"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
Aphmau's POV
"Aphmau, Aphmau!" A voice called sweetly. That's my mom Silvana. Don't be fooled by the tone of her voice, I may love her but she's crazy.
"No." I groan.
I hear someone open the bedroom door and make their way to the side of my bed. I know she's coming to end the best moments of my life.
"Aphmau, get up! Come on!" Something important is probably happening today, but it's like 6:30 in the morning and I don't start to function properly until I'm asleep again.
Now she's shaking me. She's being persistent. Usually, she's left by now, I wonder what's happening today. "Mom, just like five more minutes, then I promise I'll get up."
She sighs exasperated "You always say that, and it turns into 20 minutes, if not the whole day. Now get your butt out of bed!"
I can't, I'm tired. I was up late last night for a reason I can't remember. "Okay, okay! I'm awake. I just need like, 4 more minutes to rest my eyes."
She sighs and sounds more done with me than usual? "Fine. Sleep in; it's such a shame too; you're going to be late for your first day of high school." she makes a disappointed sound "Oh, well." She laughs as she exits the room like she's gotten one over me.
"Mom, today isn't even-" I start to groan out, but I pause, then gasp. It's the first day of high school. "It's the first day of school! Oh! I'm so excited!" I giggle excitedly as I get my supplies together, "Backpack, check! Pencils, Check! College ruled paper," I look around for a second "Check! Stuffed animal?... Yeah! No!" I scoff. "I'm a high school freshman now? I need to be cool. Sorry, Honekoneko. Uniform, check!"
I'm so excited. this is going to be awesome! My first day of high school! I can't wait to go to my classes and make friends I can see in real life. I've been preparing all summer for this moment. Nothing is going to stand in my way of making new friends and getting awesome grades. But what if I make a bad first impression? A lot of these kids know each other already. What if no one likes me and I end up a loner forever? What if I end up as 'That Kid'? What if I upset the popular girl and she threatens to ruin my life and when I plan to grovel for forgiveness I accidentally kill her? Oh no I can't go! I'll hide in the closet and no one will find me. I'll just wait the school year out. I stash snacks and if I ration well I'll last at least a year.
"I don't want to go." At this point, I'm kind of crying
Mom enters the room again and sees me hiding in the closet "Aphmau? Aphmau? Are you crying in the closet again?" she doesn't even sound concerned, I'm not that emotional. right?
I'm still in the closet and I feel no shame "No!" Maybe a little bit of shame
She sighs and sounds so done I almost laugh. "Sometimes I wish you had claustrophobia than this wouldn't happen," she enters the closet. My mom looks exactly like me. She's a little less than a foot taller than me, around 5' 6". We're both tan, have black hair and have bigger 'assets' than average. The only way to truly tell us apart is our eyes, skin tone, and the fact that she's obviously older than me. I'm a little paler than she is and my eyes are a warmer shade of brown. Right now her eyes are telling me she's amused and kind of done with my shenanigans. "Tell mama what's wrong."
"I don't want to go to high school anymore." Wait, that sounds pathetic. "Not because I'm scared but what if there's a disaster! I won't be able to protect you," that was a bad excuse.
"Yeah" I can hear the skepticism in her tone and I don't like it "But sweetheart, you've been so excited for this since we've moved back here."
"I know, but mom I've been homeschooled for such a long time, and if I leave you alone you'll be lonely," please don't make me go to school.
"Calm down sweetie, it was just a year." She tries to reassure me.
"Still, even before then at my old middle school, I didn't really talk to anyone. I haven't really talked to another kid my age in like a year."
"Well I tried to get you to go out, but you wanted to stay inside and play your internet games."
'Those are important!"
"Mija look, you're going to be fine. Sure, it's going to be a new experience for you, and a lot of kids probably won't like you very much because you're really annoying sometimes."
"Mom!" I groan. She thinks she's funny.
"But really in all honesty, if they think you're annoying than you probably wouldn't want to be their friend in the first place. Just have fun and be you. You'll find people who love you for the beautiful person I know you are. Just keep that smile on."
"Thanks mom. You're right. I can do this. I just need to stay positive and smile."
She smiles "That's my girl. Now get your butt to school. I've got to get to work. Are you going to be okay walking there by yourself?"
"Yup!" I reply confidently, "I can do this!"
She smiles "Great, see you tonight. Have a great first day. Oh, and don't talk to any boys they're nothing but trouble." She leaves the room and I think she's serious. I don't have time to worry about boys anyway, I must excel.
"Okay. That eliminates half the people in school I can actually talk to. Mom did give me some good advice though. Well, here goes nothing"
I'm ready to start the day. It takes me around 10 minutes to walk to school and arrive at Phoenix Drop High School.
"This is it. I can do this. But first, let me take a selfie. I look like perfection today."
I accidentally bump into a guy as I look for the right angle.
"Sorry." I get no reply. I hope he's not mad. "let's see." I take and post another picture and try to head to classes early. There're so many people here. When I try to open the school doors, they're locked. Did they forget to open the doors on the first day? 'Oh no. what if I'm at the wrong school? What if this is actually a prank and-'
Someone comes up behind me. "I'm assuming you're a freshman?"
"What?" She scared me. She's kind of pretty with dark skin, hair, and eyes. She's also taller than me. Why is everyone taller than me?
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. You're kind of jumpy aren't you."
"Sorry, it's just, this door's locked."
"Don't bother. They usually lock the doors on the first day here."
"Oh. I see." No, I don't see. That's just chaos waiting to happen.
"Then they let everyone flood in and bam! Chaos everywhere." I guess she agrees.
"That's weird." What if I'm late because of the chaos, miss my classes and am expelled on the first day. The rumors will follow me forever then I'll never get into college. I'll just be known as the girl who was expelled on her first day of high school.
She looks worried. "You look really nervous. You're shaking a lot."
Is that why she's looking at me funny? "I'm sorry you're the first real person I've seen in a year" 'Oh no. what if she thinks I'm a creepy hermit?'
She looks surprised. "Whoa. What does that mean? Is someone keeping you in a dungeon or something?"
That's funny and I giggle a little. "No, it's not like that. I mean, I was homeschooled." This is it she'll run away. No one wants to hang with the weird homeschooled kid.
"That sounds awesome. Getting to stay home every day. Best school ever!" Or not?
"It's lonelier than anything but, um" 'shut up Aphmau don't depress her'
She's sympathetic now. "That sad smile is cute freshman. Cheer up. You'll get the hang of things in no time."
"Sure, um hey. Would you want to be my friend?" 'No, no, no! you don't ask people to be your friend that's weird.'
A teacher interrupts our conversation "Teony, Miss Peacock is looking for you." 'Her name is Teony? Why didn't I know that? I've been talking to her for like 5 minutes'
Teony looks surprised. "What! Already? The school isn't even open yet."
"She needs you right now. Something about missing papers for homeroom"
She sighs. " I bet she's not wearing her glasses those papers are probably right in front of her. fine." She groans. "I'm on my way now. Sorry freshman. I'm a teacher's aide and I need to aid my teacher right now.
"Oh. Okay." 'Please don't leave. I'm new and afraid'
Teony smiles. "Just keep your head high and you'll be fine."
'Is she reading my mind?'
"See you around cutie." Teony then turns around and leaves me to help Ms. Peacock.
"No, wait? Let me go with you?" I whisper. Never mind, she's gone. She seems so nice and confident. I wonder if she was an upperclassman or maybe she was like a super freshman who took a summer class or something. Then I notice something. Everyone's in a group and I'm the only one without someone to talk to. I'm going to be 'That Kid.' School starts in 10 minutes, so I have to deal until then. Maybe I'll make friends in homeroom. Or not. I don't know. What if everyone looks at me and sees I'm a loser. I bump into a blond kid. A beautiful man. A gorgeous 6 foot tall Adonis with blond hair, blue eyes and, 'Oh my God he's cute. Do I look ok? did I brush my teeth? I'm going to cry. I bumped into a cute boy? what if he's mad?'
"Hey, are you okay?" Even his voice is sexy.
"I'm so sorry. I'm fine. I just. I didn't mean to run into you." I manage to stutter out.
"You should really watch where you're going. I might've hurt you"
'Hurt me however you like daddy'
"Hello? Are you okay?"
'Is he's talking to me? He is talking to me! He's holding me in his arms, and I'm just drooling all over him. Just, say something smart.' "Yeah, cool, thanks for helping me." I didn't stutter that time.
"Do you need to go to the nurse's office or something?"
"No. It's my first day. I don't want to miss anything"
"Oh, you're a freshman. No wonder you're acting all weird."
'What was that supposed mean? Yes, that's totally the reason why I'm acting weird. It's not the muscle I can feel through his shirt.' "Anyway. Thanks for catching my phone."
"No problem. But you should watch where you're going."
'If he says that one more time I'm going to scream.'
He sets me upright, steadys me, then walks away. 'He was so dreamy.'
A red headed, green eyed girl then walks up to me when he's out of sight. "Well, wow. Didn't you look pathetic? Drooling all over him."
'Please don't be talking to me. I don't even know you. What could I have possibly done.'
"Yeah I'm talking to you I saw you play that 'innocent' freshman"
Now I'm confused. "what? I didn't do-"
She rudely interrupts me. "Look. I don't have time to deal with you. Just know that Garroth Ro'meave is off limits. Okay? So, don't get any ideas. Later freshman."
Why is everyone calling me freshman? "I have a name you know". Who does that girl think she is? Then the bell rang. That was a fast ten minutes and I still have no idea where to go.
I follow the crowd into the building getting ready to officially start my first day of school.
This looks confusing. 'Where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to do? A teacher? I'm saved!' "Oh, excuse me sir?"
He looks nice, I think. "Ah, welcome you must be new here."
"Yeah, but pretty much everyone in this room is a freshman, right?"
He looks sheepish. Maybe I shouldn't have pointed that out. "Oh, that's right I forget! Sorry I just taught summer school so today doesn't feel any different since I only got a week off." Poor dude.
"Oh, I see."
"What middle school are you coming from?"
Why did he ask me that? "I was actually homeschooled my last year of middle school"
Now he's confused. "So do you have any childhood friends here you could mingle with?"
"No, I'm kind of alone." I used to live here, but I moved when I was little. I did have some friends in this area when I was a kid, but I don't really remember them, and we haven't kept in contact at all.
"Do you have any friends at all?"
That's kind of rude question to ask. "Yes, I do have friends." Well online friends that I talk to in my games, but he doesn't need to know that.
"Well since you have no one to help you I will tell you how our school system works. As you can see the freshmen are currently here in the orientation room. This is where you pick up the folder that contains your schedule. Did your parents pre-register you?" I nod "Good. Well then go pick up your packet it will tell you where your homeroom is. Once you head there your teacher will guide you through orientation day. Orientation day is the first day of school. Freshman get to meet their homeroom class mates and then meet more people at the club social event. That's where you get to ask questions about clubs you might want to join, and a few upperclassmen will help you out."
" Do I have to meet upperclassmen?"
"Yup. Freshmen sophomores juniors and seniors are usually intermingled in all classes except for homeroom"
'You're kidding me, at least my mom will be happy about me meeting new people'
"That's it. Now go on go get your packet. This place is about to clear out and you definitely want to get a good seat in your homeroom"
"Thank you sir, I appreciate it" I'm so happy they sent me a packet even though I didn't go to middle school here.
I arrive at room 201 and I just made it to homeroom. The homeroom teacher calls attendance and allows us to mingle as we wait to head to the club social event
How am I supposed to make friends? Everyone seems to have friends already. I look around. The kid next to me looks nice. I guess. I'll talk to him.
"Hi, my name is Aphmau. I'm new like you, and, um it's nice to meet you. what's your name?" Why do i sound so awkward?
"Travis" he replied.
Ok, he seems just as nervous as me so it's fine. I can do this. "Hey, that's a really nice name" What is wrong with you today Aph?
"Really?"
"Yeah!" Ok, we'll stick with it.
"Your name is nice too." Now he's more nervous. Did I say something weird?
"Are you okay?" What if he didn't want me to point it out? He'll hate me.
"Yeah. I'm just shocked a pretty girl is the first person to talk to me."
'Wow, Travis has game.' "Thanks! That was really, forward of you." Sorry Travis. I have to focus on my studies.
"Sorry! I have a bad habit of saying what's on my mind when I'm nervous. I wish I had your confidence."
"Actually, me greeting you was the first confident thing I've done all day"
"Really! You've actually talked to people today?"
'Wow, Travis needs friends' "Yeah, more than I would've liked to" 'That red headed girl was mean and the boy I bumped into was scary.'
"That's amazing!"
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
'I'm going to be your friend Travis, whether you want me to or not, because you are such a cutie pie, that does so much for my self-esteem' "At least you're not shy. I'd die if I complimented a boy like that."
"Are you kidding me. I'm about to explode"
"I'm just glad no one is calling me freshman right now" I can feel I jinxed it
"Right! That's so annoying it's like a little label they put on us"
"Right! Like, I know we're new and kind of timid but come on"
"Want to be friends?"
I've decided. I'm going to lock him in my basement and care for him, so no one can take him away "Sure!" He's my first irl friend in like, forever.
"Okay then."
"Okay."
"Okay."
I've never had a friend before. "What do friends do?"
"I don't know. I just didn't want to be alone for the first day here"
"So we're not alone buddies?"
"Not alone buddies!"
"Awesome!"
"So, tell me about yourself?" Before I can reply we're interrupted by our homeroom teacher.
"All right class. We're heading to meet all the clubs and upperclassmen line up and let's get going"
"Are we going to stick together?" Please don't leave me alone.
"Yeah, sure!"
"Let's go then!" I have a friend! I hope the day continues to progress well
