"why do i need glasses, momma? are my eyes broken?" drew asks shuffling next to momma, pushing his clear, round glasses up his nose. momma chuckled, "of course not baby, your eyes are just a little blurry." he nods and comes to a stop next to momma, who's kneeling down.
"okay baby, have a good day at school today, and when you get home today i want to hear all about your day," momma smiles and gives drew a big slobbery kiss on the cheek. he giggles, hugs her tightly, and runs into the big, new campus. his new yellow backpack bouncing and shaking his belongings to the rhythm of his feet.
two tall, old women stop him, "excuse me young man, what do you think you're doing?" drew catches his breath and points at the number he had drawn on his hand earlier this morning, "room 7."
the first woman looks him up and down suspiciously and sighs to the other, "you already know who the trouble kids going to be." the two of them scoff and giggle almost simultaneously.
the second woman orders, "room seven is three doors down. walk. don't run." drew nods and promptly speed walks to the room with a big red 7 painted on the front of it. he swings the door open and peeks inside to find a big, colorful room. walls covered in drawings and posters and paintings. he wanders into the room and sits at a desk in the very front.
"um, hello, can i help you?" a thin woman with long blonde hair stands up from her desk and inches toward drew. drew shakes his head, "i am waiting for school."
the woman tilts her head to the side slightly, "you're in my class? you were assigned room seven?" drew nods with a large smile, "are you my teacher?" the woman sighs and lifts her shoulders, "looks that way," and goes back to her desk.
drew's eyes return to the colorful wall. he sounds out the words 'Welcome Students!' written neatly on the board. "what's your name?" the teacher asks, eyeing her new student skeptically. "my name is andrew. but i like to be called drew." she murmurs shaking her head, "that's why... he doesn't have a funky name." the teacher scans her name chart and rolls her eyes.
ten minutes later the classroom is filled with loud, happy children looking and touching everything possible in the room. a group forms near the front of the class, mocking drew.
"look at how big his glasses are"
"it looks like somebody put poop on him"
"wheres his hair?"
"okay students, my name is Ms. Drouillard. can everyone stand up in the front of the class?" ms. drouillard directs the children in a single filed line along the front chalkboard. she counts each of the kids, takes role, and finds one student is missing.
"of course, there's always that one. now class, i'm going to assign seats. that means wherever you were planning on sitting this year isn't going to happen. i'll call each one of your names and direct you to a seat. let's start with Andrew; you're last row third from the left."
drew's heart sank for three reasons: 1) he loved learning, and the front row was the best seat for doing just so. he loved sitting in the front. 2) ms. drouillard called him andrew when he specified how he likes to be called drew. and 3) as he shuffled to the back desk he heard a kid say, "stupid gorilla's the only loser that chose a seat anyways."
@-----@
okay so this is not only my first story in a long time, but my first story in the point of view of a poc. i don't ever mean to offend anyone. if anything offends you, lemme know and stop reading. hope you like it tho.
YOU ARE READING
blurry nights
General Fiction"my skin is dark as night, but you're the one with constellations across yours"
