Atlanta, GA —
Moments after school bus 84 rolled to a stop, second-grader Liam Murphy eagerly made his way down the steps. He had changed a lot over summer break and the seven-year-old wondered if anyone would notice. Sauntering through the front doors of Maple Grove Elementary, he flashed a broad smile showing off a full set of grown up teeth. Ponytailed heads whipped around and the halls filled with excited whispers. “He looks so mature,” gushed Abby Taylor, a third-grader. “I bet his mom doesn’t even make him ride in a booster seat anymore,” swooned classmate Chloe Scott. When asked to comment on his newfound popularity, Liam casually shrugged it off saying the girls probably just want him for his tooth fairy money.
By Kendra Coleman