September 2, 2015- 7:50 AM
Dean Owain was already addressing the entire middle school when we walked in.
Dean Owain is small compared to the rest of the faculty at the school, but he's still taller than me. He has light-to-medium-toned skin, a few wrinkles, a bald head, and a goatee. He always wears really nice suits with solid-colored ties. Today, he's wearing a beige suit with a blue and white plaid shirt, a solid maroon tie, and black loafers.
I sat in my seat, patiently waiting for Dean Owain to finish his lecture about how our class would be the one to "make a difference." Even though I could see that Mr. Owain was talking, I could only hear the chatter of Daya and her group of queen bees discussing the new kid. "Did you hear about the new kid?" Tamar asked as she pulled her long braids up into a ponytail.
"Yeah," Daya answered back. "Do you think that really pretty lady we saw at back-to-school night was his mom? She looked rich."
"Probably," Tamar continued. "I hear his family is loaded. He's got stacks for days."
"More like years," Daya added.
"Maybe that's how he got into this school," Keyona chimed in. "Our class is kinda full. He wouldn't have been able to get in if his family wasn't rolling in money."
"Hey, do you guys think if I put some makeup on and act sexy, he'll want to be my boyfriend?" Denise asked the other girls.
"He would run off and transfer if you did that," said William, one of the super-athletic boys in the class. Denise shot William a glare. Ella and I shared a look, both of us trying to control our laughter.
As if almost on cue, Dean Owain changed the topic of his lecture to the new student. "The boy's name is Death the Kid," he informed us. "He will be joining the eighth-grade class this year." The entire eighth-grade class cheered, while the other grades complained and groaned.
"Why? Their class is already huge as it is," one of the sixth graders complained. We all chuckled, and Dean Owain shot a sharp glare at the sixth graders, causing them to turn their attention to the kid who had spoken up. The room quieted down as Dean Owain began to assign our homeroom teachers.
"That being said, sixth grade, you are with Mr. Samson this year," Dean Owain continued, beginning to assign each grade to their teacher. He assigned the sixth graders to a bald, dark-skinned man with glasses. "Seventh grade, you will go with Ms. Mickey," Dean Owain said, gesturing to a light-skinned woman with long, dark hair with blonde tips. The sixth and seventh graders then left with their respective teachers leaving us alone with the only option for our homeroom teacher remaining.
"And finally, eighth grade...," Dean Owain said dramatically as he rolled his eyes over to us. We all held our breath with anticipation. "You will be with Mrs. Robinson," he finally announced.
"HHHUUUUUHHHHHH?!" Our entire class groaned. We didn't like her as a religion teacher, so what on earth made them think that we would like her as our homeroom monitor?
"EIGHTH GRADE!" Dean Owain yelled at us. "You are the oldest kids at this school. You all know how to break the newer teachers. Therefore, we are putting you with a teacher that has... experience."
We all exchanged troubled glances, followed by someone saying, "I don't like where this is heading."
Dean Owain changed the topic to avoid hearing us complain. "As you prepare for the transition to high school, we've planned a series of projects and trips to help you get ready for what's ahead."
The room grew quieter with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. "This year, you'll be involved in several collaborative projects that will help you build essential skills for high school, such as teamwork, research, and effective communication," Dean Owain explained. "These projects are designed to simulate real-world challenges and give you a taste of what to expect in high school."
Ella nudged me with a grin. "Looks like we're in for a busy year," she said. I nodded, feeling a blend of excitement and nervousness about the projects.
Dean Owain then announced the first major trip of the year. "We're organizing a college visit to Howard University in November," he said. "You'll tour the campus, attend workshops on college preparation, and have the opportunity to meet current students. It's a chance to get a glimpse into college life and start thinking about your future educational goals."
A wave of excitement swept through the room. Tamar turned to Denise, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. "Howard University sounds amazing! I've heard they have a strong community and a great campus."
Denise nodded eagerly. "I've read about their programs. This visit will be so cool. Maybe we'll get to hear from some inspiring speakers too."
Dean Owain also talked about a community service project planned for the spring. "You'll work on a group project partnering with local organizations to address real issues in our community. This experience will help you develop leadership and organizational skills."
Viridi turned to Chris with a smile. "I'm excited about the community project. It's a great way to get involved and make a real impact."
Chris agreed. "Definitely. It'll be a good way to prepare for high school and give us a chance to contribute to something meaningful."
Dean Owain then added with a playful grin, "And, just to keep you on your toes, I might have a few surprises planned for you. Think about a potential class trip that could be the highlight of your year... and maybe, just maybe, a special event that could make your eighth grade year unforgettable."
The room buzzed with speculation. "A special event?" Keyona asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Dean Owain chuckled. "Well, I don't want to give too much away just yet. But let's just say we're exploring the idea of a senior class trip and an eighth grade prom. Nothing's set in stone, but it's definitely something we're considering."
The mention of a prom had the room erupting with excitement. "A prom? That would be amazing!" Chris said, her eyes wide with anticipation.
Dean Owain also talked about a community service project planned for the spring. "You'll work on a group project partnering with local organizations to address real issues in our community. This experience will help you develop leadership and organizational skills."
Certainly! Here's the revised section:
Our shared excitement came to a sudden stop when Dean Owain brought up the community service project. As if on cue, a collective groan swept through the room. "Why do we have to do community service? It's not like we're in prison," Ella muttered with a dramatic eye roll. I couldn't help but snicker at her comment.
Of course we are.
Dean Owain gave us a stern look to quiet the murmurs before wrapping up his speech. "Alright, off to your homerooms now," he said, sending us on our way. As we shuffled out, Mrs. Robinson was waiting to greet us with a warm smile, ready to lift our spirits and get us excited for the year ahead.
"Now," Mrs. Robinson began, "I know you all didn't pick me as your teacher for your final year at CCA... However, we are still gonna have a LIT year. Alright?" We all slowly smiled, attempting to keep our giggles to ourselves. "I said ALRIGHT?!" Mrs. Robinson said in a goofy voice, her mouth going crooked as she finished. We all laughed and nodded our heads.
"Alright then," Mrs. Robinson said. "Now that that is out of the way, why don't we get to know our new student a little bit better?" Everyone in the class perked up with curious eyes, clearly excited to meet the new student. "He is transferring to our school from Death Weapon Meister Academy," Mrs. Robinson explained.
"From the DWMA?" Aaron, the straight-A kid, asked.
"Yes," Mrs. Robinson answered. "In fact, he is Lord Death's son." We all were silent and in shock. Lord Death's son? The new kid? Seriously? We sat in silence for a moment, trying to comprehend what Mrs. Robinson had just told us.
Suddenly, Mrs. Beller popped her head into the classroom. I could see that she was clutching someone's wrist in her right hand. "Mrs. Robinson, can I talk to you for a moment?" Mrs. Beller called into the room.
"Of course," Mrs. Robinson answered back, heading towards the door. She turned back around to the class. "I will allow you guys to talk quietly," Mrs. Robinson said to us, "but the minute it gets loud, I will put you all on shutdown. Understood?" We all nodded our heads as she turned around and left the room.
The second she was out of sight, we all burst into conversation. Some people were talking about the new kid, others were discussing the big class trip we were going on in May, while one girl even brought up our graduation ceremony at the very end of the school year. Of course, that got a lot of people hyped for this school year. It began to get pretty noisy in the classroom, causing Daya and Denise to remind everyone to whisper since Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Belcher were outside talking.
"Don't you guys think that it's kinda scary that this is our last year?" a girl named Nae said. Nae looks like she is at least nine or ten years old, but in reality, she's actually twelve.
"Yeah," said Viridi, our local reader, who took the time to peep up from her book to join in the conversation. "Then we'll be in high school next year," Miriam added. "I don't think I'm ready yet."
"That's why we have a whole year," Chris said to her, "so we can prepare for high school."
"By the way, what high schools are you guys thinking about applying to?" Ella asked everyone.
"Carroll," almost the entire class replied. My eyes widened in surprise as I jerked my head back.
"Wow," I replied back. "Just wow..."
"What other high schools are you guys thinking about?" Alice asked.
"Duke Ellington!" I heard a girl named Princess half-shout, half-whisper.
"Gonzaga or DeMatha!" I heard Aaron whisper.
"Macnamara!" I heard William whisper.
"I want to go to Seton," I heard Chris whisper to everyone.
"Same!" I whispered back to her with excitement.
"Me too!" Ella whispered to us.
"I'm going to apply to McKinley since my sister went there," I heard a girl named Lamesha whisper.
"Oh, well that's nice," I heard Princess whisper back while "flipping the bird" at her from under her desk.
Mrs. Robinson came back into the room and looked at all of us. We scrambled back into our seats, ready to listen to her next announcement. "Everyone," she began, "I would like for you to give a warm welcome to our new student, Death the Kid." She then turned her head towards the door and held her hand out in that direction. "You can come in now, Kid," she said. We all craned our necks towards the door to see who she was talking to. What we saw next...
...took us by surprise.