Serenity

Three

I had gotten my first class out of the way without messing up too bad. Of course I had to ask someone for help on how to get here.

I was almost late making it inside the class, but once the teacher figured out I was new, she let me slide. I was just glad she didn't call me out like she did the boy who came in a couple minutes after me.

I was also glad that I didn't have to get up in front of the class and introduce myself like I've had to do at previous schools, but the day wasn't over yet so I better not speak too soon.

I packed up my things and got ready to head out for my next class, but I stopped abruptly when I almost collided into the back of someone who was blocking my pathway out of the door. I didn't know if I should just wait for them to move, or try to squeeze past them.

"Excuse me," I managed to say to get the person's attention. When he turned around, I noticed it was the boy who'd came in class late after me.

"Oh, my bad shorty," he said stepping aside and letting me out of the door. As I tried to walk past, I could feel his gaze, along with someone else's burning into my back.

"Oh that's that new girl," I heard him say to his friend. "She is bad." I don't know if he meant to whisper that or what, but it came out loud and clear.

"Aye new girl!" Malik yelled. I knew he was talking to me, but I buried my face into my class schedule and kept walking, pretending like I didn't hear him.

"Wait up, shorty!" he said. I could hear his footsteps across the floor as he hurried to catch up with me.

I hated being the center of attention, but Malik was making it hard for me to blend in as he yelled at me across the hallway, causing other students to look.

"Where you in a hurry to?" he asked me when he landed at my side. Our footsteps fell right in sync.

"Well to class obviously," I said, realizing that had come out as a smart remark.

I wasn't trying to, but it was a habit. I didn't want to be a smart ass to anyone because I didn't know these people or how they'd respond. I didn't wanna get in a fight on the first day.

"Well duh," Malik stated matter of factly. "Which class you going to?"

"Economics," I said, looking at my schedule again to make sure I had said the right class.

"You know how to get there?" he asked.

"Not really."

"Well let me walk you. I'm headed there too," he said.

I was kind of glad he offered. It was better than me having to muster up the guts to walk up to someone and ask them for help. I hated that I was so shy sometimes. I just had a huge fear of saying the wrong things and looking like an idiot.

"You from here?" Malik questioned as we made our way to our next class. His tall frame looked down on my 5 foot frame as we walked. I tried to avoid eye contact with him because that kinda thing made me nervous.

"Nah. I'm from Mississippi originally," I said, still looking straight ahead as we weaved through other students. I could see his brown eyes scanning me up and down from my peripheral vision.

"Oh, word? You from the middle of nowhere. I heard y'all ain't got nothin' but cotton fields out there."

"Well whoever told you that lied," I said.

I was used to people talking down on Mississippi, so his comment didn't really phase me. No, we didn't have as much as other states did, but people acted like we all lived on farms in straw houses or something.