Despite All Obstacles Part II

New Girl

BARBARA'S STORY

I arrive to Palm Trees Sr. High on my first day. Being the only black person by two black parents. Also, I don't have to wear uniform, anymore. That's something I won't miss. The students here seem cliquish and cool. I see different Hispanic groups. Different Asian groups. The Arabs in or out of hijabs. The athletes flirting with these girls enjoying the attention. It's like I'm in the Mean Girls movie.

My homeroom's shorter than an average regular class in Obama. All of my regular classes like math and English were alternatives in Obama. The alternative class only had ten students with mental and behavioral issues. The only time I was with the regular kids was art and music and it was like at least twenty-five students in one classroom. I had gym with special ed. last week.

The class is small because this is private school. Public school like Obama is rowdier than here. Everybody in AVID seems more engaged with the subject. For some strange reason, I like it.

After first period, I walk to my new locker. The lockers are cut in halves here. In Obama and Inglewood Heights, I had a full locker. My locker's 234, below 233. My combination number's 3-6-11. It opens. I unzip my bag and take out my binder with my notebooks and pencil case attached in it.

I shut my locker and turn around to see these five nicely dressed girls, who were flirting with the athletes seconds ago, who I now assume are cheerleaders. One biracial, one blonde, one brunette, one auburn, and one Asian, all checking me out.

I ignore them and head to class early. According to my new schedule, today's Day B. I have music now. The schedule has all the classes that I was currently in, last week in Obama. The schedule there does classes by semester. The schedule here does classes by day.

I step into Music Honors and the room is surrounding the teacher's desk. The back is the top row, and the front is the bottom row. Every student has their own instrument. The instrument closet is beside the chalk board with the music lines on it.

"All right. It seems like we have a new student," Mrs. Brooks, my music teacher, happily calls out. She picks up her attendant sheet and looks at me with a pearly smile. "Barbara Steward. Welcome to Palm Trees Sr. High. Where we learn for the better. What instrument do you play?"

None. "I don't play any instruments, Mrs. Brooks. I just sing." I look at the class and they're all staring at me. I feel judged by them all.

"Okay, Barbara. You may take a seat and I'll give you an instrument to play. I don't have any microphones."

The class laughs at that last sentence she says. I get it. Test the new girl. I walk up to the back of the room, right next to a short Asian girl. She seems nice and shy.

Mrs. Brooks walks up to me and gives me a triangle as my instrument. I thank her by giving her a quick smile. She walks to the piano that's in front of the instrument closet.

"All right, students. We're going to be prepared for the holiday orchestra this December. We do this every year. Today's song we're going to play is called 'Oh Happy Day' by Edwin Hawkin Singers. Raise your hand if you heard of 'Oh Happy Day'."

Everybody else in the room mutters to each other and raises their hands. "Great! I'll play the piano and you all play your instruments."

"All right, Mrs. Brooks!" "Whoo!" Everybody politely laughs. She plays the piano, and we follow her lead.

"Wait. We need a singer," the boy who said "Whoo!" interrupts. I know where this is going.

"Barbara, you mentioned that you sing," Mrs. Brooks points out. Everybody faces me with smiles that says "C'mon, Barbara, sing for us". It feels like they want me to choke, so they can laugh at me.