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"Class, let me have your undivided attention. Today we have a new student. Her family traveled many miles to be here. Treat her with kindness." The teacher opened the door. All this morning, people were chattering about a new kid from America. If I didn't know any better, it would sound like a celebrity was here. The guys were getting riled up in hopes of having the foreigner be a white girl. I was indifferent about the new kid. I was just hoping they weren't going to be annoying. Or racist, seeing that's common in some white people.
Yet that whole idea went straight out of my head when I saw her dark complexion. She was in the standard uniform. Yet, she looked so different. Her eyes scanned across the classroom.
"Hello." She mumbled. At least her pronunciation was good. It wasn't my first time seeing a black person before. I lived in Connecticut for four years, then moved back to Korea. In America, I was able to learn English. I wasn't the best at English, but I could carry on a conversation.
"Why don't you tell us some things about yourself?" The new kid looked back at the teacher. She must not have understood.
Mr. Lee spoke to her slower, and she nodded her head.
"My name is Griffin Yn. I am seventeen years old. I moved from Las Vegas to Seoul. I also have a small Maltese named Snowflake."
The class gasped in astonishment. They burst into applause for her Korean skills. Native Korean speakers know how difficult it is to learn the language. She did a slight bow.
"Thank you for that wonderful introduction. You can have a seat beside Felix." She walked past my desk, and the class just turned their heads to follow her. "Now, let's get started with the lesson." The attention was off of Yn and back to the writing assignment in front of us.
"Ugh! Mr. Lee must be on something with this assignment. How does he expect us to read three chapters and then write an essay about the theme." Bam complained.
"I mean, three doesn't sound that bad." I grabbed the book out of my bag. Looking back to see Felix and Yn talking to each other.
"Yeah, until it's 80 pages." I scrunch my eyebrows. "Yeah, my point exactly."
I guess I'm not getting any sleep tonight. So much for wanting to be an AP student. They didn't tell you about the one to four-hour nights of sleep. Two more months left of this then I will be a senior.
"Hey um, Mr.Lee, Jaehyun and I will work outside in the hallway." Bam, Bam told the teacher. Mr.Lee looked up and nodded his head at us.
We sat at the table that was across from the classroom. As we completed the work, it wasn't that bad. I would read, and Bam Bam would write down the answers. Until he asked me a question.
