The Big Leap

The new school year ended up sneaking up on us. One minute Micah and I were free to do whatever we wanted all day and the next our parents were frantically buying notebooks and new backpacks, dragging us both to clothing stores so we could make a good impression on picture day. The first day of school is something I'm an old pro at, I mean I have been doing this for like eight years, but mom was way more anxious than usual. "High School is a critical time for your future Amelie!" God how many times had she given me that speech? I always tell her I'll be fine but she always worries. I have my whole outfit laid out for the first day I chose a purple flannel button up, my favorite jeans and a solid colored gray shirt. I'm going for cool but understated. Casual, but put together. I've got only the finest of mechanical pencils and a new sketchbook too. I'm the most prepared any girl has ever been for her first day of high school.

In the morning I head to the entrance of the neighborhood about twenty minutes before the bus is supposed to arrive. Mom insisted i get there super early, just in case the bus is moving fast on the first day. It arrives right on time, just like I knew it would, and I make my way to the back, and snag an empty seat. Micah's stop is next and I want to make sure we get to sit together. I can see him as he climbs up the bus steps. He doesn't look good, his eyes are glued to his feet, and he barely acknowledges the bus driver. "Micah! Micah back here I got us a seat!" I wave my arm high enough that he can see me over the other kids. He sits down next to me and I can tell he is not doing well at all. He looks all weird and pale, maybe he's really nervous about everything. I put my arm around his shoulders to try and comfort him. "Are you nervous or something Micah? It's just school." He shakes his head, but doesn't say anything. God what is his deal? He better not be sick! I dig through my backpack for my class schedule. "Pass me your schedule sheet, I'll see if we have any classes together." I grab the green sheet of paper from his hand and give it a good look. "Alright, ok, yeah this isn't bad we have the same lunch period! So we can definitely meet up during that. Let's see... Ok look nothing to worry about we've got sixth hour together so we can just walk to the bus! Plus you've got acting, choir, this should be a good year for you!" Micah doesn't seem relieved at all.

"Are you okay Micah? You're looking rough. Is something like wrong?" He shakes his head "I'm just... Really nervous. You're the only person I know in this whole school Amélie." His eyes are starting to look a little watery. I put my arm around his shoulder, and he rests his head against me. I have that same tight feeling in my chest that I had when we went to the arcade. I don't know what's wrong with me, but at least Micah seems like he feels better. We spend the rest of the bus ride in silence, except for the pounding of my heart in my ears.

As we file off the bus I take Micah's hand in mine. "Hey, we're gonna be fine. Meet me under the arch when it hits lunch time. I'll be waiting for you. My mom packed me extra food to share with you, we can just relax for a bit." I flash him my most reassuring smile. He laughs a little and a wave of relief washes out all the tension from the bus ride. "Ok Amélie... I'll meet you at lunch." He disappears into the crowd of kids, headed off to whatever class he has first. Time for me to do the same. First order of business: Figure out where the heck everything is in here. I head to my right, in the opposite direction of Micah, and dash up the stairs. I say dash but it was more like "desperately fight through a million people" if I'm being honest. This school is the largest in the city, and it shows. I swear there's not an inch to either side of me in these hallways. Finally I reach the classroom. 315c. Right in the middle of the arch between the two halves of the school.

Inside the room is the woman I can only assume is my new French teacher. She looks pretty young, and isn't much taller than me. "Bonjour classe! Please find the desk with your name on it! You will be sitting here for the first semester. I have already gotten your books from the depository, they are in the baskets under your chairs." I think she might actually be French based on her light accent. All my previous French teachers have been American so this is kind of new to me. I find the placard with my name on it. She must have hand written them all, she wrote my name so beautifully. The swooping lines of her handwriting make my name look so elegant. "All right classe I believe that is all of us! I am Mademoiselle DuPont and I will be your French teacher for French two this year! I am very excited to work with you!" She smiles at us, so big her eyes scrunch up at the sides. "And now for introduction! Everyone in here should have at least basic French skills, yes? Please introduce yourselves using French, and tell us one thing that you like to do for fun. That can be sport or a hobby or something! I will begin!" She walks to the white board and points to her name "Je m'appelle Mademoiselle DuPont mais vous pouvez m'appeler Prof Dupont. J'écris des histoires comme passe-temps!" Her eyes scan the room. "Would anyone like to volunteer to go first?" I raise my hand, my face flush with warmth. "Très bien! Amélie, go ahead and introduce yourself. You can stay seated." My voice shakes as I start my introduction. "Uh... Je... Je m'appelle Amélie, et je... uh... J'aime d-dessiner? I like to draw? I think?" Mademoiselle DuPont claps her hands together excitedly. "Ah magnifique you did wonderful Amélie! Perhaps you will show me some of your drawings some time, yes?" She turns to the next student, but I can't really hear what she's saying. It's all drowned out by the thumping of my heart.

The rest of class is pretty routine. She passes out a syllabus, gives us some vocabulary sheets, and next thing we all know it's back out into the hallway. Thankfully I don't have as far to go this time. Just down a floor and around the corner. Drawing class! Mom says if I want to go to art school I have to take as many art classes as I can, and work on a portfolio. I hurry into the art studio and find a seat at one of the big black tables. I'm in my element now! Near the front of the room stands the teacher, Mister Morrison. People say he's a little weird, but he's a good teacher. Honestly I would have been disappointed if he wasn't a little weird, all of my art teachers have been. "Hello everyone, I'm uh James Merritt, but you can call me Jamie, or Mr Merritt, whatever you're more comfortable with." Oh, a teacher who uses his first name. I don't think I've ever had that happen before. "This class is Drawing One, most of you should be freshmen. This class is to give you the basics of drawing technique, and help you develop the skills needed to create a portfolio for after high school." He sighs "Unfortunately the district has not given us any money to buy sketchbooks for you all, so you will be expected to buy some. I suggest a nine by twelve inch sketchbook." This is not the exciting artistic start to my school year I hoped for, being told what kind of sketchbooks to buy. "We won't start drawing today..." There are sighs of relief from half the class and moans of disappointment from the other. I'm in the disappointment group. "But we will tomorrow! I have some drawing paper to get you all started. For now let's go over some basic art history..." I zone out for the rest of class. I came here to draw! After what feels like forever the bell rings and I'm first out the door.

My next class is uneventful too, Mrs Clark just took us to get our Geometry books and went over the syllabus. Now I'm free for lunch, and I gotta find Micah. I head down the stairs to the arch, and start scanning the crowd for him. I see him standing alone in one of the corners where the walls meet the bottom of the arch. He has some of his color back, but he still looks like a lost puppy in all this chaos. "Micah!" I shout as I job over to him. "Jeez dude there's way too many people here. Did you pack a lunch today? Or did you need to hit the lunch room?" He gestured at his backpack. "I'm good Amélie, mom packed me a sandwich or something. Did you wanna go eat somewhere inside the lunch room is already full I saw it as I was coming down the stairs." Yeah he's back to normal. "Yeah inside sounds good. Let's go find somewhere quiet. The area by the music rooms seemed quiet, not a lot of people over there. Come on, follow me." We head into the section of the building opposite the lunch room, down the hall past the offices, into a little alcove near the orchestra room. There's nobody eating lunch down here, just the lower level orchestra class practicing in their room. It's just me, Micah, and the sound of kids tuning violins or practicing scales. It's a nice bit of peace in the chaos of school.

"Oh! Micah! Here!" I dig into my lunch bag and pull out the brownies my mom packed me. "My mom packed an extra one for you." He gently grabs it from my hand. "How were your first three classes?" Micah's shoulder slump and he sighs deeply. "They're horrible Amélie! I have Law, then Geometry, the Latin! I don't want to take Latin, that was my mom's idea! At least that part is over. It's just Choir and Acting." His cheeks flush a little pink "And then Bio... With you." I focus on my sandwich. I can't look at him when he looks at me like that. I get all nervous. I swallow my bite of food before I respond. "Yeah that's not so bad. I've got Law, English, Bio next." I stretch my legs out and try and get comfortable. "You want to make this our lunch spot, Micah? Seems like nobody else has claimed it yet." He scoots closer to me, until his shoulder is touching mine. "Yeah. I.. I like having time to that's just us." We sit in silence for a little while. I can't really think with him pressed so close to me. When did he start acting so differently toward me? I glance up at the clock on the wall across from us. Shit! Lunch is almost over. "Sorry Micah, I gotta get going. I have Law in the weird trailer on the other side of the building. I'll see you in Bio!" I dash away before he can say anything. Could I have made it without leaving so early? Probably. I just couldn't stay like that any more.

The rest of classes pass uneventfully. Micah and I don't sit near each other in Biology, which might be a good thing. He could use some new friends, just to branch out a little, you know? The Bio teacher, Mrs Diaz passes around a sheet with a list of extracurricular activities and sports teams for us to look over. Dad wants me to play a sport, but I haven't really put any thought into what I should play. I wasn't really involved in them in Middle School. Micah and I walk to the buses together once school is over. I can't really think of anything to say to him. Every time we make eye contact I lose my nerve. I just don't know how to handle him lately. Even sitting together on the ride gets me nervous. He's been talking the entire ride but I don't remember a single word. I'm all hazy, my head feels like it's full of smoke. I wave goodbye to him as he gets off the bus, but my body is still tense. Even on the walk to my house is a blur. Yeah... Some distance, some new friends, that'll be good for both of us. I sink into my bed as soon as I get home and stare at the sheet of sports teams. Yeah... Yeah... This will be for the best.