Inside the Head of a So-Called Robot

Chapter 4

Zara's Point of View:

On your marks...

Get set...

GO!!!

Clutching my belongings close to my chest, I charged straight into the mass of students before me.

I was immediately bombarded by various smells: pungent body odour, intoxicating body sprays, and the faint scent of baked goods wafting down the hallway. All I could see were elbows, knees, and the stomachs of girls wearing crop tops.

Squaring my shoulders, I kept propelling my body forwards. I had no choice; if I stopped, I would be swept away by the current of teenagers, never to be seen again.

It seemed like every person I passed was a looming giant, each individual at least a foot taller than me. This must be how mice feel: insignificant, belittled, and anxious to cross a room without getting stepped on.

As I continued moving, I realized that the corner of the school was now visible. I almost made it! I just need to walk a few more meters and...

"In the name of Gryffindor..." I whispered to myself as I gazed upon the sight in horror.

Before me spanned a hallway at least three times wider than the one I had just been in. There were no lockers against the walls. Instead, the entire right side of the hallway was lined with students waiting to purchase their lunches.

At the very end of the hallway, huge double doors were open to reveal the cafeteria's seating area. Hundreds upon hundreds of teenagers were eating at the tables, on the floor, and even while standing in the corners. There wasn't enough space in the cafeteria, so some students were even forced to take their lunch while wandering the halls.

"You there! Hurry up! Some people are in a hurry to eat, unlike you!"

I was shoved from behind as a group of girls went to get in the lineup. Stumbling, I managed to right myself and refocus my thoughts. Mumbling to myself, I began to walk away from the cafeteria and down yet another hallway.

"I need to find Allison so I can figure out where my next classes are. Based on her previous solitary behaviour and studious habits in math class, I can infer that she doesn't eat her lunch in the cafeteria. She was also chosen as my guide, so she must be a good student. That means that she either eats her lunch in a classroom or at the library!"

Pausing for a brief moment, I surveyed my surroundings. There was a staircase nearby, so I headed straight towards it. I mounted the steps two at a time and then started speed-walking towards what I hoped was the library.

The students in this hallway appeared to be older, all of them in either eleventh or twelfth grade. Everyone was with their friends, no one in a group with less than five people.

I approached the nearest teen with the idea to ask for directions. I was reaching over to tap her on the shoulder when she suddenly burst into laughter. The girl was clutching her stomach, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Maybe I should find the library on my own," I whispered to myself.

Glancing up at one of the clocks on the wall, I realized that I only had ten more minutes until the bell rings. I began to walk even faster towards the end of the hallway.

I was turning around the corner when I slammed into a group of guys. I tumbled to the ground, my knees hitting the floor hard. Still on the floor, I peeked through my curtain of hair and surveyed the scene.