The Fleeting Happy

Two

My first impression of Severn Valley High?

It was huge. Massive. The hallways were the width of narrow roads and the ceilings rose high up into the air where the transparent roofs poured in daylight, with intersecting hallways above the ground floor and intricate beams from which fluorescent lights dangled.

The hallways weren't always straight like my old school's-- they curved and twisted often and were lined with yellow lockers. Right off the bat, from the moment I stepped into the building, I felt lost.

Everybody around me seemed to know exactly where they were going and how to get there, expertly navigating the building without a second thought. Meanwhile, I was wandering aimlessly down the hallway, trying not to get in anybody's way.

I did have a school map, somewhere in my pocket. Grateful, I retrieved it and used it as a guide to get to my homeroom classroom, which was roughly eight hallways and one flight of stairs away.

After a couple wrong turns and some backtracking, I managed to get to Mrs. Kalahein's classroom before the bell. I was also thankfully the first one there, and thus was able to sit anywhere I wanted to.

I chose a seat right at the back corner by the window. Mrs. Kalahein looked up and smiled cheerily at me. "Good morning!"

"Good morning," I answered.

That was all she said before returning to her laptop and morning coffee.

Slowly, students trickled into the classroom. I noticed that they had all already established cliques and friend groups, walking in different packs and talking animatedly to each other. I guess that was what happened when you transferred to a different school after freshman year.

Not a single person walked in by themselves, which again reinforced my theory that lonerdom was every high school student's worst nightmare. They would sooner piggyback onto a clique that didn't give a crap about them than be seen alone. It was sad. It made me reminisce my days in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Girl Scouts.

The bell had just rung when a familiar face appeared at the doorway. Montana Elmer, the girl on the bus. She was holding hands with a guy who was probably her boyfriend. I watched them exchange a couple words. He then kissed her on the lips before they parted-- he went down the hall, presumably to his homeroom class, and she stepped into Mrs. Kalahein's room.

As soon as she saw me, she started smiling and she made a beeline for the empty seat next to me.

"Rory the Yeah Yeah Yeahs fan! Nice running into you again. How are you liking Severn Valley High so far?"

"Just fine," I admitted. "Except my old school was really small, so this one's huge in comparison. I got lost."

Montana chuckled. "Yeah? You get used to it. Well, don't get your hopes up too much. This school's shit."

Before I could reply, Mrs. Kalahein started talking and the room fell silent. She welcomed us back for another school year. She told us that she hoped our summers were enjoyable, but that it was time to focus on school again. She went on about how we weren't freshmen anymore and how high school was only going to get harder for us. Then, she took attendance. My name was among the first she called out.

"Aurora Caples?"

"Here."

"You're new, aren't you, Aurora? Welcome to Severn Valley High School!"

I awkwardly smiled and thanked her, wanting the ground to swallow me whole. All the kids were staring at me and Montana was suppressing giggles.