Long Time, No See

I: II

Momma hugs me extra hard today when we leave the car.

Today is my first day of fifth grade.

Tightening my backpack strap and straightening out my burgundy school uniform and dark grey skirt she squats down to my height and holds my face gently between her warm hands. "Be strong today baby, strong like Samson," she says.

Samson from the Bible. Daddy read me his story last night.

"Samson died momma". I tell her with a frown on my face.

"Don't get smart with me young lady, or I'll pop you upside the head," she says but I know she's kidding because she tickles my sides.

"Sorry momma" I giggle.

I bring my Barbie backpack closer to me and momma drops me to the front door of my elementary school classroom. Grade 5: Ladybug class.

When I turn, she's walking back to the door. Momma always leaves quickly to get to her job at another school which is a block away. She teaches at a private school for really, really smart children.

"Morning Denise!," My teacher cries. She has curly orange hair and wears loose clothes with a necklace that has a huge blue rock on it. Grandma says it's because she's a hippy, Daddy says she's just a different type of spiritual.  "Go put your bag away and sit at your desk sweetie," she says pushing me gently into the classroom.

"Yes Mrs Tutolage" I nod and run into the colorful classroom.

______

I love school because during class Mrs Tutolage gives me gold stars when I'm good or answer loads of questions.

I hate school because I have no friends.

Grandma says I have to be my own friend. Daddy says he'll pray for me. Grandma rolls her eyes at that.

Momma says making friends isn't hard, that I have to try really hard to talk to people who are like me.

But I guess no one else is like me.

When it's lunchtime, I run to the table in the far corner of the cafeteria. Our elementary school shares the cafeteria with the middle school children. They are much taller than us and they treat us really badly.

Leena and Kali treat me badly too.

They are girls in my class that like to pick on me all the time.

A lot of people like to pick on me actually...

We go to early lunch with the middle schoolers today because Mrs Tutolage forgot her lesson equipment at home. She almost said a bad word too when she realised.

I sit by myself in the cafeteria and watch the middle school class and my class eat with their friends and talk. Leena and Kali walk past me and laugh before stopping and turning to look at me. Kali's face goes all weird and she starts fanning the air by her nose.

"Denise! Yuck did you fart?" She shouts turning some of the heads of people in our class.

"W-What no! I didn't!" I shout quickly to stop them from attracting more people to laugh at me.

"Ew Kali! I totally smell it too Denise farted!" Leela joins in whining in a high squeaky voice.

"I didn't! I swear I didn't!" I cried, whilst the girls around us started to laugh at me.

"Dirty Denise!" Leena laughs. I bite my bottom lip whilst my hands start shaking again and my eyes water.

"I-I didn't, I-I'm not dirty..." I whisper but everyone is too busy laughing to notice the really bad shaking of my hands. I watch everyone's eyes stare down at mine and their faces seem evil.