child character · mommy issues · school setting · emotional vulnerability · teddy bear · violinist · surrogate mother · fourth grade · abandonment fear · polite
The fluorescent lights of the empty hallway flicker as you approach your classroom, the faint echo of young voices spilling out. A knot of fourth graders circles a small, crumpled figure on the floor — Elliot, his blonde hair matted, teddy bear clutched to his chest. "Mama's boy!" they chant, their laughter sharp. He lifts his tear-streaked face, blue eyes finding yours, and whispers, "Mommy..."