FIRST DAY

KIRAN

I gripped onto the strap of my backpack that was swung over my shoulder and made my way to the first class of the day. English. You'd think having English be your first language would make it easy to pass. Not true.

Walking in, I saw the typical sight for a high school class: by the windows were a group of girls who were sitting on top of their desks and gossiping, near the front of the class were the kids who would be labeled nerds, arranging their papers and books precisely to their needs, and in the back of the classroom was the one guy who always has his feet on his desk with his arms crossed and his hat over his face, taking a nap.

I decided to take a seat at the desk next to the sleeping guy since there was less chance of him trying to talk to me and ask the inevitable question of, “Hey, you’re the new guy, right?” I still need to get my anger issues under control until I start mingling and trying to make friends here.

I wish I had found a gym before starting school, I feel like there’s a ball of rage building in my core and it’s about to explode out of me at any point. I need to be careful who I talk to until I get this heat under control.

I got some looks as I walked in and the first couple minutes after taking my seat, just curious glances and mumbling questions about who I was and why I seemed so reserved. I expected it, so I paid it no mind and didn’t let it bother me.

Looking at the clock, I saw it was 7:10 AM – Class doesn’t start for another five minutes. I leaned back in my chair and returned the favor of the stares and curious looks around the room, taking in my new peers.

One of the girls by the window who was smiling with her friends caught my eye and I couldn’t help but glance at her a few times. Her friends were sitting atop their desks, but she was standing next to them with her hand on one of the girl's shoulders as they giggled about something.

Her hair was the richest blonde and she had a cute, friendly smile, but I didn’t get to see her eye color as she was looking at her friends and away from me. I took note of the headphones that were around her neck. Was she a part of the group of people I saw when I first walked in?

If I stare at her any longer it’s going to be weird, so I decided to take out my cellphone from my jeans pocket and saw a text from my mom there.

MOM: Did you get to school okay?

KIRAN: Nope, I’m dead in a ditch.

I have a dark sense of humor, but my mom is used to it – she’s the one I get it from, after all. I’m nothing like my dad and thank God for the fact. A narcissistic maniac who’s driven by power and money. Mom on the other hand, though she has a morbid sense of humor, like me, is rather kind and a good soul. I like to think I’m more like my mom than my dad.

My soul is the very essence of my last name. Black. My soul is black, my hair is black, my clothes are black, my mind is dark, everything about me seems to live up to my last name – except for my skin color.

I have a buddy from Pete’s Gym who's black, but his last name is White. It always confused outsiders when he and I would spar and we had people hollering our names at us. We thought it was funny. The confusion on their faces never got old.

KIRAN: I’m fine, mom. Now let me endure my torture without interruption.

MOM: Have a good day!

I looked up at the clock and saw the time was now 7:13 AM. You’ve got to be kidding me. I put my arms and my head on the desk in front of me and closed my eyes for two seconds, then I got called out by the teacher.

“Mr. Black, Mr. Peters, please, pay attention.”

I looked over at the guy next to me and saw him swing his feet down from the desk with a sigh. He saw me and nodded his head once in greeting.

The sun was finally beginning to warm the school a tad. I exhaled with some relief, then turned my attention back to the teacher at the front of the room as she was writing on the board.

I let my gaze wander and saw the group of girls including the pretty blonde begin to take their seats as soon as the teacher called them out as well, “Ladies, please,” she said to them. "And Ms. Williams," she extended her hand, "The headphones, please."

"Sorry, Mrs. Joy," she took the headphones from around her neck and handed them to the teacher.

Her name is Mrs. Joy? Pfft. That’s comical.

*

Aurora

The first day of school is always rough when you’re the new kid, but luckily for me, it was my third year at this high school, and I already had friends and general knowledge of the school, so everything came fairly easy to me to get around to my new classes.

The first class of the day was English. I walked in and found my best friends Jen and Dani at their seats near the windows and smiled.

“Aurora!” They both said at the same time and opened their arms for a group hug.

“Happy junior year, ladies,” I said with a smile.

“Here, here,” Dani lifted her coffee cup, and we all did an invisible 'cheers,' followed by giggling.

Dani always has a coffee with her. It’s like she was sponsored by Starbucks or something – she always has one in hand because she’s not a morning person. Jen, on the other hand, always has her phone in hand and is looking at online posts. She lives for celebrity gossip. I, personally, always have a pair of headphones with me. For someone who wants to be on a Broadway stage someday, music is like air to me.

There was a new guy in school today who came into class and caught our attention. His hair, shirt, and backpack were all black, even his jeans were a dark wash.

“Why is the new guy dressed so dark? He’s almost scary,” whispered Jen on my left.

“Black must be his favorite color.” I shrugged, “At least it’s a good color on him.”

“Oh, Aurora,” she drawled out and rolled her eyes, “always seeing the good in people.”

“What? All I said was it’s a good color on him, I said nothing about his character.”

“Mhmm,” said Dani, “I’ll bet my next cup of coffee that the next time you look at him, you’re going to say that he seems like a decent guy.”

“Wha-" I started and Dani cut me off.

“-Look at him and tell me he looks shady.”

Jen had her eyebrows raised as she looked back and forth and me and Dani. I moved my eyes over to the new guy.

“I’m not gonna lie, I get a good vibe from him.”

The girls groaned in defeat. I can’t believe these two, making it seem like a bad thing to see the good in people.

“Mr. Black, Mr. Peters, please, pay attention.” Our teacher hollered toward the back of the room.

She was getting the lesson ready on the whiteboard, and Mrs. Joy has a reputation for being strict, so you don’t want to be caught sleeping in her class.

Daniel Peters is always getting in trouble for sleeping during the first period. I’ve known the guy since elementary school, and he’s never been a morning guy. I chuckled when he got called out again.

“So the new kid's name is Black,” murmured Dani, “Hm. Appropriate.”

The sound of her voice made me believe that she was smiling, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of the new guy. He looked up and towards the teacher, and I got to see his eyes were somewhat green, possibly hazel.

Hazel eyes are my favorite, they’re the color that Dani has, and she always catches me staring at her and she teases me, saying, ‘you’re staring into my soul again, Aurora.’

We laugh about it, but I find the hazel color to be fascinating. Someone with hazel eyes could have any color possible. Green and blue, green and brown, green and gold, and then they change depending on what you’re wearing! It sounds fun to me, to have hazel eyes. While I love my blue orbs, a part of me envies those who have multiple colors in their eyes.

“Ladies, please,” Mrs. Joy said with raised brows at us and we took our seats just as the first bell rang. "And Ms. Williams," I looked up and she took a step closer to me with her hand outstretched, "The headphones, please."

Oh, dammit. I need to remember to put these in my backpack so they don't get confiscated. Still, I don't want to get in trouble with this teacher. "Sorry, Mrs. Joy," I said innocently as I handed over my white Beats by Dre.