"I'm Bella." I tell my class, even though most of them have known me since kindergarten.
"Hi Bella." The class mumbles as they move along to the next person.
I dread the first day of school. Probably not like everyone else. I dread the paperwork, the confusion, the 'name games', the new paths to class.
I simply dread the first day of school.
The first week of school.
The first month of school.
School in general.
Why do we need to know how world war one was fought. Its over. Why do we need to know it. I'm not going to be a historian. I'm not going to be a professor. I'm going to be me. And being me requires no wars, or algebra, or biology. Being me only requires me.
My thoughts get interrupted by the only sound I ever like to hear in this hell-hole, the dismissal bell.
I gather my books and head out the door.
"Hey Elsa." I hear from behind me. Leah.
"Just because I have white hair, doesn't mean I'm some annoying cartoon character out of the mind of Disney." I chuckle and Leah joins.
"What's your next class?" She grabs my schedule from my hands as I reach my new locker.
"Shit." I say as my locker gets stuck, forgetting about Leah's question.
"Need help?"
"No, I need a new locker." I respond with a sigh, as I move out of Leah's way.
"10-6-15." I tell her my combination, and of course she gets it right open.
"Gracias." I thank, knowing what her responses would be.
"Hey, I'm not good at Spanish. I don't know what that means. Now stop messing with me." She pouts. I knew it.
"De nada." I respond, getting her angrier.
"Really?" She glares, popping her hip out.
"Sí." I answer.
"That means yes, right?"
"Yes you dumbass." I finish, closing my locker.
"Your gonna get in trouble, on the first day of school." She comments as we walk down the hall.
"For?" I ask, since there is a lot of reasons on why I would get in trouble.
She points to her ears and I know she's referring to my ear buds.
I glare at her before responding. "I like my Coldplay more than I like you." I turn off my music as we enter room 232. Spanish.
"Hola." The teacher greets.
"Hola" I tell back.
"Umm, umm, I know this one." Leah says.
"Leah." I start, "just say hola."
"Oh okay. Hola." She finally greets the teacher.
I head toward the back, but Leah grabs my arm and pulls me front.
"I can't fail this year again" she's serious. I set my books down in the seat behind her. "Sit here." She motions to the seat next to her.
"I don't like the front." I stay put, as she sticks her tounge out at me and turn back around.
"Buenas Días! Me llama señora Moyer. ¿Cómo estás?" She speaks.
"Psst. What's she saying?" Leah leans back to whisper to me.
"Good morning. My name is Mrs. Moyer. How are you?" I translate.
"Bien." Leah calls out over all the other mumbles of other students' answers. "That means good. Right?" She leans back to ask me yet another thing.
I nod. This is how this year is going to be. Good thing I know my Spanish.
