A Fresh Start

Chapter 26-Last First Day of School 2015

TK

In less than a year, I'll be done wearing this annoying blue polo. Next year, I'll be able to wear shorts and flip flops to class, or a hoodie or a rainbow tank top, and be a full-on gay bro jock.

I can't wait for that moment, actually.

I hear Mom yell my name, and I head upstairs. She's pushing my brothers into the same spot every year for our first day of school pictures.

I sit next to Eric and smile at him. Conner, as always, hangs his arms around us both, and we all smile. It's our only year going to the same school, and I'm really excited. Mom starts crying about three photos in, and Dad has to take over.

I run down to grab my backpack and come back up the stairs when Dad stops me and smiles.

"You're a senior now. You ready?" He asks.

"I can't wait," I say back.

"Good. We got you a present for your senior year. Hope you like it, TK," he says with a big smile and drops a pair of keys in my hand.

"What the fuck?" I say before I can stop myself.

"Language, But go take a look," he says and nods out the door.

I open the door to find a silver Jeep Cherokee waiting for me.

"I.....I....thank you," I stammer out, and I pull him into a hug.

"You're gonna be valedictorian...probably, Class president, Captain of two teams, and you have every Ivy League school after you. You made us proud. We love you, kiddo," he says.

When we pull apart, he adds, "plus, Conner picked the worlds heaviest instrument to play, and this car will help him not dislocate a shoulder on the walk. Now, Get to school. You'll be early today, but enjoy it," he gives me a kiss on the side of the head and then matching ones for my brothers. "Be good. TK's your ride home, Conner. Eric, be productive when you get home, please."

"Promise," says Eric. He'll be with the theater kids in a few weeks, most afternoons, but not in the weeks between plays and shows. I'm sure he will play video games right up to the moment I unlock the front door this afternoon, then scramble to do his chores.

"Let's go. It's gonna be an easy day," I say with a smile.

"Says the guy who gets to skip class for the assembly," groans Conner.

"Cause I'm in charge of it. Not for the fun of it," I say back as we hop in the car. My car. "This is nice right," I say to them both as we wave to our parents. "You'll get something nice too next year probably," I add to Eric, who can sometimes be a little jealous.

Until I came into the picture, he was the oldest child in the family, then he suddenly became the middle child. It's only popped up a few times, but usually, when I get something that he didn't, cause I'm older.

The walk to school would have taken the 3 of us probably 15 minutes tops, but the drive is less than 5, and I could get used to that.

I hop out and help Conner with his Tuba, and he heads off to the band hall to drop it off, and Eric blasts off to his friends. "Bye, baby brothers," I shout, and Eric flips me off with a smile.

I see Brandon with a big dumb smile on his face as I walk in.

"Seniors. SENIORS MAN," he shouts at me.

I give him a smile and chest bump, "what're you doing here? You've never met me at the front door before."

He gives me a weird face, "Ummm, Davis's being a dick, and I wanted to prepare you before we got to the senior hall."