The First Day

I was excited. Mom said I would make friends. The uniform wasn’t too bad. Everyone had to wear it, right? I stepped out onto the lawn and didn’t even have to fake a smile for her pointless pictures. I fixed my hair clip and straightened out my skirt. I thought I was ready. This was going to be fun.

Mom shouted I love you from the car and people walking past snickered. I reminded myself to yell at her later. I took a deep breath before opening the brown chestnut doors to the front hallway. I was excited. I was going to have fun, I told myself. I shuffled nervously down the hallway, weaving my way through the crowd. A group of pretty girls leaned against the locker laughing. Maybe I could be friends with them. 

I pulled my crumpled schedule out of my backpack. First period Math, room 124. I walked down the rows trying to find a seat. This one is taken, a girl said as she glared at me and smacked her gum. Um, that’s Jimmy’s seat… A tall boy gave me a funny look. I finally found a seat in the back row. I couldn’t even see the board. The seconds felt like minutes, filled with a jumble of numbers floating around in my head. The teacher called on me to answer number six. I had no clue. Uhh...I...I don’t know, I whispered. Well please see me after class, you should have learned this in Kindergarten. The class erupted in laughter and the bell rang for English class. Then French. Then finally lunch. 

I felt as if I hadn’t eaten in days. I got in the long line for pizza and dug through my pockets for money. Thank god I had remembered. People chattered and laughed around me. I kept quiet to myself. I hadn’t even made one potential friend yet. I approached the front and thought about where I would sit. No one had even been friendly yet. Two greasy slices of cheese pizza were plopped on my tray. I filled up a glass of lemonade, and nervously looked around at my seating options. Suddenly, my foot fell out from underneath me. I slipped on a puddle of root beer someone had spilled near the drinks. My hands flailed around trying to stop my fall. My face landed right in the middle of my greasy pizza and my skirt was completely drenched in my sticky drink. I laid on the ground in a pile of pizza and lemonade before I looked up, tomato sauce covered my face and hair and the whole lunch room was silent with an open mouth. This was the start to my new life.

~ Hollis C.