September Leaves

The halls were long and menacing, their bright eyes glowing down at me. Little spheres of color bounced off of my feet as I walked forward. I really hated those shoes but my father had bought them specially for me and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I thought of him and Layla as I took my first lonely steps into the office and watched as the large lady with tight brown hair approached me. Her glasses made her eyes look small and she had a tiny mouth.

I just wanted to be home and in my familiar room as she talked to me in her grouchy, deep voice. "What do you need?"

"Just looking for a schedule and a place to be."

"Are you new here?" She asked as her fat fingers tugged on a pile of papers.

"Yes," I stated simply, already bored with the place.

"Well I'll need your name." Her already small eyes narrowed and I glared back at her.

"Katherine Lachley."

Her pudgy little hands picked the papers apart one at a time until she ran over mine. She pulled it out of place and handed it to me, but not before licking her finger to get the paper to stick. "Here's yours. Homeroom 324. Lucky you, math first period."

Inside I groaned. Math is not a good first subject, especially for someone who isn't a morning person. "Thanks," I hissed at her. I could tell I wasn't going to like the office workers at all.

My notebooks were unsteady in my arms as I slammed the office door behind me. I had to navigate the halls in order to make it to homeroom on time. I didn't want to end up lost on my first day, but it was looking like lost was the only way I could be. They told me the building was a square, but it had quite a few twists and turns and the doors were numbered awkwardly. It was no square.

I lowered my eyes for a second to refresh my brain as to the number I was looking for. As I was concentrating, I dropped my pencil and a folder slipped out from under my arm. I bent to pick them up and looked up at the door frame above me.

Oddly enough, it was my homeroom. I walked in quietly, hoping not to be noticed.

"Good morning! Kate, I presume?" The teacher asked. He was short and fat, with a bald spot he was trying to hide with his sloppy comb-over.

"Yes, I'm Kate."

All eyes turned towards me.

"Welcome Kate. You can have a seat in the back."

I sat down silently and set my notebooks under my desk. It was sort of wobbly. I opened a green notebook and sighed. I watched the teacher write on the board and I monotonously copied down each word. Somehow I found the teacher incredibly boring even though he was energetic.

I was playing random songs in my head all morning and then at lunch I found myself face to face with a huge crowd rejecting me. They all yelled at me for trying to sit with them even though they hadn't said a word.

I couldn't help but feel alone in the sea of people.