To Make A Sound

First Day Of School

" Honey a new school will be great for you." mom said as we drove out the driveway. I don't respond, she always thinks new schools will be great for me but they never are. " Your going to make so many friends, maybe even join the basketball team!" she continued. I hate basketball but I shrug and we keep driving. All I'm ready for is to come home and sleep. " You have to say something to me, I know you don't like new schools, but maybe if you stop getting in the wrong crowd...." I stop her before she can continue by bringing up the weather outside. She gets the picture and stop talking, which I greatly appreciate. Soon we arrive at the school. A Welcome to James Middle School sign greets me when I step out the car. " Do you want me to walk in with you" mom asked ? " No mom. " I reply. She hugs me and drives off leaving me alone in what feels like zoo . Alone like a single leaf on a tree crying out for help.

I wonder in the halls for a decade before I find the principals office. A man who looks like Santa sits there on the phone. He points to a chair and I sit and wait for his call to end. " How can I help you?" he says cheerfully. He even sounds like Santa. " I need my schedule, my name is Zoe Christian." I say. " Oh yes your our new student, I've heard great things about you!" he replied. What good things I wonder as he hands me my schedule , this is my 2nd school of the year. I thank him and leave his office and head toward room 545. I finally make it to class and  take a seat in the far back, away from a single soul. The bell rings and class starts, the teacher notices me  and sends some girl toward me. She has braids in and has pretty light-brown skin ."Hi I'm Quin. You are?" she says softly . " I'm Zoe." I murmur. " Nice to meet you Zoe! By the way I love your shirt, so cute" she says to me.  " Thanks, I like your hair." I say to her. " Thank you, seems like your the only want to notice." she replies. We whisper for a bit and soon the teacher calls on me to tell the class about myself. My worst fear,  I hate public speaking so much that I'd rather run around the entire world till I die than have to talk to a crowd with more than 5 people.  Quin gives me a considerate look and I slowly walk to the front of the class. " I'm Zoe Christian, I like volleyball, pastel colors, skating, cooking, and reading." I say. " What a great personality, my name is Mrs. Faith if you didn't know!" she says. I go back to my seat, class continues, and Quin and me get to know each other more. Eventually the bell rings and I get stopped by a tall dude with shiny black hair. " Hi I'm Elmo." he said. I try not to smirk or laugh because I don't want to be labeled as the mean girl. " You can laugh, it's pretty funny to be named after a puppet!" he jokes. I smile " actually I think it's pretty cute." I remark. He blushes " catch you later." he said shyly. I wave " look who's being all flirty!" Quin teases. "Am not!" I say. We head off to class, turn out we have 5 classes together.

As we walk through the hallway I see many signs asking me who I am, I ponder on that question, for it seems to have no answer. Lunch approaches, my anxiety kicks in as I see hundreds of tiny faces look at me when I walk through the cafeteria doors. I feel like I'm falling in a deep dark hole, soon reality kicks in and I remember I'm just surrounded by a bunch of kids who goals are to fit into a crowd of stereotypes just to survive the next few years of their life. They say school is supposed to be a place for us to express our emotions but if that was so, why do kids get bullied, or pressured into doing wrong? If that was so why is school full of rules that makes us like a cult, all having to do the same thing to fit it. If that was true I wouldn't have to move schools 2 times in one year just to find happiness.

I get my food and find a table, I can tell all the different cliques real quick. The popular kids in one area, the nerdy kids in one area, then there is people like me neutral as can be. I wish it wasn't like that. I wish a big mixer can just come and mix up the cafeteria so there wasn't one specific area. Lunch ends and after that the day goes by fast. Before I know it Quin invites me to her house. I call my mom and I tell she's excited I found a "nice" girl to be friends with . I get on her bus and we go to her home, away from the place of judgement to hopefully a more welcome place.