Safe

Lay Low

Back to School Count Down: 0 days

My eyes fluttered open to my dad kissing my temple. His soft voice and reassurance that he loves me was a wonderful way to start the day.

"I've made pancakes and coffee. Get ready and I'll help you get your stuff in the car."

I smiled. I didn't dare speak. My morning breath would have killed him and I didn't want him to go yet.

I pulled the covers off of me and walked over to my closet. Opening the closet door I looked at the outfit I picked out. I decided that it wasn't the right one. I'm not sure why the first day of schools outfit is so important. But I decided to start again. I thought about wearing a dress. But that didn't feel authentic. I don't usually wear dresses. Why lie about what I'm wearing. I thought about jeans. Jean's are boring. I decided on my pants with one leg gray and black checkers and one leg plain black. I pair that with a deep red tee shirt that only goes above my waist if I put both arms up. The light material should keep me cool. I slip on my new black converse and put my hair in to a pony tail. I look in the mirror one more time and the pony tail doesn't look good. My hair is too frizzy. I tie a red bandana around my head like a head band. That looks better, I guess.

Whatever. I head down stars with my back pack full of supplies and a bag with a change of clothes to keep in my locker for emergencies. I plop my stuff down near the door and head back to the kitchen. I pick up a round pancake and hold it like a taco. My dad gives me a funny look, that look that means 'use your manners'. I look at the clock on the oven and relax. I have 5 minuets before I have to leave. I put whipped cream on a pancake and gobble it up. My dad picks one up and takes tree bites out of it. He holds it up and lays it on his face. It's terrifying but hilarious. I follow suite and put one on my face. We wait for my brother whom we hear trotting down the stairs. We look away and then at the same time whip our heads towards him and scream. He screams, then laughs. The pancakes fall off out faces giving our peripheral vision back. I notice that it's now 7:45.

"Dad! We got to go!"

He looks at his watch and stands up. He picks up my bag for me and tells my brother to behave while he's gone. 

We run to the car and pull out of the drive way.

"Are you excited?"

"Dad. You ask this every year."

"But this year's different." I couldn't argue with that. This year will be very different. I'm slightly terrified. 

"I'm kinda excited. But I'm planing on laying low."

"Well. Hopefully that works." He turns on the classic rock radio station and we drive in silence until we pull in to the school. 

"Have fun sweetie!"

"Thanks dad. Love ya."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Putting all the crap in my locker only takes a few minutes and soon I'm off to first period. I'd like to get to all my classes early to claim the best seat: the one in the back next to the least amount of people as possible. It doesn't take long to find the classroom. I walk in and the teacher is sitting behind her desk. She looks kind. I hope she's cool. I survey the seats, and for a second I don't see anything. Then I notice a seat next to one kid. He seems pretty quiet too. Maybe he won't talk to me. I navigate through the desks, chairs and backpacks. I am arrive at the seat, sit down and pull out my notebook. Waiting for the bell to ring is the worst part. Tapping my fingers on the desk, attempting to look busy. Watching groups of kids chatter about what they did over the summer. I pull out a pen and begin to doodle. Finally, the bell rings. The teacher stands up from her desk and walk to the center of the classroom and looks all of the students. She opens her mouth to speak but closes it. She looks at a few more kids then looks directly at me. I break the gaze and she moves on. She calls on a student, asks them to stand up and tell the class one thing about themselves. The blonde girl basks in the attention. She starts talking about how she's a cheerleader and how she hopes we all come to the football games. I roll my eyes and a few kids snicker. My teacher gestures for the girl to sit down and she calls on another kid. He stands up slowly and quietly responds with a 'yes mam?' The teacher smiles a sweet smile at him and asks him to repeat what the girl had said. He blushed and informed the teacher that he didn't listen. When she asked why he reported with, "As soon as she started I knew what she was going to say. She said it to everyone before class started." More snickers erupted and now the girl blushed. The teacher chuckled. She continued to ask people to stand up and answer some kind of question. Almost everyone was called upon. I wasn't yet. The bell rang just as she called my name. She dismissed everyone and said we might hear from those who didn't speak tomorrow. I thought this was a literature class.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the end of the day I was worn out and thankfully only had math homework. The easiest subject. I waited out side for my dad's car and watched his old red Chrysler pull up to the front of the line. I hoped in and the ac felt like heaven. The drive home was quiet. I got home an took a nap. I was exhausted.