"August, honey," Evelyne's voice was soft through the door. "Time to get up."
August blinked awake. The room was still dim, the sky outside just beginning to lighten. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. Her uniform was already laid out on the chair: navy skirt, white blouse, soft grey cardigan. A pair of polished black shoes waited beneath.
After taking a bath she dressed in silence, buttoning each button carefully. Evelyne had ironed everything the night before. Even the socks were warm from the radiator.
Walking downstairs, the smell of toast and eggs drifted through the air.
Mark looked up from the stove. "There she is. You ready for the big day?"
August nodded. "I think so."
Evelyne handed her a lunchbox- light blue, with a small embroidered A on the front. "We packed you a sandwich, apple slices, and those little cheese crackers you liked."
August opened it to check. Everything was in neat compartments. Even a note folded into a heart.
She didn't read it. Not yet.
"thank you" she said
.....
In the car, Evelyne kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror.
"You nervous?" she asked.
August shrugged. "A little."
"That's okay," Mark said. "Everyone's nervous on the first day. Even the teachers."
August looked out the window. "Will they know?"
"Know what?" Evelyne asked almost looking worried.
"That I'm five."
Evelyne reached back and squeezed her hand. "They'll know you're brilliant. That's what matters."
...
The school was a low, modern building with wide windows and a mural of animals painted across the front wall. Kids were streaming in, backpacks bouncing, voices high and bright.
August stepped out of the car, clutching her lunchbox.
"You've got this," Mark said. "We'll be right here at three."
Evelyne crouched to fix her collar. "And if anyone gives you trouble, you tell them your mum's a lawyer and your dad knows jiu-jitsu."
August blinked. " but you don't know jiu-jitsu."
Mark grinned. "They don't know that."
August nodded stopping herself from smiling. But inwardly she was...
...
Her classroom was bright and loud. Desks in clusters. Posters on the walls. A girl with braids was spinning in her chair. A boy was trying to balance a pencil on his nose.
The teacher looked up as August entered. "You must be August. Welcome, sweetheart."
August nodded. "Hi."
The teacher crouched to her level. "I'm Miss Patel. We're so happy to have you. You can sit next to Lilay, over there by the window."
Lilay waved, her smile wide and a little crooked. "Hi! I like your shoes."
August sat down. "Thanks."
Lilay leaned in. "Wanna hear a joke?"
August hesitated. "Okay."
"What do you call a bear with no teeth?"
"I don't know."
"A gummy bear."
August blinked.
Then-unexpectedly-she laughed. Just once. A small, surprised sound.
Lilay beamed. "You're funny when you laugh, you looked tense and dangerous when you walked in"
August looked down, still smiling. "I don't laugh much."
"Well," Lilay said, "you do now."
---
The morning passed in a blur of introductions and curious stares. Miss Patel had a kind voice and a way of making the room feel smaller, safer. She didn't make a big deal about August's age, just introduced her as "our new classmate who's joining us from a different program," and left it at that.
Still, the whispers came.
"She's so tiny."
"Is she really in Year 3?"
"Maybe she's, like, a genius or something."
August ignored them. She focused on the math worksheet in front of her. Long division. She finished it in five minutes, double-checked her answers, and slid it to the corner of her desk.
Miss Patel noticed. "All done?"
August nodded.
"Would you like something more challenging?"
August hesitated. "Yes, please."
The stares in the class piercing on her.. Tge third years were struggling yet this... Baby was requesting for something interesting...
Miss Patel smiled. "I'll bring you something after break."
....
At recess, August sat on the edge of the jungle gym, her lunchbox unopened on her lap. She watched the other kids run and shout and chase each other across the field. It felt like watching a movie she didn't quite understand.
Lilay found her again, holding two juice boxes.
"Trade?" she asked, holding one out.
August blinked. "Why?"
"Yours is apple. Mine's grape. I hate grape."
August handed hers over. "Okay." although she didn't want to trade..
They sat side by side, sipping quietly.
Lilay leaned in. "Wanna hear another joke?"
August gave her a sideways look. "Maybe." urgh was she always like this... It was going to be a long school term indeed.
"What do you call a cow with no legs?"
August waited.
"Ground beef."
August snorted. Then clapped a hand over her mouth.
Lilay grinned. "That's two laughs. I'm on a roll."
August shook her head, but she was still smiling.
"you win with your silly jokes" at least Lilay did not treat her like a five year old.
.....
After lunch, they had art. The teacher handed out charcoal and paper, asking them to draw "something that feels like home."
Most kids sketched houses, trees, pets.
August drew a window.
Just a window, with soft light spilling through it, and a mug of tea on the sill.
Miss Patel paused behind her. "That's beautiful."
August didn't say anything.
But she felt it - that strange, warm ache in her chest. Like something was settling into place.
As bad as she was starting to love this little life.
....
At 3:00, she stepped out of the building and saw Evelyne and Mark waiting by the car. Evelyne waved, her whole face lighting up. Mark opened the back door for her.
"How was it?" he asked as she climbed in.
August buckled her seatbelt. "It was okay."
Evelyne turned in her seat. "Just okay?"
August looked out the window, then back at them.
"I laughed," she said innocently.
Mark raised an eyebrow. "You did?" which was indeed shocking...
"Twice," she said. "But don't tell anyone."
Evelyne smiled holding the urge to laugh . "Your secret's safe with us."
"so you made a friend?"
"yes.. Lilay, she's funny and wants us to trade juice..."
they couldn't wait to meet their baby's new friend...Just a day and August was becoming more outspoken.
And as they pulled away from the school, August leaned her head against the window, the sun warm on her cheek, and let herself feel it again.
That quiet, unfamiliar thing. Her own real family wasn't like this... They treated her like a weapon and partner due to her mental disorder... But Eve and Mark treat her like the child she is...
She felt like she belonged... Well quite.
.