- Author
- 07/03/2015
- 645 Words
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
In Four Years - 1. Freshman Year Part I
My heart is pounding and my breath is short. As I fidget in my seat, I brush my black hair into my eyes and hunker down further into my seat. I am being way too obvious with my attempt at staying hidden. Someone had to have seen me, which completely terrifies me. So, I look around discreetly, phew! I remain invisible.
I am both surprised and pleased that no one has noticed me, I am such a nervous wreck that I expected someone to see- Oh no! That boy just looked at me, hide! I immediately re-brush my hair into my eyes, I draw up my hoodie and hunker further into my seat.
One would expect that my behavior only happens when I am nervous. Sadly, this is my usual behavior. I am deathly shy and with any attention thrown my way I just want to curl into the fetal position whimpering for mommy. Now, when it comes to my family or a close friend I ‘come out of my shell” so to speak. But with strangers, that shell is my home. So, here I am in a building with teachers I have never met, students that seem to tower over me, and in a place often described as hell on earth: High school. So on the first day of the school year as a freshman, I am not looking forward to the next four years.
Now, here I am, in this room with many unfamiliar faces, and a smattering of a few friends. Everything is going to be okay…. Right? I need to take deep breathes: breathe in… breathe out…. Breathe- Ooh! That guy across the room is cute! I would- Ah!!! He looked my way! Good God, hiding is pointless! I need to run away! As I get ready to run out of the room, the door slams shut. My fate is sealed.
With bated breath I slowly turn around in my seat and see my teacher for the first time. My eyes fall upon a portly man with gray-going-on-white hair. With a confidence that I have never seen before, he walks towards his desk, and faced with his presence, I begin to calm down and soon relax in my seat. Maybe, everything will be okay.
As soon as he reaches his desk, he turns around and speaks. “Good Afternoon class! My name is Mr. Davis, but you can call me Mr. D!”
With that one sentence, he has my attention. His voice is so deep and soothing. I am now the most relaxed since my day began. So when he speaks again, I feel utterly calm.
“Now, it is time for roll call,” with that he gets the clipboard and begins.
Well, there went my sense of calm! He’ll be calling my name soon, this is not okay. People are going to notice me!
“…Escobar?”
Some random girl responds, “Here!”
“Andrew Espinosa?”
I gulp and slowly raise my hand, “H-here sir.”
It was barely a whisper but I was a flaming red mess. With that done, I just pulled into myself as Mr. Davis continued the roll call.
When that was done, he got right down to business.
“Alright everyone! Welcome to Debate! In this class, you will be taught how to speak and argue persuasively. It is my hope that by the end of the year all of you will be able to see both sides on a given issue…”
Again, that voice! I am becoming more relaxed, but I now have a nagging feeling after Mr. Davis mentioned speaking. As a shy person, speaking in front of people is out of the question. I need to calm down, maybe he doesn’t mean it that way. Yeah, that must be it!
“… A requirement of this class is that you must speak in front of the class.”
Well shit.
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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