Do You Remember

Sia's Accident

Sia's Point of view:

I slowly walked away from Sia. I didn't want to leave her. She was supposed to help me! Be with me! Oh, get a grip! Stop being a wimp! I told myself.

I walked through the twisting hallways. I scanned the walls, searching for room 124. The French classroom. 119, 120, 121, 122, 123... FINALLY!!! 124.

I slipped inside the classroom, trying not to attract attention. But, the door creaked, and a middle aged man, most likely the teacher, for he was sitting on a stool reading a book to the class, looked up. He immediately saw me, and I could feel my cheeks burning. The rest of the students were staring, too. I fixed my eyes on the globe near the teacher, to avoid getting embarrassed by looking at the students. I gulped, just as the man began talking. "How nice of you to join us, Ms. Miller, I was beginning to worry," he stated with mock concern. My eyes darted back and forth between the globe and his face. My cheeks were on fire. Surely, I was going to get teased by this all the way through middle school. I could tell that this teacher was a mean one, judging by the air of unease around him. Or maybe it was like this for every teacher.

"I-I was l-lost, s-sir." I stammered, staring down at my sneakers. I heard snickers of laughter from the pupils.

"That will do," the man said sternly, as a boy tried to call an unfriendly name out to me. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, students." I looked up to see a few of them cowering in their chairs. I shuffled to my seat, hoping to get a clean getaway. "Not so fast, young lady. I'm not done with you," the teacher told me. I clumsily got to my feet and tripped over them as I walked over to his stool. He set the book down on his brown, wooden desk nearby, and stood up.

"I need a word with you out in the hall." He said. I dropped my gaze to the floor, and followed his polished black shoes to the hallway. He sat me down in a chair, and dragged one over for himself.

"Late for class... not a good idea, Ms. Miller..." he told me, making tsk, tsk sounds with his tounge.

"It's my first-" I began.

"Your first day. I know. Still bad, if you ask me..." he paused, and I suddenly became interested in the fabric of my sweatpants. "I am not like most teachers, Ms. Miller. I do not give anyone an excuse for being late, new or not! You should have gotten here earlier, to get to know this place. But, since you didn't, I will have to give you a detention, Ms. Miller."

"But-"

"No buts. You obey me, without complaints!" And he stormed off, swinging the door open, and slamming it shut. Tears trickled down my cheeks, and I felt like I had been holding something in the whole time. I raced to the bathroom, and stared in the mirror, clutching the rim of the sink, bawling my eyes out. I stayed there for who knows how long, but I just couldn't seem to stop the waterworks. After a long time, I was aware of the noise I was making, what with the gasps and the echos. I tried to calm down, with no effect. The tears just kept coming.

Suddenly, I could hear footsteps coming. I ran to a stall and locked myself in. It was in the second row of stalls, so it would be hard to find me. I climbed on top of the toilet, clutching a bar on wall for support. I silenced my crying(finally), and sucked in a breath as I saw the black sneakers. Tanya's shoes. I was vaguely aware of holding my breath, for Tanya had called out,"Sia! I know you're there! You've missed two classes! Come on!" I wanted to climb off of the toiled, and go over to her, but I couldn't let her see me like this.

I waited until she was gone, and climbed safely down to the floor. I unlocked the stall door, and walked over to the hallway. It was empty. It had to be about mid class time. I saw Tanya enter a classroom, and I wanted so badly to run up to her, and hug her, and tell her I was alright. But... No. I would have to go to class then, and for some reason, I couldn't. I was afraid. After what happened in French class, I never wanted to step foot in this school again.