It Got Worse In The Second Grade

Classroom Struggles

Everyday day I wake up with my sister Caitlin and get ready to go to school. She is two grades ahead of me. She is in Mrs. Foreman's class. I'm in Mrs. Renn's class. She loves teaching me all of the things she learns in class. I love it so much. It makes me feel smarter knowing that I know things she does, and she is a FOURTH grader.

Our days start the same way everyday. She gets out of bed first and is eating breakfast first, while I am still trying to roll out of bed. All of her stuff is so neat, and mine is so messy. She lays out all of her clothes the night before. I just go with whatever I see. Matching isn't my thing. I don't care if I have wrinkles. None of my clothes fit right anyways. I'm so skinny and tall. They don't make clothes that fit me right and most of what I wear are what doesn't fit Caitlin anymore anyways. It only bothers me a little bit. Not a lot.

I finally get over up to eat breakfast and she is already done. We argue about getting ready fast because we need to leave. Obviously we fight about who gets to go to the bathroom first! Also, she hates how I squeeze the toothpaste. I am messy and I don't care. She cares. I don't understand it.

Finally, we are out the door getting on our bikes to head to school. Mom opens the door and shouts, "be home straight after school because we are going shoe shopping!"

"ALRIGHT MOM!" I exclaimed. "You don't have to scream! We haven't even left yet..."

After a hard day of school and trying to keep to myself, Cait and I raced home from school so we could go shoe shopping! We didn't always get to buy new shoes. Maybe once a year.

We finally made it to Payless and mom picked out these white Reebok's that were absolutely hideous! I really wanted these white light up Mickey Mouse shoes, but mom said, "they don't fit your arch right and they aren't narrow enough for your feet sweetie."

I cried on the way home. Mom made me wear them to school as much as I hated them. I don’t like that Caitlin got cooler shoes then me. Her feet were normal and fit a lot of different shoes. Mine didn't. It is always tough finding things that fit me right. I hate how tiny I am. Mommy calls me sticks, I am so small.  I don't think she knows it bothers me.

The next day we went to school.  The same routine as the day before. I was really excited we got there early, because I was able to get a few rounds of teatherball in. I was the queen of it. No one could beat me. I was the queen on the little kid courts.

The bell rang. It sounded like a train horn. They changed it this year from the sound of a typical school bell. I didn't like it.

As we all lined up for class, single file. Two lines. Parallel. We were all chatting about what we did the night before. I was slightly excited to show off my news shoes, but everyone laughed about them because they were basic. Everyone else had super cool new light up kicks. I didn't.  Mine were plain. They were comfortable though,  I can't deny that.

As we all walked into class, Mrs. Renn said, "OH! I just love your news shoes!"

I blushed, thinking that she was noticing how awesome I was... until everyone laughed at me. Mrs. Renn was WEARING THE SAME SHOES! I was mortified. Everyone was making fun of me again. I had to hold back my tears and not cry. I didn't want people to know how much it bothered me. I already didn't want the shoes.  I really wanted to like them, but now I just couldn't. 

The next day I wore my beat up shoes that barely fit. They hurt my feet and gave me blisters. I really just didn't want to be made fun of again. It is the worst feeling ever. All I wanted to do was make new friends. My best friend Courtney left. She used to live across the street, but her family decided they wanted to live in Fairfield. They got a super big house that looked really cool. But they were too far away. So now she goes to K.I. Jones. I wish she never left. She would have told them all to stop laughing at me. She was the best friend ever. I don't know how to stand up to them. Its so scary.

When I got home, my mom noticed I wasn't wearing my new shoes. I can tell it bothered her, like I hurt her feelings. But she didn't say that.

"Why aren't you wearing your new shoes, Fallon?" Asked my mom.

"I just don't like them." I replied.

"But they fit you so well. Aren't they comfortable? They weren't cheap baby girl, and the ones you are wearing don't fit you anymore. You need to be wearing your new shoes." Said mom.

As I am trying to hold back my tears, my mom asks, "whats wrong? Did something happen at school you didn't tell me about?"

As I ran to my room crying, I yelled, "EVERYONE LAUGHED AT ME! I HAVE THE SAME SHOES AS THE TEACHER!"

My mom waited for me to calm down a bit before she walked into my room. "I understand why you are upset. I am sure you were embarrassed to see your teacher in the same shoes. Please don't let the other kids bother you." She pleaded. "Try to let it go. These are some good shoes for running around and they will keep your feet safe. Trust me, this will blow over."

She was right. I wore my shoes the next day and no one said anything. Thank goodness. I was able to go to recess and play and my feet didn't hurt. These shoes were comfortable, I still wished they lit up though.