A New Beginning

The main character, Luna, an introvert girl, slowly opened her eyes as the sun's first rays streamed through her window. She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes and taking in the sight of her room. As she thought about the day ahead, her nerves built up in her stomach. It was her first day at a new school today, and she felt anxious about meeting new classmates and teachers. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down before getting ready for the day ahead. Luna finished preparing for school, her nerves building up with each passing moment. She took a glance at her reflection in the mirror and tried to calm herself down. As she thought about the day ahead, she couldn't shake off the butterflies in her stomach. However, she reminded herself that she could handle it and headed downstairs for breakfast. Despite her nerves, Luna knew that starting her new school would be an exciting adventure with many opportunities to make new friends.

Luna stood outside her front door, the combination of excitement and nervousness was overwhelming, and she couldn't help but wonder if she was truly prepared for this new chapter in her life. This was the moment she had been preparing for, the start of her first day at a new school. She could feel her heart beating rapidly against her chest, a clear indicator of the mixture of emotions she was experiencing. With her backpack slung over her shoulders and her shoes laced up tightly, she took a step forward and started her journey toward the school gates.

As she approached the school gates, Luna couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. Her stomach had started twisting into knots, a clear sign of her anxiety. She took a few more steps forward, trying to gather her thoughts and calm her racing heart. As she did so, she couldn't help but think about all the potential challenges that lay ahead on her first day at her new school. Luna cautiously made her way through the bustling hallways, scanning the room numbers on the walls for her classroom. As she turned the corner, she collided with someone, causing her to stumble backwards. "Sorry! I didn't see you there..." She looked up to apologize to the person she bumped into, but froze when she saw who it was.

A girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes stared at her. It was Estella, the school bully. "Can't even walk down the hallway without bumping into someone. What are you doing here anyways, don't you belong in the kindergarten section?" She let out a mocking cackle, enjoying the horrified look on Luna's face. Luna's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She opened her mouth to apologize again, but Estella cut her off abruptly. "Look at you, standing there like a lost puppy. Did your mommy not teach you how to walk straight?" With a sharp shove, Estella jostled Luna's shoulder, causing her to stumble backwards. "Now get out of my sight before I make your first day even worse." 

With a final glare, Estella walked away, leaving Luna feeling humiliated. She stood there for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts and calm herself down. The encounter with the school bully had left her feeling shaken and vulnerable. However, she knew she couldn't let this setback derail her day. Taking a deep breath, Luna steeled her nerves and continued down the hallway to find her classroom. As she continued down the hallway, Luna fought back tears, determined to stay strong and prove to herself that she could handle whatever lay ahead. The sound of students chatting and laughing in nearby classrooms echoed through the hallway, reminding her how isolated she felt. She kept her head down as she walked, avoiding eye contact with the other students passing by. Despite the fear and uncertainty that weighed heavy on her heart, she kept moving forward. Though the memory of Estella's harsh words and physical gesture left her feeling shaken and vulnerable, Luna took a deep breath and tried to suppress the negative emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. She knew that she had no control over Estella's behavior and that dwelling on it would only make her feel worse.

With that in mind, Luna turned her focus towards finding her classroom and getting through her first day as best she could. As Luna walked down the hallway, she couldn't help but feel the sting of Estella's harsh words and behavior. It took all of her willpower to push those thoughts aside and focus on finding her classroom. She knew that letting herself dwell on the negative encounter with the school bully would only make her first day harder. With each step, she tried to remind herself that she was stronger than the unkind words that had been directed at her. As Luna continued down the hall, she began to pay closer attention to the classroom numbers on each door.

At last, she came across the correct classroom - Room 104. She let out a sigh of relief, thankful to have finally found her destination after the disheartening incident with Estella. To her delight, a quick glance into the classroom revealed that Estella was nowhere to be seen. As Luna settled into her seat and began to mentally prepare for the day ahead, she was suddenly jarred from her thoughts by the sound of footsteps approaching. "Hi! I'm Ame," the girl said, her smile widening as she extended a hand in greeting. "I haven't seen you around before. Are you new here?" Luna tensed up as the person drew closer, bracing herself for another negative interaction. However, as she looked up and saw the person's face, Luna let out a sigh of relief. It was not Estella - it was a different girl with a friendly smile on her face. She also shakes Ame's hand. "Uhm h-hi, ni-nice to meet you. I-I'm L-Luna." Ame was very surprised of her name. She even complimented Luna's name that makes Luna feel a bit confident. The teacher, Ms. Mio, walked into the classroom and surveyed the students with a warm smile.

"Good morning, class," she greeted, her voice carrying a sense of authority and kindness. "I hope you all had a wonderful start to the semester." As the students settled into their seats, Ms. Mio continued, "Today we have a new student joining us," she announced, gesturing towards Luna. "Will you please introduce yourself, Luna?". Luna felt her heart skip a beat as she stood up in front of the class, her palms beginning to sweat. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before speaking. "H-h-hello," she began, her voice trembling. "My name is Luna, and I'm new at this school." There was a moments silence as the other students took in her shy and timid introductions. A few students snickered and whispered amongst themselves, making Luna feel even more self-conscious. Ms. Mio noticed Luna's discomfort and quickly intervened. "Now, now, class," she chastised, her voice firm but gentle. "I expect all of you to make Luna feel welcomed and make her feel comfortable here." The class mumbled their apologies, and Luna took her seat, feeling a sense of relief at Ms. Mio's support.

Ame, the friendly girl she had met earlier, smiled at her reassuringly, offering a subtle comfort during the awkward moment. With the introduction out of the way, the class settled into their usual routine. Ms. Mio began to review the lesson plans for the day, her voice a soothing background noise as Luna tried to focus on the task at hand. Despite her previous anxiety, she felt marginally better thanks to Ms. Mio's kind words and Ame's friendly demeanor. The remainder of the lesson went smoothly and quickly, giving Luna a chance to take a breath and gather her thoughts before the next class. As the period came to a close, the bell rang loudly, jolting Luna out of her reverie. The class erupted into commotion as students gathered their materials and prepared to head to their next class. Luna took a deep breath, steeling herself for the next challenge and hoping that the next class would go better than the first. In the midst of the chaos, Ame turned back to Luna and offered a small smile as she grabbed her bag.

"See you later," Ame said, her voice barely audible above the noise of the bustling classroom. She gave Luna a small wave before disappearing into the sea of students filtering out into the hallway.

Left alone with her thoughts, Luna sighed and gathered her things, preparing herself for what lay ahead. As she left the classroom and entered the hallway, Luna felt a rush of nerves wash over her once again. The hallway was swarming with unfamiliar faces and the noise was overwhelming. She couldn't help but feel like everyone was staring at her, judging her. She tried her best to remain composed and focus on finding her next class, but the anxious thoughts swirling in her mind made it difficult to concentrate.

After a couple minutes of wandering the crowded halls, Luna finally made her way to Room 205, her second class of the day. Her heart was still beating rapidly in her chest, the anxiety from her earlier encounter with Estella not yet fully dissipated. As she stepped into the room, she noticed that it was much smaller and less chaotic than her first class. It seemed as though most of the students in this class were familiar with each other, making Luna feel even more out of place. Luna nervously scanned the room, looking for an empty seat. She spotted a few open chairs near the back of the room, away from the rest of the students. Taking a deep breath, she made her way towards the empty seat, praying that no one would pay her any attention.

As she sat down, she took a moment to survey the room and the other students. Most of the students seemed preoccupied with their own conversations or their phones and didn't pay much attention to her. Luna's heart sank as she noticed Estella walking into the room. Her stomach twisted into knots as she tried to make herself as small as possible in her seat, hoping that Estella wouldn't notice her. To her chagrin, Estella's gaze darted towards her and a sly smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she realized they had the same class together. Estella sauntered over to Luna's desk, her eyes gleaming with a wicked gleam. "Well, well, well, look who it is. If it isn't the little freshman who can't even walk straight." Estella's voice dripped with contempt, and the few students who had noticed her approach snickered. Luna felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment, her fingers gripping her pen tightly in anxiety. "You thought you could get away from me, huh?" Estella continued, a mocking smirk spreading across her face.

"Looks like you're stuck with me for this class." She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a mocking whisper. "You better watch your back, newbie. I don't take kindly to little freshmen who don't know their place." Before Luna could respond, Estella sauntered away, leaving her feeling even more humiliated and scared. As Luna surveyed the room for any friendly faces, she noticed that Ame, the friendly girl she had met earlier, was nowhere to be seen. She couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment, wishing that Ame were here to offer a comforting presence.

Despite her best efforts, Luna couldn't help but feel isolated and alone in this class, with Estella's presence looming over her like a dark cloud. The teacher finally arrived, and the class quieted down. Though Luna tried to pay attention to the lesson, it was difficult to focus with the ever-present feeling of Estella's menacing gaze and the knowledge that she was stuck in this room with her for the next hour. The teacher's words seemed to turn into a dull monotone as Luna struggled to keep her composure, her anxiety mounting with each passing minute.

Adding to Luna's discomfort, Estella took her seat next to Luna, the two girls' shoulders nearly touching. Luna could feel the tension radiating from Estella, making her even more nervous and on edge. She tried to shift in her seat and create some distance between them, but Estella simply inched closer, a mocking smile on her face. As the class continued, Estella made sure to constantly remind Luna of her presence. She would make snide comments under her breath, mocking Luna's every move and whispering insults so only she could hear them. Luna tried her best to ignore the hurtful taunts and focus on the lesson, but it was increasingly difficult to do so with Estella's constant harassment.

Estella leaned closer to Luna, her voice dripping with mockery. "What is your name, little freshman?" she asked, her tone oozing with disdain. Luna felt a pang of anxiety at the sound of Estella's voice, and she struggled to find her voice to answer. 

"L-Luna," she finally managed to stammer out, her voice barely audible. Estella let out a mocking scoff, her eyes narrowing. "Luna, huh? How quaint. Fits your shy, timid nature, I suppose." She sneered, her words laden with contempt. The teacher, noticing the tension between the two girls, interjected. "Estella, please keep your comments to yourself and focus on the lesson." Estella simply rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat, though she continued to shoot disdainful glances at Luna throughout the class. Despite the teacher's intervention, Luna still felt uneasy and on edge, her anxiety continuing to build with each passing minute. 

As class finally came to an end, Luna breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the escape from Estella's presence. The teacher dismissed them, and the students quickly rose to their feet, eager to leave the suffocating classroom atmosphere behind. Luna gathered her things, feeling the weight of Estella's unsettling presence lingering over her. As she turned to leave, Estella blocked her path, a sneer on her face. Estella loomed over Luna, a cruel smile on her face. "You think you can just walk away from me, newbie?" she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. "You think just because class is over, you're safe?" She took a step closer, her gaze cold and menacing. "Think again." Luna felt her heart racing, her palms growing sweaty as she struggled to keep her composure. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice wavering.

As Estella stood there, a cruel smile still on her face, she suddenly seemed to remember something. "Tch, I don't have time for this," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. Without another word, she turned on her heel and sauntered out of the classroom, leaving Luna alone with her racing thoughts. In her absence, the tension in the room seemed to vanish, and Luna felt a small sense of relief from the intimidating bully's presence. The bell signaling the start of recess rang loudly in the hallways, jolting Luna out of her reverie. The noise seemed to echo through the hallways, filling the school with the sounds of students eager to stretch their legs and socialize. Luna took a deep breath, steadying herself and trying to push aside her fears and unease. It was time for recess - a brief reprieve from the suffocating atmosphere of class.

Luna turned to see Ame sitting beside her, her friendly smile a welcome sight. "Hey," Luna said softly, managing a small smile in return. "Class went... okay, I guess." She hesitated, unsure of how much she should reveal about her encounter with Estella. But she decided to keep the details to herself, not wanting to worry her new friend. Luna hesitated for a moment, surprised that Ame already knew who Estella was. "Yeah," she finally managed to choke out. "I know who she is. She's... not very nice." She tried to keep her voice steady, not wanting to show just how much Estella had gotten under her skin. Luna hesitated for a moment, surprised that Ame already knew who Estella was. "Yeah," she finally managed to choke out. "I know who she is. She's... not very nice." She tried to keep her voice steady, not wanting to show just how much Estella had gotten under her skin. 

Luna's curiosity piqued at Ame's question. "What do you mean?" she asked, her gaze fixing on her newfound friend. "Do you... do you know her?" The thought of Ame having a connection to the intimidating Estella made something coil in her stomach, but she couldn't deny her curiosity.