After the girl beside me helped with my tie, she didn't really talk to me again.
It wasn't uncomfortable....just quiet. She faced forward, focused on the lesson, and I did the same. I appreciated her help, even if that was all it was meant to be. Not every kindness came with a
conversation, and that was okay.
When the first class ended, the room slowly filled with sound.
Chairs scraped back, voices rose, and conversations sparked in different corners of the classroom.
I stayed seated, listening more than speaking, letting names float past me.
"Kunle, you're mad," someone laughed.
"Leave me alone, Sola," another voice replied.
At the back of the class, two boys were already turning jokes into entertainment, making half the
class laugh without effort.Then I hear chii who was the girl who helped me with my tie hum a song I loved and sing when seeking for comfort.She hummed it absentmindedly, and I wanted to join her because I really loved singing, but I stayed quiet.
During long break, I asked for directions to the toilet. When I got there, I sighed in relief, talked quietly to myself, and felt more comfortable.
Back in class, I ate my lunch carefully, tense and cautious, until another new girl beside me told me to loosen up. Later, I stood at the open corridor watching students below. Chii and another girl, Miza, joined me. They reassured me that everyone would warm up to me soon.
When closing assembly came, students rushed downstairs. I was stopped by a teacher and corrected for not waiting on the stairs. Embarrassed, I learned it was a school rule.
Outside, assembly was calm. Prayers were said. Announcements were made.
As I walked home that day, replaying everything in my head, I realized my first day wasn't perfect but it was enough.