the start of middle school

The first day of middle school felt like stepping into an entirely different world.

Moro Middle School was massive—so big that it was connected to the high school. The layout was confusing, like some kind of labyrinth designed to make new students suffer. The high school section stretched out to the far left, while the middle school was on the right. Just looking at the size of the place made my head hurt.

I walked into my first class, scanning the room. Everything felt different. The desks weren't grouped together like in elementary school; instead, they were lined up in rows. The atmosphere was unfamiliar, almost intimidating.

I had three classes with Leana and Shin, but the other three? I was on my own. And with six periods in total, it was overwhelming.

As I settled into my seat, I overheard some kids from 7th and 8th grade talking near the door. They seemed… different. More confident, like they had some kind of status over us. I didn't get it at first, but then one of my classmates leaned over and whispered,

"Yeah, you'll get used to it. In middle school, 6th graders are just kinda… there. We don't have any leaders or rankings like the older grades. But in 7th and 8th? They've got their own groups, and they kinda run things."

I blinked. "Wait, what? Run things?"

He shrugged. "Not like teachers or anything, but they have their own friend groups, their own spots in the lunchroom, and even their own way of handling drama. It's weird at first, but trust me, you'll see what I mean."

So middle school wasn't just about harder classes—it had some kind of social hierarchy too?

Great. Just what I needed.