"Charlie! It's time for school!!" Charlotte yelled.

But there was no sign of waking up of anyone.

Charlotte rushed to the room and busted the door open.

"Oii! It's past 8 o'clock! Are you going to be late on your first day of your new semester?"

Alarming Charlie to wake up immediately.

"It's past 8 o'clock?" Charlie rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock.

"Oh no! I am going to be late!!!"

Charlie got out of bed and dashed to the bathroom, his rush indicating he was running late for school. Seeing him skip breakfast, Charlotte, his mother, voiced her concern,

"You're not eating anything."

"No. I'll be late," Charlie brushed off her worry.

Before he could bolt out the door, Charlie's father, Benjamin, intervened with a firm voice.

"Charlie, how many times have I told you not to leave without having breakfast?" With his father's authority weighing on him, Charlie hesitated, knowing he couldn't disobey.

"But I will be late-" Charlie attempted to reason.

"You are talking back to me now?" His father said sharply, cutting off Charlie's words.

"Honey, don't be hard on him so early in the morning…" Charlotte tried to step in, her voice gentle.

"Charlie, you are running late. Here, take this apple with you," she urged, handing him the fruit.

Charlie flashed a small smile at her before rushing off to school.

"You are the one who spoils him," Benjamin remarked sternly.

"Benjamin, he is a child," Charlotte said with a note of irritation. 

"He will be joining college next year. He is not a child anymore. You should stop babying him. It's time for him to start acting like a man." With that, Benjamin left for the office, leaving Charlotte to sigh deeply in frustration.

After Benjamin's departure, the tension in the household dissipated. Charlotte took a moment to exhale, feeling the weight lift from her shoulders. She began to tidy up after the morning chaos, the routine tasks serving as a welcome distraction from the lingering unease.

Outside, the neighborhood buzzed with activity, the vibrant energy of the morning penetrating the air. In the busy crowd, Charlie stepped out of the front door, his backpack slung over his shoulder, a determined look on his face. Taking a deep breath, he set off towards the school.

To be continued…