𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆 through the classroom. The teacher, Mrs. Anderson, closed her History book, "Y'all can pack up we'll start where we left off tomorrow! Y'all have a good rest of your day," she says, dismissing us.
I put my notebook into my backpack and lifted it up. I walked out the class behind the rest of my classmates. This is my first day at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. Everything has been good so far. No one has been rude or really even talked to me. I wouldn't mind keeping it that way.
It was lunchtime so I followed everyone to the cafeteria. After I grabbed my lunch tray, I walked out and scanned the cafeteria hall. It was loud and most of the tables were full. I noticed an empty table near the entrance. I headed over there and sat my things down beside me. I prayed over my food, "God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food and each other Amen."
I took the bun off my spicy chicken sandwich and put ketchup on it from the packet. I took a quick bite and stared at the wall.
"Yoo," I heard someone call out. I quickly turned my head to the voice and saw it was a boy coming towards the table. He sat his lunch tray on the circular table and questions me, "You must be new here?"
I nod slowly, not saying a word.
"I can tell cause this me and my homeboy's table," he answers.
I look behind him and see four other guys coming over. My heart beats faster, "Oh um sorry I can find somewhere else to sit," I offer, standing up.
The boy shakes his head and sits down, "You good they won't mind you sitting here," he says as his friends come over.
"Who is this," another guy asks as they sit in their seats.
"A new girl... she was sitting here when I walked over," the guy explains to him.
He nods and the guy beside me speaks, "What's your name?"
I look at him then look down, "Noelani," I say loud enough for them to hear.
"Welcome to the littest table in this school," he says as they laugh.
I smile a little.
"Well I'm Kane," the guys sitting beside me introduces.
"I'm Jahmir."
"Bryson."
"Kenan," the guy who came over first.
"Micah."
I nod my head, "Nice to meet y'all," I tell them.
"This yo' first day here," Micah asks me.
"Yea."
"Where you move from," Kenan questioned.
I sigh, "I'm from around here I just transferred schools," I say, truthfully.
"Why?"
"Damn you all in her business," Jahmir says.
Kane smacked his lips and says, "We trying to get to know her nigga!"
"Yo' ass just nosy," Jahmir replies.
They all begin to eat and question me about my old school.
"Damn that's weird as fuck," Kenan says.
I nod my head and eat a bite of my sandwich and a curly fry. "Wait so you have a white dad," Micah asks.
"Yes," I answer.
"And they bullied you because of that?"
I nod, sitting in silence.
They all shook their heads. "That's crazy bruh," Bryson adds.
"Pops went off on they ass too," Kane chimes in.
"He did!"
They made me feel comfortable. "Fuck them they ain't no good," Kenan tells me.
I look down at my tray. "So where's your mom," Micah asks me.
"Um..."
I suck my teeth, "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to," I hear Kenan say. I look up and sigh, "She passed away."
It was silent for a moment. I hate bringing up any details about my family because of the reactions I get in return. Did your mom leave you and your dad for another guy? Are you mixed? Why is your dad white? But these were only questions from students at my old school.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Bryson spoke up. I smile awkwardly and shrug, "It's okay I guess she died when I was young--"
"What age?"
"Five years old."
Jahmir nods his head and asks, "Do you have any memories of her?"
I shake my head, "Not really. I feel like I remember little things about her but I don't know much," I answer him.
"Damn I'm sorry for your loss Lil Lani," Kenan says to me.
I gave him a weird look and they all laugh. "Lil Lani," I question.
Kenan nods his head and says, "Yeah if you gone be hanging with us we gotta give you a nickname."
I shake my head and take a sip of Chocolate Milk. "No I don't like that nickname," I tell him.
"Too bad your new name is Lil Lani," Jahmir suggests.
I sigh as Kane chimes in, "It's only right you the only girl in the group!"
____
𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦. 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦.
