Francesca Villa

Mrs. Wilson-Scott

5^th period

A Fresh Start 

I can’t stand it, I thought.

I was sitting in class at lunch with the other girls. Our teacher was lecturing us on how it’s not “RAD” to call the other girls names. Ugg, she sounds so dumb with the rad this and the rad that. Everything she says has a rad in it, why can’t she just shut up? As she went blabbering on, I thought back to what got me here in the first place.

            “She’s sooo ugly,” said Sasha, the meanness oozing out of her pores

“Oh my god can you believe it? She can’t even pull off the uniform,” said Lizzy, a less mean version of Sasha.

“Ha, I know. She looks like she drank an ugly potion that gave her lots of hair and made her ugly. Hahaha.” Sasha’s laugh pierced my ears and sent vibrations down to my toes. Why do they have to be so mean, I thought. I stared at them as they laughed at Sasha’s stupid attempt at a joke; they finished the cackling and turned to look at me. But before I could say anything, Ms. “Rad” stuck her head out of the second story window that just happened to be right above where we were standing.

“Girls, get up here RIGHT NOW!” she yelled

I assumed that meant me as well. As I trudged up the stairs I thought of ways to escape the school.  Maybe I could climb the fence next to the Jesus statue so if anyone saw me I could hide, or maybe I could hide in the playground until no one was around…

My thoughts ended as Ms. “Rad” told us to sit. We all sat and she presumed to tell us all about loving one another and being as Rad as we can be.

“Excuse me,” I say timidly.

Ms. “Rad” turns her head and I catch a glimmer of annoyance in her face. So much for loving one another.

“Well, um, I wasn’t really saying anything down there and um, well I don’t think I should have to stay in for lunch,” I state with a little more confidence.

“Well girls, this is another example of what we never do. We never lie.” She said

“But I’m not lying,” I stammer.

“You will stay in here with the other girls- I do not tolerate lying” said Ms. “Rad”.

“That’s not fair…but that’s not fair,” I whisper.

Sasha and Lizzy snicker, and I turn my head toward the window so that  no one will see me cry.

♥          ♥          ♥

Finally the day was over.

      “Hi sweetie,” my mom said as I got into the car.

      “Mughh,” I reply.

      “What’s wrong sweetie?”

      “I don’t want to talk about it.”

      “Why not? Talking helps.”

      “Well I don’t think talking will help my situation.”

      “Is it school?” How does she always know? No matter what’s wrong, my mom always knows what’s wrong with me.

      “Maybe.” I reply  

      “What happened?” she asks with worry.

      “Nothing…the same as always. I hate it there, everyone is so mean,” I sob, tears  starting to blur my vision. We are on Gilman Street, almost home. All I can think about is crawling into my bed and burying my head under my pillow. My mom turns to me.

“What do you want me to do? I’ve done all I can. I have talked to your teacher and all they can say is that it’s a bad class.”

“Why can’t I just leave?” I whine.

“Are you sure that’s what you want to do, leave and start a new school, make new friends?”

“It won’t be like I’m missing anything. Everyone hates me there, it will be easy.” I envisioned lunchtime, me in a big group of friends, all laughing and having a good time; all happy and never mean. We could have sleepovers that didn’t end in girls crying and yelling.

“Francesca,” my mom’s voice brought me back. “Francesca, this is a big thing. It’s not that simple.” She said as she drove past the Natural Grocery Store.

“Mom, I’m so unhappy there, everyday I feel like I don’t belong…I can’t take it anymore!” I cried.

“Well let’s think about this. I will do some research and figure this out. I just want you to be happy.” As she pulled into the driveway, I suddenly felt a small sense of relief. Maybe it would all get better. As we walked up the worn stairs I began to cry, but this time not out of sadness but more out of joy.

♥          ♥          ♥

            Joy washes over me as I step onto the dark green stairs. Last time, I think. My mom and I head towards the principle’s office. I scan the walls and try to soak up as much as I can, and as I look at the faded pictures of the previous graduates, I feel a tinge of sadness. What’s wrong with me, I should be jumping for joy.

 I turn back to the stark white walls, already decorated with  pink and red hearts even though it’s only January. I stop. We are at the office. My heart quickens and it suddenly hits me that this is really my last day ever. My mom and I take three more short steps and we are suddenly submerged in a dark, narrow room. As we sink into the chairs I try not to look up. My mom speaks first.

            “I think this was a wonderful school for Francesca when she was little, but now it’s just not working out for us anymore.”

Oh my God, we are actually doing it. I can’t believe my mom said it! YES!

            “Well, I think it’s been hard on everyone in her class; I wish that you would give it some more thought,” said the principle as I looked to my mom to see what she would do next.

            “Oh, we have given this lots of thought- lots and lots of thought,” my mom said with a voice so stern I saw the principle shake slightly.

            “Okay. Well, I guess this is it then,” said the principle.

That’s it. It’s done…I’m free?

            “Can Francesca go say goodbye to her classmates?” asked my mom.

            “Well now, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. We don’t want her disrupting their learning,” he said.

            “Okay, fine. Mom, lets just leave,” I said. I allowed my eyes to look up; I could see that he was looking at me. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

            “But honey, don’t you want to say goodbye to your friends?” my mom asked. I could hear the remorse in her voice. What friends I think.

            “Well yeah, but it’s ok. I just want to go now.” As I said this, my mom turned to me and gave me a sad look. “Mom please. Let’s just go,” I begged.

            “All right, if that’s what you really want,” she said turning to the principle.

            As if on cue, we all stood up at the same time. As we turned to go, I looked back and caught one last look at the dim and musty room where simultaneously my old life ended and my new one was formed. As we walked back down the stairs, I could not get over how weird I was felling I never thought that you could feel so happy and yet so sad at the same time. My heart sped up as I thought of how the rest of my year was going to go. My foot hit the last step and I pushed open the cold mettle door; I began to run. With my blood rushing and my head spinning, I turned around and waved. I stared at the peeling pain and long cracks in the cement that I had never noticed, or never wanted to notice, but now they jumped out at me. As I waved, I caught my mom’s eye and she laughed. I should have done this much sooner I thought happily.

♥          ♥          ♥

I stare at my closet for a good ten minutes. What am I going to wear?   I start to panic, my usual choices- an ugly green plaid skirt and white top- are now in boxes.  I now have the pleasure, or the dilemma, as I see it to pick out what to wear. I finally pull out my favorite pair of jeans and my sweatshirt.

♥          ♥          ♥

The P.E teacher’s pants are as high as they can go, and this is not a good thing. Not only do I have to worry that P.E is my first class and that I have no friends what so ever- but I also have to look at that awful cameltoe for god knows how long.  I enter the gym with caution, hands sweating; there is no worse feeling than being the new girl. Everyone is already in their groups and talking. The noise echoes through the old, musty room. Franticly I scan for a place to sit Please let there be some nice people in here, I silently pray. As soon as I look up I see a familiar face.

“Jessie! What are you doing here” I stupidly ask. I have known Jessie since we were two. We had never been the best of friends but it was reassuring to see her.

“Well I go here, so the question is, what are you doing here? Jessie replies

“Well I switched schools, it’s a long story. You don’t know how glad I am to see you. I thought I was never going to make friends”

As we maneuver back to where she was sitting I try to calm down and prepare myself to meet new people who could potentially be friends. As we sit, I get introduced to the group. 

“Francesca this is Nikkimarktinasiennaaudrysumnerelenazack” Jessie spewed out names like an automatic rifle.  I didn’t hear anyone’s name.  Just as I was about to ask the girl sitting next to me what her name was, I heard a loud whistle.  Everyone stopped and the teacher proceeded to tell us about the “challenging” game of badminton. Just like the rules, the day flew by and before I knew it the bell was ringing for lunch. As I walked out of my English class I felt the same sense of dread, it’s just like those movies where the new girl ends up eating alone in the bathroom I think.  The hallways were so crowded, I felt like cattle being herded. I felt someone right next to me and turned to look

“Hey, Francesca, right?” asked a tall boy.

“Yeah,” I replied hesitantly.

“Oh hey, I thought that was you. Your in my P.E class remember?”  I thought back and tried to place his face with a name.

“Sam?”  I guessed. Oh crap I just made a huge fool of myself; I bet he’s the other boy.

“Yeah. good memory.” He smiled.

“Oh, yeah” Oh thank God, I think and smile back.

“Hey Jessie said that you might need someone to eat with, do you want to have lunch with us?” Sam asked

YES YES YES!

“Umm, sure, I guess,” I said as we walk down the stairs. Way to play it cool I think. As we emerge from the school, I see a green field with lots of kids on it. As we walk over to the larger of the groups; I feel like somehow I have made it. I have gotten halfway through the first day of school with no embarrassments and it seems like things are looking up.

♥          ♥          ♥

It’s the end of eighth grade, graduation day. I am standing in the courtyard looking at the building where I have spent the last year and a half. I think back to the day when I left my other school; the overwhelming sadness I feel today is nothing like how I felt that last day in January. Today I am sad to be leaving a school I have enjoyed so much. I turn to see a group of people waiting for me.

“Francesca” yells Sam, as he put’s his arms around me. Jessie and I laugh because I only come up to his chin.

“I can’t believe that we are going to be freshmen,” Jessie says with a whine.

“Well have fun though, I mean we’ll all still be friends right? I ask hopefully

“Of course!” Jessie and Sam chime in together. That is all I needed to hear.

 I see my mom walk up with camera in hand, a few more parents join her.

            “Get together,” says my mom with a huge smile on her face.

We all entwine our arms so we are connected, arm over shoulder. I smile and see the shutter of the camera click.