How To Save A Life

Ian's P.O.V.

I wake up in a flash to the sound of my alarm clock blaring some stupid auto tuned song loudly. It was a boy band that ripped off about ten different songs and smashed them together into one. I yawned, stretching as I pressed the off button on the radio, annoyed. I groaned as I got out of my bed, my feet stepping on the carpeted floor of my bedroom. I walked slowly to my bathroom, being as quiet as a mouse. Once I reached the shower, I turned the handle till it points to the halfway point between cold and hot. As soon as the water got to the right temperature, I stepped in.
My shower only took two minutes, since I decided not to wash my hair. I put on my first day outfit, which consisted of skinny jeans, a stormy gray t-shirt, a black jumper, a beanie, and charcoal gray converse. I was pretty nervous to start school in a new country, especially in the middle of the school year. My mom and I moved here to Pullman, Washington two weeks ago. We spent the last week of winter break (or first week here) getting used to town and buying all the things we needed. Last week my mom signed me up for school and I practiced my English. Not only that but I also learned a few American customs.
I originally came from Athens, a place with natural beauty and ancient history. America is certainly different from Greece, but who am I to complain. I headed to the kitchen to make some breakfast. I made scrambled eggs with cheese and rice. While it's cooking on the stove, my mom walked into the kitchen, already dressed for work.
  "Καλημέρα" I say.
   "Good morning to you too" she replied as she headed to the recently purchased Keruig Coffee Maker.
  "Are you nervous for your first day of school?"
"Ναι"
"Well there is nothing to worry about. Trust me, you'll be okay." She said, rustling my hair.
With that my mom grabbed her coffee and walked out of the kitchen. I went to my bathroom after eating my breakfast, to brush my teeth. Once I finished, I gathered all my stuff and walked to the bus stop.
As soon as I got to the bus stop, I pulled out my phone and headphones. During my two weeks in America I discovered a couple of amazing bands. Of the bands I discovered I liked Queen, Iron Maiden, The Smiths, ACDC, and the Beatles. I pressed the Spotify app and press shuffle. Run to the Hills starts to play through my headphones.
I look around at the other teenagers standing around, waiting for the bus. I saw a girl with strawberry blonde hair in a fishtail. Her hazel eyes stared into my soul. After a minute she gracefully walked over to me. I braced myself for a conversation, though preparing wouldn't help me at all. You see, I have social anxiety and being at a new school wasn't going to help.
"Hi my name is Taylor," says the girl " I've never seen you before, are you new?"
"Oh-uh yeah. I'm new!" I blurted. I hated the sound of my voice, I hated my accent.
I could feel her staring at me, her eyes boring into my skull. My breathing became louder, my thoughts became unclear. She watched quizzically, wondering why I was acting so strange. Great, now I had messed it up even more. I shouldn't speak ever again. I could almost predict the replaying of this scene in my head tonight, replaying over and over like a broken record, making my stomach twist.
    "Are you okay?"she asked, confused.
      "I'm Ian." I muttered, shaking my head in embarrassment.
      "Okay then, Ian, are you okay?" the girl... I think her name was Taylor, asked again.
      "Ναι, I'm fine. Me just fine." I said in the most reassuring way I could.
      "Well, you don't seem fine, are you sure that nothing is going on?" She asked hesitantly, but soothingly.
     "Ναι, it's just, I have social anxiety"
       "Oh,okay. Well,sorry for making you have a panic attack."
     Before I could reply to her the bus finally appears at the stop. I headed into the bus first and took a seat in the very back of the bus, hoping nobody would sit with me. But there was one person who began heading to my seat in the back: Taylor.
    Before I could make an objection, she sat down. We didn't speak the whole ride. It wasn't awkward silence, but comfortable silence. It wasn't something I was used to with other people, besides my mom. It was a good feeling, unusual yes, but still good.
     When the bus ride ends we pull up at the bus loop. As I got off the bus, I pulled out my class schedule. My first period was AP Literature with Ms. Fuentes. Of course I didn't know where her classroom was.
     " Mister Walker, if you would follow me to the office,please," ordered a booming voice.
      I turned around and saw the principal, Mr. Whateverhisnamewas, standing behind me, looking like he only just graduated college. Everyone knew that he was thirty-five,the same age as my single mother. Which was of course unfortunate, seeing as Mr.Principal,was also single, and they were practically flirting last week.
     I followed him to his spacious office. As we entered, I saw a girl with long wavy black hair. She was wearing clothes that looked super expensive and stilettos, but really, who wears high heels to schools?
   "Bianca this is Ian, you will be showing him around. By the way Miss Sanchez, those shoes aren't allowed," said Mr.Principal.
  "Whatever, Mr. Daniels" replied Bianca, while rolling her eyes.
    So that was his name.