Middle School Of Weird - A Tale of Friendship

First Day

Quill

*BWAH BWAH BWAH BWAH BWAH BW-* I slammed my thumb onto the "off" button on my iPod. Why I picked the "alarm" sound effect for my alarm I had a bit of trouble figuring out. Ah, well, at least I was up. I turned the lights on through squinched eyes and surveyed my room. The shades were up, because my room was at the front of the house and I liked my privacy, at least at night. My school uniform - a blue polo shirt with a red-and-black plaid skirt - was draped over my desk chair. My ID hung on a peg on my pegboard, and my watch was on my bureau.

I turned on my radio, something I'd learned from past experience woke me up a bit easier than just making my bed and getting dressed in silence. I shimmied along to "Wildest Dreams" as I pulled my quilt over my sheets. I pulled the shades down so the bottom halves were up but sunlight could still get in, even though it was still dark outside. I got dressed out in the open in my room, as it was 6:18 by that point, so anyone coming in to wake me up was unlikely. To a stranger, this would have looked like a normal school day for a normal girl. Being tired is a great way to hide fear, though. After getting dressed I ran downstairs, where my mother had been making some instant oatmeal for me and my brother.

"Big day! Ooh, my girlll!" Mom said, pulling me into a hug. I nodded nervously and hugged her back. Today was going to be my first day at school - even though I was in 7th grade. I had been homeschooled up to today, and I was a panicky, nervous wreck. Even though I had packed and repacked everything in my backpack at least six times last night, it was still scary. It was 7th grade, everyone had gotten past the "Ohmigosh 6th grade I know absolutely no one" phase. I had to join a pre-existing group of friends fast, and learn the inside jokes. I also had to remember how to use a locker. Shit.

My brother stumbled in, still in his pajamas as I was halfway through my oatmeal. I didn't have to say anything. He knew I was judging him. Hard. If there were ten words to describe my brother, one of them was lazy. I gulped down the rest of my oatmeal, dashed upstairs to brush my teeth, grabbed my backpack and lunch, and was standing by the front door in a matter of ten minutes. I was fairly certain that was a world record. Mom got out her phone to take a picture of us in our uniforms out on the steps. It took three tries to find a Facebook worthy picture. Later that day I would find my attempt at a closed-mouth smile was in fact a somber gaze. At the time, however, I had actually felt energized. Whatever fears had plagued me that morning were soothed. I felt ready. I could do this.

Right?