Tobias stood frozen by the heavy wooden door. His fingers tightened around the crumpled permission slip. The classroom buzzed with loud, unfamiliar voices.
He took a tiny step backward, ready to run away. The squeak of chair legs sounded like thunder to his ears. He just wanted to go home.
Tobias tried to hide behind a tall stack of art supplies. A bright green crayon rolled onto the floor near his sneaker. He picked it up and stared at its vibrant color.
Another student pointed at Tobias’s shirt and shouted, 'Cool! I have that same game!' Tobias blinked, surprised by the sudden attention. The noise seemed to fade into a happy buzz.
They compared sticker packs on their notebooks. The new friend showed off a shiny dragon sticker. Tobias laughed, a loud, clear sound that surprised him.
They sat side-by-side on the rug, sharing a box of colored pencils. The teacher called for circle time, but they were already whispering about level three of their adventure.
Tobias smiled, no longer looking at the door. The classroom felt less like a maze and more like a playground. He had found his spot.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Tobias waved goodbye to his new friend as the class emptied out. He walked out holding hands, stepping lightly on the sunny pavement.
