anything for you

7

4th period. Biology.

I walk into class before the hallways even fill with people. Nobody has been dismissed from lunch yet but I didn't care. I wanted to be safe in a classroom.

"Hi is this Mrs.Creap's class?"

"Yes it is dear why are you here so early?"

She looked genuinely concerned for me. I could tell she saw that my eyes were red and puffy.

"I'm Anna, your new student, I think. I didn't wanna eat lunch alone so I just sat in the bathroom."

"Well, Anna. You can always come in here you know, it's okay. Come here and I'll get you settled in."

She reminds me of that English teacher I met in the morning of how nice she is. You can tell she once had blonde hair but now it's grey. She looks about 60 and has really brown eyes. Her skin is tan and her smile seems like it fills up a room.

I slowly walk over to her and she checks her computer and walks me over to a seat at a table,

"You can sit here, since it's a table two others will be sitting with you but it's alright dear."

I honestly don't mind her calling me that. I want a hug from her, she smells like cinnamon and vanilla. Maybe some weed?

I put my binder and computer down and follow her back to her desk. She gets me a biology book and has me fill out a card so that I can return it when the school year ends.

We talk for a little bit about how my first day has been going. I decided to leave out most of it. I told her I was nervous and I got lost but an English teacher helped me.

"Oh did you catch her name by chance?"

"No Mrs, I forgot to ask."

"Hmmmm" she takes off her glasses and cleans them with her shirt,

"Tomorrow if you see her ask for her name and introduce yourself, I'm sure she'll like you just fine."

What? Does she even know who I'm talking about? There's 15 other English teachers in this building and she knows the exact one I'm talking about?

My thoughts were interrupted as the bell rang and people started filling the hallways. I asked her to please not make me stand up in the class and she laughed and said she wasn't going to do that anyways.

Thank god.

I make my way to my seat and look at my lap, I won't have a desk, I have to share this table with two other people. What if we have to work in groups? What if they already know?

Stop it Anna. You're overthinking.

My classroom begins to fill as Mrs. Creap is writing the lesson plan on the board and is saying hello to all the students who are coming in. I don't recognize any of them yet. But that doesn't mean they don't recognize me.

I put my elbow on the table and rest my head in my hand with my eyes closed. Trying to convince myself to calm down and breathe.

"Hey it's you again"

I don't look up because I figure whoever is talking, isn't talking to me.

They tap on the table and sit down next to me. I look up at him and realize it's the same boy that was trying to comfort me in the hallways. I accidentally gasp and muster out a shy "hi" before looking putting my head back in my hand.

"Oh look who is here Hannah! The freak"

I look up and see Lauren and Hannah laughing at me. Lauren looks at the class and some of them laugh only because she is laughing too. I look back down as my eyes begin to water