Chapter 1
‘Sigh, if there’s a difference between there and here I’d love to know, I don’t even get why those people are sending me here, guilty conscience?’ I thought seriously for a second then started silently snickering ‘as if’ rolling my eyes I refocused my attention on the person walking with me.
“This is the bathroom....there’s the bio lab.... and the staffroom.. the principals office.. uh Haoun you’ve been quiet for a while, did you memorize the location of all the rooms?”
I only nodded in response
“I see, well then, this is our last stop, this will be your classroom,” turning from the lady, I peeked into the classroom, we were standing in front of the class and I could clearly see the inside threw the metallic windows, all the students were glaring at me, I just stared back at them stoically, calm, unbothered and turned my attention back to the woman, we both stared at each other for a while then she flashed me a smile, what a strange woman? smiling so warmly at me, the kind of warm smile I’ve only ever seen my mother give from time to time, I furrowed my eyes, I couldn’t understand why that warm smile was facing m-.
“Haoun.. Haoun are you alright,” the woman placed her hand on my shoulder lightly shaking me
I held my breath ‘one, two, three...what?’ I furrowed my eyebrows deeper and frowned ‘what’s going on’
“How strange” I mumbled slightly.
“What’s peculiar?” came the quizzingly voice from behind
“Oh, Mr. Newton” the woman greeted nodding “did everything go well with the principal”
“Yes ma’am” he replied walking towards “the paperwork is complete and Haoun is now a full fledge student of St. Mary's Academy” he placed his hand on my shoulder one, two, three, I flinched,
‘Ah its still there’ sighing in relief I stared at the woman ‘nothing has changed that lady is just strange... yes very strange’
“Hauon.. Haoun!” the lady voice snapping me out of my thoughts
“What?!” I replied startled.
“Haoun, replying to me ‘what’ is rude, please address me properly, what you should have responded is ‘yes, Ms. Nation”,’ she stopped her babbling raising her eyebrow “but I guess you may have forgotten my name, so I'll let that slide, let me reintroduce myself, my name is Allysa Nation your home room teacher, all the students call me Ms. Nation, lets get along in the future”
“Ah- yes” stumbling I caught Mr. ewtons death glare “I apologize as well, I hope we get along too” but I knew it wasn’t likely
“Sigh, please watch over my son Ms. Nation” Mr. Newton intervened “he has been home schooled until now and is not good at understanding social norms”
I slowly faced my head to the ground and rolled my eyes ‘I can understand them just fine’
“Is that right” that woman Ms. Nation responded halfheartedly “well from now on Hauon, please try to remember this alright.”
“Yes. ma’am... uh, I mean miss nation” still staring at the ground, I bit hard on my lip, fighting the urge to yelp at the pain that came from the shoulder Mr. Newton was tightly clutching.
“Well, I must take my leave now” Mr. Newton announced “Ms. Nation, if my son causes any trouble, please contact me” smiling he tightens his grasp “also please be careful, you know, he’s been very imaginative since he was young” removing his darn hand from my shoulder, I gently rubbed it as the woman’s attention was on him.
“I'll keep that in mind sir” she nodded politely smiling.
‘What a suck up’ sighing I raised my head and caught her glaring at me ‘are you serious, where did that warm smile you give me go, I’m the culprit here!’, looking down, I noticed my hands were fisting and slowly hid them in my pants pocket, slightly sighing ‘typical, she is just like the others.’
After we both watched Mr. Newton walk away the woman ushered me into the classroom, 30 eyes were glaring at me I just looked down and rolled my eyes, ‘how childish, will they bully the new kid? I'd like to see them try!’
“Boys” she announced “this is Haoun Newton, he will be your new classmate,” she patted my shoulder softly, one, two, three... again, nothing 'what’s with this lady' lifting my head I furrowed my eyebrows deeper, she ignored my confused expression “Hauon, your seat is over there by Rashid, he's the one playing with the pens over there, everyone you can get acquainted with him on your own time, get back to your reading.”
“Thank you ma’am” I replied, begrudgingly walking towards the grinning boy
“Ma’am” she raised an eyebrow
“Miss nation” I corrected myself and sat down next him
“Alo” the dark skinned boy smiled extending his hand “mwen rele Rashid, guess nou ye seat buddies, hope nou can be friends or else this is gunna suck.”
‘Hmm people here smile a lot, friends huh? guess it won’t hurt to make one, its not like they would mind’ grasping his hand and shaking it “I like your accent, I haven’t heard one like it before!” he sounds pretty Kool honestly.
“Ah mesi, ou haven’t? guess your schools before didn’t have any Haitian kids,”
“Haitians whose that?” I asked emptying my books from bag into my desk, that shit was heavy.
“Kisa? ou not a native then?” I shook my head
“Nope, I came down from Virginia with some people, we arrived in Dominica two weeks ago, so I'm new.”
“Sa bon, mwen can introduce ou to the nature island” he smiled cheerfully “anyway, Haitians are--
“Haoun and Rashid!!” called a voice we turned to face that woman glaring at us, everyone turned in our direction as well.
‘Seriously again what did we do? I was getting seriously annoyed with her.’
“Wi, Ms. Nation” Rashid respond mechanically.
“I believe I said that you guys can get to know him on your own time” her glare intensifying “first period is ending in a few minutes get ready for your next class.”
“Wi Ms, padon” Rashid starting to take out books from his bag and I noticed the rest of my classmates doing the same, the woman looked satisfied and walked to her desk, just then I heard a loud ringing and everyone started to get up. Glancing at my schedule which I took out from my bag along with my other books, biology was the next class, quickly, I found the text book from the stack on my desk and followed Rashid outside.
“Ou don’t like Ms. Nation do you?” Rashid stated walking alongside me.
“Not really, I would have to have expected something to not like her, it just annoyed me that she kept glaring at us, sorry I got you in trouble.”
“Hahahahaha, dude its Kool, mwen get in trouble all the time anyway, plus Ms. Nation is strict but she’s really a good teacher, ou pral warm up to her in time” Rashid looked confident about that but I doubted it, she already proved to be no different.
“If you say so” shrugging I noticed him staring at me as we walked down the winding stairs “what? if you don’t watch down you will trip.”
“Oh padon, its just, I’ve never seen someone with such clear blue eyes before, is all, its kool” he shrugged “padon if that made you uncomfortable.”
“You actually like them?” mumbling underneath my breath, I furrowing my eyebrows ‘why though.. neverminded that.’
“Hey Rashid, about or conversation before” I looked up and sighed ‘guess it will have to wait’ we had reached the next class.
Rashid giggled “ cheer up dude, nou pral talk at break” I nodded as we entered the class.
