Start Of School

I step inside the main building on campus. It’s a big hall, with has a cool, big dome on the ceiling, which allows the sunlight to shine through it, and light up the entire floor inside the hall. At the right of the entrance, there is not only the principal greeting everyone, but what seems like a small office. I don’t have much time to look at it, since I can’t stand still in the middle of the entrance, so I get close to him, and can’t avoid a greeting.

“Good morning, welcome to Sunset College” - the principal tells me, after he extends his arm to give me a firm handshake, and then moves on to greet the next student. I keep walking, as I don’t want to block the path to anyone behind me, but I also want to explore more of this hall -- I don’t really know where to go, so I just stand in the center of the hall, looking around to see where I should go.

I notice that on my right there are some hallways with doors, which also have signs. It looks like they are the employees’ offices or something, but I know I shouldn’t go there. So I can only go through two big arches, which seem to lead to different places. At the left, the first arch looks like it takes you to a big hallway with some classrooms, or at least it looks similar to a highschool interior. And while I’m more familiar with that sight, and that’s probably the place I have to go, I still decide to go through the other arch in front of me -- it just looks more interesting, and I’m curious to explore.

I go through the archway, walk down some small concrete stairs, and it seems that it takes me outdoors. I do notice that there’s a significant change in styles on the outside, so I look back to see that the hall is modern looking, and I also remember that the campus looks really stylish from the outside -- like a typical huge symmetrical structure, and with huge glass panels. The whole building seems to be made out of big rectangles, and it is only 3 different plain colors. I guess it’s normal for this style of building, but it’s still weird for me -- although I’m getting kind of used to it, since it seems to be quite popular in this city.

Anyway, I step outside of the hall, and I get to admire the huge, green, and thriving life field at the center of all the buildings. I see that it is surrounded by a total of 5 buildings, or that’s what I manage to see -- I can’t really see if there is more to his place on the left side, since one of the buildings is blocking my view. But with this open space, I get a good view of most of the campus, and it’s absolutely huge.

On my right, there is a small extension of the hall. There seems to be a few more offices for the secretary, maybe some teachers, I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem too important. On my left, there is the huge building with windows, which allows me to see inside, and it seems like that’s where the other archway leads to -- they are probably the classrooms, so that’s where I have to go later.

Right next to that building, there is another one, not as big, but still pretty decent. It’s medium, but long, and it has a big ramp that takes you to the second floor of it. It looks like that building has some special classrooms, and other interesting rooms, like a laboratory, a computer room, and maybe even a music room -- I’m not quite sure, but it probably hosts some fun stuff like that.

But most importantly, the main attraction. The giant field in the middle is definitely the star of the campus. It is filled with trees, benches, and a lot of people hanging out. It has an elevation, so as I keep walking down this field on one of the concrete paths, I notice that at the end, it reaches a point around 8 feet lower than the hall -- it’s barely noticeable though, because the elevation is not that steep, it’s just that it lowers so much from the length of the field.

Wow, this is really huge, I don’t think I will be able to reach the end - I think to myself, as I only reach a fourth of the field before I stop. I look to my right side, and I notice there is a medium building in the middle of the field. It looks like just one floor, and it has a shape similar to a cafeteria, or some sort of social place -- so I’m guessing that’s where people hang out and talk the most. I want to go inside it, but finally the bell rings -- and it actually sounds really loud, like there are multiple bells around the campus, but to the point that they must be even in the trees to sound this loud.

I see that a few people around at the field grab their stuff, and start heading in the direction to the building next to the main hall. I quickly follow them to see where the classroom is, but I’m doubting a little - In the end, we are all in the same classroom, right?. I’m not sure if we all go to the same class, but I’m going to find out. There does seem to be only about 20 people in the whole campus, which is odd to see in such a large facility like this, but it also makes me curious to see exactly how many we are in total.

Now I find myself at the huge building with all the classrooms. I have to go through a few hallways to get to the main classroom though, so it takes me a while to find it. But I’m sure it’s the one all of the teens are going to, and it looks even obvious because it seems to be the biggest room, and it’s also in the center of all the hallways - This has to be it.

I step inside the classroom, look around, and instantly get anxious. There are a ton of students already chatting, laughing, and doing things like they were friends from childhood. I see that most of my classmates are in groups of friends, which is odd, but I try to ignore them, since I don’t know a good way to introduce myself right away -- I’m just going to wait for a good opportunity, if I get one.

I’m just trying to find someone in specific. Matthew, he is the only one I know here, so I want to be around him, at least for the first class. I feel like I’m going to be comfortable talking to an old friend, and it will also be easier for me to make new ones. But as I look even more to find him, some other students pass right by me, but I don’t even bother looking at them -- they do look at me though, which makes me nervous, but I try not speaking to anyone.

Come on, where are you?? I don’t know what to do - I ask myself in a bit of frustration. I’m starting to panic, as I can’t find my friend, and I even begin to think that Matthew might have not arrived yet. It would be super awkward if I had no one to talk to, and I’m fearing having to actually make new friends. But as I start to lose hope, I finally see him in one of the corners at the back of the classroom - he is just taking his books out of his backpack, but he is also talking to some of his friends.

I quickly make my way to him. I awkwardly cross the entire room to get to him, but since everyone is talking, and getting ready for class, no one notices me -- or at least the vast majority, since I do think one or two cute girls glanced at me. I don’t try to look at anyone except Matthew though, and when I finally get to him, I don’t hesitate to let him know I’m here -- and hopefully I don’t feel like a total stranger here anymore.

“Hey Matthew, how you doing?” - I ask cheerfully, but I notice that his friends immediately look at me weird, like I’m trying to harass them or something. But when Matthew turns around, he immediately recognizes me, and his friends chill down -- but they seem surprised to see me, and so does he.

“YOO!!! Dre!... You are here! Hey, how’s it going??” - Matthew exclaims in his usual enthusiastic manner, and then gives me a special handshake we have. I chuckle at his reaction, but he thens hugs me for a brief moment, and I get a glimpse of their friends -- who look impressed to see I’m one of Matthew’s old friends.

“Man, it’s good to see you, there’s a seat for you here…” - he follows up, and invites me to sit with him and his friends. I sit next to him, and then he turns around to his friends, who are still making me feel a little weird -- it’s like they are judging me or something.

“This is André, an old friend from school… We were best friends, trust me, he is cool” - Matthew says to his friends, and they all just look at me, nod like they are giving me their approval, and turn their attention away. They don’t seem too interested in me, but it’s fine, I know one day I will gain their respect - I’m sure if they are friends of Matthew they will be friends of mine. One of them does try to greet me properly, but a woman suddenly enters the room, and everyone immediately pays attention to her.