James was uncomfortable with the new uniform he was wearing. The cloth fitted well, but he had never worn a school uniform at all. He kept looking at his reflection in the mirror at the fancy embroidery design of the school badge. "ChrisValle High School. A Great Place To Learn" that was beautifully etched on the uniform he now wore.
"Ohh my god, my son looks very handsome. Come on let me take you a picture" Mary kept gushing about how cute her son was. James blankly gazed at his pure cream shirt with a striped tie and dark blue shorts in silence as his mum ran to get her cellphone. "Mom please just let me wear this uniform when we reach the gates of the school. please", James pleaded quietly. "I don't want the girl next door to see me in this", he further said.
Mary then stopped fiddling with her phone and looked at her son, "Come on honey you know that you can't do that. If that craz-- school bursar saw you wearing casual clothes to the school, she might send you back, permanently."
Mary bent down to James height and stared at his eyes, "Honey, look at me. You know I love you so much right? And you know that I would not do anything to make you uncomfortable. I just want the best for you. That was why I paid so much for the best education England can offer.
"Even that girl you are trying to avoid with this uniform would even be more attracted to you if she realizes the kind of school you are going to," Mary added, smiling.
James felt his tears welling up in his eyes, but he shoved them back and smiled back at his mum, "yes I understand. I love you mom" he kissed his mom on her chicks.
Mary then felt satisfied and said "Okay my young captain, off to your ship" Mary jokingly said, pointing at the car outside. James then giggled and followed his mom.
Out of all the people he knew, he was closest to his mom and no one else. Ever since he was born, his mom had always been by his side, although others were constantly avoiding him. He looked at his mom driving and felt love welling up in his heart.
On the school ground.
"Try to be a good boy okay honey. I'll meet you hereby 3:30 pm sharp. Don't look for any troubles here okay. Love you!" Mary blew a kiss to James as he alighted off the car. "Okay mom, love you too!" was what he said last before he watched his mom drive away.
James then turned around to face the school's building. 'My worst nightmare is about to start, he thought as he slowly walked to the schools building. Unlike the last time he came here, there were many students with the same uniform just like him moving left and right all around him. Some were going in the same direction as he is, some were strolling past him.
He silently increased his pace as he looked at the doors in his left and right as he desperately looked for a "Grade 8" poster on top of the door, but he could not find it. The only thing he could see was a "Chemistry lab" label.
Again, he began to feel uneasy, and he hated this feeling. It made him feel helpless. Now he was shy to ask around for help. After walking back and forth in the hallway, he could not take it any more, so he decided to ask for help from the nearest person he could find.
Just as James was about to say "hello", the school bell ringed loudly and startled him. And just like that, everyone in the hallway retreated to their various classes, leaving James alone in the empty hallway.
"Humph... Humph..", he breathed nervously as he attempted to go to a random class asking for where the eighth-grade class was. 'Damn I was stupid! I should have asked somebody, anybody. Now I have to interrupt a class by asking a silly question. He then began counting the doors from the beginning of the hallway till he reached the eighth door by his right.
"Uhh… hi..hello sir. Please I lost my way. Please which class is grade 8..sir?", He asked nervously. He could practically feel the eyes of the students in the class staring at him. He had never felt this nervous in his entire life.
"Oh. So you are the new student I was informed about. You are in the right class. Come in." An average man that wore glasses with receding hairline urged him. James then came inside the class and stood next to the teacher. James could not even look at the faces of the 22 students that he counted quickly before moving next to the teacher.
"Ok class, before we start today's lesson, I would like to introduce to you a new class addition." James new teacher spoke to the class, then facing him, he said, "Alright James, introduce yourself to the class."
James took a deep breath, readjusted his backpack, and looked straight to the end wall of the class. All this while, he did not visibly display his emotions. He had strong self-control, so he was able to keep his poker face constantly as he introduced himself to the class.
"My names are James Smith, I'm 10 years old, and I live in Avery Hill with my family." He spoke robotically. He heard the class begin to murmur silently, possibly guessing why a ten-year-old boy would be doing in an 8th-grade class.
The teacher nodded and then replied, "Alright then, James Smith, we welcome you to grade 8 class of ChrisValle Middle School. I'm Noah Oliver by name. I am the English teacher for this class. Please take your seat.", Mr Noah then pointed at a table on the third row next to a girl.
James began walking to his seat, as the eyes began following him to his seat. 'At least I didn't mess up at all he thought, bringing out his English notebook.