New series
I decided that I'm going to post my project from my last writing class. We were told to write a series of seven stories all with a common theme. All of mine are based on events that actually happened to me. Some of it may not be 100% accurate, but the underlying story is true. I'm going to post them in order, even though I don't think the first one is my best.
Foam Block Forts
I peak around the corner of the thick cement wall separating the little kids from the big kids. I’m not allowed to go over to the other side yet. The big kids are still there. I have to wait for them to leave before I’m actually allowed to go play on the stage.
I look left and then right, checking for teachers. No one. Quietly I sneak around the corner. The bright red, blue and yellow foam blocks on stage call me closer. I duck around the coat hooks and cubbies, inching my way closer to the stage. I put my foot onto the first step and grasp the rail in my small hands. I pull myself forward.
Someone grabs the back of my shirt and pulls me down off the steps. “Hey fatty. What’re you doing here? Babies aren’t allowed over yet.”
I look up from the floor at the boy above me. Bradley. Six years old, thick blond hair, bright green eyes and a wicked grin on his face. He smirks down at me and raises an eyebrow. “Well, fatty? Ya gunna answer me?”
I shake my head and look down. Bradley prods me with his foot.
“Get up fatso. C’mon. I’m talkin’ to ya.”
“Yeah, c’mon Allison. What’cha doin’ here?” Bradley’s best friend, Robert, leans over his shoulder. Even though he’s only five he’s still taller than Bradley. I look up at him and blush. He twirls a strand of curly brown hair around a finger and looks at me sadly. I see his eyes flicker between Bradley and teacher on the other side of the room.
“Answer me baby!” Bradley picks me up by my collar and holds me up to his face. “I told ya fat kids aren’t allowed over here. I don’t want ya sweating all over my stuff.”
“Or knocking down our fort.” Robert pushes me out of Bradley’s grip. “You’re so big you’d probably take up the whole stage.”
“You’re so fat you take up the whole room!” Bradley swings his arms out. “I’m surprised the teachers even let you stay, you’re so fat. The other kids can’t even get to the toys ‘cuz your fat butt’s in the way.”
I hang my head. Tears sting in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Crying only makes it worse. Bradley just keeps teasing me as I let my head hang lower and lower. I pull into myself, wrapping my arms around each other and scrunching my eyes shut. I bite my lip and beg myself not to cry. I feel a tear slip free.
“Aw, look. The little baby’s crying.” Bradley’s voice mocks me as I bury my face in my hands. “C’mon, baby. Stop crying. You’re fat’s wiggling. You’re gross.”
I look up at Robert. I catch his dark grey eyes and beg him to do something. He frowns and he looks away. I cry even more.
“Whatcha’ crying ‘bout, fatty?” Bradley pokes my stomach. “Don’t ya like that name? Fatty, fatty, fatty.”
“Kindergarteners!” One of the teachers calls out over the class. “Time to go!”
Bradley frowns, then smirks at me. “Gotta go, fatso. Better make sure you’re not here when I get back.” He pushes me one last time and rushes over to the teacher with a bunch of other kids. The teacher counts them and they all leave the room, heading for the elementary school across the street.
Robert watches until he can’t see Bradley anymore. He turns to me and sighs. “You better get out of here.”
I nod and scurry up the stage stairs. I crawl into the foam block fort, curl into a ball, and cry.
A little while later, someone knocks on the foam block door. Robert pokes his head inside. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Sorry ‘bout that.”
“S’okay.”
“Can I come in?”
“‘Kay.”
Robert crawls into the fort. He squeezes in next to me and rubs my back. “You know I don’t mean it.”
I nod.
“Bradley’s just a jerk.”
I nod.
“And he’s gone, so everything’s good, right?”
I nod.
“Good.” He takes my hand and kisses me on the lips. “Just don’t come over when he’s here and we can still play together. Just as long as nobody sees us.”
He gives me another kiss and crawls out of the fort. I wait a bit and then follow him out. I see him on the other side of the room, playing with some other big kids. He sees me and smiles. I give him a shaky smile before going to the art table. I have until lunch before Bradley gets back. I should enjoy my time without him.
Foam Block Forts
I peak around the corner of the thick cement wall separating the little kids from the big kids. I’m not allowed to go over to the other side yet. The big kids are still there. I have to wait for them to leave before I’m actually allowed to go play on the stage.
I look left and then right, checking for teachers. No one. Quietly I sneak around the corner. The bright red, blue and yellow foam blocks on stage call me closer. I duck around the coat hooks and cubbies, inching my way closer to the stage. I put my foot onto the first step and grasp the rail in my small hands. I pull myself forward.
Someone grabs the back of my shirt and pulls me down off the steps. “Hey fatty. What’re you doing here? Babies aren’t allowed over yet.”
I look up from the floor at the boy above me. Bradley. Six years old, thick blond hair, bright green eyes and a wicked grin on his face. He smirks down at me and raises an eyebrow. “Well, fatty? Ya gunna answer me?”
I shake my head and look down. Bradley prods me with his foot.
“Get up fatso. C’mon. I’m talkin’ to ya.”
“Yeah, c’mon Allison. What’cha doin’ here?” Bradley’s best friend, Robert, leans over his shoulder. Even though he’s only five he’s still taller than Bradley. I look up at him and blush. He twirls a strand of curly brown hair around a finger and looks at me sadly. I see his eyes flicker between Bradley and teacher on the other side of the room.
“Answer me baby!” Bradley picks me up by my collar and holds me up to his face. “I told ya fat kids aren’t allowed over here. I don’t want ya sweating all over my stuff.”
“Or knocking down our fort.” Robert pushes me out of Bradley’s grip. “You’re so big you’d probably take up the whole stage.”
“You’re so fat you take up the whole room!” Bradley swings his arms out. “I’m surprised the teachers even let you stay, you’re so fat. The other kids can’t even get to the toys ‘cuz your fat butt’s in the way.”
I hang my head. Tears sting in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Crying only makes it worse. Bradley just keeps teasing me as I let my head hang lower and lower. I pull into myself, wrapping my arms around each other and scrunching my eyes shut. I bite my lip and beg myself not to cry. I feel a tear slip free.
“Aw, look. The little baby’s crying.” Bradley’s voice mocks me as I bury my face in my hands. “C’mon, baby. Stop crying. You’re fat’s wiggling. You’re gross.”
I look up at Robert. I catch his dark grey eyes and beg him to do something. He frowns and he looks away. I cry even more.
“Whatcha’ crying ‘bout, fatty?” Bradley pokes my stomach. “Don’t ya like that name? Fatty, fatty, fatty.”
“Kindergarteners!” One of the teachers calls out over the class. “Time to go!”
Bradley frowns, then smirks at me. “Gotta go, fatso. Better make sure you’re not here when I get back.” He pushes me one last time and rushes over to the teacher with a bunch of other kids. The teacher counts them and they all leave the room, heading for the elementary school across the street.
Robert watches until he can’t see Bradley anymore. He turns to me and sighs. “You better get out of here.”
I nod and scurry up the stage stairs. I crawl into the foam block fort, curl into a ball, and cry.
A little while later, someone knocks on the foam block door. Robert pokes his head inside. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Sorry ‘bout that.”
“S’okay.”
“Can I come in?”
“‘Kay.”
Robert crawls into the fort. He squeezes in next to me and rubs my back. “You know I don’t mean it.”
I nod.
“Bradley’s just a jerk.”
I nod.
“And he’s gone, so everything’s good, right?”
I nod.
“Good.” He takes my hand and kisses me on the lips. “Just don’t come over when he’s here and we can still play together. Just as long as nobody sees us.”
He gives me another kiss and crawls out of the fort. I wait a bit and then follow him out. I see him on the other side of the room, playing with some other big kids. He sees me and smiles. I give him a shaky smile before going to the art table. I have until lunch before Bradley gets back. I should enjoy my time without him.