I take a look around the classroom. I bite my lip and sigh. My arm is getting tired of holding up my head up. I'm in 10h grade Economics and the teacher had been droning on and on about— I honestly don't even know.
I look at the kids a couple rows ahead of me. There are a few overly eager ones who stare straight at the teachers and furiously scribbled down every word she says at supersonic speeds.And their notes are the most organized, surprising.
Some people are chatting with others, or just sitting in a very bored position like I am. Some others try to keep up though, frantically trying to keep up with the slides and occasionally panting "Hey, miss! Wait! I'm not done!"
She doesn't really care. We have weak hands from typing so much, apparently. And besides, there are students her who aren't complaining.
I'm not trying. I have my wireless earbuds on under my hoodie but I'm not even listening to anything. I've been asked to take it off, but I only have my bra on under it, so I say I have a cold (even though I haven't uttered a single sniffle all day). Besides, it's been raining almost every day since mid August. It's two Wednesdays into September, and the third week. That's how much rain?
I turn to the window. Ha! It seems like my thoughts have summoned the rain, I giggle internally when I notice the drizzle sliding slowly down the window. An entire year of not enough rain, and now two months of too much.
I look around at my new classmates. I transferred here a week ago. Nobody seems to have any special interest in talking to me, and I'm not all too bothered. These people seem very dull. All they talk about is football and TikTok challenges and their boyfriends. And they're pretty snobby too. I couldn't possibly keep up.
I can't believe it, but I actually miss my old school. The people were shitty, yeah, but at least I knew who the fuck I was dealing with.
The bell rings and I have a sigh of relief. "Dismissal!" Like the others, I quickly gather up my stuff and shove them into my pack. I practically sprint out of the room, bumping into a couple people who give me nasty looks.
"Hey!" the teacher calls just as I reach the door. "Come here."
"Me?" someone asks.
"No. Her," she confirms, pointing right at me. I feel tempted to say I actually use "they/them" pronouns to mess with her, but I don't and just trudge over.
"Yes miss?"
"Air Pods," she says bluntly holding out her hand expectantly. I stare back at her pretending to be confused about what she was saying but then she (VERY RUDELY) reached into my rood and pulled out one of my earphones.
"Um... I say quickly. I need those for, um... auditory.... Um... I'm sound sensitive."
"Didn't see that in your list of classroom accomodations," she murmurs dryly, taking my other Air Pod. "Case. Gimme the case."
I reach into my hoodie pocket and produce the case reluctantly, staring right through her thinking, Hateful bitch. What did I even do to her now?
I leave the classroom without my Air Pods (and almost my hoodie), but I didn't leave my resentment behind, of course. I was sent out with "Come for these at graduation. Ask my students. You don't do this in my class." I want to punch that bitch in the belly. Her big, fat, Jell-O, morbidly —
"Hi."
I almost jump out of my body at this interruption. Someone had jumped right in front of me as I walked out the door.
"What is it?" I snap.
She doesn't flinch or anything (no, I don't think I'm scary) but just does that teeth thing where she only shows her lower teeth and touches her neck. "Sorry. You seem annoyed with something. Not my business though, so you don't have to tell me. I just wanted to give this back."
"What is it?" I ask again, trying and failing to sound polite. My skin is itchy and sweaty, I'm
standing between a shut door and a loud, sweaty crowd of kids, and my sulk sesh just got interrupted. Not my fave situation to be in.
She kids out a piece of paper and I tentatively take it from her. My eyes widen and I stuff it into my pocket as my fave heats up with sheer embarrassment.
She laughs. "Yeah, I saw you drawing this yesterday, and you left it behind on the floor. Thought you might need it."
"Thank you," I manage to half-choke.
"No problem. I guess I'll leave now. And what's you name, by the way? I'm Nikki."
I don't answer. I just want to leave. And so, I do, practically scurrying down the hallway like a mouse in the night among all the huge scary humans that look like they want to step on it. I don't stop until I'm out on the front steps, but it's pouring now and the tiles are wet. I'd pushed right through the doors right onto it, and now I'm on the concrete floor, my ass stinging badly and the edge of a stair digging right into my back. I fell down all five steps right into a puddle. Rain poured into my nose and open mouth as I coughed/groaned/cried.
It took a bit after everyone who was there had a good laugh for someone to help me get up. I just sat there looking down, rubbing my ass, and contemplating doing some very unkind stuff to everyone around and myself.
They took me to the nurse, but by that time I had puddle water in ares I'm not sure puddle water should have been. I don't ever want to sit again, I think as they place me on a plastic chair in the office. I was stripped to my (soaking wet) underwear and had my injuries cleaned while they called for one of my dad's to come get me and bring some clothes. I honestly wonder how I didn't drown. But of course, I now have a sprained ankle that will leave me with a limp for about a couple weeks.
In all, I had a very terrible day, and all I did when I got home was cry to dad and Larry. School is terrible, I say. My teacher hates me, and I don't want to go anymore. Everything is too loud and too strange and too big and I don't like it. I miss my old school, I cry. I miss Grandma. She'd understand.
Of course, I didn't get transferred then, even when I quite literally cried and kicked and rolled on the floor. So why now?