New Beginnings

The classroom hummed with the sound of pencils and rustling paper as Mr. Bennett walked between the desks. “Remember, class,” he said, tapping the whiteboard, “start with the basics. Break the equation down and solve it step by step.”

Nathaniel’s pencil moved quickly across his worksheet, his small brows drawn together in steady focus. He barely seemed to hear the whispers or shifting chairs around him. He simply worked, calm and sure.

Theo, one of the older boys, leaned over with wide eyes. Nathaniel was already closing his notebook.

“Done!” Nathaniel whispered to himself, letting out a soft breath. He sat back, watching the rest of the class still bent over their papers.

Theo stared. “How’d you do that so fast?”

“I just break it down and focus on the steps,” Nathaniel replied with an easy smile.

James, another boy, lifted his hand. “Can you help me with mine?”

Nathaniel nodded, slipping from his chair and moving to James’s desk. His voice was gentle as he explained the steps. He didn’t brag or act superior, just helped quietly, the way he always did. His quiet patience made the older boys feel comfortable. Nathaniel wasn't showy, but his calm confidence earned their respect.

Meanwhile, in another room, Charlotte sat stiffly at the art table, her hands trembling around her paintbrush. She tried to focus, but the whispers behind her made her uncomfortable.

As she added a new color, her elbow hit the jar of water. The jar fell over, spilling water across the table and splashing onto Maya's dress.

"Oh no!" Charlotte gasped. She quickly grabbed napkins, but it was too late. Bright streaks of paint stained Maya's dress.

Maya stood up, her face twisted with anger. "You ruined my dress! You can't even paint without making a mess!"

Charlotte’s cheeks burned. “I... I’m sorry,” she whispered, trying to clean the water.

Maya crossed her arms. “You’re too small for this class. You don’t belong here.”

Charlotte felt a tightness in her chest, but she looked straight at Maya. "I'm not small. I can handle it. You don't get to tell me what I can do."

Maya leaned in, her voice full of mean laughter. "You will never fit in. Just accept it."

Charlotte held her ground. "I can handle it," she whispered. "You don't know me."

Before Maya could say anything else, Liam, who was sitting nearby, stood up. His voice was calm but firm. "Maya, stop bothering her."

Maya glared at Liam but stayed quiet. She walked away, muttering under her breath.

Charlotte let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Thanks," she whispered to Liam.

Liam gave her a small, kind smile. "No problem. I don't like bullies."

Charlotte gave a tiny smile. “Maybe… there are good people in this school after all.”

Across town, Alina sat in the back of the car on her way to Riverbend Hospital. Her thoughts kept returning to the twins. She had dropped them off with a calm smile, but worry pressed on her chest.

Nathaniel would adjust, he always did. But Charlotte was sensitive and easily shaken. Alina hoped she wasn’t sitting alone, too scared to speak.

At the hospital, Alina walked into her lab, but she couldn’t focus. Her mind kept drifting to the time and to the twins. How were they? Did they make any friends? Was Charlotte okay?

Regina walked in with a stack of files and paused when she saw Alina’s distracted look.

"How did our little ones do?" Regina asked gently.

“They were brave,” Alina said softly. “Nathaniel… he’s already showing everyone what he can do. Charlotte’s still finding her place.”

Regina smiled. “She will. She just needs time.”

Alina nodded, though worry still tugged at her chest. “I just want them to be okay. To fit in.”

“You’ve raised strong kids,” Regina said, resting a hand on her shoulder. “They’ll shine in their own time.”

At lunch, Nathaniel sat with a group of older boys, quietly joining their talk about math and puzzles. He looked up and saw Charlotte sitting alone at a table, poking her food, her face tight with worry.

“I’ll be right back,” Nathaniel told the boys.

He crossed the room and sat beside her. “Are you okay?”

Charlotte looked up, her eyes shiny. “Maya’s mean. And… I spilled paint on her dress.”

Nathaniel reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry about her. I’m here.”

Charlotte nodded, feeling better because of his words. Across the room, Maya was still talking with her friends, but she did not come near Charlotte again. Instead, she shot a quick, mean look at Nathaniel.

The lunch bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch break. Charlotte stood up, brushing crumbs off her lap, and took Nathaniel's hand as they walked back to class.

Later that afternoon, Alina looked at the clock as she finished her hospital rounds. Time to pick them up. She finished her work, grabbed her things, and left. By the time she reached the school, she was already picturing their faces: Nathaniel's quiet confidence and Charlotte's bright smile, despite the tension she sometimes saw.

Nathaniel saw her first and waved. Charlotte’s face lit up, all traces of her earlier fear washed away.

Charlotte hurried over, her steps lighter than they had been that morning. “Mom!” she called, throwing her arms around Alina’s waist.

"How was school today?" Alina asked as they walked hand in hand toward the car.

Nathaniel spoke first, his voice calm and factual. "I finished my math problems faster than the others. But... Charlotte spilled paint on someone."

Charlotte looked up at her brother, her face turning red with shame. She looked at Alina, her voice small. "I didn't mean to."

Alina smiled gently, squeezing her hand. "It's alright, sweetheart. Mistakes happen. Just keep being yourself."

As they drove home, Charlotte's laughter and Nathaniel's quiet chatter filled the car. Alina allowed herself to relax, feeling lighter. For a moment, everything felt right. This was their new start.