A Promise.

"Jared, wake up!"

  A pair of baby blues opened up reluctantly. Jared's older brother Shannon shook the younger one more time, for good measure.

"I'm up Shanny!" The littlest squeaked, pushing Shannon half-heartedly. Jared wiped the sleep out of his eyes, looking around the new apartment. "Where's Mama?" Shannon had already headed towards the kitchen, stepping on a stool to reach the cereal at the top of the fridge. "She's at work already, but she wanted me to tell you to have a good first day and that she loves you." The younger's brows furrowed as he took a seat at the dining room table.

  "She's always here when we leave for school." Shannon pushed a bowl of cereal in front of Jared and sat across from him with his own. "Y'know she'd be here if she could," he mumbled with a mouthful of cereal. "Now eat, we gotta go to the bus stop in thirty minutes." Jared listened to his older brother and eat his breakfast, wiping his face whenever milk dribbled down his chin. He hated moving, something they did far too often. It was the middle of the school year, and Jared would have to meet a whole new group of people that didn't want to be his friend all  over again.

Moving sucked.

  When Jared had finished his breakfast, he handed his bowl to Shannon, who put the dishes in the sink as he started to get ready for school. When he couldn't find anything to wear, he yelled, "Can't I just wear my 'jamas?" To which, Shannon replied, "Don't be stupid," which of course earned the eldest a playful shove. Shannon waited impatiently as his brother got dressed, taking far too long when he only had three outfits unpacked. When the eldest threatened to leave without him, the youngest came bounding after him, almost falling while putting on his boots.

  Shannon had to help Jared with the buttons on his coat because he kept pinching his fingers, but once he finally got Jared to wear his gloves, he grabbed their backpacks as they made their way out the door. The air was cold and harsh on the walk to the bus stop, but thankfully, the two didn't have far to trek. There were older kids waiting for the bus when they arrived, which frightened Jared, for they towered over the five-year-old.

  "It's fine," his older brother assured him when the bus arrived, grabbing his hand and making him follow. The other children glared at them as they walked down the aisle and Shannon made Jared sit on the inside so the kids would be less likely to pick on him. Jared liked the window seat anyway. He loved watching the world whirl past as the bus moved, the snow making everything seem like one, big blur. Shannon, on the other hand, put on his "tough face", giving anyone who so much as breathed in their direction the stink-eye.

  But the ride was brief, and soon, they boarded off the bus and were back into the cold as they walked across the frozen blacktop to school. Jared began to worry as they entered the large building, never letting go of his brother's hand.

What if he got lost on his way to class?

What if these kids picked on him, just like all the others?

  His fears were extinguished when Shannon explained to him that he was going to take him to his classroom, and that he'd see him at recess. Just as he said, the eldest brother led the younger to his class, helping him out of his coat and putting it in his new cubby. He even stayed and met Jared's first grade teacher, who was young and very nice. But when it was time for Shannon to leave and join his own class, tears welled up in his little brother's eyes as he began to cry.

  "Don't go!" Jared wailed, keeping a vice grip on Shannon's arm. His teacher tried to calm the youngest down, but Shannon knew that once Jared got upset, only he or their mother could see to him. He pulled Jared to the doorway, who was still crying, hot tears running down his red cheeks. "Listen to me," Shannon started, and Jared focused his attention, "I have to go now. But I promise you, if you need anything, anything at all, I'll be there." The younger sniffed. "You promise?" Shannon smiled, nodding quickly.