John walked with trepidation, his small hand trembling inside his mothers, towards his pre-school. The building seemed to tower above him, imposing and invasive. Boys and girls ran around,chasing each other and screaming. It was so loud and John didn't like it one bit. The three year old didn't understand why his Mother was sending him to such a horrible place. What had he done wrong?
"Here you are John," his mother said, trying to pry his fingers away. "I'll pick you up soon,okay? You'll enjoy it, promise!" John tried to grab back hold of his mothers hand as she walked away but one of the day workers held him back.
"Hey there john," she cooed "I'm lucy may and I'm going to be looking after you while mummy is working!" She picked up the crying child and carried him inside, patting his back to try and make him feel better.
Lucy may took John over to a table in the far corner. She got a drawing pad out and placed a handful of brightly coloured markers.
"How about we do some drawing John?" she asked in a kind and gentle voice, John shook his head and cried even harder, she hugged the child close and even sang to try and stop the uncontrollable sobs shaking his tiny fragile body.
"I don't want to share!" a loud and dominating voice screamed across the room. John looked up to see who had made such a crude noise.
The boy was holding a pink fluffy dolly in his arms, refusing to give it to a crying girl. He had brown hair, messy and falling over his dark eyes. His hands were clasped in a death grip around the dolls neck. The girl was small with wavy brown hair falling in a curtain down her back. Her eyes were a deep brown and her lips bright red, highlighting her rosy cheeks.
"Sherlock!" Lucy may called "Thats not very nice, say sorry to Irene!" Sherlock turned towards Lucy may, his eyes full of rage. He threw the doll at Irene and stormed out the door. John sat and watched in awe as the young boy stalked out into the sunshine. Lucy May took off leaving John alone with his thoughts. He hadn't realised it but Sherlock's escapade had shocked him so much he was no longer crying. He stood up and walked cautiously over to the door.
Lucy may was holding Sherlock's wrists to stop him storming off and was trying to tell him off in a nice way, without losing her temper although her patience with the boy was nearing its end.
"Sherlock, you can't keep doing this," she said in a forced calm "Irene didn't do anything to you. You took her toy that she brought with her from home and wouldn't give it back. That's not very nice!"
"I don't care!" the toddler shouted arrogantly.
"Well you should. You won't make any friends if you keep being so unkind. I'm going back inside now. When you feel like saying sorry, you come back in and do so. Okay?" Sherlock shrugged and pulled away. Lucy may let him go and walked back inside.
John looked back inside and back towards Sherlock, and started to walk over to him. He picked up a bucket and threw it at the nasty little boys head. It hit him sqaurely on the forehead. Instead of bursting into tears as was the norm with most three year olds, Sherlock turned slowly to look at John. They stood there a short while just staring at each other, until Sherlock said, "What the hell did you do that for?" He didn't even sound angry, just hurt.
"I...you hit that girl..so I....ummm...I hit you..." John stuttered. Sherlock looked at him with a pitying expression.
"What's your name?" Sherlock asked.
"John. John Watson."
"Im Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes," Came the reply.
"You should say sorry to that girl!" John stated.
" Who? Oh Irene Adler! Why would I do that! I don't like her she's really mean to me"
"Really?" John asked. Sherlock nodded, his eyes suddenly filled with sorrow.
Sherlock took a deep breath before blurting out "My mummy and her mummy are friends so she comes over my house alot. She used to go up to my bedroom without asking and she would break my toys and laugh at me for having dolls" John saw tears threatening to spill from his eyes. All anger and sorrow at his mother for leaving him her were suddenly diminished as Sherlock's tears poured down his cheeks like a river. John had never had to comfort someone before so he was unsure of what to do. He stretched out his hand and patted Sherlock awkwardly, as soon as his hand made contact Sherlock looked up at john and launched himself at him. Sherlock flew at John like a bullet, hugging him close and crying into his shirt. John staggered back, the weight of the other boy loaded on him was a lot for the three year old to bear, but soon he was hugging Sherlock back.
"Sherlock you should really-" Lucy may didn't finish her sentence. She just stood in silence watching as the new boy and the naughty boy of the class held each other by the sand pit. Eventually she went back inside.
"You going to say sorry?" John asked pulling away.
"No."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yes, okay"
"Aren't you going to tell me I should?"
"I already have."
The pair lapsed into silence.
"Why are you not angry with me?"
"What for?"
"For not saying sorry"
"Oh"
"Well?"
"I don't know." Sherlock cocked his head to the left slightly looking confused, so John continued. "I was angry before I knew that she was mean to you. It was her fault so why would I be angry with you! You should be angry at me!"
"Why? What for?"
" I threw a bucket at your head!!" The two boys looked at each other before bursting into laughter.
"I like you" Sherlock stated suddenly.
"I like you too" John responded unsure of what to make of this bizarre statement.
"Do you want to come over to mine tonight? I've got a dog called red beard and we could take him for a walk. " John nodded enthusiastically, happier than he had been all day.
"I'd love to!" Sherlock smiled, looking relieved,
"Good!"
"What shall we do until then?"
"Well, since we are stood next to the sand box we could build a sand castle? Sherlock suggested. "Do you want to build a sandcastle?"
"Okay"
"Okay?"
"Okay!"
The pair spent the remaning hours of the day inside their own little bubble of happiness. Whenever anyone else tried to talk to them, Sherlock yelled at them and told them to 'go away and mind their own business' or to 'leave them alone or he was telling Lucy may' John told him to say sorry, he always refused. When the time came for them to go home. John ran up to his mother and asked if he could go over to Sherlocks house for tea.
"Who's Sherlock dear?" His mother asked. John scurried off, moments later he was back dragging the dark haired boy along with him.
"This is Sherlock mummy!" He said, his blue eyes shining with happiness. Sherlocks mother appeared moments later. She was quite thin with grey hair. Her sharp features were exaggerated by her tight skin. She smiled warmly at John's father.
"Hello" she said "I'm Sherlock's mother, Violet." She stretched out her hand.
"Hi, I'm John's mother, Mary!" They shook hands while the children played around their feet.
"Mummy please can I go to Sherlock's? Please!!" Mary looked at Violet, she shrugged.
"If it's OK with you, it's OK with me!" She said.
"In that case of course you can Johnny!" John beamed up at his mother.
The Boy smiled hugging his mother quickly before Sherlock grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away. The pair smiled at each other and ran off, leaving their uncomprehending parents to stare after them with a mixture of relief and confusion. The mothers quickly swapped mobile numbers and addresses.
"You know John wouldn't let me go this morning" Mary sighed. "He was terrified of coming here. I'd never of guessed this would of happened in one day!"
"Honestly neither did I" Violet responded "See, Sherlock's not the politest of children. He doesn't make friends easily, but he and John I don't know they just seem to...work, you know?" Mary did know. She expected she'd be seeing a lot more of Violet and Sherlock from now on.