youth | chensung

1

   Here I go again. New school, new setting and new country this time. I craned my neck, observing every inch of the map of the school, so I could find the students assistance office. My eyes scanned over the principles office, then the broadcasting room, and finally, the students assitance office. 

  I was more than excited to finally find the students assitance office after already struggling to get to school by myself and then having to get past the security system without a student pass, and just to top it all off, I stepped in some kids gum and now have pink chewing-gum stuck on the bottom of my Gucci sneakers.

  I exhaled. A sigh of relief. I did not want to get stuck in a crowd of hungry students on their way to the cafeteria and fortunately for me, I wouldn't have to. 

  It was my mother's idea for me to start my first day at my new school in the middle of fourth period which was right before lunch. It being the middle of class, I had no one to ask for directions from, but I did have a very empty and hungry stomach that made me want to puke from nerves, that want increasing by the second. 

  I shuffled my confused feet in the direction I remember the office being in the map I just focused on, regretting not taking a photo with my phone. I ran a hand through my black hair, the habit calming my nerves. As I brushed my hand through my black locks, I realized how sweaty and clammy they were and wiped both hands on my pants. 

  Before I knew it, I reached the door to the office and immediately heard a disembodied female voice chastising a student from inside the closed office. My eyes scanned the area while my ears tried to eavesdrop. 

  I noticed three chairs lined up outside. Every chair was empty. I tried distracting myself with the chairs, running my hand up and down the side as the conversation got heated. It seemed as if the classrooms weren't soundproof at all by the way I could hear every syllable that was said. 

  "This is the seventh time this semester. This kind of behavior is unacceptable. You get one last chance, before you get expelled, but for now, you're suspended. Do you understand?" The female voice demanded.  There was a pause of silence and eventually no reply.

   "I'm calling your parents." The woman's voice was stern.

  My hand hesitated to retrieve from the chair, unsure if this was a bad time or not, but either way, I led myself back to the door of the office, letting my hand linger there breifly. I knocked on the door even more hesitantly. 

  "Take a seat and wait outside!" A chirpy voice called out, though it sounded oddly familiar to the one that was scolding someone earlier. I took a seat on one of the plastic, blue chairs, slipping my backpack off my shoulders, the weight dropping with ease. I slid my bag beneath the chair and tried to relax. 

  The disembodied voice became slightly muffled and I heard footsteps following a few seconds after she spoke. An unsteady shuffling sound. It was like someone was pacing around the room. My guess was that it was whoever was being scolded prior to that moment. 

  "Go wait outside. Your mother is coming to pick you up." The voice ordered. I heard more unfamiliar noises just before my ears picked up on "Come in!"

  I impatiently leapt from my seat, grabbing my bag and reached for the door handle. Just as I was about to pull the door open, it was pushed open in my direction. I quickly dodged getting a face-full-of-door, but accidentally ran into whoever was leaving the room in a rush. 

  Our foreheads bumped, leaving my head spinning and my eyes wandering for the next few seconds, unable to comprehend what I had just seen. Damn, his head was firm. The boy seemed unfazed, pushing his way past me with his stiff body.