Welcome to another edition of “Behind the Scenes of The Dream Doers Series.”
The Dream Doers and the Summer of Secrets begins on the last day of sixth grade for Alex and Tyler and class bully Zach. But today’s flashback story continues a short series of the first day of kindergarten for Alex, Tyler and Zach.
*****
She couldn’t go to school. She just couldn’t. Why would her mom be so mean and make her go?
Alexandria Wilkins rolled over and stuffed her face in her pillow. School was a horrible, horrible place. She wouldn’t go. She just wouldn’t.
Zach would be there. All the time. That teacher wasn’t going to let her hide from him.
He was going to be able to bother her whenever he wanted. And everybody always believed him. They never believed her when she told them how mean he was.
She was the only one who knew the truth.
What if she went to school one day and never came back? Zach might lock her in a closet…or tie her to a tree in the woods near the school.
She’d be stuck out there forever with nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep. Her parents would try to find her, but they wouldn’t know where to look.
Her mom would cry and cry. He dad wouldn’t want to work anymore. They wouldn’t have any money for food. Her brothers and sister would starve. And everyone would wonder what happened to poor little Alex.
The tears squeezed out of her closed eyelids and soaked her pillow. She really wished her mom wouldn’t make her go to school!
“Alex, get up. You get to go to school today!” Her sister Jessie burst into her room and threw the comforter off Alex. “I know the perfect outfit for you to wear.”
Alex ignored her older sister and held on to her pillow. She didn’t want to look at Jessie. Not today.
“This white top with this pink skirt is sooo adorable,” Jessie said. “These sandals are the perfect match. After I get done with your hair, there won’t be a boy in that class who won’t have a kindergarten crush on you. Too bad mom won’t let me put make-up on you. Too bad she won’t let me put make-up on me. I’m 13 now. I think I’m old enough. Alex, what are you still doing in bed?”
When Alex didn’t move, Jessie rolled Alex over and took the pillow away from her.
“Give me back my pillow. I’m not going to school.” Alex reached for the pillow, but Jessie pulled her out of bed instead.
“You don’t have to be scared,” Jessie said.
Yes, I do, Alex thought. But Jessie wouldn’t understand. Nobody understood.
“I don’t know why I have to go. I’ve already learned how to read. That’s all you learn in kindergarten anyway.”
“You don’t go to school to learn. You go to school to make friends.”
“I don’t want any friends. I’m fine all by myself.”
“You’re just being silly. What about that Zach kid? The one who lives a few blocks over? He’s a charmer. He’s in your class, isn’t he?”
“He’s not charming. He’s mean. And I won’t go to school as long as I have to be around him.”
Alex started crying again and dove back under her covers.
*****
This flashback story continues next week with another edition of “Behind the Scenes of The Dream Doers Series.” So stay tuned!
To Your Dreams,
Bonnie Jean
P.S. In case you haven’t yet been in front of the scenes of The Dream Doers series, it starts with The Dream Doers and the Summer of Secrets. In this young adult novel, best friends Alex and Tyler are forced to battle bullies, face their fears and keep strange secrets the summer they learn to do what they dream. You can hear the whole “Front of the Scenes” story for FREE. Just visit TheDreamDoers.com and fill out a super short form. Enjoy the story!
