked with those of the shorter boy. He had dusty, light brown hair and a sharp gaze that made Ralph uncomfortable, like someone was pressing on his chest with something heavy.
"Hey" the taller boy, finally spoke, causing Ralph to look from the smaller boy to him. "I just thought I'd stop by and say hi, we're right next door. I'm Jack, and this is Roger" he said warmly.
Jack, the taller boy, was very slim, almost too slim perhaps, Ralph thought. He had bright blonde hair that fell around his face. His black tank top hugged his skinny figure comfortably, and his blue plaid pyjama pants hung loosely around his legs.
"I know who you are" Ralph's roommate replied somewhat tensely, "I'm Simon."
"Right, I knew that" the blonde boy chuckled lightly, but it was clear that he hadn't.
All three of them turned to Ralph who stood on the other side of the room. Ralph, the only boy who hadn't spoken yet, pulled his wrinkly pyjama t-shirt over his head.
Jack moved away from Roger, passing Simon to approach Ralph.
"And you are?" Jack asked politely but firmly.
"Ralph" he forced the word out, swallowing all the saliva in his mouth as he hoped to swallow his discomfort with it.
"First time away from home?" Jack assumed.
"Uh, yeah. That obvious?" Ralph chuckled.
"You got that nervous, jittery look in your eyes" Jack observed, and Ralph smiled as he pretended not to be embarrassed.
"You ever sleep over at a friend's before?" Jack asked him. Simon and Roger observed the conversation from their respective sides of the room.
"Sure, a couple times" Ralph shrugged.
"Well, this is nothing like that. If you wake up crying in the middle of the night, don't open your eyes long enough to adjust to the light. Makes it impossible for your brain to fully register where you are and you'll minimize some of that homesick shit" Jack insisted, and Ralph nodded slowly as he worked to process what Jack had just said.
Jack walked back to the door, rejoining his roommate, Roger, in the doorway.
"Jack?" Ralph found himself calling out.
"Uh huh?" the blonde stopped in his tracks just as they had begun to leave. Roger was already out of the room and out of Ralph's sight.
"Where'd you get that advice from?"
"Experience" Jack said simply and closed the door behind him before Ralph could respond.
"That was strange" Simon thought aloud.
"They seem nice enough" Ralph shrugged, and the two boys went to bed without another word.