I didn't have any desire to explore the middle school aisle further.
Just that first memory reminded me of how dull and gloomy those years had been. It wasn't a particularly pleasant time for me. The transition from elementary to middle school felt like stepping into a completely different world, not in a good way.
I remembered feeling lost and out of place amidst a sea of unfamiliar faces. The cafeteria incident was just one example of my many challenges during those years. The bullies, the academic pressure, and the general feeling of not belonging (both at home and school) made it a period of my life that I'd rather forget.
The thought of reliving those problematic moments was not something I'd want to do. I knew that it might be necessary to confront those experiences eventually, but as of the moment, I wasn't ready to reopen those old wounds.
