For some reason, I felt safe near her.
She nodded. "I understand. When I came to this school, I was kind of nervous too."
"But that's different. You are a teacher. I'm a girl. A student. In a boy's school." I said stressfully. I know I keep on repeating that it's a boy's school but it's just hard to take in. I was a misfit in the other schools and I will be beyond a misfit in this school.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. In a few days, you'll fit in like everyone else. Just don't get worried. Also, wow, you are wearing such a beautiful pendant necklace." She said. I looked at my angel shaped pendant necklace.
"Thanks, my mum gifted this to me on my 14th birthday," I said. I never knew a simple compliment like that would make me so happy. I was beaming.
That reminded me. I have to call Mum. I was thinking of not calling her because I was angry about her not telling me about the fact that I was getting enrolled in a boy's school.
If I was in a car, I would tell the driver to take me home.
But I was on an airplane. I couldn't just go up to the pilot and say 'Excuse me? Can you turn the airplane around, I need to go shout at my mum and have to go back at my home.' He would think I'm crazy.
But Mum, what is the reason for not telling me?
"Well, it's great." She said.
It took me a while, to find out what she was talking about. The necklace. Miss Lili is nice. It's great to talk to her. She wasn't bored or annoyed or anything when I was babbling on and on. I heard boys talking from the end of the door where my dad went through.
"Oh, the boys must be here. Now, don't let them think that you are easy to get over. You've got to treat boys like you don't care about them." She said, acting like a love guru.
I laughed. "Whatever. Is that something you do with your boyfriend?" I asked.
"Nope, don't have one but I have had seen men who think they are almighty beings and all that, but eh! they ain't." She said. I smiled at her lovingly.
The boys were at the other end of the door. They were talking loudly and laughing. And then I heard a big voice.
"Boys settle down!" It took a minute to realize that it was my Dad's.
Wow.
"Miss Lili, What's my dad like in school?"
She grinned. "He's different. I mean, he understands people and he loves this school. He'll do anything for it. He's a weird guy but doesn't tell him I said that." she said sticking out her tongue a little bit.
I took her words in.
He'll do anything for his school.
He'll do anything for his school and nothing for his daughter for these many years.
Yes, he is a weird guy and I am surely going to tell him that one day.
"Right, let's go." She said.
"You ready?" she added.
I looked at her for a second.
Was I ready? Three words but such a hard question to answer.
But automatically, as I did with the other schools, I said "Yes."
She gave me a smile before getting my hand. "You'll do great, kiddo. Be strong."
It was weird that she was holding my hands but I guess I needed it.
She was the first-ever person to hold my hand and actually mean it.
My mum held my hand whenever something bad was going to happen. But this didn't seem so bad. I felt happy.
We walked to the door. And Miss Lili opened the door and there it was.
The moment that I knew would come.
About 300 boys, all eyes on me.
For me, this is situation is "If nervousness was a disease I would be dead."