Morning
The classroom is brightly decorated with colorful posters and toys scattered across the shelves. The children sit in a circle on the floor, introducing themselves. Carl nervously fidgets with the hem of his shirt as his turn approaches.
Carl
(stammering, but managing)
"My name is Carl. It's a pleasure to meet you."
He breathes a sigh of relief as the other children clap softly. One by one, the introductions continue until the girl he met earlier stands up confidently.
Jean
(cheerfully)
"My name is Jean. It's a pleasure to meet you, everyone! I hope we'll be good friends and play together! Hehe."
Carl smiles, comforted by Jean's warm energy. She looks back at him and winks, making him feel a little less alone.
Later That Morning
The teacher begins assigning seats. Carl is placed beside another girl he hasn't met before. He sits stiffly, glancing nervously at Jean, who is seated across the room. The girl beside him notices his discomfort.
Girl
(softly)
"Hey, what's your name?"
Carl
(whispering, trembling)
"My… my name is Carl."
Girl
(smiling)
"Nice to meet you, Carl! I hope we'll be good friends."
Carl nods slightly, his heart racing. The awkward silence stretches for a moment before the girl speaks again.
Girl
"Hey, can you watch my seat for a minute? I need to go to the restroom."
Carl
(relieved)
"Sure..."
The girl leaves, and Carl relaxes for a moment. However, his relief is short-lived as a boy walks into the classroom with his mother. The boy glances around confidently as his mother chats with the teacher.
After a brief exchange, the teacher steps aside to speak with the principal. The boy walks straight to Carl's side and sits in the girl's seat. Carl watches, irritated.
Carl
(thinking)
"That's her seat! Why is he sitting there?"
The girl returns and notices the boy in her chair.
Girl
(annoyed)
"Hey, that's my seat. Give it back."
Boy
(smirking arrogantly)
"You want it? Then take it!"
He grabs the girl's backpack and tosses it aside. Carl looks at the teacher, expecting her to intervene, but she only watches the scene. The tension in the room grows as Carl feels a surge of anger.
Carl
(standing up, determined)
"Hey! Stop it! That girl sat there first. You shouldn't treat her like that!"
The boy turns to Carl, his smirk fading into a scowl.
Boy
(mocking)
"Oh? And what are you gonna do about it?"
He steps closer to Carl, who stands his ground despite trembling. Suddenly, the boy punches Carl in the face, leaving a cut on his lip. Carl falls back, clutching his mouth as tears stream down his face.
Carl
(crying, in pain)
"Ouch!!"
The classroom falls silent. The teacher, finally intervene the commotion, rushes over. She kneels beside Carl, checking his injury.
Teacher
(sternly)
"That's enough! Both of you, to the principal's office now!"
The boy crosses his arms defiantly while Carl sniffles, his tears soaking into his sleeve. Jean runs over and kneels beside him, her small hands gently patting his shoulder.
Jean
(softly)
"It's okay, Carl. You did the right thing."
Carl looks up at Jean's reassuring smile through his tears, feeling a mixture of pain and pride. The teacher helps him to his feet and leads both boys out of the classroom.
Fade out as Jean picks up Carl's dropped backpack, her determined expression signaling the start of an unbreakable friendship.