The weekend rolled by faster than I wanted and before I knew it, it was Monday. Sandy sat with me in the front office with the principal. "No birth records other than the ones given from the foster care. No prior education other than you being homeschooled for a year. Grades aren't the best but you weren't failing... completely."

I sat in the chair, my head propped against my arm. I was hardly paying attention as they spoke. My eyes glancing over the circler decor. It was strange because there were only three lines. One longer, one shorter and the other moved a lot faster than the other two. A bell rang through the school which caused me to jump. I looked at the principal in confusion, "What's that mean?"

"It means that classes change," he told me as he sat signing some papers. He handed the papers to Sandy before standing up. "Come. I'll have a guidance counselor show you around school and classes that you will be taking."

A guidance counselor?

~^~

"North, this is Mr. Allison. He's your guidance counselor. He can help with your class schedule or just a simple talk about how you are feeling," Principle Everwood introduced. Mr. Allison nodded. He was quite old which made me assume that he had been doing this job for a while. His dark eyes gave me a sense of calmness rather than insecurity.

"It's nice to meet you. Let's not waste any more time and meet your teachers," he stood up with his phone. Principal Everwood left leaving me alone with Mr. Allison.

"Where are we going first?"

"Environmental science."

~^~

All eyes landed on me every time the door to the class opened. The counselor would introduce me to the teacher, they would talk to me for a few seconds and then the horror would be over.

The school wasn't drastically big but by the time he went through all my classes, I already forgot where to go.

"Don't worry about where you have to go. We'll help you get to where you need to go for the first few days. Freshmen ask us for help all the time," he told me as if he could read my thoughts.

I stared at him confused, "Freshmen?"

He chuckled as he explained that each grade level had its own name. Apparently, it's an important title to be an 'upperclassman'. I was a Sophomore according to him but most of my class were going to be with the Freshman.

"We'll be looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, Ms. North," he smiled as he held open the door to the guidance counselor's office.

Sandy stood waiting with a file of papers in her hand. "You ready to go?"

I nodded wanting to get out of the building as fast as possible.

~^~

"Wake up! Wake up!" Two bodies flopped on top of me and I groaned. "Don't you want to go to school?! It's going to be so much fun!" Oliver told me, his face inches from mine.

I slowly sat up in my bed as they sat around me. I rubbed my eyes and said, "Yeah. Very excited."

After everyone ate breakfast and was dressed for school, Sandy drove the three of us to our school. As we drove closer to Evergreen Primary the more Asher and Oliver got tense. The two of them held their hands together as Sandy parked the car. Sandy had told me that both boys were ready for school mostly because they were still young and hardly had missed anything. I had missed most, if not all, of the skills that I need for high school. It wasn't long before it was my turn to leave. Sandy parked the car and looked at me, she gave me a reassuring smile as I took a deep breath.

"Have a wonderful school day, North. Remember to breathe and before you know it school will be over," she told me while she slowly patted my shoulder.

Right. Just breath and it'll be over, I nodded and stepped out of the vehicle. The unfamiliar faces glanced at me and I rushed my way inside. I gripped my gray bag tightly, in an attempt to calm myself. The bodies only grew larger in number as I glanced around, the building amplifying their voices.

The signal of the bell rung and the crowds of bodies moved to their new destination. Their bodies bumped into mine and I winced in confusion and fear. I brushed past them and made my way into the nearest bathroom before sinking into a bathroom stall. I can't do this. This was a mistake. I want to go back to Ms. Ellie.

The stall door opened and I wiped my tears, not bothering to look her in the eyes. She slid to the floor and sat next to me. I sniffed, "Not even ten minutes in and I'm already crying." My eyes were strained on the yellow brick wall before looking at her with a small laugh, my cheeks slightly warm. "And here you are to the rescue me once more."

"Me? Your knight in shining armor? Never," Valeria smirked and handed me a tissue. She pulled her knees to her chest and looked at me. She looked at me with a serious face and said, "I've been in your position before. Us kids have to stick together."

Looking away I stared at the white toilet. "You don't even know me."

"I know your adopted, North. You don't think I know the Thompsons? They talked to my adoptive family before adopting you and your brothers," she told me.

My movements were quick and I didn't even realize what I was doing. Valeria wrapped her arms around me as I cried into her arms. I collapsed myself in her and asked, "How did you do it? School and your family?"

"Well," she told me, "you need to trust them like you have with me. They want to help you and you need to give them a chance." I sat up and wiped my eyes once more. She smiled and smoothed the hair that was plastered to my face. "And school will be easy because you have me."