I wasn't a morning person, even at the age of four.
"Gem, come downstairs! Breakfast is ready!"
"Coming, Mom!"
You might be wondering how my mom managed to get me down so quickly if I wasn't a morning person. Well, the answer is simple, food.

Our house wasn't large, but it wasn't small either, it was the perfect size for a family of three. As I made my way downstairs to eat breakfast before daycare, I always smelled my mom's flowers. My dad would bring her fresh ones every week, but when I started feeling left out, he began bringing me something as well, not flowers though, as everyone knew I couldn't be trusted with them. So instead he always brought me chocolate, i've always been a sweet tooth.

When I finally reached the bottom of the staircase, I saw my dad already seated at the table. "Good morning, Gem, how did you sleep?" he asked, a big smile on his face.
"Good," I said with a tired look on my face. "I dreamed about unicorns" I added with a hint of boredom. "Awww, really?" my dad asked, his excitement evident.
"No." I looked at him, clearly dissatisfied with the fact that he had believed my fib.
"Oh." His disappointment mirrored my own.

"I made you pancakes," my mom chimed in, carrying in two plates, one for me and one for herself. My dad never ate breakfast.
I took a bite of the pancakes, and they were perfect. There was just the right amount of Nutella on top. "Mom, this is perfect!" I exclaimed with my mouth full.
"I'm glad you like it, but please don't talk with your mouth full," my mom said, a mixture of worry and a smile on her face.

My dad got up and started putting his jacket on, which was on the back of the chair.
"Sweetheart, I'm gonna get going to work. Both of you have a good day"As he finished the sentence, he kissed my mom.
"EWWWW GROSS" I exclaimed, my expression one of disgust.
My reaction made them both laugh, and my dad leaned down to give me a kiss on the forehead before leaving to go to work.

"So, Gem," my mom began, "I heard you have a new friend in daycare. What's his name?"
I slowly looked up from my empty plate, her smile unwavering.
"Bash..." I replied quietly, still not used to being asked about friends, as I had never had any before. "Bash is a really nice name," she said. "Is he your age?" She continued, her excitement for me clear. "I think he's five," I responded, feeling a slight awkwardness in the conversation, as the topic of friends was foreign to me.

Seeing my discomfort, my mom rose from the table and put her coat on.
"Come on, Gem. It's time to go," she said.
Feeling a mix of emotions, I replied, "Coming" Inwardly hoping that today would be as wonderful as the previous one was, thanks to Bash.

My mom parked the car and turned towards me as I was sitting in the back.
"You ready Gem?" she asked, knowing I never appreciated Sunshine Daycare. It was the closest and cheapest option, which left us with no alternatives.
"Yeah" I replied, masking my true feelings about the situation. But luckily, this time felt different, as I wouldn't be alone anymore, I have Bash now. My mom knew that I wasn't being entirely truthful, but she didn't push the issue.

As we made our way to the front office of the daycare, I saw Sara waiting for Isabella and Jada, as usual. She was always the early bird, and I was normally second to arrive. "Gemma, someone beat you to your second place today," Aaliyah said, her face beaming a gentle smile. Aaliyah was the front desk lady, she was very sweet but never got in between me and the kids who were always bullying me. I always asked my mom why Aaliyah wasn't a model, she had long blonde hair, green eyes that sparkled when she smiled, my mom would just laugh and say that she doesn't know.

"Who beat me?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. Aaliyah chuckled softly, her smile growing wider.
"Your new friend you met yesterday," she revealed. "He just moved here with his parents two weeks ago, and Monday was his first day." oh, that explains why the girls knew him, but I didn't, I was sick on Monday so I didn't come. "Where is he now?"
Aaliyah smiled and gestured towards the playroom.

"He's already in there," she said with a mixture of excitement. "Gem i'm gonna get going have a fun day at daycare i'll see you at home" with that my mom gave me a kiss on the cheek and left. her work started later but my dads ended earlier so he was always the one to pick me up.

I thanked Aaliyah and made my way towards the playroom. As I stepped inside, I was greeted by the sight of the freshly hung photographs.
Everyone in the pictures was wearing beaming smiles, except for me. The cheerful faces of my peers stood in stark comparison to my usual smile that was forced when photos were being taken. The photo was taken the first day back at the daycare after a summer break, and while everyone was clearly excited to see each other again, I was the only one who wasn't. I knew no one would be thrilled to see me, and even I acknowledged that.

As I made my way into the playroom more, Bash greeted me with enthusiasm as I walked towards the table he was sitting at. "Hey Gem!" he exclaimed, his smile radiating warmth. "Hi Bash," I returned, his name slipping from my lips.

Without missing a beat, he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the chalkboard. "Let's draw for a bit and then we can go out to play soccer," he suggested, his excitement escalating with each word. His enthusiasm was infectious, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of joy in his presence. It was amazing to finally have a genuine friend, someone who actually wanted to spend time together.

From that day forward, our routine at Sunshine daycare became a comforting constant. Every day, we would greet each other, head to the chalkboard to draw, eat our meals, and then play soccer until it was time for me to go home. once I asked him why his parents pick him up so late, but he just shrugged and continued drawing.

On one particular day, however, something felt different. Our routine was abruptly interrupted by an unusual question from Bash. "Hey, Gem," Bash began, his tone noticeably awkward. "I have a question, or more like my dad has a question..." His gaze slowly lifted, and he looked at me with a sheepish smile.

His words caught me off guard, which was weird because I wasn't one to be easily surprised. "What is it?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. However, his response astounded me, leaving me momentarily speechless.

Bash's words hung in the air, and confusion washed over me.

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Hmmm.. wonder what Bash is gonna ask her🤔
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