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edited 2023 ---
1st Person
My sneakers were grey despite being white when I bought them. I think it's from all the nights I've spent outside by myself. I threaded new laces in them to try and make them seem more new, but nothing could take away from the gross color. I finished up the new threading and the tie, pulling the knot by the aglets. Standing to smooth out my shirt, I smiled slightly. The boy's uniform felt good which was all I could ask for. It was simple. I loved that.
I went downstairs and saw Keiko doing her own tie in the mirror. Her blonde hair was knit into a braid. "You look good in that," she said to me in the reflection, "Handsome." She raced to me to punch my arm. "Are you excited?" I shrugged. "Don't lie to me." "I'm not," I replied, making her squint her eyes.
Keiko sighed before fixing my collar, "Be yourself," she told me, "Never change." I wish she couldn't read my emotions as well as she could. Maybe it was a good thing, but definitely not in situations like this.
When we arrived to school, she tugged on my sleeve. "I'll see you at lunch," she smiled, "I can't wait to hear about your classes." "Mmhm." She waved goodbye, quickly flashing me the symbol for "I love you" before leaving me to myself. I always hated being on my own in crowds. It's worse when its strangers. Strangers just hate getting their time wasted. I'm not used to people granting me patience.
I ducked as I walked into the building and immediately people started to look up at me. This was fine, despite the obvious signs that I was the topic of passerby's conversations. I was extremely uninterested in knowing what they said. I've walked down too many hallways of people talking to know what they might be saying.
I instead looked at the windows and the landscape outside. Karasuno was so much more modern looking than my middle school building. My Junior high had rusty metal staircases and dark hallways. Most of the building was brick.
I looked at the signs above each door, searching for my classroom. I was put in the lowest class possible because they assumed it would be easier to follow. I didn't have bravery to tell them that was stupid. The teacher, after I had walked in, recognized that I was the new disabled student and tried their best to introduce themselves in broken sign language. I understood none of it. I sat down at the front per their request as people started to flood the room.
A very small boy walked in with a smile. His cheeks were rosy and his bright orange hair took in all the sun that was shining through the windows. He spotted me with raised eyes and ran quickly to sit behind me. I definitely felt his eyes on me, but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I did feel bad for the ginger boy though. Even sitting down I was tall, so he probably couldn't see anything.
