Love Above all Else

3. It Takes Courage

"Hi, my name is Patience Kuiper. This is my first day. I was wondering if you could direct me where to go."

"Well hello there. You will need to make your way to the gymnasium and wait for the best to ring, Okay sweetie?"

"Yes ma'am."

I make my way out of the office and into the gym and look around at all the seats. The first seat I can make my way to, I go to sit down. To my surprise, a dark-haired figure comes from beside me and sits right in the spot I was going to sit. 

"Watch where you're going oh my gosh.," she says to me. I just try to keep my head up and seem confident. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Instead, I sit down two rows behind her. The girl sitting beside her keeps looking back at me and giggling. I am already the talk of the school. How? As soon as one person noticed, so did another. Talk moves fast around here. It wasn't like everyone was concerned about me, but a lot of people were. 

"Hey, can I sit here?" a smooth voice asked from above me. Startled, I look up only to see Riley. 

"Oh. It's only you. Yeah, you can definitely sit here."

"Well don't sound so enthusiastic."

"I'm sorry. I am so anxious."

"Don't even worry. You will do just fine." We sit and talk for a little while.

"Hey, would you mind showing me to my class?"

"I would be glad to."

*Brriiiiing*

"Finally. That felt like forever.," I say to Riley. 

"I know right. It will feel like that every time, I swear."

"Oh gosh."

~~~

"Thank you for walking me to my class. When will I see you next?"

"How about lunch? I think we have the same lunch block"

"Sure. I will see you then"

I twist the handle to the door, and like a movie in slow-motion, I take each step to y doom. Except it isn't my doom. Everyone already in here is excited, and everyone rushing in past me is excited too. 

"Good morning students! Settle down. settle down.  Everyone, please find a seat." I pick a seat behind the front row in the middle and sit down quickly. "My name is Mr.Chant. I will be your English three teacher. Now I will start by passing out the syllabus and going over what you will need for this class. On the syllabus, you will find this year's reading list." He droned on for the next hour.

~~~

Around four hours later, I made my way to the cafeteria and worked my hardest to find Riley. I find her over to the right at a table with her and two other people. A tall red headed muscle boy and a short stubby redheaded girl with braids and glasses just like mine. I make my way over to the group that is already eating.

"Hey. Mind if I sit here?"

"Oh my gosh of course! Nate scoot over." The red-headed guy moves over a seat to the right with his food, leaving space for me. I look up and Nate and the mystery girl are staring at me. They likely want an introduction.

"Hi. I'm Isabelle. And you are?"

"Oh, where are my manners?! You already know me, Riley, but these are Nate O'conner and Chevrolet O'conner, but we just call her Chevy."

"It is nice to meet all of you." I sit and listen to their banter for the entirety of lunch. I am so enthralled by their roles in the group that I find myself staring multiple times during the block. Nate steals food from their plates, and the girls get mad. The girls talking about boys and academics just for Nate to chime in with how stupid it all is. They have their own world in this cafeteria of chaos, no matter what is going o they have something to talk about. Even though it's the first day, it's as if their having each other makes it all okay. I can imagine myself looking back and thinking gratefully, "This is the group that accepted me on the first day". Most people say that takes good luck, but I like to say it takes courage.