2 First Day of School

I am Hazel Garcia, a fourteen-year-old who just graduated from an all-girl middle school. I graduated with high honors and top one of our class. It wasn't that hard for me because I have great and supportive parents who have always been there for me, figuratively and literally by my side because they both work in an Auto Repair Shop located exactly at our own home. My parents worked really hard for their business to grow so that they would be able to provide me, their only child, only daughter, the best life I could ask for.

Middle school was fun. I made lots of friends and my teachers loved me since I was such a nice and bright student. I never gave them a headache. I aced every test they gave me and I participated in every school activity as well. I even brought home too many medals and trophies every time I represented my school during competitions.

But now that I will enter high school as a freshman at a different school in a different city, I just don't know what my life will be like. Especially now that it's Co-Ed. Will it be easy for me to make friends? Will my classmates like such a nerd like me? Or should I lie low on my academics and prioritize fitting in?

"Just relax," mom said, her eyes focused on the road as she's driving me to school. "Everything will be fine. You're smart. Your teachers will love you."

Today's my first day as a freshman and since last night I was really nervous. I didn't even finish my dinner. Even falling asleep was hard. I woke up at six in the morning and my breakfast was ready on the table. My mom cooked me bacon and pancakes with a glass of orange juice on the side. Dad's still asleep because he was tired from fixing a lot of cars yesterday.

The weather is quite lovely today. The sky is blue and cumulus clouds of different shapes and sizes hide the sun. I am wearing an oversized dark blue jacket, my favorite color, jeans, and a pair of white sneakers. I brought my black shoulder bag with me just in case backpacks aren't a thing here in Grace High School. My wavy brown hair flows down just below my shoulders. I chose not to put it in a bun or even wear hair clips or ribbons because I thought it isn't fit for high schoolers anymore.

As we're nearing the end of the street, I can already see the school. It’s bigger compared to the previous one where I was studying. I saw lots of students walking together with their friends. Some are riding their bikes.

"Wow." I sighed as I’m observing and absorbing this new environment. My heart's really pounding inside my chest.

Mom stopped when we reached the school's entrance.

"So, this is it" she said, releasing her seatbelt before unlocking mine. "Just call me, ok? Call me when there's a problem. I will quickly pick you up and talk to the principal if ever a classmate would try to make fun of you or something"

"I hope I won't call you then." I answered, nervously laughing. Mom smiled.

I hopped out of the car and waved my mom goodbye.

"This is it." I thought to myself.

I managed to walk along with the other students entering the school. Nobody greeted me, of course. This school is new and I'd have to make friends first or else I'd have to get used to this quiet and lonely walk across the hallway.

Students are everywhere. They are all loud and untidy, unlike in my middle school where all the girls are well-mannered and neat. The noise is buzzing through my ears like a swarm of bees is surrounding me. There are people walking in every spot. But even though they're unorganized, you can clearly see the division here. There are those guys who all wear varsity jackets - it's obvious that they're athletes, guys who carry guitars on their back, and then there are several groups of girls with different fashion styles and attitudes. I already know who to stay away from.

My mom already prepared my stuff for me. She already got the map of the school and my schedule from the registrar's office so that I wouldn't have a hard time finding classes. I already have a locker number so I went right into the busy crowd to find it.

"169, 168, 167, 166" I said as I scanned the lockers that I was passing.

I stopped when I got to 164, my locker number. It is near the second to the last classroom, beside the trash bin. As soon as I unlocked it, there's this stinky smell that got out of the locker as if a dead mouse had been trapped there for years. Geez. I coughed. The previous owner probably skipped hygiene class during preschool. Luckily, I brought my alcohol spray with me along with wet tissues and a spare hanky. I cleaned it first before putting my stuff in it. I'll just save designing it for later.

First subject is English and the classroom is just a few steps away from my locker. I took a deep breath before opening the door. Inside, is a well-lit room, not yet filled with students. There are twenty-eight chairs, including the teacher's, I counted. The blackboard, which is actually green, of course, due to a change in material during the 1960s where green plates replaced the traditional black ones since they're cheaper and easier to ship, is located in the front. A lot of the seats are unoccupied since there are only six of us here early. Chairs are grouped into threes which share a desk. There are nine desks in total. Two of the desks at the back are occupied already. The one on the corner beside the window at the left side of the room is occupied by a boy with his head resting on the desk. The other one is at the opposite end of the room, occupied by a girl with short blonde hair, almost a pixie cut. The four others were scattered around and the seat that I chose was the one beside the window in front of the sleeping boy. I carefully sat on the chair and placed my bag on the floor. While waiting for the other students to arrive, I positioned my right elbow on the desk and rested my chin on my hand. The view outside is the school's parking lot. You can see the students getting out of their cars and walking towards the school's entrance.

As time passed and more students arrived, I felt my breathing gradually creeping toward hyperventilation so I bit my lower lip to kind of stop myself from losing so much air. A girl with black, long, shiny, and straight hair that almost reached her hips, approached me.

"This seat isn't taken, is it?" She asked, with a smile on her face. Her voice sounded soft and sweet but not high-pitched.

I smiled back, hoping to look friendly and not awkward. "No, it's not yet taken." I said.

"Well, ok then, I'd take it." She said as she sat down.

The wind brushed through her hair and suddenly the smell of sweet strawberries filled my nose. She wears a plain white turtleneck top tucked in her purple checkered skirt matched with a purple checkered blazer and paired with a white ankle-strap block heels. Her toenails are painted white as well. She placed her white and shiny luxury handbag on our desk.

"My name is Catherine Jacobs," she introduced herself after she settled down. She didn't offer her hand for me to shake but she smiled and that's enough for me. At least, she initiated the conversation.

"Hi, I'm Hazel." I answered "Hazel Garcia."

"Hi Hazel! It's nice meeting you. Gosh! I thought I was gonna be so late! I had trouble drying my hair. It's too thick and long and I spent a lot of time blow drying it. I didn't even have enough time to braid it, that's why I just put on these cute little hair clips I saw on my dresser. Aren't they cute?" She said while pointing at her shiny hair clips.

"Yea, they are." I answered while smiling and nodding my head. I didn't expect that she’s a conversationalist. I'm lucky that she is, because then I wouldn't have to talk too much.

Catherine continued talking and telling me random things about her life until the bell rang and the teacher went inside our classroom. The tall and hunky, blonde guy introduced himself as Mr. Barnes. His jawline is similar to Captain America’s. The girls in class obviously went giddy when he started his ice breaker, just a simple game of “The Boat is Sinking”.