Can I Have That in Writing?

Emily: The Beginning, Part 2

It was the first time I had not worn a uniform in over four years. The dark green, plaid skirt and the white collared shirt were laid on my bed out of habit. 

I caught myself and shook my head. Maybe I could wear the white shirt with a plain skirt? No, it still looked like a uniform. With jeans? No, I'd look too much like a boy. My father wouldn't let me go to school like that.

I eventually settled on wearing on a blouse and jeans. Now that the hard part was over, I should have been good to go. Unfortunately, I forgot I had a chatterbox for an older sister.

"Now remember, no matter what you might hear, there is no pool," Allison said as I brushed my hair. "And make sure you participate in class. I know it's hard, but teachers really go for that. Also-"

She only stopped for a brief minute as I walked to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Following me, she continued.

"Pep rallies. They're awesome! The softball team is going to be on the football field participating in whacky activities. And you get last period off!"

I gave her a death glare, toothpaste covering my lips. Allison threw her hands up in surrender. "Okay, sorry. I'll let you get ready. But seriously, you want me to walk you to your first class?"

I spit into the sink and rinsed my mouth. Once I was done, I turned to my sister. "I'll be fine," I said. "I'll figure it out."

"Okay. Just know the offer is on the table. And... it's going to be okay, Em. It really is."

Why would she say that? I was just forgetting...

My heart pounded without warning. I thanked her quietly and hurried back to my room. Closing the door behind me, I tried to bring my breathing back to normal. 

She's right. It will be okay. I'll go to public school. I'll make guy friends, I'll find a nice boy, and I'll forget all about her. I won't think about another girl like that again. Never again. 

I opened the door to assure my sister that I was ready for this. But she had already gone downstairs, leaving me on my own. Just like I wanted...

***

My heart sank into my stomach when I saw the halls for the first time.

There were so many people. Up until today, I had attended a Catholic middle school. It was a private school, so there weren't many students. Your parents either had to be rich or involved with the church to send you there. In my case, it was the latter.

It was also weird seeing the lack of uniforms. The outfits were just as varied of the heights and body types of the people who wore them. Not that I always liked uniforms, but at least it gave you the chance to identify people by names and faces as opposed to clothing choice. Now I had one more detail to memorize about all of my new classmates.

I nearly jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Luckily, it was just Allison.

"Feeling okay?" she asked.

I nodded, though I chewed the corner of my lip. My sister leaned closer to me and smiled. "It's going to be okay. Trust me."

How does she always see right through me?

***

My favorite part of the first day of school: finding a place to sit. The teacher seemed nice enough. Though I could barely muster the courage to even tell her my name. 

I surveyed the room for options. There were a bunch of boys loudly shouting in the front, so I hurried past. Some girls sat clustered, as if they already knew each other. There were a few empty seats, but I was drawn to one in particular.