my brother, Ian, was talking to me, but I couldn’t concentrate. the ‘butterflies’ in my stomach were less butterflies and more eagles. it was my first day and my dad insisted on driving us to school in his brand new red Porsche. I tried to convince him to take the volvo, to no avail.

I walked down the hall with Ian, who was wearing a black formal outfit and a green tie. ian convinced me to wear a white formal outfit and red tie.
“why do i have to wear this?” I complained.
“its your first day of school here. you have to make a good impression. now, its time for homeroom. you have mrs loughty. she’s nice. i had her last year. now, go.” ian commanded.

I walked down the hall, trying not to look like a lost idiot. I walked into the room ian had pointed out and sat down in the only open seat. I turned to the girl next to me. she was wearing a black hoodie with purple patches and black ripped jeans. she had black hair with a purple streak. “hello, there, madam! my name is Devon! and you are?” I blurted out, and internally kicked myself when she flinched.
“its none of your business.” she replied and put her earbuds in. the teacher, mrs loughty I reminded myself, started calling names. when she got to my name I blurted out “i am present today, mrs loughty.” I saw the girl roll her eyes and I regretted the formalities at once.
“emma?”
the girl next to him said “here.”
“so... your name is emma, huh?” I asked.
“why do you care?” emma snapped and looked away, annoyed.
‘emma suits her.’ I thought, smiling as I looked towards mrs loughty.

when I walked into math class, I noticed the girl, emma sitting in the back corner. I walked up to the teacher.
“mr. devon king? i’m mrs goblirsh. you may sit next to emma cambiare. emma? please raise your hand.”
emma raised her hand slowly as I informed mrs goblirsh that I already met emma. I went to sit next to her and said “your last name is cambiare? did you know that means ‘change’ in italian?”
she looked confused and asked, “you know italian?”
I scolded myself for showing off and said, “yes. my dad made me learn multiple languages.”

after math and a few classes, it was time for lunch. I looked for ian and walked over to his table.
“sorry, devon. my table is full. why dont you sit with someone from your grade?” ian asked.
“you are one day older than me and barely in the next grade. for your information, i havent found any friends yet.” I retorted.

a boy walked over and touched my shoulder. “hi! im patrick. are you new here? would you like to sit with my group?”
“umm. hi, patrick. i’m devon, and i would love to sit with your group.” I followed the boy after glaring at ian. patrick led me to a table in the back corner of the lunchroom. I noticed emma sitting at the table, her earbuds not in her ears for the first time that day. I sat in between patrick and emma. patrick introduced everyone.
“that is layla. she is very smart.” he indicated a girl in a black shirt and blue tie. she was wearing glasses and had her hair in a high ponytail.
“those two are eric and sam. sams pronouns are they/them. they get a little uncomfortable if you call them by the wrong pronouns. eric wants to be a therapist and sam is obsessed with starbucks.” eric was a boy in a tan jacket and sam was wearing sunglasses and drinking starbucks.
“and that is-”
“emma cambiare. i already met her.” I interrupted and waved to all of them.
“i am devon king. yes, my older brother is ian king.” I winced slightly as a splitting pain flashed through my head.
“are you ok, kiddo? whats wrong? do you need the nurse?” patrick exclaimed.
sam rolled their eyes and said “calm down, pat. sorry, devon. you will get used to him. he is a bit overprotective of his ‘kiddos.’”
“i’m fine, patrick.”
“you can call me pat.”
“ok, pat. i’m fine. i just have a small headache. i’m going to go to the nurse for some tylenol. i’ll be right back” as I said that, I noticed emma staring at me with a strange look in her eyes. it was unnerving. I rushed off to the nurse, not really knowing where the nurse was. pat caught up to me and led me to the nurse. “thanks, pat.”
“no problem, kiddo.” pat waited for me to get my medicine.
the nurse was about in her mid thirties and had red hair. she handed me some tylenol and had me lay down on the cot for a minute. as I laid down, a searing pain flashed behind my eyes.
“kiddo? are you ok? whats wrong?”
“im fine, pat. i just have a headache.” I winced as my head throbbed.
“whats your name, dear?” the nurse asked me.
“devon king.” pat answered for me.
“i’m going to call your parents, ok dear? they are going to come pick you up.”
I groaned at the thought of my dad seeing me like this. the nurse bustled to the phone and called my dad and told him I was sick and needed to be picked up. she hung up and told me my dad would be here soon. she told me to relax, and pat to go back to lunch. he complied, after telling me to get well soon.
my dad was there in 10 minutes and we went home. at home, I went straight to my room and fell asleep.