The moment Sebastian watched the nanny's car disappear around the corner, he suddenly began to question his choice of outfits for the day. As he turned, facing the school, he found breathing became a bit more difficult, his bow-tie, tighter than he had remembered, scratched like steel wool around his neck. Burning up in the chilly, early morning Autumn air, Sebastian uncharacteristically felt the need to unbutton his tailored jacket which now fit the boy like a latex surgical glove. As he turned toward the school, his vision began to blur. The trees blended into the building and the ground into the sky, and from the smudged mass of kids gathered around the flagpole, three figures bled off and quickly approached Sebastian. Fuzzy, but with laughs and taunts crystally clear, these three faces attached to six fists, like finger-paints doused in water, smeared, creating a dark colorful mass of soon to come inevitable pain. But the boy did not need to see their faces, he knew exactly who they were. Blind to him now, their pug noses, glazed over and swine-like eyes, Skoal stained teeth and greasy tuffs of hair have become permanent cast members in Sebastian's nightmares. Like three pigs, and not the cute kind - instead, the huge, dirty mean kind with sharp teeth that grunt and squeal and eat their own shit stood inches from Sebastian's face, their breath like sour milk. Yes, Sebastian knew these pigs and they knew Sebastian. The boy closed his eyes, his teeth gritted, readying himself for the first blow. Waiting to see stars and small birdies flying and tweeting around his head, he instead heard a voice. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see Miss Leeds, the school Principal, standing firmly between Sebastian and his three assailants. Though on her face appeared what could only be described as a smile, the tone behind her bared teeth made her words, "Good morning, boys," send shivers down all their backs. "Good morning, Miss Leeds," grunted the pigs, now hooves in pockets. Sebastian politely smiled, buttoning up tight his jacket from the sudden chill. Through the same "smile", Miss Leeds continued, "What's say we get to class, shall we? Let's make today a great one. High-five!" And one by one, the three pigs slapped Miss Leeds outstretched hand and walked into the school. Sebastian, left alone, tentatively raised his hand but was left hanging as Miss Leeds turned and started walking toward the open school door. Denied, Sebastian followed her as she called back to him, "A bow-tie, huh? It fits you." The compliment made Sebastian smile, until she went on to say, "Maybe you should eat lunch with the teachers today."Sitting in homeroom, Sebastian busied his mind with thoughts of home - his parakeet, the nanny's birthday cake and hopefully, the return of his parents. He looked at the clock on the wall - three hours till recess, the scariest 45 minutes of the day, but today, he had a plan. Sebastian figured out where to stand, where to hide, where the least numbers of kids could be found...safety - a small patch of land behind the school garage, a row of hedges, tall enough for Sebastian, but too short for the smokers. It was perfect, and then smooth sailing for the rest of the day - home for cake and presents and mother and father. Sebastian just needed to keep to the plan, but as they say - Man plans...God laughs!
Over the intercom, Miss Leeds started her morning announcements and at the end, she gave a special shout-out to the birthday boy, Sebastian Goodnight. Sebastian froze. All at once, every kid in class turned in Sebastian's direction, and with hunger in their eyes, one girl asked, "Did you bring cupcakes?" Sebastian stared blankly. The girl asked again, "Did...you...bring... cupcakes?" Sebastian finally shook his head no. Pissed, the girl turned away and under her breath, she whispered, "You should have brought cupcakes."
Miss Leeds continued and offered up a challenge to the entire school. With a satanic glee in her voice, she said, "I want every single student to wish Sebastian a happy birthday today. Seek him out, hunt him down, let him know how much this school cares. Let's make this birthday one he will never forget. Have a great day, everybody!" And with a click, the intercom went quiet, but Sebastian's mind raced. Shocked by the attention, he slowly came back to earth when his teacher started her lesson for the day. A bit weary, Sebastian began to breath a bit easier, she didn't bring him to the front of the class, she didn't make him write down what he wanted for his birthday, she didn't even ask how old he was. Maybe everything would be OK. Who listens to those stupid announcements anyway, most people in school didn't even know who Sebastian was. Almost calm, Sebastian's heart steadied...until the intercom blared Miss Leeds voice once again, "And just one more thing. In case you don't know Sebastian, he's the one in the blue jacket and little bow-tie. Happy Birthday Sebastian...Sebastian Goodnight."
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